Times are tough for a lot of folks, and granny just wants y'all to remember we've been through this before and survived, if not with grace at least with style.
=0) Jay and Granny
Tough Times
Why does Granny make me think she might belong in Little Red Riding Hood=O
I agree with you Jay, this is a time for battening down. It's funny, I heard once that the people least affected by the Depression were the very poor-they'd always lived with just the basics anyway. That era was hardest on those who were used to having more than enough, those who had built up a lifestyle that they couldn't sustain. I believe that the great majority of DG'ers are the kind of people who will be able to reach out and support others, because we have already made lifestyle choices that keep out lives simple, and aren't likely to be afraid of what may come.
I hope that no matter what comes this next year, we can always come to Dave's and remind ourselves that we aren't alone, and enjoy the cameraderie (sp?) of like minded, loving people.
I've only been here a short while, so I'm still a newbie, but I still feel like I found a kind of "home".
Didn't intend to get mushy-you just pushed a button, I guess.
Hoping the very best for all this year-
Julia
Hey Julia,
I agree, this is a great community. I'm pretty new, too. This community has a wonderful sense of caring, sharing and humor. I got tossed off another board because of my humor and colorful language (I made some crack about the west coast and they got their knickers in a knot and threw me off) and here I've had many folks express appreciation or at least tolerance of my irrascibility (sp?). I sure don't mind the mushiness, it's just part of the mix.
I think the difference between now and the 20's and 30's is fewer folks know how to provide themselves the basics, their food, heat, and other essentials. Most of America was rural then, folks grew a lot of their own food and made their own clothes, horses were still being used in the west, folks regularly walked to where they needed to go, and the whole structure of society was different. Extended families, local groceries, and more common sense. Then, as now, it was the urban people who suffered the most, but now most of the population is urban.
I live in a poor town, so there is still a lot of knowledge about how to get by on nothing, and many extended families, but even here the stores are closing and the lines are getting longer for the food boxes at Salvation Army.
There are a lot of folks here that do know how to get along on the basics, and that's such a gift in these times. I know you're one of them, and I'm really glad to have connected with you here on these boards. I hope you and yours have a very blessed year, full of love and laughter and generosity. May your garden be abundant and your life be rich...
Blessings,
Jay
Glad to have you both join us!
I agree, things are getting tougher all the time and we need to be sure we know how to take care of ourselves. If or when the time comes, those of us who are doing "dress rehearsals" will be able to manage without feeling quite so deprived. It can be a rude awakening during dire times (power outage, severe weather, job loss, etc) if we don't know how to survive without all of the luxuries that so many of us have become accustomed too, even if those luxuries are nothing more than electricty, running water and heat.
There are such wonderful people on Daves Garden that are more than happy to share their knowledge and kick around ideas. I have learned how to make rain barrels and grey water tanks, conserve energy, make a solar heater for my home, cut expences, raise my own food and be pretty much self-sufficent. I couldn't have done so many things around our place without the support and encouragement of fellow members.
Robin
Hi Robin! Nice to meet cha! =0)
And I totally agree with everything you said. Not only is self-sufficiency extraordinarily important these days, but this is a great place to learn things and pass on what one knows! It's an incredibly interesting place to hang out, I'm always learning new stuff.
Here's hoping you have what you need in the New Year...
and thanks for saying Hi!
Jay
Robin-thanks for the dmail about the seeds-I'll be getting an 'envy' out very soon.
This site reminds me of the Countryside Magazine, only better because the feedback is practically instant, and you get to really know everybody well. And everybody has so much in common here, that it is all very comfortable.
My husband jokes about my 'gloom and doom' predictions, but right now it looks more like foresight and common sense. Things just couldn't go on at that pace forever, and greed in high places is bringing us down. I'm not where I'd like to be, self sufficiency wise, but I am working in that direction just as fast as I can.
Happy New Year to both of you, and everybody else out there! Let's hope 2009 is happy for all.
Julia
My pleasures are working my gardens. I heat with wood. I own 20 acres with a broken down old trailer on it. I am what most folks would describe as poor. I am rich with knowledge for surviving tough times. I can grow vegetables and raise livestock. I am worried about the economy but I know that I can make it through them better than folks who are trying to make house and car payments. Life is a matter of priorities. It is folks who made material possessions a priority who are suffering the most. My prayers go out to all who are hurting no matter what the cause.
Boy, I've done my time in broken down old trailers... now I'm in a (relatively) new well insulated little doublewide mobile home (~800 sq. ft) and it feels like the lap of luxury. I can heat the place and the heat stays in the house!
My biggest indulgence, besides gas for the car, is books. Our little library does OK for pop fiction, but other stuff is kind of hit and miss. We have definitely scaled back around here. And we're doing fine.
I think these times are a bit of a reckoning for many Americans, and maybe for America in general. A little normalcy returning, maybe?
kathy65468 that us except we've got 40 acres with rabbits, goats,and chickens
with the old trailer Elle says a cold old trailer but she thinks it should be 80* all the time I like 60*. We also heat with wood.
Hi Dave. Maybe I should be saying hi neighbor. When I had children at home we did the chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigs, milk cow and raise up a steer every year, and rabbits thing. I do not do so much anymore but I could get back to it in a heart beat. After all , the fence and buildings still exist.
