Suppose...
Suppose something were to happen and rural folks were "encouraged" to move into dense-pack housing in urban areas. Suppose your refused.
Suppose that the incentive for moving was that the supply chain, maybe, could keep you fed but if you refuse then you might have to shift for yourself.
While this seldom happens in isolation, for the purpose of this blog-post let's pretend it does. There are no jack-booted thugs storming across the sandy-plains of Michigan or Georgia or Eastern Germany. Just you and your family trying to figure out where your meal will come from.
January
Foraging: 40 deer per square mile is considered a heavy population. That works out to one every 16 acres. Or, at 100 people per square mile (fairly typical for southern Michigan rural areas) one deer for every 2.5 people. Let's assume you manage to snare a deer and call it 15 pounds of lean-meat per person.
Garden: You still have some carrots you mulched that you can dig up. You have some turnip greens.
Remainder: Food from storage.
February
Foraging: You set out snares and catch two rabbits a week. You have to race the coyotes, foxes and possum to get your catch. That is 4 pounds of very lean meat per week. You are starting to crave fat.
You go ice fishing. You split the galls on goldenrod to collect some grubs to sweeten up the hook of the teardrop jig. You get four bluegills and you save the guts for bait.
Garden: Running out of carrots. Now scavenging garlic greens for flavor.
Remainder: Food from storage.
March
Foraging: In addition to the snares for rabbits, you are putting out snares for starlings and other birds. You are STRONGLY considering catching mice...to feed the dog, of course.
You discover that squirrels are fat and they become your newest favorite-animal.
The snow is mostly melted. You could collect maple sap by you have to boil 30 gallons of sap to get one gallon of syrup.
You watch the picked farm fields like a hawk hoping to harvest some early geese.
Garden: Tapped out.
Remainder: Food from storage.
April
Foraging: Suckers are running sporadically near the end of the month but you don't live on a stream. You make a gill net anyway. You have a friend with a flooded drainage ditch that connects to the Spicer Creek.
You walk the south side of ridges looking for early dandelions and other greens. Yellow Rocket is eagerly sought and your urine turns fluorescent yellow.
Garden: Still tapped out. Maybe you can get a few stalks of rhubarb near the end of the month.
Planting peas, potatoes and field corn.
Remainder: Food from storage.
May:
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| Common carp begin spawning in the shallows when the water temperature stays above 65 degrees for several days in a row. |
Foraging: Migratory birds, primarily ducks. Carp are spawning in the shallows. Bluegills are on their beds late in the month.
Young rabbits and woodchucks show up in the later half of the month.
Morel mushrooms early in the month. Oyster mushrooms later in the month.
Greens and maybe some Jerusalem Artichokes.
Garden: Tapped out. Burning lots of calories planting the garden and getting almost none out of it.
Cabbage and broccoli transplants are planted in early May. Tomatoes and peppers are planted at the end of May.
Remainder: Food from storage.
June:
Foraging: Lots of young rabbits. Robbing eggs from bird nests. The bluegills that are spawning near shore are rapidly fished-out.
Greens, mostly nettles and poke because they produce so much. You learn to dislike greens. It seems stupid to boil them multiple times to make the edible.
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| This time-table is highly dependent on the weather, especially early in the growing season. This early-June corn plant is stressed by cold and too much rain. |
Garden: Strawberries through the middle of the month. Raspberries and cherries toward the end.
Lettuce, peas, onions are harvested.
Beans are planted the first week of June and vining crops are planted the second week of June.
Large volumes of food but not lots of calories. You have been losing two-pounds a week for several months and are running out of pounds to lose.
Remainder: Food from storage
July:
Foraging: Lots of young rabbits. You sit in the garden and shoot starlings with your pellet gun because you are counting on every bit of food.
Greens shift to Lamb's Quarters, amaranth and purslane (which are weeds in your garden)
Garden:
Lettuce, peas and onions in the first two weeks.
