Surviving the Back Hills of Humboldt

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKMW5jPs61g&feature=player_embedded]

The bomb drops, civilization crumbles, and you have to survive off the food you find around you. Do you know what berries you can eat? The video above noted several plants that I had never even seen around here.  I think they might be native to northern or more coastal areas of our county.

Denizens of Humboldt are frequently  survivalists at heart.  Many of my neighbors stockpile months of food.  I once wrote a story about this for the NC Journal but while plenty of people were willing to talk about what their tactics.  Only one was willing to give his name.  The rest were worried that if a disaster happened they didn’t want people to know who had the food.

I try to keep at least a few weeks of food on hand.  But lately I’ve been slacking. This post is a way to beat myself back into good behavior.  Any tips from you guys?

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Liz
Guest
Liz
13 years ago

At this time of year when the food pantries are asking for donations, I rotate my earthquake stock. A trip to Costco and a big Mt. People order, and last year’s stock (still not expired) goes to the collection.

Maybe you can motivate yourself by making it a project to set and set aside some for the food pantries while getting your stock in order.

Liz
Guest
Liz
13 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Oops, that was ‘shop an set aside’.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Liz, great idea!

Liz
Guest
Liz
13 years ago

At this time of year when the food pantries are asking for donations, I rotate my earthquake stock. A trip to Costco and a big Mt. People order, and last year’s stock (still not expired) goes to the collection.

Maybe you can motivate yourself by making it a project to set and set aside some for the food pantries while getting your stock in order.

Liz
Guest
Liz
13 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Oops, that was ‘shop an set aside’.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Liz, great idea!

Lodgepole
Guest
Lodgepole
13 years ago

Somewhere I read that the most important rule for stockpilers is that the neighbors cannot know.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Lodgepole

That’s certainly the opinion of many of the survivalists I know.

Lodgepole
Guest
Lodgepole
13 years ago

Somewhere I read that the most important rule for stockpilers is that the neighbors cannot know.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Lodgepole

That’s certainly the opinion of many of the survivalists I know.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
13 years ago

Kym… Interesting that this topic comes up. I am far more the grasshopper than the ant. I’ve been here 40 years and never had to worry too much about food. However, I missed the big event for shortages and problems which happened in the 1964 flood.
That flood was made much worse by a large snow pack which melted in the following “pineapple express”. This year, the higher elevations have had a snowfall which seems to me to be the heaviest I can remember and more on the way.
Weather folks tell us that this is a la nina year following an el nino year, something that does not happen too often. The las time this happened was in 1973 and 1974. My recollection of 1974 was a cold winter with a serious high water event in January and again in March.
Soooo…. It seems to me that the possibility of a serious flood is higher this year and though it may not happen at all, It would be a good year to have some food reserves.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Ben Schill

Good point, Ben! I remember during the 64 flood my parents fed the neighborhood with my mother’s 6 months supply of food.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
13 years ago

Kym… Interesting that this topic comes up. I am far more the grasshopper than the ant. I’ve been here 40 years and never had to worry too much about food. However, I missed the big event for shortages and problems which happened in the 1964 flood.
That flood was made much worse by a large snow pack which melted in the following “pineapple express”. This year, the higher elevations have had a snowfall which seems to me to be the heaviest I can remember and more on the way.
Weather folks tell us that this is a la nina year following an el nino year, something that does not happen too often. The las time this happened was in 1973 and 1974. My recollection of 1974 was a cold winter with a serious high water event in January and again in March.
Soooo…. It seems to me that the possibility of a serious flood is higher this year and though it may not happen at all, It would be a good year to have some food reserves.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Ben Schill

Good point, Ben! I remember during the 64 flood my parents fed the neighborhood with my mother’s 6 months supply of food.

bobbi
Guest
bobbi
13 years ago

I do what Liz does, or at least my version of that. I was going through the pantry just yesterday!
I was also filling bags for others. As long as our house is standing we would be ok for quite awhile, maybe not eating like we usually do, but we wouldn’t starve. And I would like to think our neighbor hood would tribe up and help each other.. but one never knows do they?

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  bobbi

I know that in 64 the neighbors worked together. Since then snowstorms etc. have made me believe our neighbors would be there taking care of each other.

bobbi
Guest
bobbi
13 years ago

I do what Liz does, or at least my version of that. I was going through the pantry just yesterday!
I was also filling bags for others. As long as our house is standing we would be ok for quite awhile, maybe not eating like we usually do, but we wouldn’t starve. And I would like to think our neighbor hood would tribe up and help each other.. but one never knows do they?

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  bobbi

I know that in 64 the neighbors worked together. Since then snowstorms etc. have made me believe our neighbors would be there taking care of each other.

Kato
Guest
Kato
13 years ago

I’m lucky to have neighbors who not only stockpile what they grow, but share it all year– and their tips on DIY. Collaborating with neighbors seems like a better model for survival rather than the “rugged -but ever nervous– individual” path. Drying is easier and less space-consuming than canning. Integrating wild foods into your regular diet makes the concept less foreign when need arises. I know more people every year who are trying acorns… and liking them (wink!)!

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Kato

Ahem…I’m sure acorns are..um…delicious.