Jay-I think you're right, America is returning to what ought to be normal, and is in most other countries. We are learning to live within our means, not on the credit card, or the latest refinance of the house. Good old belt tightening-good for the soul!
Pop fiction-does that include any of the old classics? Mysteries, science fiction? I'm a voracious reader too, but I've gotten a little pickier in my old age. There was a time when I felt obligated to finish any book I started, but now if it doesn't 'have me' by the 3rd page, forget it!
Dave and Kathy-you guys are so blessed to have that sense of security from knowing that you can take care of yourselves, grow/produce whatever you need for the most part.
I'm with Elle-what's wrong with 80 degrees?!! But DH likes it colder, so I just layer and have an extra quilt on my 1/2 of the bed:>)
I'm just so inspired by y'alls resourcefulness. Just makes me get up and do, and I really need that sometimes. =0)
So tomorrow, while the weather's nice, we are going to work donkeys, get back in the plan with teaching them how to help out around here beyond just making fertilizer for the veggies. LOL
My fiction reading extends from cozy mysteries (love the Beatrice Potter series) to classics. A couple of years ago I read War and Peace all the way through; surprised myself. And I can't recommend highly enough 'Adam Bede' by George Eliot, a lovely pastoral. Right now I'm reading 'Generation Kill' about the 1st Recon marines during the first days of this Gulf war. It's quite an eye-opener, that's for sure.
Dave, do you butcher your rabbits? That's something I'm curious about.... rabbits for food.
Rabbit is the most econimical meat to raise. The cost per pound of finished product is less than any other kind of meat. They are easy to butcher, not like chickens and all that stinky plucking. You can use the fur, too. The only drawback to rabbit is keeping some liquid water in their water bottles in the winter time.
Alright, Jay, I'll bite...teaching the donkeys to do what?
That is why I have water lines to the rabbits lol Of corse the putter says there are 752 rabbits in the barn. thats low for us, normal is 1000 head. We sell live meat rabbits Pel-freez . Yes rabbit is gooood to eat. I butcher a few every now and again. But we also do chicken too.
I used to raise rabbits on a small scale back in the day. I had my regular customers and had a few for my own table. I never got good at using the furs though I had big plans. LOL We have 1 rabbit now. His name is Apple and he is a pet who stays in the house. We have sunk sooo low. LOL Actually, come Spring I want to get a few does and use Apple as my buck. He is a nice size. I'd like to get a few Flemish Giant does but I'm thinking my cages would have to be lots bigger. Any thoughts on the pros and cons of the giants? Like to have all the info I can get before I actually make a purchase. I also want to get some heavy layers in the Spring. I have 4 bantam hens right now but only 2 are laying. I have 2 MacCrea Roundhead game hens. Sadly I lost my rooster the Monday before Christmas. I cried like a baby. I really loved that rooster and he was a beauty. A high dollar roo that I had big plans for in the show ring. I have to replace him now and that will not be easy.
cajuninky-Here is a link to a Flemish Giant organization. If you have questions you can email Bart Herring, he is club officer. He lives here in Anza and is SO into these huge bunnies. My boss made a visit to his house once and when he walked in he saw one of them sitting there in the house, and he was shocked at it's huge size. And he's a vet!
All I know about rabbits is that they are easy to potty train, and if they want your attention they WILL get it:>) We got some cute little bunnies for Easter when I was a kid, but they weren't any special breed, just cute.
http://www.nffgrb.com/
Herringshouse@mtpalomar.net
I know rabbits are raised for their meat, but how is the fur used best? Is it easier to cure(?) then cow hide?
Julia
more managable than cow hide. No matter how you do it the darn thing is always shedding so best to forget about saving the fur. Tan the hides. It is wonderfully soft.
Is there an easy and fooproof way to tan the hides?
Robin,
We're trying to get our donkeys to do farm work... pulling harrows, cultivators, stone boats, discs and hopefully someday a walking plow. We've got a home made harrow, and I'm working on building the stone boat.
Here's Hannah, one of our Mammoth Jacks being ground driven...
Got it...actually, kind of figured that's what it was, after I sent the post. Sorry, it was an air-head moment! LOL!
LOL. That's OK, it gave me another opportunity to show off my longears!
=0) Jay
Did you try the bed springs?
No, I haven't tried them yet. It takes rigging them up for the single tree. I built a harrow out of split tires last year, so that's what we're using right now. But I've got the bedspring harrow filed away in my mind. =0)
OK, my ignorance is showing....anyone have a link that shows a picture or diagram of what you're talking about?
Diagram? For what?
Alright, Jay, I admit it...I'm an idiot! LOL! I was asking for a link or diagram to show me what y'all are talking about regarding this statement: "I built a harrow out of split tires last year, so that's what we're using right now. But I've got the bedspring harrow filed away in my mind" I guess I could've just googled "home-made harrows".
The bed springs model is easy. Just hook an old set of bed springs to your singletree, weight the springs down with a few sackfuls of rock or dirt and get to work. I wonder if I could patent it? LOL
Serta, for a harrowing night's sleep?
LOL
It'd be a little more complicated than just hooking it to your singletree... at least a draw chain to keep it pulling straight.
But I'm sticking with my idea of plywood and riding it. Whoopee!
I'll try and post a picture of the tire harrow one of these days, it's pretty cool.