Everything changes in the third and fourth weeks. Earliest sweet corn and potatoes are ready for harvesting. Wheat is ripe. Green beans and cucumbers start coming in. It is like a switch flipped on July 20.
Remainder: Food from storage for the first two weeks. Replenishment starts the third week as the first wheat comes off of the farm fields.
Discussion
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In all likelihood, the majority of the calories that you put into your mouth are coming out of storage until at least July 20 unless....
Domestic animals
Suppose your neighbor has a cow or even several cows. They can even be "beef breeds".
Suppose you work out a deal. Maybe you trade a bang-stick and ammo and your labor to buy-into a 1/3 share of a cow-in-milk. If the cow drops her calf in April and the calf is not fed his mother's milk, then a 1/3 share might be seven gallons of milk a week*. At 4% fat and 3.5% protein and 3% lactose that works out to 17000 Calories a week and all of it from old grass that is not edible for humans AND it is showing up during the most calorie-starved time of the year.
If there are just you and your wife, then 17,000 Calories are about half of the calories you need per week. If there are four of you, then 17,000 Calories is about one-quarter of the calories you need.
Of course you can get milk from sheep and goats and camels and horses and yaks if that is what you have.
*I used 1/3 of the average, commercial Holstein milk cow's production level in these calculations.
A good reminder why I've kept more than a year's supply in the larder. Grandmom (who told me a lot of Great Depression stories) used to drill into my head that spring was the Starving Season as like you mentioned your burning lots of calories with the HOPE you'll get more back.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should bump that up to two plus as canned goods are still reasonably cheap. Powdered milk plus evaporated milk makes a pretty decent milk.
how many calories is required to keep the hordes of hungry,non peaceful, non law abiding people from killing and butchering that milk cow for several meals. of course, she may have given offspring. but its an average of 34 months til she's large enough to breed, carry offspring and give birth. milk production also drops off after 90 from freshening.
ReplyDeleteso many things to consider here, since we are war gaming.
crap. edit;
Delete* 24 months til 1st freshening
90 DAYS from freshening
I had two great uncles have cows stolen during the 1930s and my grandmother had food stolen out of her kitchen by tramps and neighbor kids and heard many other stories like that. And people are much less moral now than they were then so it will be worse and probably violent.---ken
ReplyDeleteDuring the 70' stagflation my Uncles Sheep Ranch had more than a few sheep stolen, actually butchered right there leaving the offal behind when they were away from the Ranch.
DeleteWe actually had to make sure that there was evidence that someone was there 24 hours a day to keep the sneak thieves away.
Other issues were the "We can't feed fluffy" syndrome so city folks would drop off unwanted dogs and cats into the country. Feral ex-domesticated dogs became a REAL PROBLEM.
One evening I found out that a Sears tube fed 22 rifle wasn't quite the weapon needed when a dog pack showed up. My Aunt first with her 38 and my Uncle with a 30-30 kept me from a hospital trip (or worse).
Stagflation The 1970s stagflation crisis in the United States was a tumultuous period characterized by high inflation, stagnant economic growth, and elevated unemployment. The Federal Reserve, under Chair Paul Volcker, implemented high interest rates to curb inflation, which led to a deep recession. The stagflation crisis was a significant event that reshaped economic policy and theory for decades to come.
History that stuff we ignore because "this time its different" (sad trombone).
You're going to have to protect your livestock from both 2 and 4 legged predators 24 hours a day.
Those who have not planted gardens will be surprised at how often bugs, chipmunks, birds, caterpillars, and fungus will kill off or deplete your vegetables. Throw in weeds and drought, and you may not get enough food.
ReplyDeleteSouthern NH
Like that old rhyme goes:
DeleteFour seeds in a row:
One for the mouse,
One for the crow,
One to rot,
And one to grow.
Other versions mention blackbirds, rooks, cutworms, withering, etc.
