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  • From: Leslie <cayadopi AT yahoo.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Chinampas
  • Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:07:56 -0800 (PST)

I figure gold is only relevant to homesteaders to the extent that the gold
warning bells of hyperinflation are ringing.  I figure it is very important 
to determine how a hyperinflation will directly affect a homesteader, if at
all.

Some of my personal experience ----we went thru hyper-inflation in ecuador
(as fresh water lobsters farmers).  It did affect us.  This was as commercial
farmer though. 
 
1.  The government set minimum wages higher nearly every week.  Had we only
had a sucres account - we would never have been able to keep up with wage
increases.  We did have a dollar account and bought sucres on pay day - the
only reason we could continue to pay employees.
 
2.  When we were trying to get to the airport to ship product, hungry
peasants in large gangs blocked the roads - cash payoffs were required to
continue down the road.  One time they stole the truck, which we later
retrieved in Colombia of all places.  Peasants demanded more cash than was in
the bribe pocket that day...
 
3.  Armed guards were needed to go anywhere, even into the grocery store (one
to guard the vehicle, one to guard the food at the checkout)
 
4.  The only way to ship anything was to pay off everyone, including the
secretary.  If the secretary wasn't paid off, you couldn't speak to the next
clerk, and so on.  If you missed paying off the loader on the tarmac - your
product "missed" the plane, etc.
 
5.  Food prices for workers (who we housed on the farm) rose weekly -
significantly at times.  Some of their food was grown on the farm.
 
6.  Armed guards were needed 24/7 to keep the local peasants from slipping
onto the property to steal anything that wasn't bolted down (water hoses,
buckets, you name it).  And steal they did, even with armed guards.
 
7.  Most of the food for the lobsters was grown on the property, but...
 
8.  ...the entire operation required electricity.  We had our own huge
generators, but fuel prices for diesel went up continuously in terms of the
local currency.
 
9.  The place was still under construction, and construction costs escalated
- loans were 100% unavailable.... unless the bank thought they could
raid/steal/attach money from a non-Ecuadorian currency account (preferably a
dollar account).
 
10.  Taxes rose - although very few seemed to bother paying them, they didn't
have quite the same heavy arm of government that we have here.
 
We left in the midst of the collapse of their currency, it was impossible to
do business under those conditions.
 
Which is why I watch the "gold" warning bell - it's ringing and warning of
hyperinflation here in the US,,,, when it unfolds I suspect there will be an
effect on homesteaders.  How much will depend in part on what level of
self-sufficiency has been reached.
 
Some here use tractors?  watch fuel costs in a hyperinflation.
Some here buy chickens?  watch shipping costs & chick costs.
and so on....
 
I figure whatever still needs to be acquired off-property is something each
homesteader needs to look at and have a plan for.
 
 

--- On Tue, 1/13/09, Lynn Wigglesworth <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com> wrote:

I don't think you will find many homesteaders with any money
to invest anywhere, except for things essential for the homestead. That's
why the whole discussion about gold is irrelevant (to me, at least).

Lynn Wigglesworth




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Subject: Re: [Homestead] Carrots
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Well, I'm sure they are VERY particular and fussy and don't grow with
prunes, at least for me unless I let the kids grow them or I simply plant a
bucket load of seeds and just ignore them. Also, don't give up. Mine
germinate when they darn well please. I'll plant them and wait and wait and
wait, some years, and then when I give up, sometimes a month or two after
they are supposed to have germinated and suddenly I see the little lacy fern
like bits of green showing up. That's when I gave up doing them in their
own bed and started just planting them any ol' where.

We plant Red Core Chantenay, Little Fingers, Half-longs, and Danvers. This
year we're going to try the Tonda di Parigi. I've never had much luck
growing the really long carrots.

Lynda
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisa K.V. Perry" <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>


>
> Thanks, Lynda. I've read that carrots are 'particular' so have been leery
> but would really like to give it a solid try this year. Sounds like you
> don't have a specific bed for carrots then but just put them wherever. I
> had
> not thought of your method. What variety do you grow? I had hoped a couple
> of people would pick up on this thread.
>
> Lisa
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