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Showing posts with label Hunter/Gatherer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hunter/Gatherer. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Bits and pieces
Gardening-
I just dug up the last of my overwintered Yukon Golds, they sure were tasty baked with a olive oil and sea salt rub. The onions that overwintered sprouted some great green onions, they just needed a little clean up from last years onions. I had planned to let them seed this year but decided to relocate things.
If you're near Yamhill County join us at the Master Gardeners plant sale at the fairgrounds. Many other counties have similar events this weekend and coming up soon.
I've been prepping my raised beds for planting this weekend, a few beds have already sprouted and growing but my big push is just starting.
Wild goodies-
This is a great time of the year to get out into the field for spring goodies; cattail shoots, nettles, dandelion greens and buds, truffles and fiddleheads. It's also a great time to harvest pine needles for tea, the young needles just seem to taste better to me.
Unemployment is up 3%-
Yamhill county numbers jumped this month, personally I think they finally got realistic, I've seen way more than 10% looking for a job and it's getting worse. The local newspaper has 5 job offerings, the fewest I have seen in my 40+ years.
Got a GPS?
If you're near McMinnville I have tough 5 point gps course you can play with. 5 colored clothes pins hidden by dense vegetation, but still in plain site. I didn't set it up but I passed the test this week, you can expect 2 hours. If you want to play send me an email and I'll send you the coords.
Rick
I just dug up the last of my overwintered Yukon Golds, they sure were tasty baked with a olive oil and sea salt rub. The onions that overwintered sprouted some great green onions, they just needed a little clean up from last years onions. I had planned to let them seed this year but decided to relocate things.
If you're near Yamhill County join us at the Master Gardeners plant sale at the fairgrounds. Many other counties have similar events this weekend and coming up soon.
I've been prepping my raised beds for planting this weekend, a few beds have already sprouted and growing but my big push is just starting.
Wild goodies-
This is a great time of the year to get out into the field for spring goodies; cattail shoots, nettles, dandelion greens and buds, truffles and fiddleheads. It's also a great time to harvest pine needles for tea, the young needles just seem to taste better to me.
Unemployment is up 3%-
Yamhill county numbers jumped this month, personally I think they finally got realistic, I've seen way more than 10% looking for a job and it's getting worse. The local newspaper has 5 job offerings, the fewest I have seen in my 40+ years.
Got a GPS?
If you're near McMinnville I have tough 5 point gps course you can play with. 5 colored clothes pins hidden by dense vegetation, but still in plain site. I didn't set it up but I passed the test this week, you can expect 2 hours. If you want to play send me an email and I'll send you the coords.
Rick
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Some personal opinions and thoughts
I'm just going to rant a bit here and you can feel free to comment, agree or laugh as your mood suits.
You could still buy gold if you want, I think it will go up another $100-150 during the next year without any help, it might go even higher and I'll just keep mine in the stash until I can't avoid using it. Silver is a little easier to find and might make more sense for daily purchases or trading. I don't expect it to gather the same amount of value but it's cheap compared to gold.
If you don't have a garden what the hell are you thinking? Grow something you like to eat even if it's in a couple pots on the patio, inside the sliding glass door (buy a cheap 3x5x18" shelf unit on wheels with 5 shelves) or on a window sill. If you have a yard and flower beds put something in there you can eat, if it's 'purty' that's a bonus, but even if it's potatoes it's food and your roof will likely provide the water it needs. Pansies and nasturtiums look great and the flowers are tasty in a salad even if they don't have a lot of calories.
Speaking of calories... When you purchase storage foods, animals or plant your garden consider what you're spending money on. Food has a few basic characteristics; nutrition, calories, flavor, mass (or fiber if you will), and fats if you can accept the differences. We love celery but it's a serious draw on water. It does have great fiber and can even be used for cordage, it adds some significant fiber to your diet, it can fill your void if needed, but it has zero effective calories and you could eat 10 lbs a day and die of starvation. Rabbits are a similar dead end, they are high in protein but have almost no fat. Tomatoes are high in sugar (carbs) and have other benefits but you just can't live on a single staple, balance is the key. You really need to handle all of the major 'food characteristics' for any kind of survival beyond the first month. Rice and beans will fill your tummy for a week or two, but $10 worth of spices and $30 worth of vegetables will make it taste a lot better if you actually have to eat it.
