Hi Fellow "Lady Survivors"

[tinfoilhat]

Just thought I'd start the ball rolling since the folder was empty!  Hi!

[flagtag]

You look lonely here all by yourself, so I thought I would stop in and say "Hello". 
What should we start with?  How about CLOTHES?
Dressing "down" in a SHIF situation.  We all like to look our best - not only for others to see, but for our own self esteem as well. BUT, in such a situation, it might be better to "ugly" one's self up a bit.  Of course, the bad guys generally don't choose their victims based on looks, rather it's a power/hate type thing.
But, why encourage anyone?  The duller, drabber, more invisible one appears in such a situation, the better.
No make-up, baggy clothes, and maybe in extreme instances - the "unwashed" look.  (And maybe a way to "smell" yourself up in a hurry.) Anything to discourage the bad guys.
What do you think? 

[Crosstimbers]

Hi guys!  I'm so excited we have a "room" of our own!   

[flagtag]

I know that there are so many bright and talented women out there who would have a lot to contribute. Tell your friends about this place.  We can all learn something from other women.  We can probably come up with things that the guys haven't thought of. (Then maybe pass it on to them.)
I am eager to learn as much as possible.

[DarkEyes]

With regard to clothes, I have a problem in that I work and have to dress as a professional every day.  I don't have a lot of casual clothes.  I only own 2 pairs of jeans.  If you had to have one article of clothing for survival wear, what would it be?

[flagtag]

That's a hard one!  I guess more jeans.  Heavy duty work jeans, not designer/dress jeans.
Although, depending on where you live and weather conditions, a work coat (water repellant?) with a hood.
Or, maybe sturdy boots. (not fashion) (Sh**kickers)
Hat? 

Remember, you may (probably) be without certain conveniences such as a washer/dryer and will have to wash things by hand, so whatever you have would have to be sturdy and not easily damaged.

[DarkEyes]

We had a wind storm a few years back, no power for 19 days, I had to handwash a lot of things.  I learned then that I don't have the strength in my hands to wring out water from blue jeans, so on www.shopgoodwill.com, I started watching for a washing machine wringer, and I got a good one for about $15.00.  I can wring with the best of them now. 

[JetstreamJonny]

My Paramo "Velez" Jacket.

[flagtag]

We had a wind storm a few years back, no power for 19 days, I had to handwash a lot of things.  I learned then that I don't have the strength in my hands to wring out water from blue jeans, so on www.shopgoodwill.com, I started watching for a washing machine wringer, and I got a good one for about $15.00.  I can wring with the best of them now. 

I have a mop bucket with a wringer that I plan to use if necessary.  My hands aren't very strong either.  (I really need to start working out for a total body fitness) Somewhere around here, I have the hand grip thingies - you know you squeeze them to build up grip and forearms.  BePrepared.com has a personal washing machine that is cranked to wash.  (Small loads)
Something that everyone needs is extra underwear and socks.  If you aren't able to wash clothes often, at least after you bathe, you can put on clean underwear and (Heaven forbid) the "dirty" clothes.  (YUK!)  (Pray it never gets to that!)

[SkipOnStars]

Hi All,
Just stopping in to say hi!  Are you all with "prepper" menfolk?   

[susan1957]

Hi All,
Just stopping in to say hi!  Are you all with "prepper" menfolk?   

Don't you know you marry opposites?  I don't have a prepper for a husband unless it's already happening and the storm is at the door, by that time it's too late.  For years I've warned him of things that I felt were going to happen, they happened...and he still says..."Well, I should have listened."
But when it happens again you would think he'd listen, no same thing.  It's very frustrating.
Lately, there has been a glimmer of hope since other people have been talking at the office about needing to stock up for hard times.  He's not
complaining now when I purchase another 25 lb bag of rice or flour.  He does like the food better since it's all from scratch.  We've got custody of 3 extra children so camping trips are apart of our money saving vacations now so I do have hope.

[DarkEyes]

My husband thought  I was overreacting until he ran into another man at the book store buying a survival book.  They chatted about things, and when my husband got home he got on the computer and started looking at the same stuff I have been looking at.  THAT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING!! 

[flagtag]

The only "man" in my house is my son and he's not interested.  (In anything but music - he's a guitarist in a band - when they're not fighting)
I can't seem to make him understand how bad things are now, let alone that it could get worse.  So, I do what I can myself. (He and his daughter live with me)

[edibleyards]

Hi all, I am new to the forums here. I found the podcast a couple of months ago and it is right up my alley. I thought I was the only oddball who's interested in survival skills while hubby is not as much so. He tends to focus in one area, and that is firearms, so I work to get him interested in other aspects, because I don't feel like I can do all of it! Okay, he also thinks about water and things sometimes.

