Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

The problem is that the old skills are not seen as necessary by the vast majority of people no matter where they live because you just go to the shop for whatever you want and it's there in your home town no matter where it's grown, no matter what the season of year and people are used to that so see no need to do anything for themselves towards ensuring they keep eating through the year. The old methods are still written down in books and are still there if anyone feels the need to actually do things the 'old' way. I wonder just how many western world people, certainly those in the UK can even do something as mundane as lay and light a fire? with central heating and most new homes not having a fireplace and chimney even such a fundamental thing as that is being lost. While there are still people around who can remember there will be the means to retain the skills but when we're gone, who will know HOW???

DawnW

nuatha wrote: »

You have a huge advantage, being Stateside, that canning is part of your culture. Its never been a a widespread part of UK culture. Buying a pressure canner in the UK means importing one from the US. Jams and jellies are made without water bathing, perfectly safely, but I only know two people who make their own tomato sauces (one of whom also does ketchup). Pickling is more common, but that is also changing, increasingly common are fast pickles with a refrigerated shelf life of a few weeks, or quick pickles which are meant for consumption within days (or hours) rather than the traditional pickles which are shelf stable for years.

One of the UK traditions you don't often see mentioned is chutney making. An ideal way to use up imperfect or glut fruit and vegetables, easy to make, no water bath needed, keeps for years simply on a shelf, and good for adding flavour and colour to bland foods

thriftwizard

I wonder just how many western world people, certainly those in the UK can even do something as mundane as lay and light a fire? with central heating and most new homes not having a fireplace and chimney even such a fundamental thing as that is being lost. While there are still people around who can remember there will be the means to retain the skills but when we're gone, who will know HOW???

I sometimes wonder what else we have lost? Not going all "golden age" here, there are plenty of things we're better off without, but one of the things I'm sometimes paid to do is demonstrate techniques of folding & knotting fabric to make bags, containers or gift-wrap. The techniques I use come from Japan or Korea, and everyone's always amazed & delighted at how easy & how obvious it all is once you've thought of it in the first place. The thing is, if you look in old paintings, you can see that we once did this too... for example, the little lass carrying her Dad's "piece" to him ploughing in the fields, in a red scarf knotted into a carrying bag. My Dad used to knot his hankies into a head-covering on the beach, Mr. Richard (edited thanks to swear filter!) Whittington's depicted carrying his belongings in a knotted bag on a stick, etc. etc.

Imagine how much plastic is drifting around the world, injuring animals, getting eaten by birds, polluting the oceans, that could never have been "needed" if we'd carried on knotting fabric... but when I'm demonstrating cord-making to kids, the only ones who even know there are different types of knots are Brownies & Sea Cadets, let alone have any idea what these might be useful for.

It's the little, everyday, unsung things like laying fires, making jam & pickles, & tying knots that we're losing fast, and becoming the less for it.

[Deleted User]

It's all the 'little' skills that make life easier that are being lost BUT way back when someone ('some ones' perhaps) worked out 'how to' in the first instance so unless humanity has fundamentally changed someone will work out the 'how to's' again from necessity and they might not be exactly the same as in the past but will serve purpose in the future. Mankind is very resilient and very inventive in times of need so we'll survive with or without the many of the skills of the past. Life would though most likely be more comfortable in the short term if the skills were already being used wouldn't it?

Cappella

MrsLurcherwalker and Nuatha Thank you for putting yesterday's mishap into perspective for me Not the end of the world as I know it quite yet, just a good learning experience

I partly agree that some old skills are sadly being lost, but I'm not losing hope yet. Our craft groups numbers have trebled over the past few years, and the age range goes from late teens to 86 years and knitting, crochet, and patchwork Skills are certainly being passed not only down but up in some areas.
I agree about people not making chutneys, pickles and preserves though. Our allotment show entries were down to only two entries in each of those those classes last year as opposed to over forty entries per class 35 years ago. My daughter and d-in-law both have the skills, but their working hours are long, and they just don't have the time. However it's good to know that they COULD should it ever be a necessity.
My father was the last man in our village in Lincolnshire to grow and kill his own pig. He slaughtered his last one in 1972. In 1973 a new housing estate was built in the field backing onto our garden; and the new neighbours sent so many complaints about the noise and smell to the council that he sold the weaner to a farmer friend and turned the pig sty into a storage shed. I can, and do, still make sausages, haslet and raised park pies though, because I was taught to when I was 10. Same with dressing poultry and game, I have the skills, and do do my children, sad to think theirs may be the last generation to really understand what has to happen BEFORE the meat gets into those neat little plastic boxes in the supermarket

[Deleted User]

You have the answer CAPELLA, my girls both can cook, sew, knit, garden can forage, prepare and pluck carcasses, can preserve, can do leatherwork, in the case of DD1 and myself knap flint and make cordage. Us few who DO maintain an old style skill base and use it in everyday life HAVE passed it on to the next generation. DD1 is a trained mountain guide and can read maps, (a wonderful skill which seems to have missed me entirely) find water, light trail fires etc. DD2 is a medic and as a GP has to have all the practical skills that are involved in the training path to that profession so both of them have skills I and my generation possess in limited quantities. There will always be some few of a generation who see old skills as relevant and there will always be a few of the next generation who see the wisdom of keeping them alive too.

mardatha

And I'm in a panic here because I found out my HA are gradually doing away with solid fuel central heating and putting in electric. I'm rolling up sleeves and getting ready for a fight lol. As long as they leave my fireplace and chimney unblocked they can install as many electric heaters as they like cos they wont be used!
Good point about not using plastic I agree there.
And true MrsL about people - from the first caveman to discover fire up to the man who discovered hydraulic power then steam power then the railways etc etc. There are always people with amazing minds who can work out new ways.

[Deleted User]

MAR rolling pin at the ready pet, how often does your electricity supply fail half way up a mountain? What a NOT sensible thing for the HA to be doing, do you as the tenant have the right to say 'No thanks'?

Siebrie

thriftwizard wrote: »

techniques of folding & knotting fabric to make bags, containers or gift-wrap. The techniques I use come from Japan or Korea, and everyone's always amazed & delighted at how easy & how obvious it all is once you've thought of it in the first place. The thing is, if you look in old paintings, you can see that we once did this too... for example, the little lass carrying her Dad's "piece" to him ploughing in the fields, in a red scarf knotted into a carrying bag. My Dad used to knot his hankies into a head-covering on the beach, Mr. Richard (edited thanks to swear filter!) Whittington's depicted carrying his belongings in a knotted bag on a stick, etc. etc.

When I visited DH's family in Africa, I saw that the women wore a 'pagne' as everyday clothing: a large square piece of fabric they wrapped around them as a skirt. It was also used as a room divider for privacy, as a sling for carrying children on their back, and as a bag for carrying whatever they needed to carry.

NewShadow

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

DD2 is a medic and as a GP has to have all the practical skills that are involved in the training path to that profession

I was talking to a trainee GP at my local practice and she was saying they don't learn to suture anymore - that's got to be wrong... doesn't it?