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Post by gipsy on Dec 28, 2023 15:04:27 GMT -6
They are cannibals and will eat their own if they get injured. Learned that on Dr Pol
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Post by ydderf on Dec 28, 2023 16:56:39 GMT -6
Thanks
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Post by feralferret on Dec 28, 2023 22:03:58 GMT -6
Thanks for the new chapter.
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Post by cashless1 on Dec 29, 2023 15:55:54 GMT -6
CHAPTER 15
I did not plan to kill him. Hell, I didn’t even plan to shoot him, I just did. End of story. I did have a few dreams about it, they were not nightmares, just dreams. It was never mentioned again. Kay was quiet for a couple of days, but started to come to life and was soon perky, we had never seen her this happy, and she tries to work harder than anybody else. She helps in the house and garden, and she wants me to teach her to milk the cow. Pete and his wife came over today and said they were going to move in with her parents, to help them out, they thanked us all and said they would not have made it this far, if it had not for us. If there is anything in their house we could use, it is ours to use.
The vet is leaving town. But he brought us a white-faced Herford bull. And artificially inseminated the other cow. He does not know if she will take but you never know. I paid for the bull, he gave me a good deal, so everybody is satisfied. Before he left, I ask him about feeder pigs, he gave me a name and address. I talked to George, and he agreed to see if we can find the man. He was only about 10 miles away, he agreed to trade me a bred sow, now and an unrelated boar next year, for a steer, on the hoof now. We went and loaded the steer in the trailer and delivered it to him, and I got my sow. The commercial power went out today.
The gardens are producing, we are setup the best for canning, so everyone brings their things here to can in our garage. Fred and I put a sink and counters around the stove, so they have plenty of workspace. We used a garden hose to get them water and there is a floor drain. When the generator is running, we fill several 5-gallon buckets with water for them. They are satisfied. When the caning is done for the year, everything will be divided up, so it is equal. Fred and Gabby went to check their garden and it had been picked clean, then destroyed. George has been checking the fields he planted, and our crops are looking good. I am going to do the second cutting of hay tomorrow. We put up the first cutting on Memorial Day, and the third will be around Labor Day. And if we are lucky, we will get a fourth cutting later.
The town is about shut down nothing open, and a lot of destruction, from looters and vandals. I do not know what to do with the steers, there is no one to sell them to, and I do not want to feed them all winter. We butchered 2 steers and split them between us. We are running the generator for an hour twice a day to pump enough water for the house and barn. We have enough solar for the frig. and freezer so that is covered.
There is very little dependable news on T V. one day the authorities are getting things under control, and the next day things are going to hell. We do hear gun fire occasionally but not often. We are too far out in the country, and there are no gas stations open. And very few people have gas stored, So, we do not get bothered. Randy and Dee have moved in with Don and Les, and George lives between us, George eats with us a couple times a week and Don and Les part of the time. He does not like to cook; and it is no fun to eat alone. He takes care of the farming and helps wherever needed. And he is handy to have around.
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Post by gipsy on Dec 29, 2023 17:23:24 GMT -6
Thanks for the update. Happy New Year.
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Post by eyeseetwo on Dec 30, 2023 18:41:59 GMT -6
Thank you for your fine story and the updates.
In regards to canning on a glass top electric stove you can do so.
The key considerations is knowing what the weight limit is for the stove top. The user book or a call or email to the manufacturer can give you those details.
One needs to factor in the weight of the canner, the weight of the filled jars and the weight of the water in either a hot water bath canner, pressure canner or steam canner.
One should never slide a filled or infilled canner across a glass cook top.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation web site has excellent resources on this specific topic and other questions on safe food preservation.
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Post by feralferret on Dec 30, 2023 18:46:52 GMT -6
Just one more reason I prefer gas stoves. Unfortunately where we are moving (our daughters's house) it is an electric stove since it is an all electric house. One of the first things on my list after getting settled in is to install some solar panels for emergency lighting and communications.
Looking forward to more story.
