Post by malewithatail on Oct 23, 2024 12:33:34 GMT 10
We have been thinking about how we are going to feed all of us and our animals WTSHTF and commercial feeds are no longer available.
Hi protein feedstocks are what enables chooks, ducks and cows etc to thrive. Take away that supply and production falls off drastically. Indeed, you could say that without such inputs into farming, food growing would be much more difficult and less productive.
How much less ?
We carried out a test on the chooks some weeks ago and cut back their daily rations to almost nothing. Egg production fell within a few days, and 23 chooks only gave us 2 or 3 eggs a day when they had to forage for feed in the paddock, not to mention the hassle of rounding them up at night to keep them safe in the trailers. And they got cranky, especially the rooster.
Continuing that line of thought, a milking cow will only milk when fed a protein rich diet, just ask a dairy farmer. On pasture grass's, milk production falls off to almost nothing.
After the collapse, most people think that they get some chooks, etc and let them wander around, collect the eggs and give the some water every so often. Same as most non preppers think that they can throw some seeds out, water them and in a few days have a crop. Not that easy any more.
And how do you think a horse will fare on only pasture grass's when working hard ploughing and so on ?
The old saying that we 'eat oil' is quite true, take away oil (petrol, diesel etc), and life will suddenly get much, much harder.
As well as the changes brought on by the collapse of society, the relative ease of food production at present will gone and life will be much harder. A saying, from Gen 3:19 comes to mind. "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
Make provision now for gardening without modern chemical fertilizers and fuels. Construct, or at least know how to construct and have the necessary stuffs on hand, to make a gasifier and appropriate machinery that can run from it. According to the FAO, if it takes 3.25 acres to feed one person the typical western diet. 10 people, a not unreasonable number including family members, will need 32.25 acres of good quality, arable land. As our land is heavy clay 12 inches down, its not good quality, but once broken up will grow almost anything. Add in irrigation and drinking water supply's, and the task of feeding ones mob is suddenly brought into perspective. Have a decent compost pile, get it started now as it takes a few months to really get going.
But, you say, I have 10 years of foods stored up. What about bugs and rusting of tin cans ? (Modern tinned food cans are pathetically thinly coated, as they are electroplated and not hot dipped, and wont last more than a few year's when stored properly at most).
Other things to consider stocking up on are fencing supplies, wire, mesh, clips, star posts etc.
If I'm ever on life support, unplug me then plug me back in and see if that works.
Hi protein feedstocks are what enables chooks, ducks and cows etc to thrive. Take away that supply and production falls off drastically. Indeed, you could say that without such inputs into farming, food growing would be much more difficult and less productive.
How much less ?
We carried out a test on the chooks some weeks ago and cut back their daily rations to almost nothing. Egg production fell within a few days, and 23 chooks only gave us 2 or 3 eggs a day when they had to forage for feed in the paddock, not to mention the hassle of rounding them up at night to keep them safe in the trailers. And they got cranky, especially the rooster.
Continuing that line of thought, a milking cow will only milk when fed a protein rich diet, just ask a dairy farmer. On pasture grass's, milk production falls off to almost nothing.
After the collapse, most people think that they get some chooks, etc and let them wander around, collect the eggs and give the some water every so often. Same as most non preppers think that they can throw some seeds out, water them and in a few days have a crop. Not that easy any more.
And how do you think a horse will fare on only pasture grass's when working hard ploughing and so on ?
The old saying that we 'eat oil' is quite true, take away oil (petrol, diesel etc), and life will suddenly get much, much harder.
As well as the changes brought on by the collapse of society, the relative ease of food production at present will gone and life will be much harder. A saying, from Gen 3:19 comes to mind. "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
Make provision now for gardening without modern chemical fertilizers and fuels. Construct, or at least know how to construct and have the necessary stuffs on hand, to make a gasifier and appropriate machinery that can run from it. According to the FAO, if it takes 3.25 acres to feed one person the typical western diet. 10 people, a not unreasonable number including family members, will need 32.25 acres of good quality, arable land. As our land is heavy clay 12 inches down, its not good quality, but once broken up will grow almost anything. Add in irrigation and drinking water supply's, and the task of feeding ones mob is suddenly brought into perspective. Have a decent compost pile, get it started now as it takes a few months to really get going.
But, you say, I have 10 years of foods stored up. What about bugs and rusting of tin cans ? (Modern tinned food cans are pathetically thinly coated, as they are electroplated and not hot dipped, and wont last more than a few year's when stored properly at most).
Other things to consider stocking up on are fencing supplies, wire, mesh, clips, star posts etc.
If I'm ever on life support, unplug me then plug me back in and see if that works.
