No Crisis Here, Move Along - A Re-Post

Folks, the words I wrote about a year and a half ago are just as true today as they were then, only now, things have continued to get significantly worse. I can't even begin to recount the number of freedoms we have lost since this was written, or the growing resentment and anger that has festered to the boiling point all over the globe. We are a world in crisis, much of which has been brought on by design. We are about to see the culmination of many years of planning. For those that are taking control, it must be grand to finally succeed. The tyrants are on the lose and will stop at nothing to achieve each and every item on their agenda. 

I hope you enjoy this article and it provides you with food for thought. Fern

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Originally published March 18, 2014

Remember when it took six months for the United States to amass the needed troops and equipment for Desert Storm? And then the storm came?

We are in the midst of many different storms and we have been given this time to amass our own equipment. Why is it that we have seen fluctuating supplies and sometimes shortages of everything from wheat grinders, to shovels, to canning jars and lids, to freeze dried foods, to ammunition? Because The People, many mom and pops, uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters and brothers are gathering what they need to weather the storm. There are so many things happening around the globe, and especially in our own backyard, that are adding impetus and energy to the storm.

How many troublesome things have you run across lately? They appear to become more numerous each day. The message seems to be hunker down, be ready, it's coming. The harder we try to get things in order, the more obstacles arise in our way. But you know what? That's okay. It just makes us more determined and focused .....because we know it's storming all about us.

We talked to a medical doctor recently that told us he has a list of medications on his desk that he can no longer prescribe to Medicaid patients, I'm sure you know why. Digitalis is one of the most popular medications given for heart conditions and it is on his list. He is deeply offended for being put in a professional quandary. His hands are being tied when it comes to offering the best medical treatment for his patients. I can't help but wonder if this is one of the ways TPTB (the powers that be) are going to save money. Not only will they save money on prescriptions, they will decrease the number of people receiving Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, by impacting some of the recipients ability to get the type of medical care that would have prolonged their life. I know that is a very harsh thing to say, but I think it is true. And I think it is part of the plan.

The people of Crimea that could see what was coming to their country, took their money out of the bank. Did you? Have you spent the time wondering how you will be able to 'buy' what you need when the money you have is worthless, or you can't get it out of the bank because the banks are closed, or they just won't let you have it? You say this can't happen? Look at the number of countries which are modern, industrial nations, where it has happened in just the last few years. The dollar becomes worth less and less with each passing day. The dollar in your pocket buys much less than it did just six short months ago. How much less will it buy in six more months? Do you know how to barter? Do you have anything that will be worth bartering? Do you have skills that are worthy of barter? Rush Limbaugh has said something like, if just 1% more of the people in our country became aware of what is happening, then the store shelves would be empty. Empty. Think about that. Just imagine what it would be like if 10% more people became aware and tried to stock up. There would be nothing left. There would be panic and chaos. But that's what we want, right? More people to be aware and prepare. I know I do. But do we have the resources for that to happen? No. So, how can we get more people to prepare? Teach them to produce more for themselves for their daily necessities, and stop being dependent on the corporate and government systems.

How many people have been affected by the weather and cold temperatures this winter? Millions. How many people have had to go without because of the drastic price increases and shortages of  heating oil and propane? What would we do if the supplies needed to stay warm were no longer available? That would be a major catastrophe. A crisis. But what do we hear? Nothing.

No crisis here. Just global warming. Ha! So we need to put more restrictions on the ability of people and companies to engage in good old fashioned commerce, you know, free enterprise, right? That will solve the crisis of global warming. Crisis, what crisis? Move along and drink the coolaid. You know, that is one thing I am not stocking up on. We don't drink it, too much sugar.

Can you see where the people in Egypt are better off than five years ago? And do you really think the people in Libya are better off than they were? Let's go down the list. How about the folks rioting or 

protesting in Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, Greece, Corsica, France and Spain? I'm not even going to mention central Africa. Don't think it can happen here? What about the rising tensions in Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Israel? And don't forget about Christians being murdered all over the world.  You don't think it could happen in America as well? Then look at Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta. The United States military is removing God more and more everyday. I wonder when being a Christian will be some type of a crime in this country?

It seems that the 'weather men' that know the storm is here keep trying to placate The People with pleasant platitudes and the antics of the rich and famous, which include our illustrious bureaucrats. If that is not enough entertainment, then they fill the silver screen

with an overpowering, nauseating amount of filth, sex and mindless drivel. And to keep everyone's attention riveted, every so often a false flag distraction is thrown in for good measure. Crisis of the day in any flavor you like. Remember, don't ever let a good crisis go to waste. 

