scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 3, 2014 18:08:50 GMT 10
For the original poster, you've gotten off topic surprisingly quickly and inexplicably. How have I gone off topic? The basic premise is that in a survival situation, especially in a large metropolitan area, psychopaths should be put in charge, because they lack empathy and will therefor not be swayed by emotion. I'm saying I don't want someone making decisions for me that might, as I said below, decide that the weaker members don't justify resources. Not trying to be rude here, just don't understand how that's off topic.
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 3, 2014 16:30:43 GMT 10
Well, here are my thoughts... I don't want anyone taking away my personal freedoms, especially someone who might decide that (for example) taking care of my small children or my older parents is not a good use of resources.
That is why I prep.
I have zero interest in living in a large urban area, and I can see how it would be very easy for things to go bad in a city; in fact, best case scenario for a lot of city people (especially un-prepped ones) would be a police state -- and I have zero interest in living in a police state.
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 3, 2014 12:03:44 GMT 10
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 2, 2014 18:26:45 GMT 10
I've thought a bit more, re. the scouting trip across Australia, and what I would bring that our predecessors didn't have access to... I'd take a map, and also a book on edible native plants.
Also... if you have an idea of where you would be camping along the way I have a story/tip my husband shared with me: it used to be on the cattle stations (and sometimes still is) that the men would have camps set up on various parts of the property where they would stay for only a few nights/weeks out of the year. The old-timers, before they left the camp, would plant potatoes, pumpkin, cherry tomatoes, etc... That way, the next year, when they came to the same camp they wouldn't be stuck eating nothing but meat and canned food. I should also mention, that a lot of these old camps are still out there, although they are rarely used these days. It's not unusual on a station to come across a patch of pumpkin just groing out in the middle of nowhere!
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 2, 2014 16:20:00 GMT 10
Personally, I think we make a mistake when we rely overly in our plans on modern technology. Fuel will inevitably run out, and solar power batteries eventually need to be replaced. I take great comfort, though, in the fact that most of our ancestors were able to live pretty comfortably.
The only modern things that I can see spending much time on are things like those insulating blankets, etc, that can protect you from extreme heat/cold. It would also be a comfort to have antivenom supplies (although, again, these are finite) because if you have run in with, say, a taipan, I think we know who's likely to come out on top!
If I were planning a scouting trek across Australia, I would probably go for a good bush pony and mule. Camels might be good too, in that they require very little in the means of fuel, but who wants to take the time to catch and break in a camel??
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 1, 2014 21:30:40 GMT 10
Here's a good one, that I do have experience with!
WEEVIL-FREE FLOUR
When buying flour by the drum, take enough of it out so a small bottle and candle will fit in before closing the lid again. Weevils cannot live without oxygen and if you light the candle and seal the lid, the candle will only burn until the oxygen has been burnt up and then the candle will go out. You can then use weevil-free flour until the drum is empty. You must light the candle each time you lift the lid off the drum.
...From my own experience, I can tell you that weevils are the bane of a bush cooks existence! I came to the conclusion early on in my cooking career that one of the main reasons all the old recipes called for flour to be sifted was to get rid of the weevils!
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 1, 2014 21:25:28 GMT 10
MEAT TO KEEP Meat may be kept in the hottest weather by the following method: Make a large muslin bag, dip in vinegar, wring it out, and then hang the meat in it. Do this every day, and be careful to hang in a current of air. This is much like a ham bag, I assume you could substitute a pillow case? vinegar can be made easily enough too, I had no idea it would work so well outside of a refrigerator, thank you very much for this. For reference www.vinegarman.com/page23/Thanks for the link, Daniel. I've been thinking I should try making vinegar sometime soon... Maybe when the mangoes are in! Have you made it? I find it so frustrating that almost every recipe I find calls for something that I need to go to the shop and buy. Wondering if I can create a vinegar culture?
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 1, 2014 10:30:18 GMT 10
They've been doing military training exercises in my neck of the woods lately (NQ). We had a big military cargo plane circling for quite a while a few weeks ago.
