Learn to feed yourself!

[eastexsteve]

This thread is an outgrowth of one I did earlier on generators you can find it here. Maybe I should call this number 2 in my survival series. A bunch of good ideas were shared there. Hopefully, this one will also bear fruit.

I own a 160 acre farm. Besides using it for a rifle range, I also farm on it. We have always farmed. I am a product of farmers. My idea of farming used to be tractors, acres of rows of produce, lots of fertilizer, lots of water, pesticides, and lots of dirt. But, I'm changing my mind about this. At least, for some crops. And, this is something you can do in the city in your own back yard! This year, we started using raised beds, and I can hardly believe how well they are working. We are using 4x8 raised beds. In single individual beds, we raised:
100 yellow and purple onions, averaged baseball size
About 100 garlic plants
Over three bushels of spinach
Over a bushel of carrots (and still producing)
Fifty pounds of tomatoes from six plants, and they're just getting started

We are also doing mammoth jalapenos, yellow bell peppers, strawberries, and banana peppers in raised beds. And, they are going crazy. I'm also experimenting with growing potatoes in 5 gallon buckets, and having impressive results. I'm about to start the sweet potatoes in another raised bed.

It's all starting to make sense. In those 4x8 raised beds, you can better control the water, fertilizer, pests, and soil quality. And, because of this, it takes less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. I also put down hardware cloth under the raised beds to keep out the gophers and moles. We are still using open ground farming for things like peas, beans, corn and melons.

The internet is a great source for raised bed gardening. But, be careful. What works for fertilizer and soil prep in Ohio likely won't work for your garden in Texas. Call your county ag agent for advice. Check your soil PH. You can send soil samples to Texas A&M for soil analysis, recommended soil prep, and crop recommendations. I think the last time I did this it was $25.

I started doing this because I think something bad is coming, and I wanted to get the best yield possible out of the smallest space. I wanted to make sure we could eat. And, this is something you can do in your own back yard! The first pic is 6 tomato plants, 24" apart in a 4x8 raised bed. The second pic is 6 mammoth jalapenos 24" apart.

 

[Makinchips208]

I prefer green crayons.

 

[mi650]

 

[Docsherm]

I have pretty much feeing myself since I was about two years old. I did need some help one time that I had shoulder surgery........

 

[W54/XM-388]

Those who think hunting animals will feed them long term might be in for a surprise in just how fast game will disappear if hunting becomes the primary means of nutrition.

 

[7.62willdo]

Those who think hunting animals will feed them long term might be in for a surprise in just how fast game will disappear if hunting becomes the primary means of nutrition.

There some literature on this effect from the Great Depression if someone cares to read…..

 

[Basher]

Those who think hunting animals will feed them long term might be in for a surprise in just how fast game will disappear if hunting becomes the primary means of nutrition.

Everybody scoffs at the idea of eating bugs, but there are quite a few out there that pack a lot of nutrition. You get hungry enough and you’ll give it a shot or you’ll starve. Plenty of ways to get creative in eating them so you don’t know, like roasting them and grinding them into powder up for use in breads, meal, patties, etc. I’m not saying I WANT to eat bugs, but there’s generally no shortage of them in most areas of the country and they multiply awfully fast.

But having a food storage plan would pay dividends, as you’re aware.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Aren't shrimp and crabs just water insects?
I like them a lot.

Maybe someone could come up with a grasshopper patty. Slather on some chik fil a sauce and nom, nom.

 

[ironman56]

I like watching the "Alone" series on internet TV , it's about as real as it gets as far as reality TV goes ,the contestants get dropped of in a remote area with very few tools , and have to build thier own shelter and harvest their own food , who ever last the longest wins 500k- 1 million depending on the prize , fishing , trapping with snares and knowing what plants you can eat are very important skills in a survival situation.

 

[MtnGhost]

I breasted out a some starlings recently to feed my cat with. I shoot the little bastards often, but my they apparently have some kind of oil on their feathers that my cat won't mess with (he'll hunt and eat everything but starlings). After cleaning them he goes to town and can't get enough of them.

The other day I saw a video of some guy who cooked up and tried the breast meat. He said it was delicious and like dove meat, so I said WTF and cooked some up. It was palatable, but it was pretty gamey and had the texture of overcooked squirrel legs.

