Permaculture for when the SHTF

[mythreesons290322]

I think it's very important to know the wild edible in your area.. past years I found wild apple tree's, wild asparagus, wild grapes, ramps, blackcaps, wild raspberrys, blackberries and mushrooms to just list a few.

I have a fruit orchard(25 trees)
raspberry,blackberry,currants,gooseberries,grapes,blueberries,juneberries,rhubarb,walking onions,sunchokes,elderberry, strawberry bed, mint & herb garden, have many raised garden beds w/a greenhouse.

I grow many medicinal plants to make my own tinctures & salves.

I started my journey of planting a perennial/edible/medicinal landscape 8-years ago. I now will start planting at my fathers property that is a few miles away from my place to add more of what /I can't grow here on limited land.

I learned so much from watching YouTube and I own many self sufficient books.

If the shtf we would be a likely target because my property is near the road where everyone can see my food forest. I have been trying to talk my dh into growing a living fense to block the view but he won't let me.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds like you are well on the way! We have trouble growing a lot of fruits because we don't get cold enough sometimes - even for the low chill variety fruits - but I constantly try, lol. Citrus does pretty good here. I've got several lemon trees, persimmon, kumquat, and pomegranate. I lost a lime tree this year because we DID get cold. But, I'll replant and keep hoping!

 

[Hinotori]

We have a huge glut of invasive Himalayan and cut leaf blackberries in many spots. Both us and the chickens eat them. The native trailing blackberry ripens earlier in the season so it's lots of blackberries.

Few wild serviceberries, salal, oregon grape, thimbleberry, pacific crabapple, and salmonberry. There are a lot of hawthorn but those are bland even though edible. Same for the wild roses here. Rather bland.

I planted thornless blackberries which are my last to ripen. I've also been planting fruit trees. More plums are going in this year as they do extremely well in the conditions on our property. Apples and pears do good. The deer and elk keep eating my cherry trees so I gave up on those.

Clover is edible and tastes ok. We have lots of clover. There are dandelions and plantain where the chickens don't go.

Tons of douglas fir for the spring needle tips. Fiddleheads. Stinging nettles. Cattails.

There is probably more but those are all within easy reach of the house. There are fish, ducks, and geese in the pond. Crawdads in the stream. Deer and elk pests regularly. Brown bears. Lots of slow dumb voles.

It would take work and getting used to the diet, but we could probably eat ok from just here.

 

[Hinotori]

Biggest thing is probably; don't strip the land. Leave enough to regrow for the next year.

 

[Hinotori]

By the way. I'm hungry now

 

[Mini Horses]

Hinotori -- when you cook the silkies does the meat remain black or dark as when butchered? Is there any difference in the texture, tendersness or juiciness of it? Just wondering, LOL. compared to normal chicken meat. I mean, there is a real difference in duck & chicken, even pheasant.

We have a LOT of huge wild turkeys around here. Geese stop here in large flocks when traveling seasonally...of course there are restrictions for hunting them. Turkey has a hunting season here. Very rarely a bear in close vicinity. Some fox, coyote (they are in the sights of many farmers/hunters...no season & some areas have a bounty fund!), skunk, possum, occasional coon. Squirrel & rabbit if the fox aren't too populous that year.

 

[Hinotori]

Taste and texture is the same as my Ameraucana cockerels. Which isn't anything like commercial chicken or home raised broilers.


If you boil it long enough, it will lighten up some. I stick old roosters in the crockpot for stock a day or until the bones disintegrate

 

[lcertuche]

My black sex links have pretty dark meat compared to the commercial chickens but the flavor doesn't compare. My flock cockerel spurred my grandson in the face so he is now in the refrigerator cooling. I was so mad at my daughter because I told her never to let the little ones near him but she ignored me set him down by the bird, now the baby (14 months) has scratches across his face.

He was a good rooster too, watching over his girls vigently. Now I'm down to 4 red production and a blue cochin mix pullets.

Bummed but glad the baby is alright. That's what is most important.

I put antibiotic ointment on the welts and after 2 days they are barely noticeable.

 

[Mini Horses]

With too much time on my hands last night (couldn't sleep) I visited some sites from Google searches. Some of the prepper sites offer up similar to what we have listed on "our" site for stocking, needing, etc. The emphasis was made that some of these needs should not be "shoo-shooed" by the people who think preparation is only for disasters such as war but, in fact, some of our strongest weather disasters often leave us without most everything for several weeks or months! Often an escape plan is needed.

The thoughts of what is around us to use is quite valid. We should all consider these things & know what to forage. Plus, for the "city folks", some wouldn't recognize a garden or many fruit bearing trees if they were standing next to them (sadly). That part of our "stash" is reasonably safe from some humans, not storms, if we can stay in place.

SOLAR use is a real consideration for me because if the gas is not available, well that generator ain't worth much!! Even tho I do load up gas containers for seasonal issues, it will only run so long, even with miserly use...my well pump would be #1 use. Solar ones are expensive but, I am going to save for it, as a back up. Then there are solar lights, dehydrators, ovens, water heating devices, window box heaters, etc. -- many of which have instructions in various internet blogs, Utube & such. Yes, I have made printouts of instructions in past. I hope to make a couple things & try them out this summer. The outside grill (not gas ones) can be used with wood vice bagged charcoal....and a few cinder blocks, some metal grill and you have a way to cook/bake. I also have a good amount of old cast iron pots, skillets, dutch ovens, baking pans, etc.

Solar and my supply of hand tools. Many very old ones. Those are taking on new meaning. I have also decided to look into cost to purchase & use training for a crossbow.

Guess this was my night to review things. 25-30 mph winds out there now with fantastic 73 temps. Just hard to hang on to things!!! Slowing my work projects, big time.

 

[baymule]

Having had come through many hurricanes and being out of power for up to a month, I was always glad to see the lights come back on. But EMP's are a real possibility and I feel so woefully unprepared for lights out forever. I depend on my freezer for keeping meats, especially. While we have done so much here since moving 2 years ago, there is so much more to do.