Kato
Guest
Kato
13 years ago

I’m lucky to have neighbors who not only stockpile what they grow, but share it all year– and their tips on DIY. Collaborating with neighbors seems like a better model for survival rather than the “rugged -but ever nervous– individual” path. Drying is easier and less space-consuming than canning. Integrating wild foods into your regular diet makes the concept less foreign when need arises. I know more people every year who are trying acorns… and liking them (wink!)!

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Kato

Ahem…I’m sure acorns are..um…delicious.

longwind
Guest
longwind
13 years ago

Emergencies are the only times I see some of my neighbors. In my experience they give us all (I mean all) a chance to be more human.

longwind
Guest
longwind
13 years ago

Emergencies are the only times I see some of my neighbors. In my experience they give us all (I mean all) a chance to be more human.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
13 years ago

I see I’ve got a quart of canned acorn soup and some smoked salmon from Hoopa in the cupboard. I feel better now.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
13 years ago

I see I’ve got a quart of canned acorn soup and some smoked salmon from Hoopa in the cupboard. I feel better now.

K at the bookstore
Guest
K at the bookstore
13 years ago

I think the natural human response is to take care of one another. I remember Ben showing me an interview with,,is it Lucy Stone? who had survived the advent of the white settlers and seen many things happen to her family and neighbors. It was during the Depression and she was talking about how the whites talked all the time about hard times. She said she and her people never had hard times, not really. Sure, there were times there was no food and they ate the moss off the trees–but they shared. Everyone ate.
Of course I have badly recounted this story (Ben can give you the real one!) but that sense of mutuality really impressed me.

K at the bookstore
Guest
K at the bookstore
13 years ago

I think the natural human response is to take care of one another. I remember Ben showing me an interview with,,is it Lucy Stone? who had survived the advent of the white settlers and seen many things happen to her family and neighbors. It was during the Depression and she was talking about how the whites talked all the time about hard times. She said she and her people never had hard times, not really. Sure, there were times there was no food and they ate the moss off the trees–but they shared. Everyone ate.
Of course I have badly recounted this story (Ben can give you the real one!) but that sense of mutuality really impressed me.

Grandma Barb
Guest
Grandma Barb
13 years ago

I’m definitely of the we’ll-all-pull-together frame of mind, and I see ample evidence that that’s the most common reaction to disaster. Grinding poverty and systematic destruction of community and culture sometimes distorts that, as described in The Mountain People, by Colin Turnbull (although other researchers say his account of the Ik tribe in Uganda is flawed).
I do my best to have lots of greens in the garden and greenhouse year round, and I start the winter with lots of other garden produce preserved in various ways. Much of it is in the freezer, though, so if we have an extended “event,” we’ll definitely be sharing and trading!

Grandma Barb
Guest
Grandma Barb
13 years ago

I’m definitely of the we’ll-all-pull-together frame of mind, and I see ample evidence that that’s the most common reaction to disaster. Grinding poverty and systematic destruction of community and culture sometimes distorts that, as described in The Mountain People, by Colin Turnbull (although other researchers say his account of the Ik tribe in Uganda is flawed).
I do my best to have lots of greens in the garden and greenhouse year round, and I start the winter with lots of other garden produce preserved in various ways. Much of it is in the freezer, though, so if we have an extended “event,” we’ll definitely be sharing and trading!

Staff
Member
13 years ago

When people laugh at me for storing so much food (in other times..now I’m woefully understocked now), I point out that I want enough for the neighbors, too. Who could be happy if the people around you are starving?

Staff
Member
13 years ago

When people laugh at me for storing so much food (in other times..now I’m woefully understocked now), I point out that I want enough for the neighbors, too. Who could be happy if the people around you are starving?

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
13 years ago

My old friend Irv Mallo told me that in 64 he had a friend south of Phillipsville at the Meadowwood who had broken his leg. Irv and one of his boys packed food but the Avenue was under water and they had to cross swollen Anderson Creek. It was too high to wade and they found a tree which had fallen across the creek. A little work and they used the tree to cross and get to their friend and his family. Another old timer, Chauncey Burnside, was chosen as hunter as he was a good one. He brought back plenty of venison (hill salmon) and some may have been doe meat. Everyone cooperated and made it through OK but the Beasleys lost their second house to flood. It had also been destroyed in 1955.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Ben Schill

I’ve heard of people riding over trackless hills on motorcycles to get to Garberville and bring back food for all the neighbors. People did look out for each other when the worst happened.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
13 years ago

My old friend Irv Mallo told me that in 64 he had a friend south of Phillipsville at the Meadowwood who had broken his leg. Irv and one of his boys packed food but the Avenue was under water and they had to cross swollen Anderson Creek. It was too high to wade and they found a tree which had fallen across the creek. A little work and they used the tree to cross and get to their friend and his family. Another old timer, Chauncey Burnside, was chosen as hunter as he was a good one. He brought back plenty of venison (hill salmon) and some may have been doe meat. Everyone cooperated and made it through OK but the Beasleys lost their second house to flood. It had also been destroyed in 1955.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Ben Schill

I’ve heard of people riding over trackless hills on motorcycles to get to Garberville and bring back food for all the neighbors. People did look out for each other when the worst happened.