I'm a carnivore and wouldn't hesitate to eat them if I had to, but they're a lot better cooked medium rare and seasoned like dove and duck.

 

[MrSmith]

A HUGE part of feeding yourself is storing the feed so it can be used at a later (sometimes, much later) date.

My Dad told me, as he was growing up, they would put the cans of fresh milk into the spring. The cool water would keep it good for 2 or 3 days longer. Root cellars, dug into a hillside, were a mainstay. Apple holes provided Christmas treats. Canning.

One bored day I noticed all the grasshoppers bouncing around the grass so one time I grabbed 20 or so, cleaned them as per some computer provided instruction and cooked them thoroughly, as per the instruction, with some sesame seed oil, garlic salt and a bit of diced onion. They tasted almost exactly like crunchy sesame seed oil, garlic salt and a bit of diced onion. Reminded me of Crocodile Dundee and the roasted Goanna. But I tried it.

Thank you,
MrSmith

 

[7.62willdo]

I worked in the big oil industry and often times with contractors from the Louisiana area. One time one of those contractors name of boss hog asked me about all the Robins we had here in Washington. He asked if we ate them. I told him no, he said, when his favorite things is when his grandmother shoots a bunch of them, and breast them out and wrap the breast in bacon and put them under the broiler Says they’re delicious

 

[supercorndogs]

There some literature on this effect from the Great Depression if someone cares to read…..

My father in law grew up in Eastern KS around Manhattan. He said when he was kid he never remembers seeing a deer. They shot squirrles.

 

[supercorndogs]

Aren't shrimp and crabs just water insects?
I like them a lot.

Maybe someone could come up with a grasshopper patty. Slather on some chik fil a sauce and nom, nom.

Grasshoppers turn red just like lobster when you cook them.

 

[lonegunman762x51]

40% of the people posting here will be sucking their daily meals of protein thru a fleshy straw located on their democratic party masters. They can suck corn while they toss salad if they need a veggie.

Hunting only works when 300,000,000 people are not hunting. Try and find a lizard or fish anywhere near Cuba or Venezuela these days.

 

[eastexsteve]

A HUGE part of feeding yourself is storing the feed so it can be used at a later (sometimes, much later) date.

My Dad told me, as he was growing up, they would put the cans of fresh milk into the spring. The cool water would keep it good for 2 or 3 days longer. Root cellars, dug into a hillside, were a mainstay. Apple holes provided Christmas treats. Canning.

You really don't have to keep a root cellar if you have some spare room in your house. For instance, if you can maintain no warmer than 75 degrees in your house, and not over 65 percent humidity, you can store potatoes in a covered box. After digging them, don't wash them off. Just put them in a covered box that can breathe, but don't stack them on top of each other in the box. Just keep them cool and out of the light. They should last 8 months or more.

 

[Haney]

Root cellar has worked all my life . I don't have the desire to store 10 tons of vegetables in my house ...especially when that one rotten potato/squash.apple , etc... fucks up all the ones around it and stinks like shit .

 

[W54/XM-388]

Everybody scoffs at the idea of eating bugs, but there are quite a few out there that pack a lot of nutrition. You get hungry enough and you’ll give it a shot or you’ll starve. Plenty of ways to get creative in eating them so you don’t know, like roasting them and grinding them into powder up for use in breads, meal, patties, etc. I’m not saying I WANT to eat bugs, but there’s generally no shortage of them in most areas of the country and they multiply awfully fast.

But having a food storage plan would pay dividends, as you’re aware.

If you read some of the stories out of the labour camps in China and NK and other places, those who survived well were those who learned how to farm rats and mice as well as farming grubs, maggots, insects and such.
They could eat all the stuff humans can't eat and then be eaten.

Not great, but it kept them alive.

 

[Bullfrog08]

Not a long term solution, but I always keep plenty of vitamins, peanut butter and granola bars on hand. I know you can survive on them for quite awhile, because I was a poor man at one time. I actually did a test on this about 5-6 years ago to test only those and water. That was all I ate everyday for two weeks. I wish I could say it was miserable, but I still eat that for lunch a lot of times. After two weeks I felt fine and lost 0 pounds. Two dipped in peanut butter for lunch and four dipped in peanut butter for dinner. Sometimes that will still be my dinner. I always take two of the ONE A DAY FOR MEN every morning. I don't know that my diet supports all the nutrients a person needs.

