Ex pat saying hi

[Ragdolly]

Hello everyone,
I live on an Island that's part of Canada - been here almost 8 years but I hail from Liverpool. ( I just added UK like you guys wouldn't know where it was! )

I'm active on the Canadian prepper board and I have a log in for the US board but I don't post much there. I read the UK board everyday and I thought I would quit lurking and see if I have any insight / info you can use. I use your site for news more than anything as my whole family is still there.

After being caught in Hurricane George in 1998, one Tsunami on the other side of the island and generally living on a major fault line ( last shake was 6.7) you would think that natural disaster was my thing? Nope - husband had two strokes (mini) in 3 months and didn't work for 2 years and so putting food on the table and keeping a roof over us is my main motivator. He's ok now

We just left suburbia and have half an acre utilizing a communal well system with rain barrel back up. We have a septic tank. I have a fairly decent veggie garden ( harvesting kale seeds today I grow strawberries; raspberries, blueberries, apples, peaches and cherries. Toms; pots; peppers; pickling cukes;kale and lettuce; so many different herbs including Stevia

I also can most of what we don't eat, or freeze it or dehydrate it. I'm going to add some pictures of the canning and then jump to the canning post to chime in there.

So far I've made soap and dish washing detergent that haven't completely sucked. I draw the line at toothpaste though so I stockpile that stuff.
We are lucky that him indoors already had his gun licence / permit etc before he got Ill so we do have some weapons and ammo and everyone goes to the range once a month for safety recaps and practise.

I'm not listing this stuff for envy factor - just letting you know where my experience lies and what I've tried hands on.

I just turned 45 and I have two kids and an English cocker spaniel and I work full time too - see.... Completely normal!

I hope you'll all accept a "splitter" into your midst and I hope I can be useful.

Cheers
Dolly

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

Nice intro.

Glad to hear that Significant other is OK.

Always good to have members from different locations/countries, thay add their own perspective and have up to date info from their area.

[Arzosah]

Hello ragdolly! I was going to write "hello dolly", but thought I might accidentally burst into song

You and your OH have been through a lot! Glad to hear he's okay now. Your setup sounds really good - I love Canada, that and Greece are my two favourite countries outside the UK. Interesting you focus on the defence aspects so much - Canada seemed incredibly safe when I visited, and you're on an island too?

At some stage, I'd be interested to hear what you think about stevia - it died the death here in my garden in short order.

Thanks for posting.

[ggc]

Hi and welcome to the forum

[tigs]

welcome to the forum

[Ragdolly]

Cheers everyone

Stevia... Hmm - I planted it because I thought I should and now I don't know what the hell to do with it? Any suggestions Arzosah? It's thriving and happy but... I have sugar in buckets and honey from my bees... One is none, right?

I guess Canada is reasonably safe in comparison but we are on an idyllic little island, not too far from the Us border and when that crapshoot goes down you can bet we are gonna get a slice. Best be ready for refugees, etc.....! I have a "warm" welcome for any And all hostiles.

We have a good "island mentality" here though. Almost everyone has a garden and grows veggies, the seed savers and organic "let's take on Monsanto" brigade are extremely active and backed by our Mayor who has a disaster preparedness plan
All in all, I can think of worse places to try to ride out a storm.

Stay safe
Dolly

[Cougar]

Welcome Dolly

Green with envy here as I love Canada and Vancouver island, not so keen on Vancouver I must admit prefer Calgary if I must go near a city, but the island is glorious.

[m0tty]

Hi Dolly I'm welcoming you formally to the forum although we have already met on here. thank you for contributing to my post on canning, and........... we're still waiting for that cherry/choc recipe

[kizzie]

Hi and welcome. Sounds lovely where you are. Glad your husband is getting better now.

Re the Stevia unless its useful to you then sell it. I dont have "sugar" tried the raw stevie everyone raved about and hated it. in fact hate it all. So back to my normal sweetener and a huge bag of green stevie at the back of the cupboard.

[Arzosah]

Ooh, no idea sorry - I found this linkie to recipes http://www.elanaspantry.com/tag/stevia/ but nothing from my own experience. As I say, mine died Sounds like the actual *taste* of the leaves themselves might be unpleasant, from what kizzie says, as opposed to the processed powder that you can buy in the shops.