Voles are my greatest bane. Nothing like seeing fine looking bean plants this evening and next morning they are withered as the voles ate their roots.
Same here. Beans and peas we have to plant in cone shaped cages my husband made from hardware cloth. One plant per cage. It’s tedious, but it stops the vole damage.
DeleteSNH
From my experience, gardening has one heck of a learning curve!
DeleteSame here. Beans and peas we have to plant in cone shaped cages my husband made from hardware cloth. One plant per cage. It’s tedious, but it stops the vole damage.
DeleteSNH
Details PLEASE!! Cone facing up or down? As interesting it is to clear the peas and beans from my fencing support that is something to think about.
He cut squares of hardware cloth, maybe 10”, placed them over a pipe or form about 2 or 2 1/2” across. Press down on the hardware cloth so it starts to shape over the pipe or form. Use a larger diameter pipe or PVC to push down until you get a sort of vase shape.
DeleteDig a hole in the garden, drop in the ‘vase’, fill halfway or so with dirt, and plant your seed or seedling plant in the vase. The edges of the hardware cloth will stick up above the dirt, makes weeding a chore, but it does save the plants. We pull them up when the garden is done, and store in trash barrels out of the weather.
He may have come up with a tool or ram to assist in pushing the hardware cloth over the form, instead of manual pushing. We’ve had them for 25 years or so, and I don’t recall how he did it.
SNH
Thank you so its cone point down like a vase. Must try this spring.
DeleteThere is a relief cut into 2 sides, so the square will fold on itself. cut from a side, about 3” in towards the center. Make another cut on the opposite side.
DeleteWe use a bulb planter tool to make the hole to drop each vase into the garden bed.
SNH
I wish I could see an example of the planting cone you're describing. I'm more confused about the anti-vole vase.
DeleteDo you have a link to an example please?
Michael the anonymous this am.
I’ll try post a pic when I get home this afternoon.
DeleteSNH
Then there's the ones who have never had a garden and think it's easy.
ReplyDeleteAbout 20 years ago my buddy Tom, who was a retired member, and I were having a beer in the Fraternal Order of Police in Punta Gorda, Fl. and talking about prepping. Three deputies came in and sat around the corner of the bar from us and did the "hi, hi, who are you" greeting and went on talking to themselves and Tom and I continued our talk. A while later on of the cops interrupted us and said, "As long as I have a badge and a gun my family won't go hungry." The others agreed. A few years ago some friends and I were in the local VFW talking about the outsiders that are moving into our area that concern us. One of our group, a cop, said "If I have to help defend your stuff you will have to share it with me." So don't assume who is going to be on your side.--ken
ReplyDeleteI am reading a book about the 900 day siege of Leningrad during WWII.A real eyeopener about starvation
ReplyDeleteMade much worse because the mayor evacuated the food to impress Stalin. "Oh, sure you can have umpteen thousand tons of food. I am such a great manager. I got plenty" They were managing "the numbers" rather than recognizing reality and dealing with it.
DeleteThere used to be a Springtime food in Scotland: "Hungry Gap kale".
ReplyDeleteThat was some pretty good war-gaming. Thanks for beginning this conversation - discussion.
ReplyDeleteTo me, it appears having a large pond or small river nearby will be able to provide some extra food or attractant options for foragers. Storing some extra livestock salt and or mineral blocks would be good options. Several families could band with the local ranchers to help protect the livestock from raiders.
There is a blog named PREP SCHOOL DAILY whose author has some great ideas on long term recipes - food storage and other topics. Recommended.
A 30’ gill or trommel net suitable for suckers, carp catfish etc might be a lifesaver.
DeleteI wonder how the indians did so well. Granted, they didn't have hunting "seasons", probably had more big game, and had fewer people per acre, and, yes, probably went hungry in the spring, but still. Thanks for the food for thought.
ReplyDeleteA late spring or an early winter meant some starvation was going to happen.
