Getting Ready for the Collapse! (farming, acres, house, water)
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Some people may think a collapse of some form is ridiculous but I wouldn't be shocked - either the Feds are going looney tunes or there is an orchestrated plan of some sort to keep things in a tizzy.
Contractual bonuses for bailout companies are not allowed in the Stimulus Pkg, then it is put in allowing it at the last minute (Dodd's fault or did he indeed follow the instructions of the Obama admin?). The over 1,000 page Stimulus Bill is given to the House at the last minute so no one had time to read the entire thing. Now the Feds are voting on taxing the bonus money at 90%.
This is pretty scary. How unstable of a govt is that? Does the Admin think we are idiots and too stupid to question what is going on?
So what is one to do? Stock up food, etc.? Keep cash under the mattress? But of what value could that be?
We chose our WV property with that situation in mind- a place that has no drive-by traffic, enough open land (~15 acres) to support a very large garden, virtually unlimited firewood (~40 acres), chickens, pigs and a couple goats. We chose Rhode Island Red chickens because they are prolific egg layers, yet big enough to make a decent fryer and they survive on just about any diet. Rhode Island Red - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Our goal is to be as self sustaining as possible. The great thing about my area is that everyone thinks along the same lines. There is a very brisk barter system currently in play that makes it very nice. I think that will be the biggest piece of any long term survival situation. That and plenty of ammo. When those city dwellers spot your crops, they may not take "no" for an answer.
... Now the Feds are voting on taxing the bonus money at 90%...
They obviously have no idea that enacting a law after the fact has no bearing on those bonuses. The Ex Post Facto clause in the Constitution prohibits such actions. Legal Definition of 'Ex Post Facto Clause'
Money will be worthless and the Russians are trying to float the Ruble as a world currency backed by Gold, which they have hoarded wisely since the 1980's.
Food is another matter and will take on incredible value porportions...a case or two extra with the groceries for the past several years is how we have done it...rotate the food as you eat it and buy the things that you eat. Takes a little storge know-how...even under the bed...lots of canned goods there.
A safe in the ground is not just for money any more. That's an ideal place to store medicines.
But what to stock up on...? It's not really a financial collapse that worries me. It's H51N. It's out there right now, and there isn't any vaccine to stop it. Once it is introduced to a population mass, it will spread so fast, there will not be enough hospital beds or medical staff to combat it. Bird Flu: Why Modern Medicine Won’t Save Us by bradford frank the frank group
Best be prepared to spend an extended period of time with contact with society. If you're unable to do that, you're in a world of hum.
The bailout (a/k/a stimulus) brought that horizon visible, with a probability we'll experience hyper-inflation from a collapsed USD in the latter part of this year. Being right about things is a cognitive skill, but timing is always subjective to variables. I do not want to be right about this.
That said, I have a few thoughts . .
1) Mentality. We can all go it alone, which is practical in the sense that you can't save someone from drowing if you're dead in the water too. It's probably the hardest thing possible to organize communities to prepare in advance, and eventually, we have to face the fact that some (or most) people are toast . . they're going under, and the Federal Government plans for this is martial law and FEMA "Emergency Camps".
Not everybody wants to be saved (helped), and that sad fact is, some people just want to take somebody else down with them when they go, but on the other hand, you could drop nuclear weapons all over this planet igniting the atmosphere and there will still be some types who try to survive it -- those are my picks for friends. I don't have many friends.
2) Local militia. There's a catch-22 with this, although sensible for planning, the Federal Government is actively baiting the organization of these to label people as "domestic terrorists", and they have armed themselves to the teeth in weaponry and law against the citizen to collect these types of individuals for imprisonment and serve as an excuse to confiscate weapons. What might make more sense then, is reaching out to local law enforcement to be a part of, or actually organizing them, as they do with neighborhood watch programs, since they have a stake in their communities, and it gives them an opportunity to choose whether or not to be a pawn of the Federal Government (i.e., Directive 51), in the event, and probability, of martial law being declared. Win/Win instead of Them/Us. West Virginia, to its credit, practices a what if anyway regarding a mass exodus into the state . . in this practice, local militia would then serve thier purpose like a volunteer fire department in support.
3) Resource Management.
Long-term food storage . . haven't updated it in a while, but I stuck a few preliminary notes in a blog if anyone is interested. I am very interested in the development of this conversation as it is a priority for self-preservation.
f.y.i., Mormons are on top of this. I like their planning in regards to worst-case scenarios, beginning with a 72hr survival pack in 24/7 readiness.
I think it's entirely possible for a communities to organize garden/farming centers, to operate in some method of barter for labor/food, but doing this in advance of economic fallout would be a tough sell. So most likely, we'll be dealing with an after-the-fact scenario getting communities to do this for themselves, as its in their own self-interest to do so.
A typical grocer only has about 3 days of food on the shelves.
4) Other . .
An open-border society doesn't work. Personally, I don't think a forum like this can handle the organization of these conversations, which are more specific and detailed in nature, and it has users here that have openly scoffed at any such preparations and concerns for the future -- my opinion of them is they are dogs that will be abandoned by their master and become a future nuisance. So you might consider a dedicated forum elsewhere.
I'll need another coffee to keep typing.
Last edited by red.ochre; 03-19-2009 at 10:00 AM..
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When those city dwellers spot your crops, they may not take "no" for an answer.
