Thread: TIME TO START LEARNING HOW TO SURVIVE

I also try to keep a supply of bottled water on hand.

This thread came to mind today when I bought a book at a garage sale entitled 'Witching - For Water, Oil, Pipes, and Precious Minerals'.

nntrixie wrote:

The 'wild' taste or 'gamey' taste takes a little getting used to - and it's kinda new to me.

Properly cared for and prepared vinison doesn't really have a wild or gamey taste. This is coming from someone that has been hunting deer and eating vinison for over 40 years (took first deer at age 9).

I love venisen, but I haven't had it in years.

For those of you concerned about water, you may want to think about getting a Berkey filter. http://www.berkeyfilters.com/

I bought one, just in case and it seems easy to use and it's very lightweight.

We have well water and live walking distance to a lake so hopefully we will be okay. We also have a rain barrel to pull from if we need it.

Because the company I work for has been hit pretty hard by the economy, I started looking into stockpiling some food a few months ago for "emergencies" and now find myself in that emergency. My hours have been cut from 40/wk to 30/wk. Fortunately, I live alone and have no small children to worry about feeding. However, living alone, I cannot survive working only 30/wk. A part time job during the hours I'm off is pretty hard to find, with full time jobs that pay a living wage even harder. I will now be forced to apply for food stamps and heating assistance. Heaven only knows if there will be enough for me, a citizen, after they dole out to the ever increasing numbers of illegals in this area! My mother was a child of the Depression so I learned frugality first hand, plus cooking, baking, sewing, mending, using up what I have instead of giving in to instant gratification and I can get by quite well on very little. I did it in the past with 5 children at home and was grateful for the knowledge passed on to me.

I've been very outspoken at my place of work about the employees that are hired after checking only validity of SS#'s and maybe I'm now paying the price by having my hours cut. All those employees are still working and more are being hired to help cut down on overtime, which we are told is a big problem during these hard economic times. Two of us have contacted ICE with the information but nothing has been done in the 2 years since the first report.

Enough ranting, I wanted to share a website that got me started.

http://outlands.tripod.com/farm/5dollar.htm

Not everything on the list would be doable for everyone, such as the wheat(you'd have to grind your own for flour) but it was a good place for an idea and got me started since it takes just a little $$. I also used the Homesteading website link given in another post for very good info.

Only one friend I've spoken with thinks things will get so bad. Sometimes I feel like a kook because my gut is hollering at me to do things like this. It's good to know there are others of you out there getting prepared to take care of yourselves.

"Brave" is not exactly what I'm feeling right now.

HomeOfTheBrave, I'm sorry to hear you are struggling. If you really believe your company is hiring illegals and cutting your hours back, I would try reporting them again and keep looking for another job. Maybe you can find a work at home job to supplement your income.

Thanks for the link. There are good suggestions on items to store.

Keep us posted. I hope things turn around for you soon.

homeofthebrave

I grew up with the 'make do' attitude and I do not want this nation to be forced to do it because of really bad times, I would just like to see people get back to some sanity. So very much of our monies in this country are totally wasted.

Sorry to hear about your problems. I'm so afraid that in bad times, the citizens will be let go before the illegals.

Thanks for the link.

mw

There is a different taste - it does depend on how it's handled, and it depends on whether the deer is truly a wild deer or one that has spent a lot of time around the deer feeder in pastures, etc.

But it's just different - some find it plesant and it takes getting used to sometimes.

Beef is the same way. We always raised our own beef. When we sold the 'farm' and bought a motorhome, I had to begin buying beef in the store. The first 3 or 4 times I cooked it, I threw it out because I was convinced the meat was bad. I had to air out the motorhome because of the smell. I am sure most people don't think that store bought beef has a different taste - but it certainly does - the same for chickens.

It's a matter of taste as well as getting used to it.

I'm just trying to suggest if it bothers people at first, try soaking it in milk or some other marinade - but don't give up. Deer meat is good, it's healthy as well.

Lynne, nnTrixie, thanks for your concern and good wishes. I've been told it's temporary, until the economy turns around which the owners and other franchise owners think will be sometime after the elections. Having my hours reinstated would not keep me from reporting to ICE any legitimate grievances. Being the payroll specialist at this company, my assertions of illegality are not come upon lightly. And if/when ICE shows up I'm singing like a bird and covering my own butt....the owners have a lawyer and I do not.

I want to continue working as long as possible because I was privileged to be a stay at home mom for many years and don't have a lot of SS to work with. Throughout those years, my 5 kids were watching me and now are able to survive on little also, if need be. I'm going to start mentioning stockpiling to them today, just as a "here's what I'm up to lately" kind of thing. Put a bug in their ears. Who knows, we may need to live a lot closer to each other in the near future.

Jo

Originally Posted by HomeOfTheBrave

Lynne, nnTrixie, thanks for your concern and good wishes. I've been told it's temporary, until the economy turns around which the owners and other franchise owners think will be sometime after the elections. Having my hours reinstated would not keep me from reporting to ICE any legitimate grievances. Being the payroll specialist at this company, my assertions of illegality are not come upon lightly. And if/when ICE shows up I'm singing like a bird and covering my own butt....the owners have a lawyer and I do not.

I want to continue working as long as possible because I was privileged to be a stay at home mom for many years and don't have a lot of SS to work with. Throughout those years, my 5 kids were watching me and now are able to survive on little also, if need be. I'm going to start mentioning stockpiling to them today, just as a "here's what I'm up to lately" kind of thing. Put a bug in their ears. Who knows, we may need to live a lot closer to each other in the near future.

Jo

You can also "ananomously" report them to " and they will be reported to ICE and DHS from there.

Homeof the brave

Unless the unthinkable happens, true collapse, I think things will loosen up after the election.

That does seem to be a phenomenon that happens many election years.
I don't know if it is that people get worried and tighten their belts and spending or what.

We'll keep our fingers crossed.