The object of my posts is not to show off what I am doing, but to try to help others who may have just started on this Way of Life. We all make mistakes, and we should all learn through these mistakes, by not making them again. But it is also right to say that we are all learning, and in doing so we can learn from someone else's experience, and thus learn quicker this way. If we know where the problems lie we can do things in a way that stops the problems from happening. These posts, I hope, will help in this process.
In early spring I decided to put my full effort into preparations for this coming winter, in the knowledge that the Global Powers were increasing energy prices way beyond the common people's means. This we know is a deliberate attempt to drive people into further reliance upon the State, to further destroy small businesses and the local pubs, and to prepare the way for the coming creation of a Universal Basic Income. It is clearly thus a move that will not be temporary but just part of further moves to make everyone worse off in order to achieve what Klaus Schwab stated - 'You will own nothing, and you will be happy'. Rather than sit back and wait for a time when as an individual I would suffer the consequences of their actions, I decided to take things into my own hands and do something to prepare for what is coming - a 'Winter of Discontent'.
I will not go into everything that I have done, since I have put these ideas into a forthcoming book that we shall publish on this subject, but merely comment on certain points of relevance. Here in the South of England we have had around two full months of hot, sunny weather, with the rest of the summer being very good as well, so this has not been a typical year. As such it could not be taken as a 'norm' in regard to the moves that have been made. It has been exceptionally sunny for England, and thus the use of Solar-Power has been very efficient in replacing the State Electricity to some degree. In this instance Solar-Power can be very useful and very efficient in the use of charging portable gadgets, and in lighting to a smaller extent.
But, this suddenly comes to an end as the weather changes and we start to get the wet weather that balances up the extensive heat-wave, so the whole picture changes. Although the Solar Panels do charge when the Sun is not out, this is nowhere near what comes in with the bright sunshine, so this changes things. I have a plan for a wind-turbine, but I have grave doubts as to the efficiency of this in a built-up area, and even though it is raining outside now there is no wind at all. We do get some higher winds but the garden is sheltered a lot by high trees at the back and fences around the sides. Add to this that some busy-body neighbour will grass when it is put up, and I doubt that this can be used here - but I can move it elsewhere for use, so it is not wasted. But this drastically lessens the alternative power that I have here.
A second problem is that I have set up a small shelter outside where I have been doing my water-boiling for cups of tea, coffee, washing, washing up, etc. But it is rather useless when it comes to heavy rain, since going out there regularly would only makes things harder. Cutting down on the use of hot-water through the gas-boiler cuts out the airing-cupboard which can be used to dry clothes, so getting wet is not an option here. I am looking at ways to get around this, since the use of tarps can create a dry way to the shelter, but this I had not considered when building it. Its use was fine during the better months, but as the winter draws in things get harder.
However, the object of this was not just to switch from the Grid-System but to use far less electricity and gas so as to have a bit in the 'kitty' ready for when these bills go rocketing up again. At the same time I was trying to prepare for the event of power-cuts, which have been promised during this autumn-winter; they would know, they control the Grid-System! Whether we get them or not does not matter, since at any time there is a risk, and with the push for EVs the National Grid will certainly come under strain.
When I had my old L200 Truck I had a problem with the starting at one time, and the battery running down, so I decided to splash out on a 'Noco Boost Starter' which is very powerful and did the job. But after the starting problem was sorted out, and then I was forced to swap to a Land Rover Freelander I have had no use for this. If these type of rechargeable gadgets are not charged-discarded-charged the batteries will fail in the end, so I put it to use in a much better way. This was capable of powering a small 12-volt light system, so I bought a bank of LED lights and mounted them on a wooden board, powered by the 12-volt Boost Starter. This works really well and lasts for a long time before the booster needs charging. This has been done by a 100-Watt Solar Panel, which has worked so far.
These LED Lights are cheap and cheerful, and I have extended this to small rechargeable ones that can be placed in different areas, and which work by motion-censor. These go on only when it is dark or dull light, and work well in some areas of the house not used that regularly - I have used them in the storeroom and stairs. Cannot tell how this will pan out as I've just started this, but so far they are sufficient, and can be turned off completely as the light darkens, as it has today. These are mounted on magnetic strips stuck by double-sided sticky strips (that's the technical term). Beware though, some makes are better than others with this, though all 'Made in China' and some of the sticky strips are almost useless - I replaced mine on one set. Being magnetic these can be taken off and charged by solar-power where possible.