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Post by cashless1 on Dec 30, 2023 19:59:36 GMT -6
All I know is I cracked a glass top caning venison several yrs ago and it was not cheap for repairs
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Post by feralferret on Dec 31, 2023 0:18:53 GMT -6
All I know is I cracked a glass top caning venison several yrs ago and it was not cheap for repairs No doubt! Even regular glass is expensive now, much less heat resistant glass.
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Post by cashless1 on Jan 1, 2024 15:45:16 GMT -6
CHAPTER 16
A cop rode up to the house today, on horseback. He said he and a couple of other deputies are going around checking on people, to see if they need any help, or if they are doing ok. There is no fuel for their patrol cars, so they volunteered to go on horseback. Jan offered him coffee and he seemed surprised that we had any to spare. He got his coffee and started to tell us about what was going on. I ask him to wait for the rest of the group to get here. So, he only had to say it once. As soon as everybody got settled, he started to describe what was going on, then he started to ask questions about how we were doing and how much livestock we had, and how well stocked up we were? George said we were getting by, but did not know how long we could keep going, and wanted to know if there was any help available, and had he heard anything from FEMA? We thought they would be helping by now. Then George offered to get some hay and water for his horse, and ask me to help him, as soon as we got outside, he said something is not right. Do not tell him anything. Tell the others mum is the word. The deputy did say the trucking industry is almost completely shut down, and the shootings are still happening, but now it is even personal vehicles getting shot at, no one is safe on the roads. He wanted to know about any neighbors, or other survivalist groups like ours in the area. I told him we are not survivalists; we are a few neighbors that are cooperating with each other, we are not even preppers, just friends. He ask why we all caried guns? I told him the guns are for wild dogs that are showing up lately. Then he ask about the coded radio transmissions. No body had said anything about the radios. I think he knows he screwed up. But what do we do about him, and his friends? I think he figured out we have given him all the information he is going to get, he said Well it looks like you are doing better than most, so I will continue with my travels. He left and George said we are being watched. You cannot see the house from the road. So, one of us has been followed here. Now he knows we have fuel because he saw the hay has been cut, and he knows how many of us are here, and we have food and animals. I ask what should we do now? George ask, did he give you his name or the name of any other supposed deputy’s? I said no he did not.
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Post by gipsy on Jan 1, 2024 15:48:23 GMT -6
And the plot thickens. Thanks
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Post by feralferret on Jan 1, 2024 18:02:25 GMT -6
Sounds like it may be SSS time in the near future.
Thanks for the new chapter.
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Post by cashless1 on Jan 2, 2024 16:32:09 GMT -6
CHAPTER 17
We have been on alert for the last three weeks; I thought I saw someone in the woods last week but could not find any thing when I checked. George said he had the feeling, he was being watched, but had not seen anything. We were beginning to think it was our imagination getting the best of us.
I called George on the radio, all I said was, we need help with a big project in the house. That meant everybody, and they all came over. I told everybody I am tired of walking on eggs, let us see if we can bait them into attacking us here. Don immediately ask how? I said let us make them think we are sick and weak, we go on like normal for a couple of days, we put some supplies in the barn, a little at a time no big loads just a handful at a time, put things in the milk bucket and I will take it up when I go to milk, in case they are watching , then on Wednesday the only outside activity will be everybody just dragging around at home like you are sick, we will do the same here ,Maybe bending over and acting like you are throwing up, or staggering around. Then stay inside out of site as much as possible the rest of the day. The man that said he was a cop mentioned the radios. So, I think they are listening to us. Thursday call us on the CB radio and say you are all sick and don’t have any meds in the house, because Jan is the only nurse and keeps it all here, and you are almost out of food, you were going to come to get the food yesterday, but you were all too sick. Then come over here, still acting sick Maybe help one of you into house. This house is almost a fortress. We will be safe here, and I might have a couple of other Suprises for them, if I am right and they do attack us. If they are watching, and don’t attack right away we wait, if there is no movement outside, they may think we are all dead, Thursday morning before daylight I will sneak up to the barn and stay there out of sight, that way I can milk the cow, if we have to wait a couple of days, and I can be on the lookout for trouble. If they do attack, Maybe, we can get them in a crossfire. After you get here do not use the radios, unless you see them coming, then just one click on the FRS radio, to alert me. If I see anything I will do the same. I decided to take Trouble with me to the barn. I will lock him in a stall. It would not be good to be seen letting him in and out of the house to take care of his business, if we are playing dead.
