General Preparedness for the times

[wolfy]

My first instinct would be to break out the turkey fryer, rather than 'modifying' the kitchen to accept the canner.  As to supplemental heat for the greenhouse, a buddy of mine uses those blue plastic drums that he filled with water and painted flat black for solar heat gain.  There's a row snugged up together on the south wall and a second row on top of that.  He told me that keeping the temperatures low enough during the sunny days was more of a problem for him than keeping it above freezing at night.

[wsdstan]

Might be better/easier to use an additional heat source for the canner.  I use one  of those propane heaters that came with a turkey cooker somebody gave me.  I don't know if a Coleman stove or similar will do the job with the canner but it won't hurt to try it.

I went from your post to reply and didn't see Wolfy's post till I checked mine.

[hayshaker]

xj as for your canner if it has a rubber gasket get 3 more as well as about 4 gauges they do fail over time with a lot o use, do that now while you are able. btw love the hen house, on a trailer too they ready to bugout or what? pm me if you can shakey

[boomer]

Reading along with what folks are doing and planning here is as instructive, as it is wise

Every once in a while however, reality intrudes on my backwoods perspective. As mentioned before I'm pretty much a desert rat - high desert but desert nonetheless. A recent brief trek to the Phoenix AZ area (1.63 million in SMA) for a nephew's wedding was something of an eye opener. I knew AZ back in the day, traveled the state from border lands to Petrified Forest and attended U of A. Still enjoy the uniqueness of the Sonoran desert.

The gathering was in Glendale and we stayed nearby in an area was built around golf courses. Ironically it was the only rental available in close proximity during our time frame. There were very few through streets within the residential community with mostly cul de sacs arranged around the courses. There were water features everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. Along with the greens and fairways the amount of water required in these cases alone was pretty
startling  to see. Unfortunately, the area referred to is anything but unique.

Now, I don't play golf and have nothing against those who do or the game itself. But it seems in the hottest city in the nation with recent temps regularly hitting 110F and better, deep in the desert, in the midst of historic drought conditions, surrounded by communities on the very close edge of running out of water altogether folks might want to stop and think about what we're doing.

Water is always an issue in the SW. Nothing new about that. I guess the point is that when preparing for hard times we benefit from not only the immediate and local but understanding larger issues as well. 

It's wise to anticipate and prepare - it's also necessary to widen our gaze. When I widen my gaze it's not a pretty picture and definitely not reassuring.

[boomer]

Diesel is at $5 and regular at $4.65 around my area. Not sure how to prepare for that.

[Moe M.]

Diesel is at $5 and regular at $4.65 around my area. Not sure how to prepare for that.

 You can't, and that's the point, not much over two years ago America was energy independent and we were one of the leading suppliers of oil across the globe, we know how to fix the energy problem in this country but our hands are pretty much tied, 2020 saw the beginning of the decimation of the oil industry in this country in order to push the green agenda.
 The Green Agenda is being driven by the politics of big money, government grants and subsidies, but don't cry about gas and Diesel, my home heating oil delivery has been about $300.00 per month for the last couple of years, two days ago I got another delivery, the bills was $647.27, my electricity bill is up 17% and climbing, and my grocery bill is up 50% from a year ago, and it doesn't end there, municipal services are going to be reflected in property taxes, and the list goes on.
 The one thing that I can't figure out is two years down the road and it's still Trump's fault, what's up with that ?

 I wish I had answers for the problems we are experiencing today, I'm afraid there are too many problems facing us and damned few solutions, a political purge might help, but if it happened today it may still be too late.   

[boomer]

Sorry to hear about the financial hits you've taking Moe. Unfortunately, a lot of folks are in the same boat. I consider myself fortunate that it costs a couple hundred to heat my small place in the desert.

It should be recognized however, that the Green New Deal is still just a proposal, petro subsidies have not changed and until the last year of the Obama administration we were energy independent. There's also the fact 9,000 lease and drilling permits on the books for federal land are unused. Federal leased supply about 10% of annual product. Recall also the Keystone XL was to provide transport and refining for products to be shipped offshore

Even as your petro related bills keep climbing big oil continues to rack up historical profits most of which ho to stock buy backs and investor returns. Nothing underhanded about it and not illegal these days but it does affect price. Covid put a crimp in operations and the quarterlies need to be pumped up.

