Severe trouble ahead, community suggestions to get through

Jerky and biltong last a long time without refrigeration.

Martin Ent Inc wrote: Not many people would hunt or can hunt, alot will not go where the animals are, so as far as reducing a large #,,, very doubtful.

Maybe not many people know how to hunt well. But not go where the animals are? There was a nice big buck on my deck eating petunias this morning!

I can make jerky and know how to dry foods. Also sprouting. Anyone interested in learning to sprout?

Also yogurt and yogurt cheese.

Maybe a class that includes how to bake bread, make yogurt and grow sprouts all in one workshop? Because there is a bunch of time in between mixing the bread and baking the bread.

AspenValley wrote:

Rockdoc Franz wrote:

AspenValley wrote: I don't know how time consuming it would be to set up a series of workshops if there were sufficient people out there with skills to share. If you had just a dozen people willing to teach a class and offered the same one twice a year, no one person would be putting in more than 3-4 hours a couple times a year and you could offer two workshops a month. You'd need someone to coordinate as well, but again, no reason it has to be some time consuming, involved thing.

I know most of us are busy with careers and family, and no one person would probably have the kind of time to devote to doing this single-handedly but that would defeat the purpose of it being a community effort anyway.

There are several things I would be happy to teach (setting up an economical emergency food storage, bread baking, maybe some others) but my big problem would be a place to do it. My house is small and my kitchen barely accomodates myself and the cat, I couldn't possibly fit in any students! So maybe besides "teachers" we would also need to locate people willing to share large kitchens, etc. for the workshops.

We can get the house into the 80's easily enough by using the fireplace and wood stove, but the air is very dry and needs moisture. It requires a solution.

No problem there, RD. I have been baking bread in a house heated with wood for years. I simply cover the dough with plastic wrap to keep it humid and moist and let it rise in an oven that I have turned on for a minute or two and then off. Works even when the house is very chilly. (See, told ya I knew a trick or two about baking bread!)

I too have used the oven to let the dough rise. Have not use plastic wrap so that I'll use next time when I make Krafen (a fried raised yeast doughnut) Thanks for the tip.

AspenValley wrote:

Martin Ent Inc wrote: Not many people would hunt or can hunt, alot will not go where the animals are, so as far as reducing a large #,,, very doubtful.

Maybe not many people know how to hunt well. But not go where the animals are? There was a nice big buck on my deck eating petunias this morning!

The local critters will be gone but as far as finding where they go,, people won't do it. I know cause every year we hunt we run into alot of goofballs asking where are the animals.

Martin Ent Inc wrote: Not many people would hunt or can hunt, alot will not go where the animals are, so as far as reducing a large #,,, very doubtful.

Ever been part of a hunting drive?

It can clear out game in a hurry!
And I think a lot of ethics go out the window when the kids are starving, including jacklighting, etc. Personally I don't think wildlife would last long at all.

I do agree there are many less people skilled on making a quick kill and knowing how to dress it out properly. But plenty of people who would take a chance with a bad shot from a pistol or a .22 to take down/wound an animal.

Expect more cattle rustling too.

SS109 wrote:

Martin Ent Inc wrote: Not many people would hunt or can hunt, alot will not go where the animals are, so as far as reducing a large #,,, very doubtful.

Ever been part of a hunting drive?

It can clear out game in a hurry!
And I think a lot of ethics go out the window when the kids are starving, including jacklighting, etc. Personally I don't think wildlife would last long at all.

I do agree there are many less people skilled on making a quick kill and knowing how to dress it out properly. But plenty of people who would take a chance with a bad shot from a pistol or a .22 to take down/wound an animal.

Expect more cattle rustling too.

I have a lot of different skills, but hunting is NOT one of them. I'll barter with you experts.

Can't make much of a Drive in most places I have seen large herds of elk, hell 2 legged critters can't even get in there.

AspenValley wrote: I can make jerky and know how to dry foods. Also sprouting. Anyone interested in learning to sprout?

Also yogurt and yogurt cheese.

Maybe a class that includes how to bake bread, make yogurt and grow sprouts all in one workshop? Because there is a bunch of time in between mixing the bread and baking the bread.

Pardon the ignorance, but what is sprouting?

edited to add ignorance

Many hunters don't leave roads or trails and have poor results. If you can go even a few miles into the back country, game is there. Once hunted hard enough, a hunting party on horseback is more likely. But think of the number of squirrels and rabbits close to home.