Preparedness for when

pineapple

I have mixed feelings about Max Keiser but here is what he is saying - that fiat money will collapse in 2013 and we should only hold money in paper that we are willing to lose :huh:. He says the only money we will have is gold and silver.
I struggle to see this (though I can imagine a massive devaluation).
But who knows.
Episode 387 — RT
From about 23:52

mardatha

I've replaced all my kitchen appliances and next is house stuff like suite/carpets/bed... and stocking a reasonable amount of food. Just in case something happens to our pensions. But that's all, not into buying gold or silver.

pineapple

mardatha wrote: »

But that's all, not into buying gold or silver.

I think it probably makes sense if you have substantial wealth to protect - to hold a sizeable amount in assets like gold and silver. But it would probably not be worth it for small time short term investors like me - I'd probably lose more through transaction taxes. Plus I struggle to see gold and silver being used for everyday purchases. But money losing it's value? Definitely. Which is why I also think it's probably a good idea to stock up and not to postpone purchases if you can afford them now.
Tricky balance. Because for the moment we still need money put by for unexpected bills/repairs.

mardatha

This is it - I haven't seen anybody ever saying that in a crisis, gold or silver helped them. The Jews in the war maybe but more of them got ripped off than actually helped, poor souls.

RAS

westcoastscot wrote: »

GQ have not grown chard for years but sounds worth a go – maybe in a tub?

I recommend a variety called Lucellus; not a pretty as Rainbow Chard but it is very hardy and very tender. After the minus 19 and two months under snow cover, the Rainbow Chard was rotten but most of the Lucellus recovered and produce greens into the late spring (it tends to bolt in May).

I used to search high and low to get it but then Lidl started doing seeds - 29p packet!

mardatha

How much in sq feet would be enough for two people ? And do you plant it all at once or small amounts and keep going?

boultdj

GreyQueen wrote: »

Wow, it's really really hard to kill ivy. I've hacked it off at ground level and dragged it off the back of a 4 storey Victorian house (yes, I am mad, this was a pig-of-a-job) and I still had to poison the roots.

And mint is immortal, isn't it?! Seriously, that is a talent to be proud of, you could rent your services to organisations trying to get rid of Japanese Knotweed and all sorts. I can see a figure in lycra, leaping to the [STRIKE]Batcave [/STRIKE] garden shed and gathering up the Wheelbarrow of Doom before whizzing to the site of the overly-exuberant plantage and saying, possibly with an evil cackle Riiiiggggghhhhhttttt me lovelies......!

Errm, the inside of my imagination is a strange place at times.:o

Last year on my local new's,they found out japanese knotweed was edable and can use it in place of rhubarb,they cooked it up and got people to try it.

RAS

mardatha wrote: »

How much in sq feet would be enough for two people ? And do you plant it all at once or small amounts and keep going?

Mar

How many square feet to grow what?

With respect to whether you plant it all at once or in small amounts, your starting point is to avoid F1 hybrids; they are designed to come to harvest all at once, which means massive gluts. Also avoid anythign that is "good for freezing" as this usually means - all ripens at once.

A good place to look is the teacher's section on the Garden Organic web-site. This covers square fioot gardening http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicgardening/schools-tz-sqfoot.php which is a good way of starting in small places. In reality, you do not need to engineer the squares or the dividers as formally as this.

Question, these are based on 4 foot beds because the average person can reach 2 foot. How far can you reach? It may be you need a 3'6" bed or a 4'6" one?

RAS

boultdj wrote: »

Last year on my local new's,they found out japanese knotweed was edable and can use it in place of rhubarb,they cooked it up and got people to try it.

It is eaten in Japan, the young shoots very much like bamboo shoots or asparagus are eaten. The jam is said to be decidedly boring in flavour.

To get rid read up on the National Trust research on injecting gylsophate - it works.

mardatha

Brilliant help as always RAS ty. I use Realseeds now because they're good. I would probly need smaller beds as I have to get down and kneel, if I try and bend my knees grind and ping! I'll go and have a good look into that site.
Re mint - it only grows in one bit of my garden - I had to make a bed for it, with bricks and filled with compost. Down at the lowest part near the back door.