Thursday at 4:30 a m I put a leash on trouble, grabbed my thermos and small cooler along with my rifle and a shot gun, and silently went to the barn. It was totally dark in the barn, as I knew it would be. I already had everything I would need just inside the door, so all I had to do was sit down and wait for daylight, so I could see what I was doing. I did doze a little, until I heard Dons radio call, and he really did sound sick, and it sounded like Les was gaging in the background. When Jan answered she did not sound any better. It took about 30 min. for them to arrive. It was a long, boring day, until I saw Jan come out of the house carrying the milk bucket, she stumbled a couple of times and came in the barn. I ask what she was doing? She had made supper for me, she said it would look strange if somebody did not try to milk the cow. We talked and she said George had set up a guard schedule, I did milk the cow, only about half bucket. Jan kissed me and said she would see me after this is all over. And told me to be careful. She staggered back toward the house, then stumbled, and spilled the bucket of milk, she did not even pick up the bucket, she just hung her head and went to the house. It was a long night, I managed to stay awake, but it was hard. I should have had somebody with me. I cannot stay awake forever. It was just turning day light when Jan and George came out half carrying and half dragging a body wrapped in a blanket, and they dropped it once, then just drug it into the barn. Dee got up and said, you did not tell me, you were going to drop me. George laughed and said Jan lost her grip on the blanket. We need to get back. We do not want to be up here very long; Dee will explain it to you.
Dee started out by saying George knew you would have to get some sleep, so they carried me up here like I was dead, so you can get some rest. I ask why you? She said I was the smallest one, so I got elected. George thought if anybody was watching they would think I died, and they needed to get me out of the house. Show me where the best place to watch from is and go take a nap. I showed her the best vantage point and the bathroom bucket in the corner, and got some hay bales to make a bed, and went to sleep. It was not the best bed, but it worked. We talked some and took naps, it is boring but at least one of us is always on watch. We are running short on food I had only planned on feeding me.
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Post by feralferret on Jan 2, 2024 17:45:49 GMT -6
Cashless1, looks like things are about to liven up. Thank you.
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Post by gipsy on Jan 2, 2024 19:05:01 GMT -6
Fine update thanks
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Post by logger on Jan 3, 2024 6:28:58 GMT -6
Cashless1 great story thank you.
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Post by ydderf on Jan 3, 2024 15:27:30 GMT -6
Thank you
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Post by cashless1 on Jan 3, 2024 16:59:30 GMT -6
CHAPTER 18
On the third morning the radio broke squelch one time. I climbed into the loft for a better view and saw 2 men crossing the yard. Both were armed and trying to sneak up to the back door. Dee was in the doorway below me, when I heard several shots from the front of the house. I shot the man closest to the door and was sighting in on his partner when Dee shot him before I could. Jan said on the radio, they had 2 down in the front, and they were ok. I keyed mine and said we had 2 by the back door. Jan radioed us, and George wants to wait, give them time to blead out and see if we got them all, we waited for 30 min., and they were all dead.
George posted lookouts while we gathered the bodies, and cleaned up the mess left behind, we striped the body’s and buried them after taking pictures of their faces, and tattoos. We looked for their camp but could not find one, so we gave up. George told us to clean their weapons, and if we wanted them to go ahead and take them. We had very little damage, one broken window and a few pock marks in the exterior wall. The attackers only got off a few shots.
We did keep a couple of AR 15 rifles, Fred already had one, so now we are better armed. I cut a piece of plexiglass to cover the broken window, it is not pretty but it works. Jan is more pissed about the glass all over the room than the broken window. We are still cautious; we are not positive we got them all. We got a little behind on the garden but did not lose much the women have been canning like crazy and are catching up.
