|
|
Post by woodyz on Jun 24, 2016 13:53:43 GMT -7
Your survival plan.
I seems I am always talking about either having or needing a plan. Maybe it’s an influence from the military or my Grandfather or just the way I am. I need some structure and goals to keep me on track.
I think when most preppers think about a plan they are thinking about SHTF or TEOLAWKI
And those are important but tend to be “long term” plans.
SHTF is considered mostly as a long term thing.
What I am getting at is SHTF can be a sudden short term thing.
Say temp unemployment/underemployment or your well goes out, your auto breaks down, an stuff like that.
I think it is a good idea to keep a running list of small short term things that could happen to you and what your backup action would be.
As with SHTF where you live and what your lifestyle or culture is would affect your list.
Just a little pre-thought you can fall back on will help tale the stress out of a minor but annoying set back to your daily routine.
Take as an example CWI’s recent post on the solar minimum. If you don’t follow up with a little research how will you know if the cause and effect will affect you either short or long term. Same goes for the climate change we are facing. Whatever the cause, manmade or a cycle, its hotter and the weather patterns are changing. Where you live and your day to day activities need to be considered against the change.
Just made some updates in my overall survival plan/files/manifesto/whatever it is and thinking others my need a little jab too
|
|
|
|
Post by missasip on Jun 24, 2016 14:40:07 GMT -7
I would say zman, I bout drive myself nuts at times cause I'm constantly trying to modify my plan/plans....
Some folks don't realize that producing food is gonna be a bitch. Period. I have modified my plans to grow a few things that I can grow well, things that grow year around and things that grow with a minimum amount of water. And if in fact shorter growing seasons are going to be shorter, then it's even more important.
Anyway, good post zman. Makes one think...
Jimmy
|
|
|
|
Post by cajunlady87 on Jun 24, 2016 16:47:30 GMT -7
I keep a list taped to my desk for items to bring if I need to evacuate. Most items are already packed in bins ready to go.
As to the gardening situation I've been thinking about that also. Only my thoughts are concentrated on indoor gardening. Like Jimmy said, producing food won't be easy and scavengers will be prowling. I thought I had it figured out but plans have changed. Great thread!
|
|
|
|
Post by Cwi555 on Jun 24, 2016 17:04:35 GMT -7
This will be my second year of psuedo guerrilla gardening. Even though I own the land in question, I am treating it as if the surrounding area is hostile.
Nice symmetrical rows of plants are a neon sign for trouble. 1917 Russia, 1943 Phillipines, late 60's to mid 70's China, and into current times in areas of oppression and war (N.Korea for example), are all examples of where people have had to hide crop growing.
I'm not particularly good at it yet, but I do believe now is the time to be learning, not later.
|
|
|
|
Post by cajunlady87 on Jun 24, 2016 18:03:21 GMT -7
This will be my second year of psuedo guerrilla gardening. Even though I own the land in question, I am treating it as if the surrounding area is hostile. Nice symmetrical rows of plants are a neon sign for trouble. 1917 Russia, 1943 Phillipines, late 60's to mid 70's China, and into current times in areas of oppression and war (N.Korea for example), are all examples of where people have had to hide crop growing. I'm not particularly good at it yet, but I do believe now is the time to be learning, not later. Last year I finally succeeded with a tomato plant with my gorilla gardening experimenting. My problem is the dang clay dirt I'm surrounded by. Why the tomato plant took I'm still not sure. I have lots of hiding places but bum dirt. I will look up the examples you posted, thanks. |
|
|
|
Post by sirderrin on Jun 24, 2016 18:31:32 GMT -7
I do a little gardening every year just to keep my hand in the game so to speak... This year in a 15' by roughly 30' plot I have raised well over 200 lbs of yellow squash and zucchini and I would be willing to bet it was over 300 lbs in reality since I had several other folks harvesting and I only really tracked what I pulled. I have easily had at over 100 lbs of tomatoes (still harvesting them) I have a number of different types of peppers as well. I also had 20-30 pounds of potatoes and some cauliflower and broccoli and onions (purple and white) and 10 heads of cabbage ... I have also planted several places of with garlic that will always give a yield... I firmly believe you have to think about yield as well as types when you plant a garden... YOU will never survive on a gorilla "garden".
That being said a small plot can yield a great deal and a number of small plots hid about can yield even more... Plan your garden(s) accordingly. Things like cauliflower and cabbage are not good things for long term survival because in the same amount of space you could have a lot of squash/ tomatoes/ potatoes etc...
Just a few thoughts....
|
|
|
|
Post by Cwi555 on Jun 24, 2016 18:50:08 GMT -7
For potatoes, try growing them vertically instead of horizontal. Potato tower;  |
|
|
|
Post by sirderrin on Jun 24, 2016 18:56:38 GMT -7
For potatoes, try growing them vertically instead of horizontal. Potato tower; I have toyed with that idea a number of times but I have not tried a practical application of it as yet... I am pretty sure that it is a viable process though simply because I plant on mounds and the more dirt you pile on the more taters you get.... Just keep about 6-8 inches or so of green above ground... |
|
|
|
Post by missasip on Jun 24, 2016 19:16:38 GMT -7
One can live on a less varied diet as long as they watch their proteins and fats.
