Spinoff : Could you make it on your own ?

[ROYC75]

( From the Meat thread )With the rising prices of fuel, oil, meats,milk, foods, can goods, hay, grain, etc.......

If America was to fall on hard times,with prices getting out of hand, could you manage to grow and make it on your own ? This includes all basic needs to live by, food, water, & shelter. Those of us living in the city would have to find farm land to do so, that would be a tall order since prime farm land is scarce .

I could, if I was healthy enough to do the work involved so I would have to have help doing it, hire a farm hand.

Could you, how would you go about setting yourself and or family up to live by.

What if America fell to a 3rd world country as we see today across parts of this planet ? :eek:

[SLAG]

No Im too lazy

[Bugeater]

My uncle has prime farm land over in Iowa, so I'd have a chance. The only problem I could forsee is having enough firewood to heat a home seeing that there isn't an abundance of trees on any of it.

[milkman]

Can you send someone to just kill me instead?

[Bugeater]

Can you send someone to just kill me instead?
We're considering doing that anyway.

[milkman]

We're considering doing that anyway.

Was it something I said?

[Mr. Laz]

Soylent Green

[Bugeater]

Was it something I said?
We're blaming you for high milk prices.

[blueballs]

Throw in people going apeshit and stealing and ****ing everything that can be moved

[Dartgod]

I've been growing my own for years.





Oh wait. You're talking about food, aren't you?

[|Zach|]

No, I couldn't.

[bogey]

I would need to move away from California. I would move to my fathers farm in Missouri. We would be fine. It would be a challenge I would enjoy. My wife and daughter however, would probably not enjoy it.

[Stewie]

I live on a acre, but I'm not sure how much food I could garner from it. I guess I'd become a pro at canning... and keeping the varmints away. There are also a bunch of deer around my area, so I guess that would be viable.

[88TG88]

I'm studying something similar to this in my technological interdependence class. It's called the trigger effect. I believe I could survive without the amenities of the city life.

[StcChief]

I've been growing my own for years.





Oh wait. You're talking about food, aren't you?but that fits right in to the soon to be barter economy that would come.

[Manila-Chief]

It's been a long time since I left the small farm, but yep, think I could. Now, would probably eat mostly veggies ... except for a few chickens. We have space for an average garden here in the suburbs. My wife has a place with about a dozen acres of farming land (could be expanded) ... but, if times got as hard as Roy describes ... probably would not have the gas to travel the 60 miles to work it. Therefore, the reason for veggies and 2 legged protein producers.

Would I like to do it. No way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's a reason I left that life style.

[ROYC75]

Throw in people going apeshit and stealing and ****ing everything that can be moved


This is true.......

[Manila-Chief]

I live on a acre, but I'm not sure how much food I could garner from it. I guess I'd become a pro at canning... and keeping the varmints away. There are also a bunch of deer around my area, so I guess that would be viable.

Sure that could be enough land... if you manage it well. Look on the bright side the "varmints" and "deer" would add meat to your table. And, with so many people hungry their population would quickly deminish. It was kinda strange to go out into the rural areas of the Philippines. One would think it would be teeming with wild life but it was sparse ... I think people ate them during and after WWII when times were really difficult.

[ROYC75]

Bottom line it is / would be very tough to do. Our lives have changed so much that it would be a complete reversal to change it. To work a job and survive would be very costly, wages don't offset the large prices at the markets, stores, etc.

To the ones on the farm, if you have machinery to do the work, great, can you afford the cost of it.

If you don't have machinery, doing it all by hand is alot of work.

The big farms and farmers would be obsolete, focusing on their own instead of a multitude.

Indeed a challenge.........

[Iowanian]

A country boy can survive.


I was raised on a farm with a large garden, have some survival training, am an efficient fisheman, bow and gun hunter and live in God's country.

My family will be fine if some city slicker doesn't give us the plague.

I've run a simulation that suggests we'll at least make it to Ft Smith.
http://www.mygadgetbag.com/Portals/0/storyimages3/oregon%20trail.jpg

[BigRedChief]

Although I was around a cattle farm when I was a youngun I'm a big city slicker working in I.T. guy now. I'm hosed.

[blaise]

I couldn't do it. I was recently re-reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and the guy goes back in time and makes a gun, bicycles, dynamite and all sorts of things and runs the country. I was thinking that I don't even know if I could start a fire without a lighter.

[Iowanian]

Throw in people going apeshit and stealing and ****ing everything that can be moved


we'll make cantines out of their bladders and tomahawks from their leg bones around here.


City people would be much, much more screwed if it every really hit the fan, due to competition, lack of resources and looting mobs.

[Mr. Laz]

doubtful

got a small pond in the back yard for water(filter,boil)
got squirrel traps that would now mean food
wood for warmth would be a major issue

[blaise]

I was living in Houston when Hurricane Rita was supposed to hit (a month or so after Katrina hit New Orleans) and everyone was trying to evacuate the city. I realized that the whole structure of our society is pretty fragile. People were starting to go ape-crap. All the cars were stuck on the roads, it was 95 degrees outside and all the gas ran out. People were panicking over the lack of fuel. There were people pulling guns on other people at gas stations. I saw people abandoning brand bew cars on the side of the road and walking away. All the water in the grocery stores ran out in like 5 minutes when the first reports of the hurricane came in. It was pretty eye opening.
I would definitely keep a supply of water and canned goods and vitamins in your basement, because you think it can't happen but it can.
Read the book The Road, by Cormac McCarthy if you want to see human beings reduced to no food and water. It's scary stuff.

