Worth a relink. Some fantastic information on the Argentina situation. Especially, considering recent events such as the bank bailout and the state of the US economy since the post was originally written in 2005.

Make the most of the resources you have, don’t go hide in the middle of nowhere and GET OUT OF DEBT!

Found the link at TheOilDrum.

http://www.abysmal.com/LDS/Preparedness/Preparedness.pdf

A quick scan revealed some nice lists and articles for food storage and other areas of preparedness. And the price is right.

These folks worked all day just to barely feed themselves and buy the basics any person need to live (one of the guys mentioned clothes, shoes, maybe a toy for the kids once in a while).

Good article at TheOilDrum on using charcoal for soilrestoration.  The bits about discoveries of ancient beds of this stuff in the Amazon are fascinating.

Potters in India are making non-electric wood-gas stoves out of clay! The wood-gas camping stove I have is very cool, err hot. And I love using it. But for sustainability how can you bit clay and sticks? No need for batteries, etc…

Now this is exciting technology!

Edit: A friend pointed out that it wasn’t a true wood gas stove. Oh well. It is an interesting design for increasing efficiency. Tough to get away from the tall chimney without an electric fan.

Wondering if you’ve got enough land to feed your family?

On the subsistence agriculture level, we permies regularly have designed productions systems around the world, which feed everyone living in a given house within a 50-foot radius of the house. This rule of thumb holds pretty well because the more folks who live there, the bigger the house, the larger the surface area, so no more than 50 feet is really necessary.

By the title of this post you’ve probably guessed the assumption I’m talking about is continual access to abundant food supplies.  Imagine how many generations of our ancestors understood that they couldn’t take food for granted.  We live as if it’s a normal state of affairs.  What a unique period of human history we inhabit!  And the reason we have this luxury is due to our exploitation of oil.

Try this little exercise.  I did it with a friend, recently.  Get a map of your bioregion.  Trace the flow of food produced within a few hundred miles of where you live.  From field to table.  Now imagine what would happen if diesel was so expensive that truckers quit driving.  (Remember, it’s happening right now in other parts of the world.)

Kind of scary?  Even if the truckers keep driving, food is guaranteed to be more expensive to cover their costs.  Way more expensive.  If it gets to your local grocery store at all.

The next step was to look for the least energy intensive routes for food delivery.  Trains and waterways, primarily around here.  Tracing along those paths I found an interesting opportunity.  There were cities perfectly positioned to be first in line for the food after it left the farmer’s fields.

And that, my friend, is a starting point for food security and opportunity in a fast approaching new world.  For both you and your grandchildren.

Later, I’ll review some books I’m reading about edible forest gardening.  A form of permaculture with amazing productions yields on small acreages.  Just the thing for generating surplus food to trade in the gateway cities of the future.

Where are we at now? Well it’s gotten really interesting hasn’t it? I’m not at all optimistic about continuing Business As Usual for the next 20 years. Energy in the form of cheap liquid fuel for transportation is such a foundational requirement for the functioning of our society. And that’s just going to get more and more expensive and hard to find. Add climate change to the mix, and, well….

What I am optimistic about is the ability to make the most out of the changes that are on the way. And that is what I would like the main focus of Self Sufficient Family to be from now on.

Critical areas to focus on at this blog:
Mindset - Getting yourself as much clarity regarding reality as possible. And, no, reality is not different from person to person. The perception of reality is what differs.

Energy - Using less and finding alternatives to oil. Which means alternatives to the automobile. Housing is part of this, too.

Food - Without food everything else is meaningless. A worry most in North America have not had to concern themselves with in decades. That’s about to change.

Business and Finance - Trade is a part of human interaction. Always has been, always will be. If you ever see a point where people have stopped engaging in trade that’s the sign that humanity has gone feral. Complete social and cultural breakdown. Bloody, violent mess.

I advocate learning to spot opportunities to take part in the economy without a job. Small part time business at the very least. It’s a vital part of surviving the multiple messes we are beginning to find ourselves mired in.

And with whatever is coming, opportunities for trade and business will definitely be part of the future.

I’m looking forward to introducing you to the products, services, courses and books I’ve been gathering. You’ll find something, I’m sure, that will help you provide for the one’s you love regardless of what comes down the road.

This deserves a new Category. Corporate Insanity.

A Biological Apocalypse Averted

Insane. Kelp anyone?

Research Credit: A Biological Apocalypse Averted (For Now)

Ughh. Read the story at the link to see why the “Ughh.”

First control the government by controlling the creation of the money. Next, control the people by controlling the food supply. Only took ‘em a century to achieve total global domination. Not bad.

Wonder if anyone cares?

The key to getting around this one? Learn to eat what other people don’t consider food. Start with “weeds” and bugs. Go from there.

Feed your mind so you can feed your body.