The sow looks line she is going to explode, we do not know when she was bred so all we can do is wait and watch. A sow only carries a litter for around 115 days, but I don’t even remember the date we got her. Just to be safe we moved her into a farrowing pen, it allows the baby pigs to get out of her way when she lays down. One of us check on her several times a day, at night she is on her own. It was 2 weeks later I went to milk the cow and there were 9 baby pigs, she did it by herself.
We have not seen or heard from anybody for 3 months, there are no television stations on the air. Everybody must be hunkered down or moved away, it is scarry. Don and Randy are going to do a little driving around, to see what they can find out. George is going to stay at their house while they are gone. The plan was to check on people that would know them, they did not want to get shot at by a scared stranger. They would go to town on the way back They hope to be back in 3 or 4 days at the most, they have supplies for a week, and are armed. They have a CB radio but will not use it except in an emergency. Early on the third day, they called on the radio and said they were fine and wanted to have a meeting at our house in 30 min. George and their wives were here in 10 min. It was a short meeting, they had seen very few people near us, and a lot of empty houses, and if they did see someone outside, they ran as soon as they saw them. Don said they left notes when they could with a message to call us on the CB channel 9. There are people in town, but the roads are barricaded, and the people were not friendly at all. They had been shot at several times. He didn’t know if people wanted the truck or were just scared. They did find a hand full of people that would talk to them. Most of them are struggling, but not starving. A couple of them are going to look for radios and call if they can. All we can do is keep listening for them.
We decided that if one of them called and wanted to meet with us, it would be at a neutral location of our choosing. Don and Randy were both tired and said they would talk to us tomorrow, they were going to go home, get a shower and crash. George returned to his own house, to get a goodnight’s sleep in his own bed.
We kept the CB on but did not hear anyone.
It is starting to warm up, there are garden plants in all the windows and the glassed-in porch. George is getting ready to plant our crops. George is only planting our crops this year, there is no need to do the custom planting he normally did, there is no one to buy the crops, so he has a lot of free time on his hands, and he cannot get any more seed corn, anyway. But he does have enough heirloom seed for our corn field.
George, Randy, Don, and I have agreed this year we will fill my grain bins first, and Don will store the rest. We are going to move half of the cattle and hogs to Dons place. We do not want to have all our eggs in one basket, in case we get raided, or a sickness develops, we do not have access to a vet, or medicines. Don has agreed to take another 6 hens for his flock.
Anything we have left over from last year’s canning is divided between our house and Dons. We will keep the milk cows at our house. We are more comfortable having things separated, just in case. It makes more work doing chores at two places, but that is way it has to be done. I mix and grind the feed here and take it to Dons about once a month, when I do ours. Don has increased the size of his garden and is trying to establish an orchard at their place. We want duplicates of everything possible, even though, we know it will take years to produce fruit.
George knows people that had berries and is going around collecting plants from the abandoned homes. Anything we think of, we try to collect if there is no known owner. George does not take all the plants he just thins them out. George brought us a couple of kittens he caught in have a heart live traps, The are wild, Trouble found that out the first day, but his nose will heal. They will gentle down eventually. We do not want pets, we want mousers. George also got starts from a grape arbor and has them planted here.
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Post by gipsy on Jan 3, 2024 19:22:14 GMT -6
Fine update. Thanks
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Post by feralferret on Jan 3, 2024 23:03:18 GMT -6
Thanks, cashless1!
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Post by ydderf on Jan 4, 2024 22:47:47 GMT -6
thank you
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Post by cashless1 on Jan 6, 2024 10:44:57 GMT -6
CHAPTER 19
We got a radio call from someone that found one of Dons notes and they want to meet with us. I ask approximately where are you located? They were vague, but I know about what direction they are. We picked a location about halfway between us. It is an old gas station in the middle of nowhere. No more than 4 people from either group, or there will be no meeting. Each group will make a list of what they need. We will meet 1 week from today at 12 noon, out in the open, away from the station.
George and I will be in one vehicle, Don, and Randy in the other. We have all made lists of what we would like to get. Kay has gone over them and removed duplicates and made the final lists in order of most importance to us.