 

[jbuck88]

My FIL was still a hunter/gatherer with his grandparents as a young boy. Stories about following the fish and building smoke houses out of branches to preserve their catch. Putting salmon berries and blackberries in baskets and weighting them down in the cold part of the lake. Pretty interesting stories.

Even more interesting that we are only a 2 or 3 generations into the depending on the grocery store for our food.

Pretty sure the game close to town will be taken out pretty quick, but the few that will work for it will take a long time to deplete the resource.

Teaching the kids how to hunt, as a tool that they should know.

 

[calling4life]

Those who think hunting animals will feed them long term might be in for a surprise in just how fast game will disappear if hunting becomes the primary means of nutrition.

Isn't it just as naive for farmers to think that they'll magically have gas, fertilizer, water, and so on...

That people are just going to walk by their paradise of food and leave them be... not going to steal the equipment, not going to steal the chickens, the corn... etc...

They don't think people will just burn it down, because if they can't have it, you can't? It's cute


Not only that, can you farm without any modern niceties, do you have a manual well pump or ten, can you get enough water from it daily and get that water to where you need it, every day, on your back.
No tractor because gas isn't available, no chainsaw because gas isn't available, no YouTube to lookup and see how to plant xyz... or how to weed... or how to till manually...

You got rigging and the type of cattle/horses etc.. that'll handle manual plowing and the like

I think everybody is playing pretend, about the only person I'd believe is actually ready is the person that says they'll just blow their brains out.

That plan... may work.

 

[Short-bus]

This thread is an outgrowth of one I did earlier on generators you can find it here. Maybe I should call this number 2 in my survival series. A bunch of good ideas were shared there. Hopefully, this one will also bear fruit.

I own a 160 acre farm. Besides using it for a rifle range, I also farm on it. We have always farmed. I am a product of farmers. My idea of farming used to be tractors, acres of rows of produce, lots of fertilizer, lots of water, pesticides, and lots of dirt. But, I'm changing my mind about this. At least, for some crops. And, this is something you can do in the city in your own back yard! This year, we started using raised beds, and I can hardly believe how well they are working. We are using 4x8 raised beds. In single individual beds, we raised:
100 yellow and purple onions, averaged baseball size
About 100 garlic plants
Over three bushels of spinach
Over a bushel of carrots (and still producing)
Fifty pounds of tomatoes from six plants, and they're just getting started

We are also doing mammoth jalapenos, yellow bell peppers, strawberries, and banana peppers in raised beds. And, they are going crazy. I'm also experimenting with growing potatoes in 5 gallon buckets, and having impressive results. I'm about to start the sweet potatoes in another raised bed.

It's all starting to make sense. In those 4x8 raised beds, you can better control the water, fertilizer, pests, and soil quality. And, because of this, it takes less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. I also put down hardware cloth under the raised beds to keep out the gophers and moles. We are still using open ground farming for things like peas, beans, corn and melons.

The internet is a great source for raised bed gardening. But, be careful. What works for fertilizer and soil prep in Ohio likely won't work for your garden in Texas. Call your county ag agent for advice. Check your soil PH. You can send soil samples to Texas A&M for soil analysis, recommended soil prep, and crop recommendations. I think the last time I did this it was $25.

I started doing this because I think something bad is coming, and I wanted to get the best yield possible out of the smallest space. I wanted to make sure we could eat. And, this is something you can do in your own back yard! The first pic is 6 tomato plants, 24" apart in a 4x8 raised bed. The second pic is 6 mammoth jalapenos 24" apart.
View attachment 8433652View attachment 8433653

I feel better...I thought I was irresponsible letting my 'maters look like a jungle. They sure made a crapload of maters though.

Branden

 

[KYAggie]

Aren't shrimp and crabs just water insects?
I like them a lot.

Maybe someone could come up with a grasshopper patty. Slather on some chik fil a sauce and nom, nom.

Supposedly, Cicadas are in the shrimp family. My female Rhodesian sure gobbles them up like I’ve never fed her. I don’t think I’ll be trying them at this point. I can’t imagine eating the deer in the neighborhood due to all the junk sprayed on the lawns and shrubs, they are the most toxic things on four feet.