DeleteHistorians have shown whole tribes that failed due to bad winters, and the survivors had to be adopted by more successful tribes, generally as slaves.
DeleteThere was a reason the total population of American Indians was so low. Not birth control.
I would suggest that under those circumstances, it would be wise to consider that retaining only lean meat from deer is not ideal. Organ, tripe, head and even hide are sources of protein and fat. Even bones can supply fat from marrow. When timed are that tight your fastidious tastes have to go by the wayside. It might be wise th add an appropriate book on famine survival to your shelf.
ReplyDeleteThe phrase “eat it from tongue to bung” comes to mind.
DeleteIs that wasting disease a concern when eating everything?
DeleteIt's not talked about much in prepper forums, but guinea pigs are an excellent way to raise protein. They have just an 8 to 10 week gestation (depending on litter size) and only need alfalfa hay for their diet. A single square bale will feed many, many pigs. And, yes, they're "pigs". So they don't taste like chicken.
ReplyDeleteThey can be raised in a very stealth manner. I know a guy from Wisconsin who's family raised thousands of them for pet stores. He said it's not difficult but they do need regular, fresh bedding to keep the odor down.
So.....when the collapse happens, while the grocery stores are being looted, rush to the pet store and remember to get both male and female.😎
Raising rabbits is almost the same benefit. I've eaten Cuy (guinea pig) in Peru. Tasty enough once you get past the idea. Both can be raised on roughage that humans cannot eat. Tree Brouse as well as weeds.
DeleteOddly in Peru they had a program to encourage folks not to eat the biggest Cuy but to eat the culls and thus bred up a much more meaty Cuy breed.
Here in the Copper Basin Alaska my garden weeds would be fireweed greens and chick weed primarily. We are at a low point in the rabbit cycle so it would be the squirrels I declared “strategic meat reserve” when they were putting chickens in landfills at the beginning of Covid. A friend butchered a pesky spring black bear and was only able to render half a pint of fat! We don’t have deer, moose are scarce enough. An older native told me about grandfather stories of running the ninety miles to the Alaska range when they heard the caribou were accessible. They also moved the whole family to the kill site of a moose to get the most out of it, drying meat, cracking bones eating most of the guts. When the salmon run you would move to fish camp and dry and or smoke salmon.. Being old and infirm I would hope to send the grand kids to fish camp. I’d probably start heating the green house in April and start some chard and transplant a few early cabbage and broccoli in pots even if the walkways would be crowded after the tomatoes and peppers were transplanted. I’d get beets, carrots, turnips and such planted in the hoop houses (I have 2, 12’ by 24 feet) later cole crops as soon as the soil was warm enough for germination and the onions transplanted when hard freeze temps were unlikely. Probably put potatoes in high density raised beds which could be protected. Additional root crops in main garden when the soil was dry enough to work. If I was desperate I’d plant the peas up protected hoping they would attract a moose to poach! I lost all my peas two years in a row to maurading moose. Meanwhile we’d eat rice and beans sparingly hoping for a chance to restock, can as much wild meat and fish as extended family could bring home.
ReplyDeleteI know a family from northern Minnesota that survived an entire Winter after the depression years on only potatoes. They refused to eat potatoes in any form after that. They're in their early 90's now and very healthy.
DeleteGreetings all
DeleteThere’s a person who goes by the name of “Spud Fit”, who has proven just how healthy the simple potato is by going on a potato-only diet for several months. He lost lots of weight that needed to be lost, and all his blood / lab work showed this was actually super healthy for him.
Even though the lowly potato can be nutritious, I’m sure that when one is forced to eat only potatoes, such as during a famine, appetite fatigue becomes a real danger due to the monotony of the diet. Of course this results in rapid weight loss. Not good during those circumstances. This makes me think that during times of plenty it may indeed be wise to try and maintain an extra 10-20 lbs of excess body weight😉😁. Just in case!