Petro is traded globally and we're all likely to feel the effects one way or another. Oil companies raise prices because they can. Oil companies misrepresent climate problems because they have to. In the meantime about all we can do is hope Spring comes early.

[Moe M.]

Sorry to hear about the financial hits you've taking Moe. Unfortunately, a lot of folks are in the same boat. I consider myself fortunate that it costs a couple hundred to heat my small place in the desert.

It should be recognized however, that the Green New Deal is still just a proposal, petro subsidies have not changed and until the last year of the Obama administration we were energy independent. There's also the fact 9,000 lease and drilling permits on the books for federal land are unused. Federal leased supply about 10% of annual product. Recall also the Keystone XL was to provide transport and refining for products to be shipped offshore

Even as your petro related bills keep climbing big oil continues to rack up historical profits most of which ho to stock buy backs and investor returns. Nothing underhanded about it and not illegal these days but it does affect price. Covid put a crimp in operations and the quarterlies need to be pumped up.

Petro is traded globally and we're all likely to feel the effects one way or another. Oil companies raise prices because they can. Oil companies misrepresent climate problems because they have to. In the meantime about all we can do is hope Spring comes early.

 Up, I saw all the dem Cool Aid on display, but unlike you I refused to drink it, all I know is that after O'Bummer and before senile Joe we were doing a $hit load better than we are today.    

[boomer]

Sorry to hear about the financial hits you've taking Moe. Unfortunately, a lot of folks are in the same boat. I consider myself fortunate that it costs a couple hundred to heat my small place in the desert.

It should be recognized however, that the Green New Deal is still just a proposal, petro subsidies have not changed and until the last year of the Obama administration we were energy independent. There's also the fact 9,000 lease and drilling permits on the books for federal land are unused. Federal leased supply about 10% of annual product. Recall also the Keystone XL was to provide transport and refining for products to be shipped offshore

Even as your petro related bills keep climbing big oil continues to rack up historical profits most of which ho to stock buy backs and investor returns. Nothing underhanded about it and not illegal these days but it does affect price. Covid put a crimp in operations and the quarterlies need to be pumped up.

Petro is traded globally and we're all likely to feel the effects one way or another. Oil companies raise prices because they can. Oil companies misrepresent climate problems because they have to. In the meantime about all we can do is hope Spring comes early.

 Up, I saw all the dem Cool Aid on display, but unlike you I refused to drink it, all I know is that after O'Bummer and before senile Joe we were doing a $hit load better than we are today.   

Well Moe, all i can say is I've been around too long to trust any politician or party. And I don't drink Cool Aid. Of any flavor.

Facts can be inconvenient but remain facts nonetheless. Conclusions may differ, facts not so much. Just a definition thing.

Perhaps instead of blanket dismissal a little research of reliable sources of nonpartisan information might be helpful if  only because in the final analysis most of us are only fighting over scraps. Those scraps have less nutritional value the Cool Aid.

Hope Spring comes early for you and yours

[Moe M.]

Sorry to hear about the financial hits you've taking Moe. Unfortunately, a lot of folks are in the same boat. I consider myself fortunate that it costs a couple hundred to heat my small place in the desert.

It should be recognized however, that the Green New Deal is still just a proposal, petro subsidies have not changed and until the last year of the Obama administration we were energy independent. There's also the fact 9,000 lease and drilling permits on the books for federal land are unused. Federal leased supply about 10% of annual product. Recall also the Keystone XL was to provide transport and refining for products to be shipped offshore

Even as your petro related bills keep climbing big oil continues to rack up historical profits most of which ho to stock buy backs and investor returns. Nothing underhanded about it and not illegal these days but it does affect price. Covid put a crimp in operations and the quarterlies need to be pumped up.

Petro is traded globally and we're all likely to feel the effects one way or another. Oil companies raise prices because they can. Oil companies misrepresent climate problems because they have to. In the meantime about all we can do is hope Spring comes early.

 Up, I saw all the dem Cool Aid on display, but unlike you I refused to drink it, all I know is that after O'Bummer and before senile Joe we were doing a $hit load better than we are today.   

Well Moe, all i can say is I've been around too long to trust any politician or party. And I don't drink Cool Aid. Of any flavor.

Facts can be inconvenient but remain facts nonetheless. Conclusions may differ, facts not so much. Just a definition thing.

Perhaps instead of blanket dismissal a little research of reliable sources of nonpartisan information might be helpful if  only because in the final analysis most of us are only fighting over scraps. Those scraps have less nutritional value the Cool Aid.