If you still have a job you need to suck up and stay with it, your odds of getting another job or a better job are slim to none and even if you did you would be low man on the totem pole. Last in are almost always first out unless you're seriously lucky. This will only get worse before it will get better, I think it will get much worse.
How many people can the government give money to before they drain our country of all worth (not that we have any left)? Once the US is giving just barely enough money every month for subsistence to 20% of the population where do you think the money is going to come from? The new health care options will only make it worse. Yes, it helps the people who have lost health benefits and I do feel for my friends and family that need the coverage, but the government is paying 2/3 of the cost!
Gas is headed back up, maybe not drastically but I think it will be consistant in it's increase and be fairly permanent, at least 2-3 years. The cheap stuff truly is gone and the hurt is being felt everywhere. Store some gas if it's your thing, if you want to store it for more than 6 months use a chemical to preserve it. I don't expect shortages unless the supply lines faulter.
Banks... I actually use a credit union and right now I trust it fairly completely. My whole check goes in there and I use a debit card to buy things. Even so most of my spare cash isn't in savings, it's either in food or goods or in FRNs stuck away in 'places'. I personally wouldn't leave a lot of wealth in a savings institution of any type. Banks can come and go as we've seen so often in the last year and honestly the FDIC is backed by what, a completely failed national financial system printing pretty green paper when they're low? Food and equipment are assets, gold and silver might eventually be worthwhile, FRN are just paper/linen and only good for today, tomorrow they may only be cheaper than firewood per pound.
Last tonight, will be a topic I have a hard time debating, not because I don't believe in them or have them myself but because they're so controversial, and hell, I'm a fence sitting libra. Guns baby, you do need guns and ammo. I'm not a militant SOB, honest, but I do believe people need to have the ability to protect themselves. For the last 9 years I've been a reserve police officer and I must admit I like to be the only person with a gun if there is a problem, but the next person (after my backup) I want to have a gun is anyone who supports the law. If you have a carry permit I trust you far more than I should. You went the extra mile to be legal and aboveboard and that means a lot to me. I do want to know if you have a ccw or are carrying, in most cases, it means you're a law abiding citizen and you deserve a break if everything else is equal. As a police officer I know that our coverage is decreasing locally. It's only going to get worse, even if our police departments don't want it to (we're not stupid), we want to provide more coverage, the powers that be just don't want to pay for it. In my opinion people need to be able and willing to protect themselves, you/we shouldn't rely on overtaxed , underpaid and unsupported public servants. While as a police officer, I'll do my best to protect your rights while you exercise them.
To you I wish a peaceful future, while I hope to prepare you and mine for one that likely won't be,
Rick
You could still buy gold if you want, I think it will go up another $100-150 during the next year without any help, it might go even higher and I'll just keep mine in the stash until I can't avoid using it. Silver is a little easier to find and might make more sense for daily purchases or trading. I don't expect it to gather the same amount of value but it's cheap compared to gold.
If you don't have a garden what the hell are you thinking? Grow something you like to eat even if it's in a couple pots on the patio, inside the sliding glass door (buy a cheap 3x5x18" shelf unit on wheels with 5 shelves) or on a window sill. If you have a yard and flower beds put something in there you can eat, if it's 'purty' that's a bonus, but even if it's potatoes it's food and your roof will likely provide the water it needs. Pansies and nasturtiums look great and the flowers are tasty in a salad even if they don't have a lot of calories.
Speaking of calories... When you purchase storage foods, animals or plant your garden consider what you're spending money on. Food has a few basic characteristics; nutrition, calories, flavor, mass (or fiber if you will), and fats if you can accept the differences. We love celery but it's a serious draw on water. It does have great fiber and can even be used for cordage, it adds some significant fiber to your diet, it can fill your void if needed, but it has zero effective calories and you could eat 10 lbs a day and die of starvation. Rabbits are a similar dead end, they are high in protein but have almost no fat. Tomatoes are high in sugar (carbs) and have other benefits but you just can't live on a single staple, balance is the key. You really need to handle all of the major 'food characteristics' for any kind of survival beyond the first month. Rice and beans will fill your tummy for a week or two, but $10 worth of spices and $30 worth of vegetables will make it taste a lot better if you actually have to eat it.