The bottom line folks, is that the less you are dependent on any other person or system for your health, wealth and well being, the better off you are. Don't spend your time being distracted by the latest crisis or

non-crisis that is made to appear like another crisis. Don't buy into the, "Oh, No! The sky is falling!" crowd. If you do, when the time comes that the sky truly does fall, you will be left standing there with your hands out wondering when the truck will show up with your next meal and bottle of water. Don't ever get on the truck. It will be the last trip you ever make. Take the time to learn and decide for yourself. Don't take the media's word for anything, research, READ don't watch, learn and come to your own conclusions. Don't take my word for it either. Use your mind, heart and soul and pray for wisdom, knowledge and guidance.

I'm angry, I'm broken hearted and I'm determined. I'm tired of watching our world and our country go down the tubes. I cannot see living under the yoke of a tyrannical, socialist government that gets worse everyday. There IS a crisis here and we will not just move along, shuffling our feet to the beat of the wrong drummer. If you have not already done so, you need to open your eyes, truly look around you, and take the action necessary to provide for you and yours, because no one else will. If you think they will, you will have a long wait, and in the end, you will be sorely disappointed.

I pray God's blessings on each and every one of you.

Until next time - Fern

That's Why They're Called Chores

A long time ago, let's see about 25 years ago, we were at a doctor's office. Frank was talking to him about the things we were doing or needed to do around the homestead we lived at then. The doctor looked at him and said, "That's why they're called chores." Chores are daily routine tasks. If we were all sitting together in a room tossing out ideas that come to mind we could make a big, long list of chores that lots of folks do every day, week or month. I was thinking about the idea of chores this morning as I, yes you guessed it, was completing some of the chores.

• Make coffee and fix breakfast
• Feed the cats, chickens, pigs, dog, goats
• Milk the does
• Strain and cool the milk
  
• Clean up the chore related stuff, like buckets and such
• Grind wheat and make a batch of sourdough bread; left to rise
• Wash the dishes
• Frank stripped the bed and started a load of laundry before he left this morning, so I put them in the dryer. Later the bed will need to be made and the clothes folded and put away.
• Now for a different kind of chore, a project chore. Remove the barrels from the greenhouse, rinse out and hose off each one, let it drip dry, then towel dry. Sweep the floor and plywood pieces before replacing the barrels on a square of plywood and replacing the table top board. Repeat until all were finished.
• Some of these chores are repeated throughout the day, like fixing meals
• Evening animal chores include everything listed above, except add watering all the animals to it. This time Frank goes with me.
• Wash the eggs, put the milk away
  
• Strain and feed kefir
• Bake bread and eat a sample. The eating isn't much of a chore.
• Get the coffee pot ready for tomorrow
• Some days include gardening, mowing and all kinds of other things

Now take your daily routine and throw in the need to do everything yourself, with or without the help from others, for all of your daily needs. You knew I would be talking about this, didn't you? It's what we're all trying

to prepare for. Our daily routines, once the collapse occurs, will be filled with chores from sunup to sundown. Chores that will be required if we expect to survive. Chores that will make us wistfully wish we had a few of the conveniences that we now enjoy, things that would make our lives much easier. Like turning on the faucet and having safe drinking water at our fingertips, or hot water at the turn of a knob. We live in the lap of luxury and yet many days we will hear complaints about doing chores. I think that's what prompted the good doctor's comment. "That's why they're called chores."

Okay, so let's use a little imagination and see if we can describe even a small portion of the chores or events that may happen in one day post TEOTWAWKI. Ready?

Wake up and get out of bed. Are you sleeping in a bed? Or were you on guard duty all night and find relief at the rising of the sun so you can go to bed?

How about a hot cup of coffee? Do you have any coffee left? Do you have a cup to drink it out of? Did you store enough to last a while, even with rationing? Okay, do you have the type of coffee pot that can withstand the heat of a fire or the top of a wood stove or rocket stove or whatever device and fuel you have that will produce heat? Did you bring in wood last night for the fire or do you need to gather it this morning? Okay, we have coffee and heat, now we need water. Did you haul and filter the water last night so it will be ready this morning? Does it need to be boiled before it can be made

into coffee? Where is your water coming from? Is it a public source? Do you need protection to go there and get it? How much can you haul at once? How are you going to haul it? Or are you able to reroute a water source through your existing plumbing and continue to use your kitchen faucet? That would be a luxury in a collapse situation.

