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I was a bit surprised when I saw that there were no posts or topics here. My venture into Herbology and Botanical Medicine was related to What If…we had no power, cell service, Internet, deliveries to pharmacies and grocery stores? The Railroad Union has been discussing a strike for months, there were and are many cargo ships off the coast of California just waiting to be unloaded and they can’t travel back to pick up other cargo until they are unloaded. Grocery and other stores still have empty or sparse shelves. If the grid goes down, what would we do? Russia threatens almost daily and China is always in the background. Truth is, if Russia or China fired a nuclear weapon just in the atmosphere of the United States, it is very likely that most of the country would lose power. That to me seems more likely than nuking our country straight out and damaging our agriculture and infrastructure. Anyway, just some thoughts to maybe spark some posts going on this topic. It’s not all doom and gloom, we can learn and be prepared.
Laura L. Adkins, ERS
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You’re right, Laura. A big theme of this course is about being prepared for global disaster. I personally feel that homesteaders tend to take their ability to grow their own food and medicine for granted. There are millions, if not billions, of urban city dwellers who do not have that luxury. Even urban homeowners with garden space cannot be assured of the quality of their produce, due to urban pollution and the proximity to city streets. I currently live in an urban high rise apartment building. I can’t grow anything. I recently put out a query on my neighborhood app and got replies from some neighbors willing to share, which was nice, and I forage where I can, but still – that urban “ick factor” is still at the back of my mind. (I would never make medicines for other people with plants I obtain in this city).
Now, with the current housing crisis and rising cost of living, more people are joining the van life movement every day, living in cars, vans, suvs, campers, rvs, and school buses! With that many campers converging on our open spaces and public lands, even foraging wild medicinal plants will be risky, since it is likely to have been “fertilized” by human waste (and that of their pets).
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So true, Michelle. I live in the Appalachians and some of us were brought up learning how to prepare for winter and/or other hard times but sadly, the last couple of generations have not been given that opportunity. Reminds me of the verse, “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Kind of gives a different perspective on it. Our Appalachian ancestors were considered to be poor and uneducated but when it comes right down to it, they knew more than we about survival and natural medicine.
Laura L. Adkins, ERS
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So true, Michelle. I live in the Appalachians and some of us were brought up learning how to prepare for winter and/or other hard times but sadly, the last couple of generations have not been given that opportunity. Reminds me of the verse, “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Kind of gives a different perspective on it. Our Appalachian ancestors were considered to be poor and uneducated but when it comes right down to it, they knew more than we about survival and natural medicine.
I recently came across a YouTube channel called DONNIE LAWS which gave me a huge appreciation for the Appalachian area and history. You’re right, a couple generations ago that was just how they did life. I do think it’s vital that we try to learn those lessons from them now though, even though every modern convenience is available to us.
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Hello everyone! New guy here! Was reading about those living in urban areas not being able to guarantee the quality of their food should they wish to grow their own, due to the pollution of most urban areas. There is always the possibility of building a small hydroponic system that can be kept inside your home. I recently built one that can easily fit on my counter top for which I grow my most used herbs for cooking. They can be scaled to your space and you know exactly what goes into it….just a thought
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So I 3D printed mine and still figuring out a few things on it, material wise, but the system itself runs great. You can make them out of PVC as well, with a 5gal bucket as your reservoir. All you need if you don’t have a 3D printer is some 4” pvc, a 5gal bucket or smaller reservoir and a small submersible pump (like you find for fish tanks).
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This is a good discussion. My husband and I often talk about this, Laura. We’ve been trying to make our little homestead hilltop more self-sufficient. We only have a couple of acres, so we can’t grow feed for animals. We do have a big garden, and plan on enlarging it next year. Plus we harvest deer for meat. We’re thinking about raising quail next year too for meat and eggs. One of our friends raises them, so we can probably get a few birds from him to get started. I sure wish we had space for a goat or two.
We wonder about the power grid too. We have a generator, but it’s not big enough to run the well pump. And of course, a generator only works as long as gasoline is available. So in the long run, we’re looking at an off-grid scenario. We live on a lake, but we’re 70 feet above the water, so getting water up the hill is a problem we haven’t been able to solve yet. We’re thinking of trying to drill a well closer to the house so that we could get water with a hand pump. Of course, we live in the UP of Michigan, where winter comes early and stays late, so we need to figure out how to get water in the winter too.
We’re also considering a greenhouse. Our garden did really great this year, but the summer is short here, so pepper and tomatoes can be iffy. I usually pick tomatoes as they ripen and put them in the freezer until I have enough to can up. I bought some #10 cans of tomatoes too, to make spagetti sauce, since I used up what we grew making salsa. Cold frames and/or a greenhouse would be a great way to extend the season.
We try to encourage our families and friends to start stocking up, but so far our words have fallen on deaf ears. I don’t know whether people just don’t want to think about it, or they think everything will go back to the way it was pre-covid.