If you still have a job you need to suck up and stay with it, your odds of getting another job or a better job are slim to none and even if you did you would be low man on the totem pole. Last in are almost always first out unless you're seriously lucky. This will only get worse before it will get better, I think it will get much worse.
How many people can the government give money to before they drain our country of all worth (not that we have any left)? Once the US is giving just barely enough money every month for subsistence to 20% of the population where do you think the money is going to come from? The new health care options will only make it worse. Yes, it helps the people who have lost health benefits and I do feel for my friends and family that need the coverage, but the government is paying 2/3 of the cost!
Gas is headed back up, maybe not drastically but I think it will be consistant in it's increase and be fairly permanent, at least 2-3 years. The cheap stuff truly is gone and the hurt is being felt everywhere. Store some gas if it's your thing, if you want to store it for more than 6 months use a chemical to preserve it. I don't expect shortages unless the supply lines faulter.
Banks... I actually use a credit union and right now I trust it fairly completely. My whole check goes in there and I use a debit card to buy things. Even so most of my spare cash isn't in savings, it's either in food or goods or in FRNs stuck away in 'places'. I personally wouldn't leave a lot of wealth in a savings institution of any type. Banks can come and go as we've seen so often in the last year and honestly the FDIC is backed by what, a completely failed national financial system printing pretty green paper when they're low? Food and equipment are assets, gold and silver might eventually be worthwhile, FRN are just paper/linen and only good for today, tomorrow they may only be cheaper than firewood per pound.
Last tonight, will be a topic I have a hard time debating, not because I don't believe in them or have them myself but because they're so controversial, and hell, I'm a fence sitting libra. Guns baby, you do need guns and ammo. I'm not a militant SOB, honest, but I do believe people need to have the ability to protect themselves. For the last 9 years I've been a reserve police officer and I must admit I like to be the only person with a gun if there is a problem, but the next person (after my backup) I want to have a gun is anyone who supports the law. If you have a carry permit I trust you far more than I should. You went the extra mile to be legal and aboveboard and that means a lot to me. I do want to know if you have a ccw or are carrying, in most cases, it means you're a law abiding citizen and you deserve a break if everything else is equal. As a police officer I know that our coverage is decreasing locally. It's only going to get worse, even if our police departments don't want it to (we're not stupid), we want to provide more coverage, the powers that be just don't want to pay for it. In my opinion people need to be able and willing to protect themselves, you/we shouldn't rely on overtaxed , underpaid and unsupported public servants. While as a police officer, I'll do my best to protect your rights while you exercise them.
To you I wish a peaceful future, while I hope to prepare you and mine for one that likely won't be,
Rick
Sunday, February 22, 2009
It's time to rip up your lawn
I'm not saying you have to completely abandon your nice green lawn, though I have. Pick some places in your yard and plant some ornamental peppers; herbs like cilantro, sage, basil. Plant them in places where the automatic water system will take care of them at the same time they water the lawn. Cucumbers can fit easily in a flower bed and meander their way among flowers slowing the loss of water. Pumpkins and summer squash have the same effect while adding some new colors to the beds.
I love to grow potatoes, but I think I've finally figured out that I shouldn't grow any that I can buy locally. They're not an overly attractive plant (which makes them perfect for a guerrilla garden) and it rarely produces more than $1-2 of produce per plant. They do store well so I can't take them completely off the table. Many things I grow can't be used as fast as they grow and unless I have enough to preserve them, they may go to waste during their peak.
The most important thing to remember is to grow what you eat, just like you should only store what you eat. Okra grows like an weed here, but I don't know what to do with it, I can add it to stuff I cook, but I have to lie to the kids. I can pickle it but they're not something I've grown a taste for. I can fit it into things I guess, and I know you can dry and roast the seeds for a coffee substitute but...