Great to see other ladies here!

[DarkEyes]

I'm curious, how in the world did you come up with your name, "edible yards"?

[edibleyards]

I have been using it as a username in a couple of other places, and I am actively involved and interested in creating edible prospects out of formerly grassy lawns : ) I also sometimes think about starting a garden consulting thingie (and was excited to hear that as one of Jack's idea on the secondary income podcast), and I think that's what I would call it. Something like that, anyway.

[DarkEyes]

Did you grow that Pineapple?  I have wondered about growing them in Tennessee--I have a friend who is a master gardner and she told me that they have shifted the zones north.

[Pangie]

Hi ladies!  I'm new to the forum (just started listening to the podcast about a week ago) so I thought I'd drop in and say hello.

I actually just downloaded the podcast when I was going through iTunes downloading anything that sounded remotely like something I might be interested in when I was preparing for a road trip, so this is a fairly new topic to me.  I've recently gotten into canning, started that just a few days before I found the podcast actually, so I have a pretty decent pantry full of soup, but not much else.

I am vegan, and would love to talk to anyone else who is vegan or vegetarian.  There seems to be quite a bit of info on hunting, and not so much on non-meat options.  Obviously the whole rice-and-beans thing is right up my alley, but I'd love any other input.

[edibleyards]

I did grow it. The top I grew it from came from the store. I heard that they taste better when they ripen fully on the bush (which of course, the ones from the store are picked while green) and they taste WAY better. See how yellow it is? I had never seen or tasted a pineapple like that before. It was amazing!

The zones appear to be moving north. Here's a link from the Arbor Day foundation that shows how they are changing:

http://www.nationaltreetrust.org/media/mapchanges.cfm

Our zone is considered 9A, but I can grow some zone 10 things in certain parts of the landscape, and I've got some 8B columbine that grew in moist shade all through the summer. In many places, you might have cooler and hotter areas of your property. I think in TN, even with zone changes, pineapples need to stay above freezing (really above 40F), so you would need a greenhouse or some sort of cover to protect it. If they have fruit/flowers on them, I cover them for temps below 60F. It is sort of a novelty to grow, as they take 18 mos. - 3 years to fruit. I know a lot of people who say theirs don't fruit, but they also don't water, and I have watered mine.

They are easy to start though and you can get them going in a pot, and even get them to fruit in a pot, though I would give them as much outdoor time above 40F as possible. Smaller pot will yield smaller fruit.

We lived in TN from 95-00, just no. of Nashville. I didn't garden food at that time, but was always interested.

[DarkEyes]

Welcome Pangie.  I am not officially a vegan, but I think I could make it as one if I had to.  Quite honestly, I have been looking at the high cost of meat, chicken, pork, and wondering what I would do in a you know what hits the fan deal. No electricity, no freezer, no way to refrigerate---- and I just plain don't like spam.  I'm not entirely sure what they put in that stuff, or vienna's for that matter. 
What do you do for protein?

[Pangie]

I do quite a bit of beans.  I used to do mostly soy, but I talked with a nutritionist/dietitian (I forget what her title really was) who said soy actually isn't that great of a protein source.  She recommended that I add a variety of beans.  My favorite is black beans, especially mixed with a tortilla soup and a long grain white rice.  I recently made 5 batches of soup and canned them.  2 batches had peanut butter and almond butter, the other 3 had a variety of beans and lentils.  I usually have nuts and seeds for snacks which helps with protein, too.

Another thing to look into is TVP.  With the right seasoning, this is essentially a substitute for ground beef.  I think it's usually made from soy, so I wouldn't rely on it entirely based on what the dietitian told me.

I plan to post quite a few recipes in the Recipes forum.  I started a thread titled "Vegan/Vegetarian" and I will be posting all my recipes there.

Also, I absolutely don't blame you for not liking spam.

[DarkEyes]

I hope you will post your recipes, they sound delicious.

[Crosstimbers]

Pangie,
Heading to the recipes forum post haste.....

[dragonart]

With regard to clothes, I have a problem in that I work and have to dress as a professional every day.  I don't have a lot of casual clothes.  I only own 2 pairs of jeans.  If you had to have one article of clothing for survival wear, what would it be?

Hello, I'm also a lady "survivalist." 

