[RUSTYME]

http://www.civilianism.com/futurism/?p=3106

the above link explains how oil production is set to peak by 2030 at the latest , possibly anytime from now onwards. This doesn't mean that oil will stop over night , but it does mean that people like you and me , won't be able to afford petrol or diesel for our vehicles. The same will go for tractors too. So theres the rub !! food production !!
 Things ARE set to get very iffy to say the least . Even our government has started to mention grow your own !! Just take a second or two to think things through . No fuel for average Fred and Freda.... NONE !!! how do they get to work ? public transport I hear you say !! Ok, public transport fueled with what ?  Running where ? How often ?
 Some people will say "oh we can just grow more oilseed rape " well yes we can , but nowhere near enough to keep all our cars and transport going , even if we didn't grow any food , we still couldn't grow enough for the oil we would need.
 I think that there are going to be many people who NEED to think things through,
 and at least plan for a different way of life . I don't mean living in a cave . But a life that doesn't entail driving to work , the kids to school , popping out umpteen times a day for this or that , or flying all over the world for some sun .
 Think about how you heat your home !! do you have gas ? is that going to continue to be affordable ? do you use coal ? how will it be transported ? if you use electric , well get ready for a shock ....as electricity could be going up by up to 60% in the next few years or so alone. Thats without any increase in oil prices. Gas will follow suit. 
  Many people just do not want to hear any of this , well thats up to them . If all the worst case scenarios are wrong , and it goes on as is for the next 100 years GREAT . But what if it doesn't ? How will YOU feed YOUR kids ? If you expect the government to do it , think again . They have proved again and again they look after themselves , and you are just there to keep them in the lifestyle that they have created .
 These are just a few things to think about , there are many more , global warming, water shortages , crop failure, famine , disease , WAR , over fuel , water and food. How many people will even think about it , let alone DO anything ? Not many !!! I doubt if it would be 10%, nearer 5% would be my guess.
 I don't say that everyone should think "thats it I give up ", but think "what will I do if/when it happens". Be aware !!! be prepared !!! be cabable of being self reliant for food /heating/cooking !!
Something like 60% of the worlds population has to live that way already , we have just got lazy .

cheers

Russ 

[HappyHippy]

I'm sticking my fingers in my ears and not listening 
It's all too depressing for this time in the morning 
I'm sure I'll be back once I've gathered my thoughts and have something more constructive to say 

[Snoopy]

I went through this line of thinking 15 years ago, with a few people that I met
totally by accident.

This is part of what made me give up my Yuppie lifestyle working for a massive
corporate for a massive paycheque - and getting little in return on reflection but STRESS.

THen I moved to Ireland and the rest is all over these pages - good decision

Thing is, no good getting worried or you will not enjoy life for fear.

Live to enjoy things, but plan for your kids -
There the ones that will be here in Fifty years time
They will have to pick up the pieces that you have left to carry on and protect their children.
They need life skills, and need to be strong people with their own opinions and not easily influenced by the system or fear.

Plan to make sure that they are using renewable energy, not investing in electrical and gas guzzling stuff, that they could survive without oil and petrol, and grow their own food, and be able to raise and kill their own meat.

My Daughter, being an only child, and me, being the last survivor of my family, will be very much alone in the future - I will not be here in Fifty years time to help and advise her, and therefore she is the reason we are doing what we do - it is her future - her home - her farm, and whatever we can do to help her keep it and have security, is our responsibility NOW.

If you pick up a Catalogue, say Argos for instance, all marketing people are trying to do is get you to buy into Technology all the time, Technology that needs POWER, because then youre a slave to paying your bills, and need to work, therefore are trapped into the system of wanting the latest  iphone, tv, ipod, gamestation, kitchen gadget etc.
All power sucking items that we can live without the latest version of.

