what's next?

[Daisy]

I had wondered if it was wise to get some cash out. I use my debit card so frequently now. Card seems more hygienic, but cash seems more practical in uncertain times. I want to order a few things online so gotta leave some in there!

Starting to wonder if I can barter some of my animals or goods for wood or eggs down the line.

 

[Mini Horses]

I am not extremely concerned about what will happen, for myself. It could certainly become a deep recession easily, should this "shutdown" continue another month plus. One of my jobs is way down with work, other is stable. I can cover my basic needs/bills with other income than working but, it would be a no extras life -- like don't die truck, LOL. My needs are met though. Food sure isn't an issue. I'm ok with knowing I can survive this for several months if needed. Being out, in stores working, I can see some of the issues that are happening. The "shopper created" issues are bad. Fortunately those don't get to me as I'm well stocked. I can calmly say "sorry, not in stock" to shoppers without concern.

Should my other job slow, I'm ok with more time at home. I can generate some income from the farm if needed. Even producing animal feed is "income producing" if only to cut your own expense. We need to re-consider these aspects as we hunker down. A good time to review some of the frugal tips we've previously posted -- and use them!

 

[CrealCritter]

the math behind how fast isn't too difficult.

microbes can replicate pretty fast once they find a host or a place to grow that will support their life cycle.

one very interesting angle is to wonder we're not already dead? people just don't realize how many microbes of all sorts of different kinds are around them and within them, yet we somehow mostly manage to get along. but think about it, life only does well when there is other life, so microbes that were too destructive would self-select out for all their future generations and crash the system. you want a home, not a wasteland, so over billions of years the microbes have been figuring out how to balance things, we're just bigger lumps floating in their soup.

Every beer I brew holds true to exactly what you said. I toss some microbes (yeast) in to the right environment and there is an explosion of reproductive growth. The microbes will continue feeding, multipling and producing ethenol, until there is nothing left to devour. Then they become dormant until the next time when they are placed into the right conditions again, then they do it all over again. The whole cycle is extremely fascinating to me. Some of the yeasts I use is hundreds of years old if not older.

 

[Daisy]

Perhaps this is slightly off topic, but maybe of interest.

i'm pretty sure that this particular microbe is not a recent mutation, it probably has been hanging out in bats for a long time it just had not made the jump to humans until recently. had it done so before? dunno. will be interesting to see what the science of this one will be. i'm sure they'll be working on it...

This is what happened with HENDRA virus. It lives in flying foxes/bats. It has not been known to jump from bats to humans, but it can be passed from bats to horses and then can be passed from horses to humans. It has been detected in asymptomatic dogs who had contact with infected horses. It is rare, but deadly with 4 our of 7 infected people dead. They developed an equine vaccine in 2012 but it is not known how effective it truly is as the transmission was so rare to begin with and ALL cases were strictly controlled, with any affected animals euthanized. It was just too dangerous for humans try to treat the horses. It was not given the chance to mutate to human to human, thankfully!

 

[CrealCritter]

when the virus scare blows over and the stock market is still tanked and everything is closed down what do we have to look forward to?

I'm betting on a deep recession. probably close to depression, or at least worse than 08.
everyone has been spending like there's no tomorrow and hasnt put back a cent. I'm guilty as well.....but what I've been spending money on is self sufficiency.


all those folks I been telling for years that hard times are coming stopped laughing. and I'm honestly ok with it. when **** is at its worst im at my best. when there's nothing, I make something happen. always have.....and now I'm better educated than ever. I'm actually kind of pumped





how bout you guys?

We got some put back, always do, It's part of the budget.

Personally, I'm going to look for some good property to buy, that I can finally call home. Over the weekend we missed out on 23 wooded acres with a pretty 2 story farmhouse built in 1948 for $105k. My wife called and it already had an offer on it

The market is flooded with property right now. I love land and my wife loves old houses. I'm pretty confident deals are to be had here soon... I think I would just rent out the house we live in now on 18 acres. Then when the market picks back up sell it. We are looking for "the" place it has to be way up in the woods with a old house on it.

 

[CrealCritter]

I think it will recover as soon as people don't feel afraid.

If Trump wins re-election, which I'm predicting he will. I think there will be an explosion of jobs in the manufacturing of medical devices and medicines here in the USA after this Chinese COVID-19 stuff blows over. I believe he'll make it a high priority to bring a lot of it back home, if he hasn't already.

 

[flowerbug]

I just figured out what I did... I mentioned that bad 5 letter word (TRUMP). I think it's time for me to go make trouble somewhere else.

Bye folks, it's been fun while it lasted.

i'm sorry to see anyone leave, but i'm also sorry when i read partisan comments which are very mean spirited and not at all really on topic to the broader forum. as a result a few times i have had to walk away for a while myself from SS because of what i may have said in return.

i really like the general concept of being self-sustainable, i really like a lot of the topics here and i enjoy those, but once in a while the comments are just not very kind or considerate and i wish i'd have never read them.

there are plenty of other forums for politics and current events. i don't come to SS to read about those. it seems though that is primarily what you write about and care about. i have a very strained relationship with my own father because that is the sort of thing which he spends a lot of time watching on t.v. i can't stand any of it, the racism, hatred, bigotry and ignorance is just too much for me. if you don't understand that most of the people here are not here for current events and politics nor debates about the constitution of a single country perhaps you'd get it. this is a world-wide forum and the local partisan stuff is just not realy on topic as far as i'm concerned.

i certainly enjoy topics like home-brewing, wood working, gardening and taking care of what is going on around the place - but if i have to wade through sniping about politics and current events (especially when fueled by really partisan mass media) then you lose me as your audience.

 

[Daisy]

all those folks I been telling for years that hard times are coming stopped laughing. and I'm honestly ok with it. when **** is at its worst im at my best.

Me too! Maybe I am naive but its more exciting than scary for me right now. I have managed to live on very little my entire adult life, I am not worried like others with more to lose are.

Cos I am down under, it'll be a different situation for me.

I could be receiving a "stimulus package" which is a $750 cash payment intended to be spent quickly to keep the economy afloat. I am just trying to figure out whats best to spend it on... which is pretty fun. I would REALLY like to get my aquaponics set up but I do not trust the ability of my brain to make good decision on that. There are a fair few other things that I need and the aquaponics is less of a need more of a want, BUT if I get it set up and working then grow more greens at home, I will be saving money on shopping travel in the long run and be better prepared for the next panic. In saying that, I also need some wood for winter and a deep freezer, so it is a hard choice as to what is the priority.

I am not particularly politically minded, more the type to trust in God. I am just here for the ride

 

[frustratedearthmother]

People have to help themselves, this might be a good lesson.

That might be the best "what's next" lesson there is! This is a giant wake-up call for the world! I think there will be lots of folks who won't be caught with the pants down again, lol.

 

[flowerbug]

bean counting might become a cool thing again after all...


this is from my new setup yesterday. more work to go yet, but getting there.