recession skills?

Been away for awhile but this subject always catches my interest.... My grandfather raised a family in Grayson County,Virginia during the Depression & we took long hikes and talked about what Mt Rodgers was liek during that time. Within just a few years, there was not enough game for woods folks to live on - oppossums and ground hogs became popular.

Gardens/orchards get raided for produce. Being a jack of all trades brought in more food than an entire family foraging & being raised in those woods made a person a pretty good forager...

Votech schools teach about any lay skill you might want to know. Welding, small engine repair, electrical, plumbing... education and skill are high commodities. Don't get sick- learn everything you can on how to stay healthy and how to take care of minor illnesses. If your child is running a high fever due to lack of early treatment- do you have anything of value and will a Dr. accept it??

In my opinion, an open mind is still one of the most useful tools to surviving any situation.

2Door
 
Hunting, for some people, in some settings, I think can work for a recession.

Even as little as 20 years ago, when I was a teenager, a noticeable percentage of our meat came from my weekly night out catfishing, seasonal dove, quail, rabbit, and deer hunting.

I agree that if everyone did it it would be unsustainable even thinking in terms of "quarters" like a CEO :D For some of us, it's of possible importance as a bridge between situations, or due to living circumstances or local ecology.

Garden plots are important, and forage gardens are an option people may want to look into, especially in those odd little wild segments that crop up. We've spent a couple years encouraging some berries along the creek on the southeast end of town- nothing huge, just about 4 hours a year for 2 people doing a bit of large weeding (took out a couple saplings of an invasive tree) and pruning for access. What we got? gallons of berries.

For staple foods, it is very important not to create waste- don't buy stuff you can't use unless you deliberately want to give it to a shelter after HALF its shelf life, don't buy TOO MUCH. My wife and I did this a few times. If you can't eat 60 pounds of rice in a year, don't buy 60 pounds. We now have a household food provisioning population of 9 people, and don't use a TON of rice, but keep 30 pounds on hand all the time. That's about right for not going bad.
 
Christoff,
I love rasberries & eat loads of them each year. I do not cultivate any at home and buy very few... SO many people walk by or drive by an abundance of 1st quality fruit on their way to the grocery store!!! I am an opportunist & collect too much fruit for two families to eat for absolutely FREE! :)

I just do not see the diminished rural wildlife an flora supporting a down and out population for long. Thinking longer term, what possesions do I have to trade for what I need---- then what work can I do in exchange for what I need. I have had my gardens and fruit trees raided in times of plenty due to lazyness and greed. When folks get hungry they will "forage" in peoples yards as well as the woods. Looking beyond ripe berries to foraging for nuts and plants does give a person an edge as well.

Imagine fattening that pig in the shed for months and waking one day to find it dead in its stall and both rear quarters gone...

I will/do hunt, forage and plant. When the need arises, I will trap and dig roots- but I will rely on my ability and demeanor to find a way.

2Door
 
My wife and I are vegetarian (she's vegan and I'm sort of :) ).
Not eating meat has cut down a lot on food bills.
We just got a bulk order of staples from a bulk food company.
It cost over $500.00, but that is going to constitute a major portion of our
food bill over the winter. Right now, we are in the process of putting it away.
Things like rice, flower, nuts, dried fruit, etc.
This summer past, we put in a subsistence garden and got lots of basics
(carrots, peas, onions, etc) that we've put away. Part of the garden was
herbs that we use in cooking. We got lots of herbs like basil, garlic, chives,
oregano, and lots of other herbs that I didn't know even existed until my wife
harvested them.
We bought an extra freezer at a going out of business sale so we have lots of
room for things. As well, the dehydrator and the vacuum sealer have been
going steady for weeks.
Went to the orchards this summer and loaded up on lots of fruit that we
either canned or dried. Pretty much 1/2 and 1/2 on that score. Canned
fruit is great in the winter, and dried fruit can be used in cooking.
In our area, the grocery stores usually have what they call "case lot" sales
where you can buy bulk canned goods and dry goods for good prices, so we
did a lot of that this summer as well. Things like beans, chickpeas (garbanzo
beans), bulk toilet paper, etc.

Other cost cutting measures that we've taken are that we're only running one
vehicle now. I have an old Chev S10 that I've taken off the road.
Entertainment is limited to a couple of times a month now. We've cut way
back on things like going out for dinner over the past year, and have utilized
gift coupons for restaurants (2 for 1 deals, etc) whenever we do go out.

Basically, we've hunkered down for whats coming. I'm certain theres more
that we can be doing, and as things progress, we'll figure that out.
We live in a mobile home that's paid for, so there is no mortgage hanging
over our heads. Our vehicles are older, but in decent shape, again with no
money owing on them, so financially things are relatively stable. I think that
if I were to lose my job, I'd be able to find work somewhere to bring in
enough money to still pay the bills.


Cheers
 
attej said:
We're just going through a lay-off at the moment... There is a high probability that Im gonna get fired next Tuesday.
Click to expand...

Update: as expected, I got the pink slip this morning. So, now its time to walk the walk so to speak. Funny feeling... a bit freaked, but also kinda looking forward to this... gonna try out my stashed food, and see what's it like to live without dragging a full bag of groceries home every day. Its gonna be a challenge to some degree, no doubt, but whatta hell... nothing I can do about it right now, so I might as well enjoy this.

I have no kids and no debts, so this shouldnt be that big a deal. At least I have time to go hiking now!
 
Don't forget non traditional work, and I don't know what it is like in Finland for shopping, but here if you have time and inclination you can find a lot of bulk food deals hiding at various retailers out here in the states.

I love your attitude, and that will see you through more than any amount of luck. Still, good luck!
 
Sorry to hear the bad news, attej, but you know what they say, "When one door closes, another one............"

Best of luck and keep us posted on your necessity-driven discoveries.

Doc
 
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