What I am doing preparing for "When The Lights GO Out"

[Raychel A Watkins]

A while  back I read a blog on this site called "What I Learned After The Storm".  These words still ring in my mind "learn to grow 50 things people do not know are edible".  I have repeated this often to people and to people who tour the farm.  They have deep meaning to me.  Permaculture says "a weed is just a plant in the wrong place.  I have learned to grow many things people do  not know are edible.  I am not doing it to keep people from crashing my gates but to share with everyone what they can do to prepare for a time that we hope will never come.  It has come to many people on this earth and many are not prepared thus starvation.  I was priveledge to meet Roberto from Cuba who made a video about what Cuba had to learn when they were cut off from any shipping when the Soviet Union broke up.   I heard about Roberto one day and in 2 weeks he was standing in my yard.  You can learn about Cuba's problem and how they overcame it on you tube.  Several of my friends have gone to Cuba to see it.  Amazing.  We do not need to wait till it hits us, we in aquaponics already have some of the answers not all but a huge thing will be the conservation of water.  We got it.  Healthy food , we got it. 

The word is SUSTAINABILITY, the dictionary says, "able to be held at a certain level"  Are you at that level where you can keep your lifestyle at its current level.  I am not but I am working on it.  I have a few pictures of what I am doing that I would like to share with youMy chickens or at least a few of them.  I got them all free and I built their house out of mostly free material.  My motto has always been "Start where you are, Use what you have, Scrounge for the rest".  It works.Their house made from free pallets.Their eggs except for the big one which is a Goose eggTheir food, Hono Hono grass which they eat but it is also 1 of the 50 things people do know are edible.  The fish and pig also eat itThe deep end of my above ground pool which blew up.  Water hyacinths that serve as a chicken food, fish food, pig food and provide protection for the adult and baby fish which I hope to raise in here.  I am getting 2 rocks from evry friend I have to put near the pool as I am going to build a spiritual area I can hang out in and pray for people.  It is in its early stage at this point.My latest systems I am putting up.  The bed on top will grow duckweed and azola.  This will be feed to fish and chickens.  The lower tanks will grow edible snails.  Might as well go class act.  Watercress beds, food for me  These are a few of the things I am doing to prepare and just to enjoy myself in my latter years.  Those of you who are young have more time than I do.

I was impressed when I saw what T C Lynx could do with such a small space she had before.  Great job T C Congrats on your new space and I trully expect great things from you.  I already see them happening.  Keep it up.

Mahalo for listening to me but fair warning 'I'll Be BacK"

[Steve Winchell]

Oh forgot to mention look into silver carp they gain weight fast and people are figuring out ways too cook them supposed to taste like salmon. Cheers

[Steve Winchell]

Pretty Kool man I just moved to the country with my wife and kids were gonna do some preparing our selves just hope it doesn't get that bad.

[Jim Fisk]

Raychel, I had to tell you a quick story that will make you laugh.

Some years ago we purchase about 400' of chain link fence for 25.00. (I know) Well while we were there picking up the fence we noticed it had run right down to the beach. So we had to ask what that was all about. Seems the elderly lady that had owned the place used to love to bring her Lamas and goats down to the beach with her but her neighbors weren't as keen on the idea. So they took her to court to make her stop. Turned out that she owned the beach and was letting them use it all they wanted. Not after that. She was obviously well off because she immediately hired a company to come in and fence her ungrateful complaining neighbors off of the only beach in the area. Brings 2 phrases to mind. Be careful what you wish for and Life's a beach

[Jim Fisk]

Hi Raychel,

Thank you for sharing these great pics of your farm. I should do the same. The absolute first thing any homestead should have are the chickens. (well maybe just behind the farm dogs that protect the chickens) They are the most satisfying little buggers. I am always amused by how fast the will occupy any new house or nest that you build for them. Usually before the last nails are driven. They just know it is for them.

We have watercress growing in every drainage ditch or stream around here. Haven't had any luck transplanting it to our place yet but I really like your "stream" I will try that with the AP water. That should work.

You are obviously a great recycler and we would get along great as neighbors and could "shop" each others stash:-) I have been designing and building from recycled materials all my life and find a great satisfaction making what would be a 4000.00 wood gasification wood stove for under 100.00 as an example. With drums, a mig welder and bed rails there is little a person can't make. I repair everything around here myself from computers to diesel engines. I find it gets done right that way. I am almost always disappointed when I farm the work out. Makes for a busy life but a very satisfying one. Years ago I was written up as "The Renaissance Man of Cape Cod" just because I enjoy doing it all and learning how to do even more:-)

Well, from the Smoky Mtns. to Paradise, have a great day and tell us more.

Vinnie says high.