Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

mrsmortenharket wrote: »

I now have 8x2l bottles of water. In date till may '16 so that's good.

My cousins & uncle shoot arrows (is that the correct term?!). They win stuff and are quite good.

I don't have any strength in my arms so I think I would be useless at arrows.

Ok. Off to swap over the bins and check on my garden while it's not raining.

You'd be fine with a bow and arrow; they're sized and selected for pull (strength) according to your height, your draw-length and your strength. I can't use a 45 lb pull longbow but I'm fine with a 30-36 lb one. And yes, you shoot arrows and fire guns, Teach is very particular about that and he teaches both archery and air rifle target shooting (among many other things, being an all-round action man and a great laff).

Children as young as 6 and 7 are competing in archery clubs. It's enormous fun and I'd encourage you to have a go if the slightest opportunity presents itself. Who knows, it might be a whole new hobby just waiting for you - twang!!

Went to the lottie briefly to deposit the rotables and to check on Stuff. I am :D:D to report that the rows of leeks, beetroots and carrots sown 3 weekends back have germinated. OK, so they've germinated amongst a lot of horsetail and bindweed, but them's the breaks and at least I know which ones I shall be tweaking out of there. The seedlings are soo tiny atm that I shall leave the area along for a while before I hand-weed through there with a gossamer touch. It's too easy to disturb their roots by moving the soil to pull a weed out.

I also have germinated peas in the TP tubes down at the flat. Sown last Monday and no sign of them until today, was getting a bit worried, frankly. Give peas a chance (sorry).

The weather here is cycling very rapidly between thundery showers and sunny spells, so decided not to stay on the lottie and came home and am now attending to the organisation of some tins, as I have some new ones to rotate, purchased today. I've only been home a few mins but it's tipping it down, so think I made the right call.

As a gardener, this rain is delightful as my veggies need this. Spuds are about a foot tall, autumn-sown broad beans are anything from waist to chest height on me (nearly 6 ft tall meself), Feb-sown broad beans are about 18 inches tall, onions doing well, strawbs flowering, marigolds almost lividly-bright against the soil and the greenery. I think calendula is a much-underated flower, myself, but I'm very fond of simply-shaped daisy like flowers in bright colours.

Memo to self; get some sunflowers sown asap.

nuatha, anyone burgling your house would have an eye-popping choice. A friend of a friend (re-enactor) had a replica broadsword stolen in a burglary. Idiots - it was a craftsman made one-off, very hard to fence. That must have been an interesting insurance claim, hey? The only positive was that the swordsmith got another commission.

It makes me happy that there are people in this country making longbows and swords and learning rather archane skills and having a bucket-bin of arrows in their bath tub atm........... it's an antidote to blandola-ville.

I have tea, then will sort some tins out, and perhaps watch something on DVD on the pooter. Lazy Sunday afternoons........

ETA craigyw, I've known people who've grown lettuce 11 years past its 'sow by' date but I'd do as BB suggests and get fresh seed if it doens't appear in a week or so. Life#s too short and it ain't that expensive.

Memory_Girl

Finished my Free-I-Y Sunday project - making a vertical tower garden out of some old bottles.

Along one half-height fence panel I will have space for 45 different plants ... of course I only have a few at the moment but my seedlings have germinated and I am hopeful. Thinking a couple should be dedicated to "medicinal" and "tea" herbs too.

Not bad for a footprint of just a few inches!



MG

Frugalsod

I am looking at some form of vertical garden for growing some food. At the moment I need to make some space and decide on a list of crops. There are plenty of option on that score so I will take my time.

First plan is to build a bug out rack with all the highly useful kit that I will need in one place. If it is all together I will know what is available and can mix and match for specific problems.

thriftwizard

Love it, MG, and may have to pinch that idea! At the moment I have strawberries & chives growing in screw-on textile "window boxes" attached to the cross-pieces of the fence; these came (unopened) from the Tip so I have no idea what their correct name is. It's south-facing so gets lots of lovely sun, and the nasty slimy crawly things can't get up there. Plus, doesn't take up any floor space.

[Deleted User]

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

went to a butcher where I got told they sold locally sourced rabbit... I asked where it came from, and they said it is supplied by a local company.. which imports it from China!!!

Presumably, they will arrive frozen.

craigywv

BB AND GQ thanks for that I think the compost is deffo too heavy,will change it tomorrow. MEMORY GIRL that's a great idea I hope you show us what its like in a few months good luck.

Memory_Girl

Its been suggested that I weigh the harvests - but I think that is a bit too OCD for even me.

But I will get greenbee to shout at me in a month or so and we can share a catch up.

MG

greenbee

Memory_Girl wrote: »

Its been suggested that I weigh the harvests - but I think that is a bit too OCD for even me.

But I will get greenbee to shout at me in a month or so and we can share a catch up.

MG

I do have things to do other than nag you Add it to your diary now :cool:

Jazee

Thanks for all your comments on sharing your stash should the SHTF. I like the lottery analogy. For me, like most of you, in any situation its family (and friends) first.

I am full up after dinner tonight but have a craving for crisps which I'm going to give in too. I don't think my food store will last particularly long in an emergency!

GreyQueen

I got my new bow out of its case to do something and got distracted by the sheer loveliness of it. A KG Sherwood Ranger Deluxe, in case anyone wants to admire them on their website. Pretty bow, very covetable and its bowstring sings sweetly like a harp when you release the arrow - sigh - archery is definately my 'thing' and I'm kicking myself for not starting it yonks ago.

I suppose I should put it away for safekeeping ......in a little while.