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 1, 2014 9:50:09 GMT 10
MAKING YEAST
Boil a pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of brown sugar and a little salt in two gallons of water for an hour. When milk warms, bottle and cork it closed. It will be ready to use in four and twenty hours. A pint of this yeast will make 18 pound of bread.
On a teacup of split or bruised peas, pour a pint of boiling water, and place this vessel on the heath for four and twenty hours. At the end of that time it will be in a state of fermentation, with a froth on its top, and will answer the purpose of good yeast.
...I haven't tried either of these, but have been thinking I should! I find yeast can be expensive, and has a short(ish) shelf life!
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 1, 2014 9:33:04 GMT 10
MEAT TO KEEP
Meat may be kept in the hottest weather by the following method: Make a large muslin bag, dip in vinegar, wring it out, and then hang the meat in it. Do this every day, and be careful to hang in a current of air.
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 1, 2014 9:30:26 GMT 10
Steamed Kangaroo or Wallaby
-kangaroo or wallaby -salt pork and bacon -2 or 3 onions -1/2 wine glass ketchup -1 claret glass of port -pepper and salt
Cut kangaroo into pieces the size of small veal cutlet. Slice the pork and onions. Place a layer of pork at the bottom of an earthenware jar, a layer of kangaroo, then onions. After each layer add some of the combined ketchup and port. Season with plenty of salt and plenty of pepper. Continue these layers until all is used.
Roast Bandicoot
(This is a meal enjoyed in the 1920's and '30's. The children would often catch the animals and the tune of, "A bandy would be very handy," would be heard as they returned from the hunt. It is recommended that times were hard and all manner of animals were used to satisfy the appetites of the large families of the day.)
A bandicoot is difficult to clean, so should be done as soon as it is killed.
Soak in vinegar and water for a few hours. A good stuffing of sweet potatoes and onions is made and then roast until cooked in the usual manner.
....I should note I've never tried either of these recipes, but they're good to remember if things get scarce!
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 1, 2014 9:19:52 GMT 10
If anyone is in NQ, this is an excellent resource to pick up... The newer versions have some microwave stuff, etc, but on the whole is still a very useful book for anyone bush living. I'll type up a few of recipes/instructions below, and add my two cents on the ones I have experience with.
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Oct 31, 2014 21:55:59 GMT 10
I forgot one thing we're experimenting with this year... So far so good: peanuts. We've planted them as a bit of a soil booster, but I found this page the other day: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/carver-peanut/ It's George Washington Carver's original paper on growing peanuts and 105 ways to prepare them for human consumption. The husband had me print it out for future reference.
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Oct 31, 2014 11:32:20 GMT 10
Tomatoes (heaps and heaps!), Silverbeet, Amish Deer Tongue Lettuce, Beans, and Peas. And with no help from us, mulberries and mangoes. It makes me so sad when I drive around this region and see food going to waste... Yesterday, we went for a drive and saw THOUSANDS of tomatoes lying in the dirt as they had been deemed imperfect for market. We drove by a house yard with an orange tree: rotting oranges carpeting the lawn. I really don't get it--there are so many ways of eating and preserving this food. We only just finished off the last of our tomatoes and mangoes from last year's yield, just in time for the new crop! P.S. Another thing we have in abundance, with no encouragement from us, is pigweed. Tastes pretty good, and is rich in nitrogen so good for the soil! Early shipwrecked sailors survived on it. Attachments:
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scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Oct 31, 2014 9:55:43 GMT 10
I have a question re bleeding after delivery...
I've had two children, completely au natural. After both, I've had bleeds. Both times, it has required two shots to stop the bleeding. The second time, the baby came fast, and I was unable to to get to a maternity ward in time, so it the baby was delivered by a GP who panicked and in addition to the shots, jammed a heap of paper towel up my hoo-haa in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
I do wonder if the bleeding is in part caused by their insistence on pulling the placenta out right away, although a midwife told me they do this is done to PREVENT problems with bleeding.
My question is, in the absence of a hospital and injections, how can I prevent myself from bleeding out?
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