[ROYC75]

Although I was around a cattle farm when I was a youngun I'm a big city slicker working in I.T. guy now. I'm hosed.


Although I lived in a small town growing up, I worked and farmed with my uncle and several farmers that had alot of land, doing crops to cattle. I have some background experence in this, but so much has changed over the years.

But we had our own garden,cattle,etc., mom and dad grew up in the days of doing mostly on your own, they taught us kids how to do likewise.

[Iowanian]

growing a garden in a crisis? Where do you get the seed, because walmart garden center is no longer a supplied option.

Better get a hand saw and stock up on some gas and kerosine....bullets and shells, dry beans in bulk and any garden seed you can get your hands on.

[blaise]

Yep- because even if you grew a garden, someone would steal it, or try to.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

You city slickers are DOOMED!!!!!!! Me, I'd have a pile of bodies from people trying to steal my pigs.

[ROYC75]

growing a garden in a crisis? Where do you get the seed, because walmart garden center is no longer a supplied option.

Better get a hand saw and stock up on some gas and kerosine....bullets and shells, dry beans in bulk and any garden seed you can get your hands on.

This country would be in shambles....... The convienence available now to the american people today would make people kill for items if america really fell on hard times..

[btlook1]

growing a garden in a crisis? Where do you get the seed, because walmart garden center is no longer a supplied option.

Better get a hand saw and stock up on some gas and kerosine....bullets and shells, dry beans in bulk and any garden seed you can get your hands on.


Good advice Iowanian! There are several web sites that have similar stuff about when the SHTF some of them are good information and some just entertaining. Heres a few of them. You can learn a little bit off of each if you want! I'm sure there are many more out there also.

http://survival.com/IVB/index.php?showforum=27

http://www.tacticalunderground.us/forum/

http://www.pamedia.com/phpNuke/modules.php?name=Forums

[El Jefe]

I think I would be just fine, we raised livestock when I was growing up, including chickens, rabbits,sheep,turkeys/ducks,horses, no pigs or cattle though. We always had a big garden so I would be fine in the gardening aspect, I would probably need to brush up on a few different veggies and what not.

[Bugeater]

I was living in Houston when Hurricane Rita was supposed to hit (a month or so after Katrina hit New Orleans) and everyone was trying to evacuate the city. I realized that the whole structure of our society is pretty fragile. People were starting to go ape-crap. All the cars were stuck on the roads, it was 95 degrees outside and all the gas ran out. People were panicking over the lack of fuel. There were people pulling guns on other people at gas stations. I saw people abandoning brand bew cars on the side of the road and walking away. All the water in the grocery stores ran out in like 5 minutes when the first reports of the hurricane came in. It was pretty eye opening.
I would definitely keep a supply of water and canned goods and vitamins in your basement, because you think it can't happen but it can.
Read the book The Road, by Cormac McCarthy if you want to see human beings reduced to no food and water. It's scary stuff.
What are you worried about? Society can't possibly collapse in a utopia like Olathe.

[bogey]

Honestly, I think we're underestimating mankind. There would likely be some looting and BS from a minority of dumbasses, but the majority Americans would persevere, even the city slickers.

[el borracho]

Certainly couldn't make it on either of the properties I own here in Albuquerque. If things truly became third world in the States, I would just move to another country.

[tooge]

I hope it never comes to that, but I think I would be fine but miserable. I live on a fairly large acreage not far from town. I have a year round creek, a good sized pond with bass, bluegill, and crappie. There is abundand firewood on my land and lots of deer, turkey, and varmits. We save lots of the garden seen from year to year to save heirlooms. i would have to eat lots of corn, tomatoes, peppers. I have all I need from a food, clothing, shelter, and water standpoint and lots of medical training. The problem would be all the city folk that run out of stuff and come looking at places like ours. I have lots of guns and a few bows, but I would need more ammo surely. Life sure would get tough.

[kindra68]

I might do ok for the first few days. But with my luck I would trip over some moss and get eaten by a deer or something.
yes, there is a reason i live in the city already.

[Sully]

I'd still have cable, right?
I mean... with the movie channels and all...

No?

Then who cares?

[Gonzo]

I know the following posters could make it:

Duck Dog
Bwana
Iowanian

And myself.


The rest of you are goners. Enjoy your starbucks.

[Rain Man]

Rules clarification: am I allowed to kill people and take their food, or is there still a functioning police force?

[kstater]

Would have no problems.

And there are plenty of stray dogs around these parts.

[Nzoner]

I'd probably be screwed even with a pond full of fish and 4 acres of land

[The Franchise]

Can I still play Xbox 360?

[StcChief]

enough land for good size garden....
wild rabbits/squirrels, deer,etc.

i can make it could happen.