I was looking for an Ice cream maker recently, and I have found one on Amazon that is basically just a pan with an insert and a lid, that you put in the freezer - NO POWER, makes ice cream, and lasts forever - and is only 30 quid - thats the future - thats what we have to do - imagine when China and Russia are in the same position (very Soon) as the materialistic Americas and Europe, and everyone has microwaves, ipods, ice cream makers, food steamers, toasters, slow cookers, fast cookers, deep fat fryers, rotisseries, coffee machines, smoothie makers, mixers, choppers, all these things you can do with a whisk, an knige and an Aga on solid fuel - the power of the World will go pretty quick, and all the oil and petrol and plastic that goes into making all this cr*p.

Rant over

[RUSTYME]

lol... yes it is all a bit depressing isn't it . Although I write posts about this sort of thing,( a lot !!!) , i don't walk round thinking about it all the time . I just read an article here and there , and then make a comment.   I am already living a very different lifestyle (as are many people I know) . That isn't because I think the world is going to end tomorrow though , it's just because I want to .
If the world DID end tomorrow (and I survived ??), I would be ok Jack thank you very much. Dependant on what was the cause of the end ? But so many people are on the runaway train going down the hill .  So, I think , pop that bit of info on there and see how many are even interested ?  The usual suspects appear ... but very few otherwise .
 No skin off my nose though  . I just carry on doing my little thing , keeps me quiet . I just try to work things out so I don't add anymore crap to the world than I can help , and so I leave my little bit of land in a better condition than I got it . In other words , be productive instead of destructive. 
I think Donald Rumsfeld should be made President of the New World Order , and that Monsanto should be in charge of feeding the world ....we would all be safe and secure then ... Just as long as they leave me alone that is !!!!

cheers

Russ

[MiriMaran]

Don't worry Russ it'll all be OK because the US and Britain will find oil is some poverty stricken country, stamp all over them, take all the oil and leave the country starving!!

[sandy]

Russ, where do you live? exactly as we are comming to live with you, looks like your tough enough and able enough to look after us all 

[marigold]

Yep Sandy, think we should all pile in the Vee Dub with our chickens and pigs and dogs and use the last of the available oil to get to Russ. Anyone else watch survivors on the telly about 30 years ago?
Scarred me for life. I'd have been a contented accountant living in surburbia if I hadn't seen that...

[sandy]

 

[doganjo]

the freezer - NO POWER

So what does you freezer run on then?   Mine uses power, Julie.

[RUSTYME]

Don't worry Russ it'll all be OK because the US and Britain will find oil is some poverty stricken country, stamp all over them, take all the oil and leave the country starving!!

I think we did that to a number of places already MM ....

Well there are only 6 acres Sandy ...so it will be first come , first served....but there again if it all goes tits up , there would be many more acres for the taking ...so yep , all welcome . As for the address , pm me nearer to armageddon and I will pm directions  back....

Funny you should mention Survivors M, I was watching it last night ....what about 'No Blade of Grass' !! did you watch that too ? I watched that, night before last .... That was before Survivors by a few years .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL4nVXJmEfY

Yes freezers are quite power hungry really Annie . Thats why I don't have one , never had one . I am going along the line of bottling (canning) or drying or just storing in sand etc  You can get solar freezers , but they are extremely dear .
 I am also going to build a small stone building right next to the river . This will have some of the river diverted into it through a small channel . The water in the river is always very cold even in the middle of summer , and cold running water acts like a fridge , so it will be my dairy and fridge all in one .  The water will flow from the river via a small leet through the waterwheel and then through the cold room and then via the race back to the river.
 The water wheel will be providing power to run an alternator for leccy and to run the stone mill for grinding wheat etc . Already have the mill stones and have most of the water wheel , which is old angle iron bed frames ....will all be bolted together to make a 12 foot diameter  by 3 foot wide wheel. There will be another wheel the other end of the river field  200 yards away.
 That one will once again run an alternator for leccy and it will also provide mechanical power for the line shafting (no rude comments please ) , that will run all the tools in the woodwork and metal work sheds and the blowers in the forge and foundry . Both wheels will also be able to pump water where ever needed.
 As luck would have it , it is meant to get even wetter here in Wales , so the river won't dry up due to global warming ...up that creek without a paddle if it did though .....along with everybody else. 

cheers


Russ

[doganjo]

I remember discussing the 'big bomb' and the Cold War between America and Russia with someone recently.  When my kids were little I packed a suitcase with a change of clothing, some tins of food for ourselves and the dog and had it ready in case of the 4 minute warning we were told we'd get.  My intention was to pack all of us into the car and drive at speed to the hospital where Sandy worked, pick him up and head off into the mountains.