I'd say if I had one article of survival clothing that would be the most important it would have to be warm long underwear.  It sounds silly but hear me out.  You can wear it under your clothes as a very thin clothing layer, and it keeps you warmer than you'd think.  And MEN's long underwear...reason being, it's thicker/warmer.  The long underwear for women sold in most stores is usually paper-thin; unless you go to a hunting store and buy it there.  I am fortunate in that my husband and I are exactly the same height and I can usually wear what he can so when he buys long underwear, I can use it too.

[dragonart]

You look lonely here all by yourself, so I thought I would stop in and say "Hello". 
What should we start with?  How about CLOTHES?
Dressing "down" in a SHIF situation.  We all like to look our best - not only for others to see, but for our own self esteem as well. BUT, in such a situation, it might be better to "ugly" one's self up a bit.  Of course, the bad guys generally don't choose their victims based on looks, rather it's a power/hate type thing.
But, why encourage anyone?  The duller, drabber, more invisible one appears in such a situation, the better.
No make-up, baggy clothes, and maybe in extreme instances - the "unwashed" look.  (And maybe a way to "smell" yourself up in a hurry.) Anything to discourage the bad guys.
What do you think? 

I think that's a good idea, but not sure it would work where I live?  I live in "Deliverance" land in SW Virginia and the "qualifier" out here for getting a guy interested in you seems to be that you're female and that's about it...and even then, I gotta say, I sometimes wonder...

To discourage bad guys?  Have your man with you and a good and visible sidearm.  Or a big, ugly, nasty dog.

[flagtag]

With regard to clothes, I have a problem in that I work and have to dress as a professional every day.  I don't have a lot of casual clothes.  I only own 2 pairs of jeans.  If you had to have one article of clothing for survival wear, what would it be?

Hello, I'm also a lady "survivalist." 

I'd say if I had one article of survival clothing that would be the most important it would have to be warm long underwear.  It sounds silly but hear me out.  You can wear it under your clothes as a very thin clothing layer, and it keeps you warmer than you'd think.  And MEN's long underwear...reason being, it's thicker/warmer.  The long underwear for women sold in most stores is usually paper-thin; unless you go to a hunting store and buy it there.  I am fortunate in that my husband and I are exactly the same height and I can usually wear what he can so when he buys long underwear, I can use it too.

You're right about men's stuff being made better. Evrerything, it seems. Heavier, sturdier.  I, too, like to wear men's long underwear (I work a lot outdoors). I just stich up the , um, "convenience" opening. 

[flagtag]

You look lonely here all by yourself, so I thought I would stop in and say "Hello". 
What should we start with?  How about CLOTHES?
Dressing "down" in a SHIF situation.  We all like to look our best - not only for others to see, but for our own self esteem as well. BUT, in such a situation, it might be better to "ugly" one's self up a bit.  Of course, the bad guys generally don't choose their victims based on looks, rather it's a power/hate type thing.
But, why encourage anyone?  The duller, drabber, more invisible one appears in such a situation, the better.
No make-up, baggy clothes, and maybe in extreme instances - the "unwashed" look.  (And maybe a way to "smell" yourself up in a hurry.) Anything to discourage the bad guys.
What do you think? 

I think that's a good idea, but not sure it would work where I live?  I live in "Deliverance" land in SW Virginia and the "qualifier" out here for getting a guy interested in you seems to be that you're female and that's about it...and even then, I gotta say, I sometimes wonder...

To discourage bad guys?  Have your man with you and a good and visible sidearm.  Or a big, ugly, nasty dog.

You just might have a point there.   

[lablank]

Hello Lady Survivors:

Getting ready for survival seems like a most daunting endeavor. I didn't start until just 3 weeks ago after getting the feeling we are headed for a collasp of our economic system. I made a mad search of the web, reading every thing I could find. Where to start, what's a priority?

On the web, I found a pretty comprehensive manual written by the LDS Church, The LDS Preparedness Manual. The church has always mandated it's members store 1 year supply of food and essentials. You can download a free copy at www.abysmal.com . I'm not a morman but found the contents to be thorough.

Let me know what you think

[Kara]

Edibleyard,

I am so happy to find someone who is interested in edible landscaping! Did you get rid of all of your grass, and if so, did you get flak from your neighbors at all about it?

 
Wintersparrow

[DarkEyes]

Edible Yard--I too am curious about the flack you might have caught from your neighbors.  I'm not sure how my neighbors would react to me removing my grass, but I know we don't have any kind of ordinance that says we have to have grass.  I've got one person around the block from me that put red mulch around with a few plants and a whole lot of solar lights.  It only looks good at night.  Is your yard decorative at all, or all business?