We have spent the better part of a decade building our farm and learning the lost skills our ancestors would have considered par for the course.  We try to live a simpler, more old fashioned lifestyle, deliberately.  As we think this society is in collapse, we intentionally separate ourselves from the majority of what urbanites would consider “normal”.  We are about as self-sufficient as two old duffs can be in this day and age so the time has come to put it all to the test.  For mental health reasons, I dropped out of the world for a few months at the beginning of the year.  I pretty much tuned out from society, ignored the news and learned that the emotional well being of others is not my responsibility.  I have three people to worry about in this world and I am one of them. To further this endeavor, it is time to put the farm through its paces.  So the second “drop out” this year is going to last through the month of November; but this time it is more physical than cerebral.  This homestead behemoth needs to be put through its paces.

As I have said many times, I think the biggest threat we need to contend with is economic collapse.  As we speak, the Fed is pumping BILLIONS of dollars a day into the “REPO” system – the overnight lending system  (too much to go into).  We are now in a covert QE4.  If this system freezes up like it did in 2008, It will make that collapse look like a happy ride at Disney Land. If liquidity is not maintained, people will not get paid, food and fuel will not get shipped and those “too big to fail” institutions may actually fail – or make everything else fail (In short, Great Depression mark 2.0).  This country is carrying a debt load, individually, governmentally and corporate that is, in numbers, like the stars in the Milky Way.  We will crash from a much higher height than 2008.  Don’t get fooled.  This whole thing is held together with rubber-bands and paperclips.  We are all whistling past the graveyard.  While the news says the economy looks good, the underlying systems keeping it afloat are collapsing.  Even if I’m wrong (I’m not) with all the other collapse issues happening in the world: fires, impeachment issues, fraud, civil unrest around the world, flooding and grain shortages, corruption, political and racial division, US concentration camps on our southern border, income inequality of biblical proportion, an administration based on nothing but verifiable lies and deceit, Fukushima, swine fever in Asia and a partridge in a pear tree, as well as the military admitting that it could be completely overwhelmed because of climate change in 20 years, we have decided to simulate a SHTF scenario (When the excrement hits the high speed oscillator). We are going to shift our solar system to critical load mode only and then live for the month of November on nothing but what we already have here. We will be pulling out all the non-electric cooking gear, live only off the solar for electricity, use our oil lamps for light, assume there is no gas for vehicles, no trips to the grocery store, and – as importantly – no news (like if the com sats were knocked out). Of course, Zina can’t just take November off from work, so I guess I should be saying “I” will be doing this (although she is only going to eat food from the farm and not go out or shop).  She also carries a “get home bag” in her car.   Simulations aren’t pure or perfect.  We are getting as close as we can.  The number one impurity?  I know when it’s going to start.  Reality would dictate otherwise.  The unknown and the surprise are the issues that will cause people to freak.

We are extremely prepared and this likely won’t be a big deal, but it will expose any holes in the system. Some of the weaknesses I already know about, some might be a surprise.  It’s all about being able to say that not only do we know how to do it, but that we’ve actually done it.

As you know, we have lots of livestock and they get to play along too. We will need to ration feed and not just run to the feed store should we run out. It just snowed a foot here yesterday and it went down to -2 F last night. I’ve already been contending with frozen waterers and those infernal GFCI outlets that kick off when you need them the most (2 am).  As I can’t get to a few of my smaller propane tanks and a couple of them need to be filled, I’d best get at it tomorrow. We are starting November 1st and are going all the way through Thanksgiving (We raise turkeys and we may try to do the holiday bird without the electric oven –  or use the generator to power it.  The oven range isn’t on the solar panel load – too much draw for the batteries).

I am actually looking forward to doing this. It is as much of a detachment from the world as we can simulate. Virtually all of the food will have been grown and stored right here on the farm. Realistically, we could go 2 years on our existing stored food (if you include two growing seasons) so this is more of a real time assessment than a thought process. I’m looking forward to being a hermit for awhile. After all, if it all falls apart, it’s going to do it whether or not I know about it through the propaganda we call media.  We have a couple of appointments already scheduled for the month that we can’t escape, so it won’t be perfect but………

How long could you go if you couldn’t get to the grocery store?  Do you have water should the municipal system shut down?  If you are on a well, can you purify your water should it become contaminated? Could you survive 2 weeks?  A weekend? FEMA says you can’t.  What about power?  Heat?  Should you be working on it?  Do you have medical supplies beyond simple first aid and know how to use it?  No? Our nearest hospital is over an hour from here.   What about simple showering and clothes washing?  Hmmmmm.

Stay tuned.  I will blog the progress as we go.  Tomorrow:  Get the propane tanks filled.  Get the rocket stove and Silver Fire stove and the Sun Oven out.  Make sure the water filters are cleaned.  Shut down the news apps.  Center.  Live like it has already happened.