But this is why I signed up to take this course. I think people are going to need herbalists and others who know the old ways of doing things. I agree that we shouldn’t walk in fear, but it’s important to be prepared for whatever comes.
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Hey Darlene – I was thinking about your greenhouse situation for “UP” there. Have you ever heard of “underground greenhouses”? They are not completely so – but they are AMAZING! Countries that have horribly hard winters can grow in them year round. We can’t really do this where we live, but boy did I want to! Hope this spurs some great winter dreams and plans for you and maybe others 🙂
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Oh yes, Sharon! I think they’re called “walpinis.” I have some plans for one. We’re definitely thinking about putting one in at some point, hopefully sooner than later. We have a southwest-facing hill where we’ve terraced in our garden. Just below that is the perfect spot for a walpini, if we don’t run into any huge boulders, which are quite common here. My husband is quite creative and clever and can think his way through just about anything, so it wouldn’t stop us, just slow us down! But yes, we are definitely considering something like this.
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So cool Darlene – nice that you’re already on that walpini plan! We also have TONS and tons of large rocks – just digging a fencepost hole is insane. By the time you have to go around all the large rocks, you have a 3-4′ wide hole for a fencepost – insane! Take care and stay warm and safe!
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I hear you Sharon! We also have very rocky soil up where I live, it made planting trees for our orchard very interesting indeed, not to mention milder forms of gardening. Plus, if we dig too deep, we run the risk of starting an unintentioned well. Just some of those spices of life, I guess. Good luck with your digging!
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Hi Darlene – we were going to install a walipini on the mountain ranch we used to have; then I lost my DH, and my enthusiasm for that undertaking. But the neat feature we were going to incorporate was, if you build it up against a south facing wall of your home, that has a couple windows, and use your house wall as its northern wall, and bring the glass roof up against the side of your house, and open those windows in the winter it will actually help heat your home!
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did you build your green house? I have been moving towards more independent living and just curious what all you have done tp prepare
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Darlene, I’m seeing this post late – 3/14/23. About your off grid power needs: There is this guy… (I love those beginnings! ) On the University of Your Tube (LOL) “Mr. Tesalonian”. He works through using plants (dead, dry wood) and extracting bio fuel from the smoke in the burning process. He actually powered his small truck and a generator with the bi-product of the burned wood. (And it wasn’t very much wood either) I presently live on only 1/3 acre in a rural community. I will be setting up grow beds and plants for pollinating this year.
Have you tried hanging gardening? In small spaces people have managed to grow crop plants in their homes away from the chemically fertile air of the metropolis regions. Just an idea. But do check out Mr. Tesalonian!
Be well and Good Living!
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Thank you for that information, Carl. As a volunteer firefighter and EMT for 20 years (Physical therapist is my paid job 🙂 I’ve discovered many things, but this trumps them all… When you sit down to try to prepare for disaster, famine, shortages, “what’s coming,” you discover you can never fully prepare for them all due to the thousands of scenarios that are possible. I’ve turned to trust and prayer and in moving as close to the earth as possible in terms of sustainability. In the big picture, I believe we were given what we would need to eat and stay healthy/get healthy – and this can be done simply. One day, based on decisions the powers that (shouldn’t) be make, we will have extreme difficult buying and selling which will include getting any modern day medical care. Thus, my journey here…
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Marcia,
I love your Avatar! Great choice!
Laura L. Adkins, ERS
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your spot on when trying to prep for everything is impossible . I try to improve my current situation with training and lots of education . i know to many people who only want to run and gun. there is so much more to life and preparing . i was raised on a farm and learned to store what we ate , make what we needed with what we had . We just have to handle what comes our way .
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I agree, part of the reason I’m really keen on learning more about herbal medicine is so we can look after ourselves as much as possible outside of the system. But also teaching others to do the same, and bringing back the knowledge! Am slowly creating as much edible garden as possible on our 1/3 acre section, it is amazing what you can cram in actually..
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Marcia,
I love your avatar…great choice!
Laura L. Adkins, ERS
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It is a great topic Laura. I think it is on many peoples minds but they just don’t know where to begin. I live in Canada and our family has been hosting small classes on gardening, canning, home remedies, and survival etc. This past fall we brought in a couple to host a camp out where we had to make our own shelter to sleep in and we really only had an axe, a saw, and an emergency foil blanket. It was a such a good experience to understand how much we rely on all our “stuff” and how much work it takes to build a shelter from scratch. I am really excited to learn more through this course. I am already planning a bigger garden to grow more herbs!
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Thanks for starting this discussion. It gets more important all the time.