Now, as I have said, the problem will lie in that as the weather gets duller and darker the solar panels will not be efficient enough to work as well as in the lighter months. However, even if these gadgets have to be recharged from the mains they will be just as useful in the event of a power-cut, and ready and tried out so that less problems will be faced. In any case, charging such things is not really expensive on electricity. Of course, the EU is now making 'quotas' - only allowing so much energy to be used in peak times. No doubt this will be used by those outside the EU too, so this is another plus when having an alternative supply of energy. These type of things can be charged through the mains in off-peak times and used in the peak times. This is really just another 'two-fingers' to The System.
There is another means of charging rechargeable 12-volt gadgets, and that is when using the car, SUV or truck. Through the cigarette-lighter these can be recharged, as can mobile phones etc. This means on a longer journey, but in some cases such things will charge better than directly through the mains. The Noco Boost Starter I mentioned earlier does not always charge fully on the mains, but does so through a 12-volt source. Some of the other stuff that I have used seems to charge quicker when not directly through the mains - so this is a bonus.
The problem of water-supplies came up during the hot, dry sunny months, but this has now come to an end. However, best not to forget this and put it to one side, since we may have the same problem next year or in years to come. If you are lucky to have enough land to make rainwater-storage possible (and if the 'law' allows it) then this would go some way to solving this problem. Some kind of water-purification would help things here, and the Lifesaver Gerry Can I bought has done this job for me so far - in a small way, of course. Drinking-water is the first priority, of course, but we also need water for the garden when growing ourselves. The latter needs a great deal more water too.
In the regard to watering growing crops the one thing that our forefathers did was to ensure that the greatest amount of water was directed onto the growing areas in the times of the year when it rained more. The idea of using 'State-Water' was never thought of, and they made their own water-reservoirs from which water-channels directed the water onto the growing areas during the rainy season. This is still done by individuals living in some areas that only have around two months of rain a year. However, most of us do not have the land, nor the money to undertake such vast earth-moving schemes if we did. But there are no doubt ways that we can doing this on a miniature level by scaling-down this type of method to suit a small garden.
The one thing that can be done is to redirect the water that comes from the roof and goes straight down the drain, and is then 'recycled' and sold back to us to make profit for the Global Corporations. I have re-channeled my bathwater into a barrel for use on the garden, but as the rains are coming I will divert this onto the garden directly, since otherwise the barrel will overflow. Also the down-pipe from the gutter serves 3 barrels at the back, which I will extend, and when these are full the excess can be directed onto the growing areas through old hose-pipes that I have collected over the years. (I am now finding that 'hoarding' this old stuff rather than throwing away is paying dividends.) For this, rather than the 'splitter' on the down-pipe this will be put back to just the pipe and directed onto the growing areas. In regard to this, here in England, I believe that if you do not direct the waste water back into their system you can get a rebate - worth a look into, but this needs redirecting all waste water, except the sewage of course. But there are ways to clean dirty water in the garden, which I am starting to look into now.
I have just seen a piece from Mail Online about Switzerland considering a prison sentence of up to 3 years for anyone who turns their heating above 19 degrees C (66 degrees Fahrenheit).What sort of callous, unfeeling, indeed EVIL scum would consider such a move, knowing full well that the older we get the colder we feel, and thus have these old people risk hyperthermia and even death? This brings up another point here and that is, although here I am putting down ideas for our own personal survival, we should give a thought for the old-folk in the coming months. There is no doubt this may be aimed at driving these old-folk to the 'Heat Banks' (presumably the Swiss also have these in line), but this disregards the fact that many of the independent ones will never do this. But this little snippet does show what we are up against - a truly Evil Force. I am aware that some pagans/heathens do not recognise evil as being part of our weltanshauung but Folkish Wodenism sees this for what it is - EVIL.
Throughout the growing season I have harvested certain crops and frozen them for use during the autumn/winter, since living alone I have a lot left over, even after giving some to my children and neighbours. Some preserving has been done but this is quite new to me and just starting out in doing this; this is perhaps better in a way since no power is needed to keep the food fresh.
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