Grow food that produces food that you'll eat in a volume that makes it worth your effort. Red sparkler radishes are a great example, those little red roots are awesome in my wife's opinion, I don't care for them at all and so last year when some wanted to go to seed I figured I could get some seed off them. But then I found out how good the seed pods were, and there's 10-20 times the volume of the little red thing under the soil. They taste great raw, you can stir fry them, they can be used just like fresh peas, if you keep size in mind. Oh, and they really aren't that bitter, but you will notice a radish taste. I now grow radishes just for the pods and grab 10-15 just for my own dinner. This year I will try to pickle them, since I'm planning on such a large bed, they would fit in well with pickled beans, onions, garlic, peppers.
Last but not least are my thoughts on the ultimate fruit. Tomatoes need some extra physical structure to support the plant, a cage of some sort is worth the effort. I prefer an indeterminate plant that will provide fruit over time as it fit's better into family meals. Determinate plants are really nice if you plan to can your produce as they tend to ripen at the same time allowing you to harvest and use the fruit (and possibly replant the area). Good tomatoes are really a place where I think I make my money in the garden. If I buy a container of cherry tomatoes for $3 we might eat half of it, then toss out the rest, loss $1.50. If I can pick 10 a night for a salad or let the kids go out and graze for a snack, it only cost me a one time cost seed of $2, plus care, I'm so far ahead it's not funny.
Rethink your yard, don't waste your money and time on the green stuff that you can't eat, grow stuff you can enjoy on your plate. If your neighbors used to be impressed by your nice green grass think how impressed they'll be if you have food and they don't.
Rick
I love to grow potatoes, but I think I've finally figured out that I shouldn't grow any that I can buy locally. They're not an overly attractive plant (which makes them perfect for a guerrilla garden) and it rarely produces more than $1-2 of produce per plant. They do store well so I can't take them completely off the table. Many things I grow can't be used as fast as they grow and unless I have enough to preserve them, they may go to waste during their peak.
The most important thing to remember is to grow what you eat, just like you should only store what you eat. Okra grows like an weed here, but I don't know what to do with it, I can add it to stuff I cook, but I have to lie to the kids. I can pickle it but they're not something I've grown a taste for. I can fit it into things I guess, and I know you can dry and roast the seeds for a coffee substitute but...
Grow food that produces food that you'll eat in a volume that makes it worth your effort. Red sparkler radishes are a great example, those little red roots are awesome in my wife's opinion, I don't care for them at all and so last year when some wanted to go to seed I figured I could get some seed off them. But then I found out how good the seed pods were, and there's 10-20 times the volume of the little red thing under the soil. They taste great raw, you can stir fry them, they can be used just like fresh peas, if you keep size in mind. Oh, and they really aren't that bitter, but you will notice a radish taste. I now grow radishes just for the pods and grab 10-15 just for my own dinner. This year I will try to pickle them, since I'm planning on such a large bed, they would fit in well with pickled beans, onions, garlic, peppers.
Last but not least are my thoughts on the ultimate fruit. Tomatoes need some extra physical structure to support the plant, a cage of some sort is worth the effort. I prefer an indeterminate plant that will provide fruit over time as it fit's better into family meals. Determinate plants are really nice if you plan to can your produce as they tend to ripen at the same time allowing you to harvest and use the fruit (and possibly replant the area). Good tomatoes are really a place where I think I make my money in the garden. If I buy a container of cherry tomatoes for $3 we might eat half of it, then toss out the rest, loss $1.50. If I can pick 10 a night for a salad or let the kids go out and graze for a snack, it only cost me a one time cost seed of $2, plus care, I'm so far ahead it's not funny.
Rethink your yard, don't waste your money and time on the green stuff that you can't eat, grow stuff you can enjoy on your plate. If your neighbors used to be impressed by your nice green grass think how impressed they'll be if you have food and they don't.
Rick
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Cheap, free, barter, sell and job opportunities
Just a couple websites you need to keep in mind during these times.
