Preparedness for when

boultdj

I know you can do marrow wine,so I personaly would try it with courgettes.

[Deleted User]

There's nothing wrong with children learning, how to dispatch animals for food.

It'll stand them in good stead for SHTF/EOTWAWKI situations.

Learning to dispatch and prep small game animals (somewhat more complicated than fish), will probably be more useful.

Frugalsod

alice-mary wrote: »

Hi All,
Unfortunately I have had a minor SHTF this week as my freezer has given up and as I found out too late that the contents were half de-frosted, I have had to bin the lot (I didn't want to risk eating any of it as I have a sensitive stomach at the best of times).

I am not in the position to replace it for a few months but luckily I do still have a large working fridge. I am a teacher so for the next few weeks I can take the time to plan and cook appropriately but can not batch cook and freeze any extra :-(

I seem to remember there were some posts about life without a freezer but I can't find them.... can anybody remember if there is a separate thread on this topic? In the current heat I am already missing the ice cubes and hm lollies but it could be worse... I live on my own and don't have to worry about looking after/feeding a family.

Any advice would be gratefully received,
TIA

Alice

xx

The topics you need to look for are canning and dehydration. Both will keep many items for many months. There is a dehydration thread somewhere in the OS area of the forum.

Though they will also involve some expenditure if you have not got all the kit required.

Though this is one such reason why everyone should try and have an emergency fund if solvent or some access to spare credit on the credit card if there is an emergency. As you pay down your credit cards you will end up with access to emergency funds.

Frugalsod

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with children learning, how to dispatch animals for food.

It'll stand them in good stead for SHTF/EOTWAWKI situations.

Learning to dispatch and prep small game animals (somewhat more complicated than fish), will probably be more useful.

I will admit to being a complete softie when it comes to animals. I have been invited on elk hunts and turned it down, as it would be too upsetting for me.

Realistically I am more likely to become a vegetarian when food becomes scarce anyway. Being a vegetarian is the only long term solution when food stocks are scarce, and animals need quite a lot of space to turn grass into meat.

[Deleted User]

Frugalsod wrote: »

and animals need quite a lot of space to turn grass into meat.

That's why, in a major SHTF situation, you trap wild animals.

Mojisola

Frugalsod wrote: »

Realistically I am more likely to become a vegetarian when food becomes scarce anyway. Being a vegetarian is the only long term solution when food stocks are scarce, and animals need quite a lot of space to turn grass into meat.

There are many areas where the land isn't right for growing crops so it makes sense to turn the grass into meat.

ALIBOBSY

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

No idea.

She's only been in for about 5 minutes, all day.

Our two have just been lolling about the garden and have barely been in. The other day our big tom cat decided he was going to flop full length across the footpath outside the house, luckily peeps are lovely around here and we saw plenty saying hello to him as they stepped over lol.

Kids have been living in the paddling pool. Even had a little paddle ourselves the other evening

Ali

ALIBOBSY

Mojisola wrote: »

There are many areas where the land isn't right for growing crops so it makes sense to turn the grass into meat.

The natural animals to keep in areas like that are more sheep and goats, tbh beef is pretty inefficent when it comes to how much feed needs to go in as a ratio to meat produced.

In many parts of the world sheep and especially goats are kept as a multi use animal, both produce milk and meat.

But rabbits are a better bet for pure meat to feed ratios.

Looking at history there is a reason people often lived of "potage" or stews as you throw in whatever you have available, meat and/or veg and boil up with liquid. Quick and easy and non of the goodness of the food is lost and fits whatever you have to hand. Also lends itself to cooking over open flames.

Not sure I could face dispatching animals, but have done fish and worked as a fishmonger at one point so can clean and fillet etc.

OH has helped on a smallholding last year dispatching, cleaning and plucking turkeys and used to hunt so knows how to prep rabbits and pigeons. Shame we sold his air rifles and pistols when we had a severe cash shortage after our eldest was born, but at the time they were just sat packed up in the loft. But at least he has done it in the past which is a good skill to have.

Went to little sisters wedding rehearsal today as I and my girls are bridesmaids. She is going the whole hog and spending a fair bit, but she is in her late 30's as is her partner and its both their first weddings-plus they are on a big income between them, no kids.

Part of me is thinking what a waste and is glad I never went for that sort of thing, but another little bit will enjoy the day with her . Well apart from the food which is all veggie and the kids are moaning about lol.

She is the opposite of me, she wants the big house, career, plenty of dosh, new car, holidays abroad etc-although she avoids debt and is pretty money savvy. But never wants kids and would laugh at the whole idea of peak oil and post oil worlds and prepping.

Mind you she loves getting eggs from our pampered chickens :cool:

Anyone noticed this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28498665
would appear the ebola outbreak has spread to another country.

Ali x

GreyQueen

Evening all. I have been Oot with a capital O inc lots of time on the allotmentino, shelling beans in the shade inside the shed, boots off, feet up, only needed a radio and some beer for perfection to be achieved. Did that in the hottest part of the day - not daft.;)

Re meat/ vs vegetarianism post-SHTF, I think we'd be eating as well as we could, and that you wouldn't pass by the option of some nutrient-dense animal products, whether eggs nor fish, if you had a chance. If we did hard manual labour, or simply had to walk everywhere, we'd be using a lot more energy than our current pampered lives.

Quite a few zones of the world, inc the uplands of the UK, are unsuited to agriculture but eminently suitable for pastorialism. Sheep and goats are lighter feeders than cattle, and deer get everywhere, even in the city centre.

If we were making a forcible transition to a low-energy lifestyle, it would be sensible to consider small animals raised at home for meat, such as rabbits, with their ability to breed quickly, grow quickly and can be fed on scraps and wayside weeds. My late Grandad used to raise New Zealand Whites, a breed of meat rabbit, mostly for market by some for the table. It was a countryman's sideline to bring in a bit of extra money.

You can of course eat guinea pigs, and I know pals who have done so in Peru; reports are that there isn't a lot of meat on them. You could also consider a few geese, or ducks, as a grow-yer-own protein option.

I have been harvesting wild plums in the park. The fruit trees were planted for the public to do just that, but I seem to be one of the few who bother, although kiddies will knock them down with sticks and use them as missiles, the wee barbarians. They're lush.

[Deleted User]

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

Not sure I could face dispatching animals

Nothing to it.

Once you've done the first one, the rest is easy.