The morning of the meeting we arrived an hour early, and they were already there waiting for us. We approached carefully. All 8 of us were armed, weapons slung, everything looked ok. We were still cautious Don and Randy stayed back to keep an eye out for trouble and 2 of their men did the same, it is not safe to let your guard down. Introductions were made, first names only, the leader was William, and his helper was Bo, they were just as leery of us as we were of them. No one said what they had, just what they were looking for. Each item wanted, had a number, if we talked on the radio the item number would be used not the name. We would never try to go to their place, and they would never try to come to ours. Group sizes were not mentioned. I told them we were the only 4 from our group they would ever meet; the others would be staying at home to protect things. After we all agreed, things relaxed a little and the 4 watchers came in to join the rest of us. We talked about conditions, crops, and any news. They were as elusive as we were. We left by the same route we came in on. We were going away from the farm as a precaution. I was driving and George said they want everything, and then some. All they want is 10 head of cattle 2milk cows 6 hogs 50 laying hens, any garden seeds, fresh produce as it grows. And that is just the first 6 lines. They must have a very large group, or are just feeling us out, for some reason. There is no one with that much to trade, and I wonder what they have, to trade in return. The list does not say up to 10 head of cattle, it almost sounds like a demand. I do not even know if we should deal with them at all.
Once back at the farm we started discussing the meeting for those waiting at home. I brought up the amounts of what they wanted, there is no way we could supply that much. Others had noticed the way their list was written, just to read it, you would think they were ordering off the internet. George ask if we had noticed their weapons, I said not really, we were all armed. He pointed out they are a militia or very well-organized survivalist group. Their rifles and side arms were all the same. Like you had to buy, group standard weapons, no odd ball makes models or calibers, that would make ammo, parts and repairs easier, like the military, even their belts, holsters and sheath knives looked like they came off the same assembly line. This scares us all, if they are that well organized, they probably have military training. There is no way we could stand up to a group like that. 4 untrained robbers are one thing a trained group of 10 could wipe us out.
We talked about it as a group, and every time there was 2 or more of us together the subject came up, they have called on the CB several times, but we have not answered them yet. It was finally agreed that we would meet again, not to trade but to talk face to face, about their wants and ours. And to get a better feel about their intentions and attitudes.
The next time they called I had Fred answer the radio. They wanted to know who he was, and where George or I were, Fred said i was out on patrol and George and a couple others were checking on crops. Fred told them It was his turn to monitor the radio. But we did want to meet to discuss trades. He did not sound happy but said to have me call them when I got back. I guess he did not want to talk to a peon. I had been sitting right there with Fred when the call came, and I coached him on his answers. I wanted us to sound like a larger and stronger group.
I let him wait until after supper. When he answered he wanted to know what took me so long? I told him I had been busy, there is a lot to take care of, with a group this size. The group is growing and getting too big for Just two people to keep organized. I am sure you know what I mean. I have others getting up to date on running things, maybe that will free George and I up a little. I think we can break away next Monday if that would work for you. Same place and same time. He said he would check with his people and see if that was agreeable with them. He said he would call back tomorrow and let me know. That was 3 weeks ago, and they have not called, or answered our calls. I hope they think we have an army, and they stay away from our area.
We have made some local trades. Jan arranged a trade for a 1 gal, jar of honey, and 2 LBS of bees’ wax. For a dozen baby chicks, when they hatch. As soon as she talked to them, I fired up the incubator, with 24 eggs. They can have all the birds that hatch.18 of the eggs hatched. Jan made arrangements for a meet. The beekeeper was happy with the extra birds, the jar of honey, was fresh and not grainy.
I told him if he knew any other small groups that might want to trade, to have them call us on the CB, and give them our meeting place in person. I told him we do not want to deal with large groups. We had a bad experience doing that. But We have made a few small trades.
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Post by gipsy on Jan 6, 2024 12:34:28 GMT -6
Better safe then sorry. Fine update.
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Post by CountryGuy on Jan 6, 2024 13:41:16 GMT -6
Hmmm so was said big group up to nefarious things or might they themselves have been attacked?
Honey would be a great barter item and chicks for sure...
Another great installment
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Post by feralferret on Jan 6, 2024 22:05:50 GMT -6
Cashless1, thank you.
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