Freecycle is a place for people to offer items that they don't want, to other's for no charge. If you've got something you hate to throw away that could be useful to someone else it's likely to be picked up within a day. It's a great way to recycle something you don't need. Check in frequently and you might find something you've wanted but just couldn't justify buying. It's even acceptable to request an item as many people don't think they're 'trash' is worth offering, but don't beg frequently, unless you're offering even more often.
Craigslist is a very liberal website offering anything people may want, some of them aren't legal in your state. Please understand you'll find some well-marked adult areas, but the job listings, for sale, barter and housing sections are very worthwhile. I don't see any gun listings there, but there is a lot of camping equipment.
I'm sure there are more sites like this, do you have some suggestions?
Rick
Freecycle is a place for people to offer items that they don't want, to other's for no charge. If you've got something you hate to throw away that could be useful to someone else it's likely to be picked up within a day. It's a great way to recycle something you don't need. Check in frequently and you might find something you've wanted but just couldn't justify buying. It's even acceptable to request an item as many people don't think they're 'trash' is worth offering, but don't beg frequently, unless you're offering even more often.
Craigslist is a very liberal website offering anything people may want, some of them aren't legal in your state. Please understand you'll find some well-marked adult areas, but the job listings, for sale, barter and housing sections are very worthwhile. I don't see any gun listings there, but there is a lot of camping equipment.
I'm sure there are more sites like this, do you have some suggestions?
Rick
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Native plant sale
Native plants are a great option in your yard and garden. In addition to promoting a return to the natural state of your area, native plants tend to thrive with a minimal amount of care. Many species can be used for food, shade, ground restoration etc.
If you live near Yamhill County check out the upcoming native plant sale. I'll be there on the 13th so I can pick up some blue camas in addition to a few others I've ordered. For roughly 10,000 years natives burned local fields to encourage the growth of camas quamash and reduce weeds and douglas fir; at the same time it helped encourage the supremacy of oaks that provided acorns for food. Now we put out fires, I guess we know more in 200 years than they did in 10,000 - go figure. Sorry, I stepped up on the soapbox and that's not my intent for this forum.
Evergreen huckleberries, salal, elderberry, and Oregon grape are tasty additions to your yard, all can be eaten fresh, made into jams/jellies or used for wine. Kinnikinnick makes a great ground cover and the berries can be mixed with other berries for jams, and yes, it's been smoked by Native Americans as well as being used as a tea for urinary problems.
Pacific Yew is a great option too, though it likes to be under a canopy; such as doug fir and potentially oak; it will do well on the northern side of your house where it can get some shade. It makes a great self-bow if you're into that sort of thing but expect 8-10 years to get a 6" stick out of it. It's burned as waste during commercial lumber harvest, but it's bark is used as a cancer treatment after some serious lab work. I mention it here because it is disappearing from the environment and it's medical use make it worth preserving as a species that, and I like archery.
Wild ginger root is tasty too, if you want to plant it on the north side of your house as an herb. Bleeding heart is just beautiful, you should have some just for variety.
Last and most important, native plants are a perfect choice for guerrilla gardens if you're into such a thing. I appreciate the food aspect and the flowers are nice, but they should be responsible enough to only plant native plants.
Rick
If you live near Yamhill County check out the upcoming native plant sale. I'll be there on the 13th so I can pick up some blue camas in addition to a few others I've ordered. For roughly 10,000 years natives burned local fields to encourage the growth of camas quamash and reduce weeds and douglas fir; at the same time it helped encourage the supremacy of oaks that provided acorns for food. Now we put out fires, I guess we know more in 200 years than they did in 10,000 - go figure. Sorry, I stepped up on the soapbox and that's not my intent for this forum.
Evergreen huckleberries, salal, elderberry, and Oregon grape are tasty additions to your yard, all can be eaten fresh, made into jams/jellies or used for wine. Kinnikinnick makes a great ground cover and the berries can be mixed with other berries for jams, and yes, it's been smoked by Native Americans as well as being used as a tea for urinary problems.