[POND_OF_RED]

Well if Cannabalism kicks in I'm sure Mark Mangino could feed a city for months.

[SBK]

I need the gov't to provide all my needs.

[ROYC75]

Well if Cannabalism kicks in I'm sure Mark Mangino could feed a city for months.


Mark got his own built in storage tank, he could survive for at least 2 years .

[Iowanian]

It seems like someone had a thread with "survival tips" a couple of years ago or something.

[ROYC75]

It seems like someone had a thread with "survival tips" a couple of years ago or something.


There was, I don't recall who started it .

[teedubya]

In the worst case scenario, I see myself moving to Iowa to hang out with Iowanian.

[Stewie]

I was doing a search a while back for camping gear and ran across this site and saved it. It has some pretty interesting stuff.

http://www.josephprep.com/

[sparkky]

DW and I could approach a year if we had to start today most likely.

a nice starter for the DGI's. and this could be "the best of a bad situation".

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=270499

[Rain Man]

I was doing a search a while back for camping gear and ran across this site and saved it. It has some pretty interesting stuff.

http://www.josephprep.com/


Y'know, this is a really interesting note from that site:

Try something: go a week without any electricity in your home. See where your preparedness is lacking, and adjust accordingly.

I don't know if I could talk the wife into it, but I'd actually be interested in trying that just to see what it was like.

In the initial scenario posed in the opening post, I don't think I would last a week.

[Iowanian]

In the worst case scenario, I see myself moving to Iowa to hang out with Iowanian.

When you find yourself within 1/2 mile of Iowanian mountain....raise your hands over your head and be dragging a sled of useful supplies. Approach slowly and in a non-threatening manner else momowanian turn you into a hoola hope with feet and hair.

No freeloaders.

[Iowanian]

Y'know, this is a really interesting note from that site:

Try something: go a week without any electricity in your home. See where your preparedness is lacking, and adjust accordingly.

I don't know if I could talk the wife into it, but I'd actually be interested in trying that just to see what it was like.

In the initial scenario posed in the opening post, I don't think I would last a week.



We've had 2 ice storms this year, that have left my family without heat, lights... It wasn't fun and we were half way prepared. 4 days the first time, 2 the second.

We were fortunate the second time that my brother had a garage with a wood stove and adequately stocked beer cooler.

[KcMizzou]

I could. I've watched many episodes of "Survivor Man".

[KcMizzou]

Y'know, this is a really interesting note from that site:

Try something: go a week without any electricity in your home. See where your preparedness is lacking, and adjust accordingly.

I don't know if I could talk the wife into it, but I'd actually be interested in trying that just to see what it was like.

In the initial scenario posed in the opening post, I don't think I would last a week.The wife would end up pregnant.

[Rausch]

( From the Meat thread )With the rising prices of fuel, oil, meats,milk, foods, can goods, hay, grain, etc.......

If America was to fall on hard times,with prices getting out of hand, could you manage to grow and make it on your own ? This includes all basic needs to live by, food, water, & shelter. Those of us living in the city would have to find farm land to do so, that would be a tall order since prime farm land is scarce .

Here where I live now?

No.

But the first thing I'd do is sell what I could and move.

Could you, how would you go about setting yourself and or family up to live by.

Move to the country where I could provide for my family. Work as much as I had to.

To be honest, I think this would be good for America.

What if America fell to a 3rd world country as we see today across parts of this planet ? :eek:

I don't think it's avoidable...

[Rain Man]

When you find yourself within 1/2 mile of Iowanian mountain....raise your hands over your head and be dragging a sled of useful supplies. Approach slowly and in a non-threatening manner else momowanian turn you into a hoola hope with feet and hair.

No freeloaders.


I will be the one with my hands over my head yelling, "Do you need market research in your new kingdom?"

[Iowanian]

The echo will be "Do you know how to make fishing hooks from tree thorns? Have you mastered snare techniques and become proficient operating a squirrel pole? Are your glasses lenses thick enough to create fire? Do you at least have ketchup...this skunk tastes like shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit"


Bring Sec with you...he can at least noodle and make arrows out of sticks and stones(really).

[KcMizzou]

The echo will be "Do you know how to make fishing hooks from tree thorns? Have you mastered snare techniques and become proficient operating a squirrel pole? Are your glasses lenses thick enough to create fire? Do you at least have ketchup...this skunk tastes like shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit"


Bring Sec with you...he can at least noodle and make arrows out of sticks and stones(really).LMAO Note to self... always carry some ketchup packets.... just in case.

[sparkky]

this thread has been interesting reading as a cross section view of current population and perceptions.

[El Jefe]

We've had 2 ice storms this year, that have left my family without heat, lights... It wasn't fun and we were half way prepared. 4 days the first time, 2 the second.

We were fortunate the second time that my brother had a garage with a wood stove and adequately stocked beer cooler.

Thats pretty rough. Last year at Christmas we had one of the worst ice storms I can remember. I live in the country and we did not have electricity for 7 days. We have a wood burning stove, and we always have water, soups and all the essential foods you can make/consume with no electricity.