I love reading the comments to my blog. I just wish I had the time to answer to email each of you privately and discuss specific issues. As I can’t, at least not if I plan to get anything else done, I would suggest that you begin the process of forming a sustainability/relocalization/preparedness group to foster the kind of support that makes this life not just possible but much more enjoyable. You can start with a book club or a film series or attending a lecture or anything that will get the ball rolling with like-minded people. You might be surprised at how many people are concerned about the future and ready to join forces to share information and resources.
We had our compost delivered yesterday. Ten yards may sound like a lot and it is but we need another ten to completely cover our garden space. As we don’t raise a lot of livestock we don’t generate enough compost to meet our needs. The expense is big but you need to grow soil before you can grow anything else. Just as I wouldn’t scrimp on my children’s nutrition, I won’t skimp on my soil’s. So today I need to get the rest of the carrots, beets and turnips dug and in the root cellar so I can get those beds but to rest for the winter. After top-dressing with compost, we will plant a cover crop of buckwheat or clover. Maybe next year we will get some rain and have a great rather than fair harvest.
If you get some time, there is a good you tube video called the Wartime Kitchen and Garden you might enjoy. We have so much to learn from both wartime and depression era experiences. More and more, unemployment is hitting closer to home. I’m starting to get calls from friends and family asking for advice and information, calls from folks who could never have imagined that food security would be an issue for them.
I’m sore today. I spent Monday at my MIL’s house, getting it emptied out for the new owners. I came home with linens and dishes, pictures and cutlery. It’s funny what people want. Some went right for the more valuable antiques, others toward the family memorabilia. I was happy to get some excellent knives, a new set of flat wear and the pillows, sheets and quilts. We are making copies of the old photos so we can all have those. It was a hard day. Saying goodby to a house that holds so many memories is difficult.
Now we are putting together the upstairs to accommodate my son and his wife. The windows are nearly all in. Bruce is patching and painting the walls and I’m getting rid of some clutter to make room for their things. The amount going out is amazing.
I’m doing a family preparedness training tomorrow night. I hope to inspire and inform. I think getting ready for disruptions in fuel and food have never been more likely.
October 20, 2010 at 8:26 am
I use the chicken coop cleanouts to top dress the beds as well as any chipped garden refuse. I remember going thru my dad’s house when he gave it up…generations of stuff had accumulated. It was hard work and very sad.
It’s good your home is big enough to absorb your son and daughter in law! I would love to be able to do that with my daughter and her family, but we just don’t have the room.
October 20, 2010 at 9:10 am
I have been working on cleaning out a room of clutter after reading your post, I went for the attic. Oh my! It might take me a few weeks but I will not give up, I need someplace to store non perishables worst than I need Beane babys from 15 years ago, my little ponies and whatever else is up there, our baby is 28 years old, I think it is time to give it up.
October 20, 2010 at 9:16 am
Did you know with the new Fed goverment banking regulations you may not make more than 6 withdrawls from your savings account in a one month period? (Regulation D) Found this out the hard way when the bank switched our saving account over to a basic checking account Monday, we were not informed, I caught it when I was checking on our balance. Many of our friends who have children in collage are scrambling to revamp there banking as most of the childrens checking accounts are linked to Mom and Dad for overdraft.
October 20, 2010 at 10:02 am
That made me laugh as I’m sneaking out a bag of stuffed animals that no one has looked at in a decade!
October 20, 2010 at 1:25 pm
@Debby, thanks for that info.
As for cleaning out houses or just your own house, it seems such an intimidating job, just keep on going and get it done!
peace, shamba
October 20, 2010 at 11:25 pm
debby do you have a link for where you read that about the new Federal banking regulation? Thanks…
October 21, 2010 at 7:29 am
Everything I’ve read about Regulation D says that it’s not that you’re limited to 6 withdrawals, but that you’re limited in the number of automatic withdrawals (eft payments, overdrafts, etc) each month. After you reach your limit of 6 automatic payments/deductions, you need to handle the transactions in person or at an ATM.
According to this particular site, you can use the ATM as much as you want. You can make as many in person withdrawals as you’d like. You can mail in as many transactions as you’d like.
Here’s the link I found helpful:
https://www.ufcu.org/tools/help/reg_d_faq.php
October 21, 2010 at 8:55 am
Check with your local bank rep. I went to their site for the information. We use a very large national bank, deposits don’t count as transactions, but all ATM, phone transfers, online transfers, automatic payments, all withdrawls count towards your 6 a month. Last week was when our bank began doing this
October 21, 2010 at 11:48 am
I checked with mine. It says:
“no more than six (6) preauthorized, automatic, or telephone transfers/ withdrawals may be made from these accounts to another account of yours or to a third party in any month”
It also says we have unlimited “inquiries, transfers, or withdrawal requests” through the ATM or at the bank. It’s only the automatic/telephone/pre-authorized 3rd party transactions that apply toward that 6. HOWEVER, we use a small, community credit union. I wonder if there’s a difference there?
Anyway, I can’t think of a better reason to have a stash of cash on hand and in all the bug-out bags than regulations like those.
October 25, 2010 at 8:56 pm
My neighbor andI found your blog last summer and read everything from the frist post. We then organized a neighborhood self sufficiency/preparedness group, sent out flyers and got 13 families at the first meeting last month. 6 more have joined since. So far we have planned soap making, grab and go kits, seed starting and an outing to a neighbor’s orchard in Feb. to learn hands on pruning. Your influence has touched us here in Salt Lake City. Thank you
October 25, 2010 at 9:03 pm
That’s so nice!!! My son and his wife are in Provo now but moving home to Mass when he graduates from BYU in April. I can’t wait.