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I like, you have been thinking about this alot. This is why I started down this course years ago. I finally got internet at my house. That being said, it has been a long road. My hubby and I decided 12 years ago to build a house like they do in Taos NM. they are called Earthships (rammed earth), anyway, He was a nurse until he retired. In amongst these 12 years he was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer, they took lots of his insides out during surgery, trouble is, there was strictures in his ureter due to the tumor resting on it for an extended time period. So now we are dealing with UTI’s all of the time. 2 years ago, he got lifeflighted to a larger town and had a Nephrostomy tube put in, while in the air, he decided it was time to retire. but still the UTI’s continue. I think he is growing weary of always being in the ER and using pharmaceuticals as he finally turned to me and said, when I get past this medicine, maybe we should try herbs, only now I am nervous, I am gettting older also, and forget some things, trying to be prepared, but?
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Karen,
I feel for your situation. My husband and I are getting older and our bodies just won’t do what they used to do. I have big plans in my head but it’s getting more and more difficult to cultivate those plans…still working full-time. I wish my children were more “in-tune” to what is going on and would get on the band wagon. I pray the best for you and your husband. 🙂
Laura L. Adkins, ERS
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I am very happy that this discussion is continuing. We can learn lots from one another and it sure is nice to have a community of like-minded folks! Have a wonderful weekend!
Laura L. Adkins, ERS
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I’m a little late to the party, just starting up here – but have been very impressed where we are about the need for building alternative or parallel economies. Network with your neighbors, friends, get to know neighboring farmers/ranchers, learn friends who have a range of skills, so that you can barter for most things you need. We’ve even started a little newsletter for our little group, and people can put in what they might need, skills or goods, and what they can offer, and contact the person and work out a trade. TPTB have worked overtime to isolate us from one another, to instill fear in us, and total dependence upon them – we need to just say “no thanks”, and build connections locally. I like the meme I saw recently – Grandma survived the Great Depression because her supply chains were local, and she knew how to do stuff!
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I am happy to find this post. Over the past 15 or so years, I have read over a 100 books about post-apocalypse survival. I feel now is the time to learn and become competent in using herbal remedies. I recall only one book referring to the use of herbs for wound and pain care, but it is important if the lights go out and all production and supply chain distribution comes to an end. Hopefully I am getting started soon enough. Today is day 1.
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I grew up during the cold war and was quite obsessed about prepping back then… Life happened and i spent 19 years in a huge Asian city. Recent events and losing my job in 2022 pretty much pushed me into an off grid lifestyle. I was allowed to go back to work after several months but enjoyed my isolation. After all those bumps i decided to do this course. My eyes have been opened to the beneficial weeds i was battling and banishing to my compost heap or the green waste depot (mallow, cleavers, plantain). I’m travelling at the moment, making the most of being in between “pandemics” but when i get home plan to plant lots of edible weeds and use them as part of my daily meals so that when that apocalypse happens looters will only find weeds in my garden.
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I would like to say a few things on this subject. If things go bad in the world and life the way we know it changes. There will be a big need for folks that can help other people with there health and with what you will learn on this site. You will be about to trade for other things need for you and your family. there are some new classes coming shorty that will give you even more training to help in other areas of health. My name is Dr. Jed Adamson I am working with Dr. Jones to put together some of the new classes he will be adding
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This is what happens when you are tying to work and post at the same time. Please for give the mistakes on my last post
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What is to become of the world as we have known it is the reason I started on this journey too. I have come a long way in a couple of years but wow so much more to learn. I share what I can and have a few people that are on the same page. We have prepared the best we can for what could happen. I will be glad at least in the neighborhood we will have a skill that we can use to barter or just help out others with. I have planted a lot of herbs that I can grow here. The ones that I can’t like Brigham Tea I have made a lot of tincture out of. It is a thought. I know Doc says to use what you have locally and that makes good sense.
Our biggest issue now is raising the feed for the cows, chickens and turkeys. Thinking if things go bad save any gas for the chainsaws and any diesel for the tractor to plow gardens. That is the thought anyway. I know as my husband and I get older it does become harder to do more and more but we will continue as best we can.
I do love this school and thank you to all who help provide all the good learning. I know of course Doc Jones and Evan but I am sure there are many involved that we don’t really know about. Thank you all.
Kaye Reid
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What you posed is what has driven me go become self reliant in the case of an “Emergency”. What has been the best tool for you so far in getting started and what has been most helpful that you learned that you wish you knew from the beginning of your Herbal Med. Journey?
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Regina
I first bought THE Herb BOOK in 1970. Obviously I wish I would have devoted myself to learning herbalism then but today is the first day of the rest of my life and this brilliant opportunity wasn’t available then. I want to embrace the joy of being here with all the students who are seeing what an impact we can make because of our likeminded goals.
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Thank you for posting about this. I feel good knowledge on herbs and their uses and benefits will help us all in these trying times and those yet to come. I can relate to many of these posts on this thread. I have many herbs growing in my yard and am excited to learn how to prepare them for use instead of just letting them die back.
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