By the way, when you got up this morning, assuming you weren't on guard duty, where did you go to the bathroom? Have you been able to take care of a safe, sanitary toileting location? This isn't something people talk about much, but let's face it, everyone of us needs some hygienic way to take care of toileting. Yes, we still haven't decided on the location of our outhouse, but we will soon.

Okay, toileting taken care of, water, coffee and heat. Now I'm hungry. What's for breakfast? Are you going to cook? That brings a whole new set of thoughts and questions. Where did you get your food? Did you grow or raise it? Does it need any preparation? Are

you going to have a piece of bread and butter and call it good? Where did you get the bread? Did you make it or barter for it? Where did you get the wheat or flour, leavening, oil or fat and salt? Do you have an abundance of those things on hand? How did you bake the bread? Do you have a functioning oven, wood stove, cast iron dutch oven or something else to bake in? Do you have the fuel it requires? Do you have the pans you need? Now for the butter. Where did it come from? Are you milking an animal that is giving you enough cream to make butter? How are you keeping the milk, cream and butter cool enough to prevent spoilage? 

You want some eggs with that bread? Do you have chickens living under the right circumstances to provide you with enough eggs for breakfast? Again, how are you going to cook them? Serve them? Do you have plates and forks? Salt and pepper? A table to eat off of?

Now it's time to clean up from breakfast. Do you have any soap or cleanser? A dishcloth and towel? A sink, basin or dishpan? Now we're back to water again. Did you heat up enough water to wash dishes while you were making coffee and cooking the eggs? What are you going to do when you run out of soap or cleanser?

Okay. Now I'm tired and we have only talked about getting out of bed, making coffee, fixing breakfast and cleaning up the dishes. That is only the very beginning of the day. Now is when the real work begins, work that will entail the basics of daily living,

obtaining water, fuel, food and remaining safe. Everyday, day in and day out, chore after chore after chore. Like Frank said recently, there will be no commercials, no time outs, no vacations or mindless distraction staring at a big or a tiny screen. I really don't think some people will be able to handle the drastic change of life as we know it and the expectation of having to work hard everyday just to stay alive. I feel sorry for the people that can't, won't or don't give it any thought at all. There will be many people that are unable to cope with such changes. They just won't and that is very sad.

Please spend some time reviewing the list of chores you will be required to do when the SHTF, and everyday after that. There will be many things we haven't thought of, even though we feel like we have been preparing for this all of our lives. I know there will and have tried to prepare myself for that. Even if there are things we haven't acquired or prepared for, we need to be prepared mentally for that shortfall and not let it devastate us or stop us in our tracks. We will do the best we can with what we have, that is all we can do. And it will be enough. 

Until next time - Fern

Projects for TEOTWAWKI Life

A homestead is never without a long list of projects. There are the ones that are in progress, the ones waiting their turn on the list, and the ones that fit better in the distant dream category. Nevertheless, if you homestead, or plan to homestead, don't be discouraged that the list never gets completed, because if it did, you wouldn't have anything to do, and you'd be bored. Boredom is not something that occurs here very often unless we're expending our energy avoiding the things on the list that need to be done.

The installation of this lattice work has been planned for years.
We think it turned out great! I see green beans growing the length of the house next summer.

 
 

A friend of mine recently told me that she just couldn't keep up with us and all of the things we're doing. There are a lot of projects that are in progress right now, and when Frank and I stand back and take stock, sometimes it seems like a bit of a whirlwind. One thing that has allowed a lot of this to occur is being able to hire a man like Henry. With his help, Frank has accomplished a great deal in the past few months. The conditions of the world are the major driving force behind the pace of our work and the kinds of projects we are completing. The focus of our work is survival, plain and simple. The things we are doing will make the work required to live easier, we hope, so keep that in mind as you read here. All of our planning, work and goals are with an eye to survival.

Most of the projects we are currently working on have been on the drawing board for quite some time, and in some cases, as long as seven years. Over that time frame we have acquired supplies as our budget would allow. Now we are investing in the remainder of the needed supplies and the labor to accomplish some tasks. These investments will pay huge dividends for the rest of our lives.

Yesterday while I was attending a meeting, Frank and Henry built new steps with a handrail for the front and back door. They are simple, strong, sturdy and wonderful. You see, I like simple, I prefer simple. Anything else just wouldn't do. We will find another place to use these concrete steps.

Today we planned some odds and ends. While it was cloudy and a cool 68* outside, the greenhouse stayed cool as well. Table tops were cut and barrels were arranged in a workable layout. Don't they look great? I can't wait to bring the tubs of plants and seeds in. 

