JoshLowry
01-22-2008, 11:29 AM
What do you all think about a survival type forum added to Liberty Forest?
This was an interesting article that I came across.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Bread, Beans, Bullets and Booze (http://www.bearridgeproject.com/2007/11/bread-beans-bullets-and-booze.html)
As the American economy and the dollar continue their downward spiral and mass inflation and unemployment loom on the horizon skills will be needed that are not based on current monetary methodologies. After reviewing problems encountered during my stays at Bear Ridge, I have come up with a list of four basic skill sets necessary to survive in a trade-based economy.
The Four Basics are Bread, Beans, Bullets, and Booze.
Bread is pretty evident. The ability to make various breads from scratch is a valuable commodity. Freshly baked bread are sold at farmers markets or traded for goods and services. Everyone should stockpile several five gallon buckets of flour and as much yeast as possible. The flour will keep for several years in a sealed bucket and most yeast has at least a 3-year shelf life. Learn how to bake bread in a propane, solar and wood-fired oven. A great additional skill is building solar and wood-fired ovens.
Beans are actually meant to represent all gardening and vegetables. Learn how to grow various plants under different conditions. A large diverse garden planted in the summer will give you plenty of nutritious food for trading or canning. Buy a large canning pressure cooker with jars and preserve your vegetables for winter. Seeds should be purchased now and stored in a cool dry container, buy a lot of them. Try planting a few of your favorites each week over the fall and winter and grow them in a south facing window. You will gain experience growing the plants and have fresh vegetables every week. Additionally decide on a few beans you like and buy them dry from your local store. Fill several five-gallon buckets with these and throw in a couple of buckets of dried rice. This reserve of food holds you over until the garden is producing.
Bullets are for hunting and protection. At minimum, every household should have a 22 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun. The rifle can be used on small game and for target practice. The 22 is not a large gun and the bullets are incredibly cheap and can be purchased in bulk cans. Nothing beats a shotgun for protection, great accuracy is not needed and the weapon itself is very intimidating. Buy plenty of shotgun shells and a reloading kit. The reloading kit saves money and gives you a valuable skill useful in trade.
Booze is certainly the most valuable commodity know to man. The ability to brew a fine beer or vint a robust wine gives the artisan a distinct advantage. Alcohol based beverages are easy to produce and can be sold or traded for just about anything. Learn and understand the fermenting process. Stockpile malt, sugar, brewers yeast, hops and bottles. Home brew beer usually is made in 5-gallon quantities; purchase a brew kit if possible. People in a depressed society look for an escape. The person furnishing that escape becomes invaluable to that society.
This was an interesting article that I came across.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Bread, Beans, Bullets and Booze (http://www.bearridgeproject.com/2007/11/bread-beans-bullets-and-booze.html)
As the American economy and the dollar continue their downward spiral and mass inflation and unemployment loom on the horizon skills will be needed that are not based on current monetary methodologies. After reviewing problems encountered during my stays at Bear Ridge, I have come up with a list of four basic skill sets necessary to survive in a trade-based economy.
The Four Basics are Bread, Beans, Bullets, and Booze.
Bread is pretty evident. The ability to make various breads from scratch is a valuable commodity. Freshly baked bread are sold at farmers markets or traded for goods and services. Everyone should stockpile several five gallon buckets of flour and as much yeast as possible. The flour will keep for several years in a sealed bucket and most yeast has at least a 3-year shelf life. Learn how to bake bread in a propane, solar and wood-fired oven. A great additional skill is building solar and wood-fired ovens.
Beans are actually meant to represent all gardening and vegetables. Learn how to grow various plants under different conditions. A large diverse garden planted in the summer will give you plenty of nutritious food for trading or canning. Buy a large canning pressure cooker with jars and preserve your vegetables for winter. Seeds should be purchased now and stored in a cool dry container, buy a lot of them. Try planting a few of your favorites each week over the fall and winter and grow them in a south facing window. You will gain experience growing the plants and have fresh vegetables every week. Additionally decide on a few beans you like and buy them dry from your local store. Fill several five-gallon buckets with these and throw in a couple of buckets of dried rice. This reserve of food holds you over until the garden is producing.
Bullets are for hunting and protection. At minimum, every household should have a 22 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun. The rifle can be used on small game and for target practice. The 22 is not a large gun and the bullets are incredibly cheap and can be purchased in bulk cans. Nothing beats a shotgun for protection, great accuracy is not needed and the weapon itself is very intimidating. Buy plenty of shotgun shells and a reloading kit. The reloading kit saves money and gives you a valuable skill useful in trade.
Booze is certainly the most valuable commodity know to man. The ability to brew a fine beer or vint a robust wine gives the artisan a distinct advantage. Alcohol based beverages are easy to produce and can be sold or traded for just about anything. Learn and understand the fermenting process. Stockpile malt, sugar, brewers yeast, hops and bottles. Home brew beer usually is made in 5-gallon quantities; purchase a brew kit if possible. People in a depressed society look for an escape. The person furnishing that escape becomes invaluable to that society.