Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Liz <liz@allslash.org>]

Regarding skills, if you aren't seriously food gardening, that's the first thing to start on. After that, since there are at least two of you, black smithing, building simple structures, caring for livestock and processing meat, hunting, all the traditional domestic skills like canning, spinning, knitting, sewing (especially hand-sewing and mending), doing the laundry by hand, making soap and candles, making all kinds of dairy products, etc. I'd worry less about things to trade than just making yourselves more likely to survive. 

Regarding tools--all kinds of hand tools for wood and metal working, plus good quality household tools and utensils (meaning stainless steel, cast iron, etc. not plastic). A good variety of fiber tools, wash tubs, hand-operated wringer, rope, clothespins, and all the rest of what it takes to run a household without access to supermarkets and Walmart. Look at everything you use and require in the course of a day and ask yourself what you'd need to know and have on hand if you didn't have electricity and electrical appliances. There are trade-offs, of course, but the list can be pretty long. 

Liz

On Jan 13, 2013, at 8:42 PM, Lori <bakequery@aol.com> wrote:

Thank you Pego.  Where ever we go it can't be too hot.  My husband would melt.  :-)  I've suggested moving to a place like Panama and he just shakes his head.  LOL 

Lori

-----Original Message-----
From: Pego Rice <firekeeper38@yahoo.com>
To: livingontheland <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sun, Jan 13, 2013 8:08 pm
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Prep help?

Hi Lori

 

If you are really worried about the government and civil turmoil then the mountains and the Lower Appalachia or Ozarks in particular have pre-formed natural barricades, a resistant culture and a climate friendly enough to allow for year-round growing, plus ground temps that permit cold cellars, your only real research  beyond the normal bits of access and mineral rights will be to be "Upstream" of the groundwater of any fracking zone and not so close to mountaintop removals to have your home shaken apart by these explosive leveling.  They are poor regions, lacking of many resources, their fractiousness and their insular nature collude to make government intrusions cost-ineffective.

 

The poverty of the region will make any money you carry in to buy and start your homestead go further.  However, you had better get everything you want and need to be self-sufficient, prepaid and built, before you give up al your other jobs. Moreover built to resist earthquakes, well above floodlines and fireproof, since services can be thin away from cities.                                     

 

Yours, Pego

 

 

Prepping

My husband and I are thinking about getting some land to have if things fall apart. I was wondering if everyone in the group would collectively put together a list of essential things/tools/knowledge/etc. one would need during tough economic times. We are also wondering what we could learn to do that would either be a skill or produce a product that we could barter for.

I know there are books about these things but I'd love to hear what all of you are thinking.

How much land would we need? What states at this moment, have the most living (freedom) and good growing climates?

We suspect that our daughter, her husband, and their three children, 8, 5, and 3, would live with us and possibly our son.

Lori
Phoenixville, PA

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