It's hard to see from the angle of the first picture, but when I take a picture from up here, you can also see the shelves they put along the outside walls. They will show up much better once they are filled with plants.

We had some great comments on the last article about the greenhouse. Several folks mentioned using fans to help with the temperatures. Frank had a fan to use in the building that will house the solar panels and batteries that we hadn't installed yet. He pulled it out and mounted in over one of the vents in the greenhouse. 

 











He had already put a power pole connector on the wire to the fan, and had an transformer that would work. After mounting the fan over the vent and plugging it in, we were in business. After about 20 minutes the temperature had started to drop.

 

After an hour or so, the temperature had obviously been affected by the fan. Great! One step closer to putting the tubs of seedlings in the greenhouse.

Frank and Henry also utilized all of the sheets of plywood, along with some 1/2" plywood to cut ten 24" squares, to put under each water barrel as a barrier from the concrete.

Now we need to rinse out each barrel, place them in their permanent home on a square of plywood, fill them with water and treat them with bleach. Then we will be able to start bringing the seedling tubs and other plants in. That will be a red letter day!

While the men were working on the greenhouse, I was cleaning out the 'weaning pen' in the barn. Lady Bug, one of the does we are milking, is still letting her five month old doe, Easter, nurse. I was hoping she would go ahead and wean her, but stay in milk for our use. As I was milking her this morning, and getting very little, I began to wonder if she could be weaning Easter and drying up. This would defeat our purpose of keeping her in milk through at least mid January when One Stripe, Copper and Cricket are due to kid. After this thought hit me I knew I needed to start penning Easter up again at night so I can not only have more milk, but keep Lady Bug producing more, and hopefully longer. Thus, I needed to clean out the pen and get it set up for this evening for Easter. We'll see how Lady Bug's milk supply is in the morning. I've got my fingers crossed.

We still have some chickens that need to be put in the freezer, so after I finished cleaning the pen, I went down to the house to set up the butchering station. Very soon, this part of the task won't be necessary. Frank, Henry and the tractor were wrestling with the stump in the outdoor kitchen area when I got back down to the house. Men and machine won out over the stump, although it did give them a run for their money. Now, in it's place is a nice gravel chip pad and the beginnings of forms for concrete. When we butcher the chickens that grow from the eggs that are currently in the incubator, we may have this kitchen set up so we can dress the chickens here. I didn't get any pictures of this process because I was butchering chickens down here at the end of the porch, but I was close by and got to watch.
 

My chicken butchering set up, washed and drying for next time.

You may wonder why we are building an outdoor kitchen. It's not for fun, or looks, or to show my friends. I truly believe that it is something we will need to have in the coming years. It gets hot in Oklahoma in the summer time, and the propane tank that fuels our kitchen stove will run out one day if the trucks quit running. I need a place to cook, process the garden produce and meat from our animals, can food, wash clothes and provide for my husband. This will be where that happens. As we get everything set up and functional, we'll give you another tour and more explanations. This project is still in the planning stages and has already undergone a number of changes. It will be interesting to see it all come together in a final product. Most of the things installed in this kitchen have been here for a while, some longer than others. A few things will need to be acquired for it's completion.

Before the wrestling match with the stump commenced, the clothesline poles sprouted wings. We will let the posts continue to cure in the ground for a few more days before we hang the clothesline. I am really looking forward to hanging our clothes out on the line again. As you can see, the clothesline is close to the kitchen which will be very handy. 

After Frank and the tractor won the stump contest, he also ran the disc through the garden again. There are several places that the grass has really grown tall and it's good he is working it and getting it ready for winter. We will soon be adding barnyard and wood ashes to rebuild what was lost in the early spring torrential rains that took much of our topsoil.
 

We still haven't decided where to put the outhouse......

What projects do you have in mind for TEOTWAWKI? In the seven years we have lived on this homestead our purchasing has been with an eye to a future that will probably not resemble life as we know it now. Frank has seen the demise of our country and world coming for a long time. That is why we have purchased many supplies that have been waiting in the wings for quite a while. Now is the time for us to prepare these things, for soon the time of preparation will be past. Even if you are unable to complete a needed or wanted project now, obtain as many supplies as you are able. There will be a time when what you have is what you have, and that's it. Think about that. What you have is what you have. No more stores or driving to town to get something. If you don't have it, you can't get it. What is it that you really need for TEOTWAWKI? Think hard, talk it over with your family. Make a list and acquire what you are able. Now. The time is now.