Hope Spring comes early for you and yours

 Well if nothing else Boomer, we have that in common, I don't trust politicians or political parties either, but I also don't trust corporations, lawyers, and educators, that's why I changed mt political affiliation registration years ago, in my state it makes me "Unenrolled", in most other places  it called being an "Independent".
 I used to be a (would you believe) a democrat until they stopped giving a care about this country and concentrated all their efforts on spending all our tax dollars on affecting social change, then I switched my affiliation to republican with Reagan, and then to where I am now with Bush one.
 So now I trust only my life's experiences and my own two eyes, I know that one political party has gone completely off the rails, and the other for what ever their underlying reasons are making an attempt to right the engine that's steering  this once great country back on course, whether or not it's too little too late or it's still doable is up to the people not only of this country but also of those freedom loving people all across the globe, because what's happening to the USA is happening in every developed nation in the world, and it needs to be stopped ASAP.

[Mad-max]

I'm so tired of politics.  Both parties are corrupt.  If you're not corrupt going in...you're corrupted soon from the inside.

I won't bore anybody again with our preps except to add more cash for the short time it will be worth a crap.  Personally I believe trade items will get us by for a while. 

I hope the folks here will heed the cautions and stock up on some long term preps.  Heirloom seeds comes mind.

Our belief is this disaster will be worse than the vast majority thinks.  And we pray we're wrong.

Tony

[boomer]

Agree with heirloom seed suggestion. Might add to consider widening the range of plants cultivated as well.

Right now about 48% of global calories for primary source human consumption are provided by 3 crops: wheat 20%; corn 10%; soy 18%. More in each category is produced annually but goes to other uses. The overall nutritional value varies but is much diminished overall in comparison to previous periods.

[Mad-max]

I have quite a variety of seeds.  But what I plant now (in FL and NC) are the 3 sisters.  Corn, squash, and beans.  Always keep some herbs.  Pretty easy.  Cherry tomatoes.  We have good friends that plant a huge garden.  Greens, beans, and cabbage are like endless.  Their chickens just keep popping out eggs too.  A little work in the garden a few times a year is appreciated.  Been talking about meat chickens and rabbits.  Could really help.

[boomer]

Completely agree about the 3 sisters.  Been thinking about chickens myself. Kept mostly Rhode Island Reds in the past but that was a good bit ago. The way the price of eggs has been going it makes sense.

The meanest and most ferocious critter I've ever met was a Rhode Island Red rooster I named Norman. Raised him from the egg and he sometimes tolerated me but that was it. He had no fear of man or beast as any that ventured into his territory quickly discovered.  Norman was something else. 

[hayshaker]

as for politics it's a dirty business fer sure. keep stocking inflation demands it.
there is a concerted effort in this nation to destroy the nations food supply
don't kid your self these days normalcy bias will get you done. oh and don't forget yer
furry friends as well. due to the fact that corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder and the bear told the us to go pound sand. wont see much corn this year. and corn goes into everything. as it says in the bible we need to gird up our loins.

[boomer]

as for politics it's a dirty business fer sure. keep stocking inflation demands it.
there is a concerted effort in this nation to destroy the nations food supply
don't kid your self these days normalcy bias will get you done. oh and don't forget yer
furry friends as well. due to the fact that corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder and the bear told the us to go pound sand. wont see much corn this year. and corn goes into everything. as it says in the bible we need to gird up our loins.

Not sure what you mean with "concerted effort" thing but agree times might well get interesting.

Im not a farmer, more gardener, and not a soil scientist by any stretch. My son and dil are however, real soil and plant scientists and what they tell me is definitely cause for concern across the board. Simply put and in general there's a good chance humanity will not be able to feed ourselves in as soon as 50 years under current trends and conditions.

The Homeland certainly has major unique advantages but even here things are looking chancy. The list of current     issued  is a long one and most problems are interrelated.  That's hardly news in itself but like other important issues (also related) we've known for a long time what we're doing is not sustainable in the least.

That's just the science side. The political aspect is something else. Food quality and access has always been and still is weaponized for political ends. Im not even going there. Suffice to say global food production for many decades has been adequate to provide every person on the planet 1800 Kcal of nutrition per day.

I don't pretend to have answers or even understand all the problems except the most obvious ones. I do what I can that seems most beneficial on different scales and hope for the best.