 

[W54/XM-388]

Isn't it just as naive for farmers to think that they'll magically have gas, fertilizer, water, and so on...

That people are just going to walk by their paradise of food and leave them be... not going to steal the equipment, not going to steal the chickens, the corn... etc...

They don't think people will just burn it down, because if they can't have it, you can't? It's cute

It won't be all the people that you will have to worry about.
The moment supplies start getting the least bit thin, the military and the police and all the Million Uniform hangers your taxpayers have paid for will be coming to take what they want at gunpoint.

They may even beat the rest of the populace to getting what they want.

 

[7.62willdo]

It won't be all the people that you will have to worry about.
The moment supplies start getting the least bit thin, the military and the police and all the Million Uniform hangers your taxpayers have paid for will be coming to take what they want at gunpoint.

They may even beat the rest of the populace to getting what they want.

 

[mosin46]

40% of the people posting here will be sucking their daily meals of protein thru a fleshy straw located on their democratic party masters. They can suck corn while they toss salad if they need a veggie.

Hunting only works when 300,000,000 people are not hunting. Try and find a lizard or fish anywhere near Cuba or Venezuela these days.

this is correct. my 2nd wife was from cuba. raised in a small waterside fishing village. she did not know what a shrimp was until she ate them in NYC after entering the country as a 8 yo. jamaica same. hati of course.

 

[mosin46]

It won't be all the people that you will have to worry about.
The moment supplies start getting the least bit thin, the military and the police and all the Million Uniform hangers your taxpayers have paid for will be coming to take what they want at gunpoint.

They may even beat the rest of the populace to getting what they want.

yes and starvation could well be used as a weapon or control device. see ukraine 1920s

 

[Ronws]

@eastexsteve So, does this mean you can generate money crops with less acreage and leave the rest to deer hunting?

And, to the latter, are we talking northeast Texas?

Asking for myself.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

The moment supplies start getting the least bit thin, the military and the police and all the Million Uniform hangers your taxpayers have paid for will be coming to take what they want at gunpoint.

Laughing, we'll see how that works out for them once the ROL has left the building. That so called brotherhood will fold like a cheap suit once people who know the drill & have nothing to lose enter the game. Its one thing to roll up on 1 or 3 guys in force, its totally different when, For Export only types, start hunting them.

 

[Ronws]

Laughing, we'll see how that works out for them once the ROL has left the building. That so called brotherhood will fold like a cheap suit once people who know the drill & have nothing to lose enter the game. Its one thing to roll up on 1 or 3 guys in force, its totally different when, For Export only types, start hunting them.

I have to agree with you guys, purely on a mathematical basis. IF ROL is gone, then what authority or respect would LE expect or get? Especially if they are the marauders in question?

The cops I have known did not seem like that but then, again, we have not been in a WROL situation, either. Not really wanting to find out. But, also, even though I have an LTC and could open carry, with or without the Texas Constitutional carry, I still kind of "conceal" with a large angler shirt to hide my gat. It is a tactical advantage.

 

[mosin46]

same. am 5'7" 150 #. wear XL tees mostly. even if we had open carry,i wouldn't. = a sign saying "shoot me first".

 

[AngryKoala]

Those who think hunting animals will feed them long term might be in for a surprise in just how fast game will disappear if hunting becomes the primary means of nutrition.

Plenty of people to eat.

 

[mosin46]

again,ukraine 1920s.

 

[Makinchips208]

Communal living is probably the most sustainable long term.
Not like this…..

And not like this either…

NOT comeunizm.
But I mean a community of like minded people, willing to live and die for their neighbor.
Everyone has a skill they can contribute.
If I don’t contribute I don’t benefit.

 

[TheHorta]

Plenty of people to eat.

Cannibalism. The other other white meat.

 

[Snipe260]

Plenty of people to eat.

I bet democrats are tender

 

[Snipe260]

Communal living is probably the most sustainable long term.
Not like this…..
View attachment 8434057

And not like this either…
View attachment 8434058


NOT comeunizm.
But I mean a community of like minded people, willing to live and die for their neighbor.
Everyone has a skill they can contribute.
If I don’t contribute I don’t benefit.

Looks like Jonestown!

 

[Norther]

Supposedly, Cicadas are in the shrimp family.

Not even close.

 

[doubloon]

Not even close.