Until next time - Fern

The Survival Greenhouse

Now that the greenhouse is up, has doors and looks wonderful, I want to fill it with plants! I'm not a very patient person and I'm ready to get started. The problem? This afternoon when it was 89* outside it was only 117* in the greenhouse. It would make an excellent dehydrator at this point, and would cook any plant I put in there. The solution? Plant seeds anyway, but leave them on the porch in the same place we have been growing seedlings for the past few years.

Speaking of growing seedlings in the past, the other day when we cut the hole in the wall of the house for the door, I did some reminiscing. The window we removed was the first place I learned to grow seedlings. It wasn't ideal and they were usually a little leggy, but it was all we had at the time and we learned a lot.

This is also the time we discovered using newspapers and a Pot Maker to make our own seedling pots that would quickly break down the in soil and recycle newspaper at the same time. We have been very successful transplanting the seedlings we grew this way. 

So as that window was removed and the door installed, I remembered our learning process of the past and looked forward to this new learning process in our future. We have never had a greenhouse, so there is a whole new learning opportunity in front of us. My problem is I just can't wait to get started. 

This afternoon after finishing up a batch of mozzarella from our fresh goat milk, I got out the seeds and sorted out the ones I want to try growing in the greenhouse. Some of them will probably make you shake your head and wonder, but we want to try all kinds of plants and see how it goes. Our greenhouse will be unheated except for the sun and the thermal mass of the concrete slab and ten 55 gallon water barrels. Our theory is that with the sunshine during the day, the concrete and water will absorb heat. The question will be how slowly that heat will dissipate through the night and what effect it will have on the air temperature surrounding the plants. This will be fascinating to observe, a great learning adventure. We also have some frost cloth to use if the temperatures are going to be very cold. I have only tried them in the garden up to this point, so that will be another experiment. We can only wait and see how our theories pan out.

 








For most things, I used some of the dishpans and bus tubs we have used previously. They get pretty brittle in the sunshine, but we will keep using them until they break down and are unusable. I still have a few on the shelf that will have to go. Eventually, when time allows, we will build some planting flats from wood that will last for years. For now, these will work fine.

 








I keep soil in a 30 gallon trashcan. After some seedlings have grown large enough to plant in the garden and are removed from the tubs, the remaining soil is put back in the trash can for use again the next time. Each tub has a layer of gravel across the bottom to help with drainage.

What did I plant today? Five kinds of lettuce: Romaine, Buttercrunch, Tango, Corn Salad & Endive.

 

 
Two kinds of spinach: Mustard Spinach and Bloomsdale Long Standing.

 I planted two kinds of peppers, yes peppers even though it is fall. We are going to try to grow a few 'hot weather' plants and see how they do. Banana peppers and Marconi Rosso Sweet Peppers.

Yellow Crookneck Squash

Banana Muskmelon

Danvers Half Long Carrots

Golden Ball Turnips






I ran out of space on the table and daylight before I got to the beets, kale, collard greens, kohlrabi, cabbage, chives and onions. I'll also be planting more carrots at intervals along the way.

I thought this might be a good place to put these tubs, but then I remembered the cats always think these tubs are litter boxes. I hope they don't get into them up on the table this time.



I didn't plant tomato seeds today, instead, I went out in the garden and cut some starts off of a few of our tomato vines. I'll root them in water then plant them in this pot.

 
My theory is to put the 'hot weather' plants against the wall of the house or in the middle of the greenhouse away from the outside walls. I'm hoping the heat from the house, concrete and water barrels will provide enough heat for these plants to grow.

And I cheated a little. We were at the lumber yard last week and they had some bedding plants. This is the first time I have seen fall seedlings and I picked up a few.

 

We really look forward to the possibility of eating fresh food during the winter. This greenhouse has long been on the drawing board with supplies bought and stored years ago. There are many different ways to accomplish a goal, sometimes sooner, sometimes later. Frank has had a saying for longer than he has had me. Postpone gratification for long-term gains. We have long lived by that motto. We buy most things on sale, and if we can't pay for an item, we don't buy it. It's that simple. This greenhouse is a very good example of living by this creed. We have dreamed of having a greenhouse for many, many years. The time has now arrived and we are very thankful. It is unfortunate that the excitement of a new learning opportunity has an underlying sense of necessity. The coming storm will tax us all in our endeavors to survive. This greenhouse is one more means of producing food. Food that we will need for survival. A survival greenhouse.

Until next time - Fern