My husband came in one day when I was topping it up and I had to explain what I was doing.  He sat me down quietly and said '4 minutes is enough time for you to get the suitcase in the car, the dog in the car, and just possibly to strap the kids in, so what are you going to do in the last 5 seconds?'  It made me think.  I felt so silly, but Sandy and I had a good laugh about it afterwards. 

That was some 34 years ago.  My friend and I decided that if the time were to come again instead of trying to escape we would run under the bomb as life would not be worth living if left behind with none of our friends or family.  I suspect the same might apply to the scenario you are putting across Russ.  As you put it you only have 6 acres.  You may be all right but what about all your friends and family.  Do you have room for them? Do you have supplies and if so for how long? Even if you don't have family any the rest of us do. So I refuse to become depressed by these stories.  I will enjoy my life as it is.

[RUSTYME]

lol... yep ...enjoy life as it is ... thats exactly what I do too. I am doing what I do because I enjoy doing it Annie , not because the end of the world is coming. I do want to live the way I am living now , and hope to continue to do so . I don't hope for anything to happen , quite the opposite , but I allow for the fact that something could happen . I don't think I have any plans that are geared specifically for an apocalyptic world , any plans I have are for me now . They can however be tweaked and added to IF ? something did happen .
  Yes I only have six acres and that is more than enough for me . Yes I have enough food for me to live on for 3 months easy , 6 at a push . That amount could easily  be doubled with even just a very short warning .
 As for family , all are welcome and we would cope with whatever situation were to be. Would 6 acres be enough to feed us all ? yes without doubt . When I was 11-16 I provided all the veg for my family of 3 brothers 3 sisters and mum and dad , 9 in all . I did that with 2 allotments , thats 2 90'x 30' plots .  So along with the 1/2 acre or so of veg plot and 2 acres or so for wheat and barley and oats , more if needed , I could easily feed up to 20 or more people . Only 10 live near me , others would most likely stay where they are .
 I have at least 6 scythes in the shed , all sound and ready for work . A dozen or more sickles the same . More spades and forks than I can think of and enough metal to make as many more as I need or want . I also have a couple of horse ploughs plus an old hand push plough . Also have a side rake and an old finger mower , all working order.
 So IF it all went wrong, and if they wanted, they could come and live there , and everyone would do their bit to grow food for all . 
 Having had 2 heart attacks now and 3 strokes , I could fall off me perch tomorrow , but do I sit down and plan how I am going to die ... nope... I couldn't care less what they do with me when I kick the bucket ... I won't be here.  I make plans for the way I want to live ... now and in the foreseeable future . Also like millions of other people I insure for one or two things that could go wrong . They pay in to life insurance etc ...I do what I do  ... I just hope this bl**dy perch don't break , not just yet , not... just... yet  !!!!

cheers

Russ

[Snoopy]

Yes my Freezer runs on power - but it is already running on that power so the ice cream makers isnt sucking any more power.

We have a large Cold Room and two freezers constantly running in our butchery and farm shop, the plan is to have these on alternative power as soon as possible.

All our buildings are South Facing (solar power), we are half way up a mountain (wind Power) which has a wind farm on top of it already, and have two fast flowing streams - one at either side of our land that could take water wheels.


We are also looking at how the old Ice Houses worked in Ireland and could divert a stream through a stone-lined "Cold Room" so that half the electricity would have to be generated to keep it at the same temperature as a normal cold room.

Whatever happens in the future - power, gas, electricity, oil, petrol all will go up and will be given to industry and large shopping centres first, we will be at the bottom of the consumer pool, and paying the most, as usual, so anything towards using less power is being green and thinking forward. 

[sausagesandcash]

I missed you Rusty!

[marigold]

To coin an expression,

'way to go guys!'

We're behind you all the way - at the moment I'm quite a long way behind you.