Cicadas are related to shrimp – don't eat them if you have a seafood allergy, FDA warns

"Don't eat #cicadas if you're allergic to seafood as these insects share a family relation to shrimp and lobsters," the FDA shared on Twitter.

www.usatoday.com

 

[n2ishun]

I saw the thread title and immediately envisioned some old hag trying to spoon feed a guy saying "here comes the spoon, choo choo choo".

I was dissapoint.

 

[Norther]

Cicadas are related to shrimp – don't eat them if you have a seafood allergy, FDA warns

"Don't eat #cicadas if you're allergic to seafood as these insects share a family relation to shrimp and lobsters," the FDA shared on Twitter.

www.usatoday.com

Just because somebody at the FDA says so, doesn’t make it correct. They’re not at all close taxonomically. Nowhere near in the same family.

Edit: not even all species we consider shrimp share the same family.

 

[AngryKoala]

I bet democrats are tender

Yea but they probably taste like shit from all the soy and you'll get man titties.

 

[W54/XM-388]

I bet democrats are tender

If they are democrats they are probably "fully vaxxed" which means you probably best avoid eating them at all or eating things that have eaten them because there is a really good chance they might be filled with malformed prions and you eat them and you'll die of the laughing disease some 10 to 15 years later.

 

[ma smith]

Cicadas are related to shrimp – don't eat them if you have a seafood allergy, FDA warns

"Don't eat #cicadas if you're allergic to seafood as these insects share a family relation to shrimp and lobsters," the FDA shared on Twitter.

www.usatoday.com

Uh...pretty sure bugs were "re-classified" to be comparable to food (ie crustaceans)...in like 2012...

IIRC this was around the same time as soy-lent was trying to become "fetch" ...

 

[Camelfilter]

Isn't it just as naive for farmers to think that they'll magically have gas, fertilizer, water, and so on...

That people are just going to walk by their paradise of food and leave them be... not going to steal the equipment, not going to steal the chickens, the corn... etc...

They don't think people will just burn it down, because if they can't have it, you can't? It's cute


Not only that, can you farm without any modern niceties, do you have a manual well pump or ten, can you get enough water from it daily and get that water to where you need it, every day, on your back.
No tractor because gas isn't available, no chainsaw because gas isn't available, no YouTube to lookup and see how to plant xyz... or how to weed... or how to till manually...

You got rigging and the type of cattle/horses etc.. that'll handle manual plowing and the like

I think everybody is playing pretend, about the only person I'd believe is actually ready is the person that says they'll just blow their brains out.

That plan... may work.

Things needn't be either or. Folks who garden/farm/ranch would contract or expand as needs be, with what they have (or can get). Just as always.

No reason a gardening/farming/ranching family couldn't also hunt/fish/gather either.

Folks who plan on opting out of life? Go rite ahead, that's your choice. Just don't make your choice for others (your families).

Life is hard & involves hard work. Always has.

 

[ma smith]

Things needn't be either or. Folks who garden/farm/ranch would contract or expand as needs be...

also, aren't most "mechanized" modern farmers, ie using ag equipment, up to their eyeballs in debt to the bank...?

US farmers win right to repair John Deere equipment

The grassroots movement has grown among consumers around the world as repair costs soar.

www.bbc.com

also look at the dates...2023 LOL

 

[eca7891]

If I’m hungry enough I’m eating what’s in front of me.

Telling her “ Your ass is looking good “ takes on a whole new meaning.

 

[doubloon]

Just because somebody at the FDA says so, doesn’t make it correct. They’re not at all close taxonomically. Nowhere near in the same family.

Edit: not even all species we consider shrimp share the same family.

Never claimed it to be fact, just an anecdote.

In the end we all believe what we want to believe.

Just because we call it a shrimp that doesn't mean it is a shrimp.

 

[doubloon]

taxonomically

Uh...pretty sure bugs were "re-classified" to be comparable to food (ie crustaceans)...in like 2012...

IIRC this was around the same time as soy-lent was trying to become "fetch" ...

I don't know about "re-classified". Also not sure all "bugs" are edible ... unless you're cajun or asian maybe

Shrimp are closer to cicada than horseshoe crabs are to blue crabs.

 

[Ronws]

Cannibalism. The other other white meat.

Soylent Green is people.