Pacific Yew is a great option too, though it likes to be under a canopy; such as doug fir and potentially oak; it will do well on the northern side of your house where it can get some shade. It makes a great self-bow if you're into that sort of thing but expect 8-10 years to get a 6" stick out of it. It's burned as waste during commercial lumber harvest, but it's bark is used as a cancer treatment after some serious lab work. I mention it here because it is disappearing from the environment and it's medical use make it worth preserving as a species that, and I like archery.
Wild ginger root is tasty too, if you want to plant it on the north side of your house as an herb. Bleeding heart is just beautiful, you should have some just for variety.
Last and most important, native plants are a perfect choice for guerrilla gardens if you're into such a thing. I appreciate the food aspect and the flowers are nice, but they should be responsible enough to only plant native plants.
Rick
The bounty of the sea or not
A couple weeks ago there was a great minus tide near Seaside about 7:30 at night. Sure I knew it was going to be dark but that's what my Coleman dual-fuel lantern is for. I love razor clams and other seafood so I figured it would be a cheap way to get a couple meals worth of seafood. With two adults and 2 boys I figured we could get 60 razor clams and have a bunch fresh and freeze or possibly dry some for later.
$50 later I had enough 4" PVC for 4 clam guns, after making two I figured one tall and one short version would be enough for the trip since I had a couple shoves that should work too. My wife decided she and the boys better have some rain boots since we'd be close to the water. Shellfish licenses for 2 adults ran us $13, the kids are still free.
We brought snacks and drinks but after a two hour drive and 30 minutes on the beach checking things out we decided it was still an hour before low tide and a hot drink would be nice. $10 more at a mini-mart we drove around sightseeing in the dark.
Well the big moment arrived, we parked on the beach and got out to enjoy the 30mph winds and horizontal wall of rain. I had decided a mag-light would work just as well, it didn't. The clam guns leaked air near the threads of the wing-nuts and only drew up about 2" of sand. The sand was so saturated with water the hole I dug with the shovel filled in almost as fast as I could dig it and to top it off, every time you tapped the sand to make the clam 'show' it was almost immediately washed away by the water, wind and rain.
After about 30 minutes I was soaked to the bone and knew everybody else was about as happy as I was. We got into the car with complaints of cold and hunger; we could have eaten more snacks and turned up the heater, we could have stopped at GAH! fast food, but Pig N Pancake sounded better.
I had the razor clams, I had been thinking about them for a week and didn't have a single one to take home. I figure those razor clams cost me $50 each, but I learned a lot and the next ones should only cost me the price of gas... I hope.
Next minus tides I can make it down for are next Saturday, wish me luck. After a month or two on the unsafe list mussels are back on the menu, I'll have to take a rake too.
Rick
$50 later I had enough 4" PVC for 4 clam guns, after making two I figured one tall and one short version would be enough for the trip since I had a couple shoves that should work too. My wife decided she and the boys better have some rain boots since we'd be close to the water. Shellfish licenses for 2 adults ran us $13, the kids are still free.
We brought snacks and drinks but after a two hour drive and 30 minutes on the beach checking things out we decided it was still an hour before low tide and a hot drink would be nice. $10 more at a mini-mart we drove around sightseeing in the dark.
Well the big moment arrived, we parked on the beach and got out to enjoy the 30mph winds and horizontal wall of rain. I had decided a mag-light would work just as well, it didn't. The clam guns leaked air near the threads of the wing-nuts and only drew up about 2" of sand. The sand was so saturated with water the hole I dug with the shovel filled in almost as fast as I could dig it and to top it off, every time you tapped the sand to make the clam 'show' it was almost immediately washed away by the water, wind and rain.
After about 30 minutes I was soaked to the bone and knew everybody else was about as happy as I was. We got into the car with complaints of cold and hunger; we could have eaten more snacks and turned up the heater, we could have stopped at GAH! fast food, but Pig N Pancake sounded better.
I had the razor clams, I had been thinking about them for a week and didn't have a single one to take home. I figure those razor clams cost me $50 each, but I learned a lot and the next ones should only cost me the price of gas... I hope.
Next minus tides I can make it down for are next Saturday, wish me luck. After a month or two on the unsafe list mussels are back on the menu, I'll have to take a rake too.
Rick
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