Generally speaking cabbage, turnip greens, collards, potatoes, squash, garlic and some things I can grow during the summer will make up 95% of my growing. Hopefully I be able to keep a few herbs and spices going to. Chickens, goat milk and cheese will make up a lot of the protein and fats. I have peaches, figs, blueberries, satsumas, scuppernong vines and blackberries to hopefully make things easier.
Trying to keep things simple and easy as I can keep them.
One thing I will say, one should try to build in some fruits and such. Having to eat the same things all the time will wear on one's spirits. That's why I have the fruits and berries going. And hopefully with the large amount of sugar I'm building up I'll be able to preserve some of them.
This is a good thred. We haven't beat this around in a while.
Jimmy
|
|
|
|
Post by sirderrin on Jun 24, 2016 19:43:47 GMT -7
I have a couple of a different types apple trees planted in the yard plus a few "gorilla" trees I planted in the woods for enhanced potential... Pear tree, fig trees, mulberry trees, pomegranate... I also have several hedges that are actually rosemary. A great "herb" that is damn easy to grow in most the U.S. I also started another asparagus plot this year... I am also growing local adaptations of gourds that have been used for years... Martin gourds, dipper gourds and loofah (sponge) gourds. I going to plant them ever few years to keep em fresh...
|
|
|
|
Post by cajunlady87 on Jun 24, 2016 20:32:45 GMT -7
For potatoes, try growing them vertically instead of horizontal. Potato tower; Now the potato tower is a kewl idea that could be easily camouflaged. Any more ideas along those lines. I tried doing a search of the countries and dates you gave as examples but just not looking in the right places with the right keywords. |
|
|
|
Post by woodyz on Jun 25, 2016 7:11:56 GMT -7
.............. So far this is really fun. We'll keep you posted. UPDATE: 9/22/2013. After two years experimenting with these, we're abandoning this way of growing potatoes. Very poor harvest both years. With wood up the sides [2012], the potatoes are hard to keep uniformly moist. Potatoes did not form up the stem as they were supposed to. We only found them near the bottom. With chicken wire sides [2013], the plants had better access to sun and water, but we still had a poor harvest - tiny tiny potatoes. We're going back to regular raised beds.rurification.blogspot.com/2012/05/potato-towers.html////////// I had good luck with a couple of Sweet Potato plants in old washing machine drums. Good support, good drainage good air flow. Start with a foot of sand and straw at the bottom. Plant sweet potato slips in four places around the circle. As before when the plants get about 4" tall you can thin if you need to the add a mix of soil and straw as the plants keep going toward the top. Once the soil level is 4" under the lip of the top stop adding and let the taters grow as they will. If the dirt level settles just add to keep it level. Treat it like any other tater plant with water and sun and bugs and when the plants die pack in the fall turn the drum over and dump it out. Harvest your potatoes, keep the dirt/straw/vines/ and add them to your compost pile. The biggest problem I have is if I leave the drum empty very long my Wife steals them for flowers. |
|
|
|
Post by woodyz on Jun 25, 2016 7:35:07 GMT -7
Tires are good if it doesn't get too hot where you have them.
put a tire down, fill the inside of the tire with straw. It will hold water like a wick for the root later on.
Fill the center with 1/3 grit like sand, 1/3 filler like chipped food and 1/3 peat or good soil. Plant 4 taters.
when the taters grow green plant and your dirt mix to just keep about 4" of green above ground. When you have filled on tire throw a new one on top, carefully of the green plants
stuff that tire with straw and keep going as the plant grows.
You can stop at 2 tires high but people go 3. then its the same care as needed until the plants die the dump the tires over and collect the potatoes.
|
|
|
|
Post by woodyz on Jun 25, 2016 7:44:23 GMT -7
Planting in an actual bale of hay/straw did work well for me. The bale is too tightly compacted.
break the bale and plant in the straw pile then as the plants grow keep covered with soil mixture until you get to your desired size.
making a circle of wire and starting the plants about a foot off the bottom works if you alternate 6" soil for every 6" straw. Keep a couple inches of straw against the wire to keep the dirt in and allow good air flow.
I also tried just digging into a chipped wood pile that has been cooking about 3 years. Then as the plants grew I just kept piling/mounding the mulch around the plants,
I abandoned that the first month because it needed watered everyday due to the mulch not holding the water where the plant needed it.
|
|
|
|
Post by missasip on Jun 25, 2016 8:01:58 GMT -7
I did the 55 gallon drum for taters 2 times. Worked well but getting is going takes about 3 weeks and until the barrel is filled with soil it's pretty much a pita....
Had good results both times. Close to 100 to 1 ratio. But that 1st few weeks takes a lot of time and vigilance.
Jimmy
|
|
