Is your area of expertise/profession useful in a post apocalyptic world?

bonniebede

waterfordham wrote: »

IT, specifically networking and security. With a healthy dose of radio communications thrown in. I know where your coming from re Irish company Disaster preparedness, its a terrible state of affairs really.

Working on getting myself EFR trained later in the year, which is always useful.

+1 for moving in with Krissovo

Is it going to be a democracy? Surely one doesn't vote for a king.
+1 for whatever it is.

eth0

waterfordham wrote: »

IT, specifically networking and security. With a healthy dose of radio communications thrown in. I know where your coming from re Irish company Disaster preparedness, its a terrible state of affairs really.

Working on getting myself EFR trained later in the year, which is always useful.

+1 for moving in with Krissovo

Any particular kind of radio communication?

waterfordham

eth0 wrote: »

Any particular kind of radio communication?

I guess we covered a lot of it before in this thread. No point in re-hashing a lot of it. HF-UHF, analogue and digital commercial/amateur kit.

Grizzly 45

bonniebede wrote: »

Is it going to be a democracy? Surely one doesn't vote for a king.
+1 for whatever it is.

Hmmm,so long as it doesnt end up like this!!!:D

[/YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOOTKA0aGI0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Deise Musashi

Pharma-Chem. manufacture so not a lot of use. :rolleyes:

Aulld lad and all my family are builders/plasterers/plumbers and I've done a bit of all that from when I was a kid. Looking to learn a bit of welding, think I'll have to do it by firing up the big stick welder in me shed and blowing holes in steel for a bit as FAS courses are scarce on the ground atm.

I've a basic knowledge of knife making so maybe I should look into becoming a blacksmith post Z Day. I sharpen most things that have edges on them for a hobby. I can shoot and use a bow, make slings, atlatl, dutch arrows and some basic traps and snares. I know how to load bullets if the right gear can be sourced (unlikely in this country)

I'm a first aider (out of cert. first responder) and have a good bit of experience of camping out with very little kit and making shelters, starting fires with boyscouts etc.

I can make home brew that won't kill you


Waterfordham, you probably know my father in law...EI8IG

I know where there's a bunch of radio kit and solar and wind generators...

evilmonkee

krissovo wrote: »

I am currently in IT as a solution architect.

So along with all your other skills, you can train me in architecture...........

All hail the mighty Krissovo!:D

Ophiopogon

Horticulture...I can grow pretty much anything and even if I do say so myself I have the magic touch when it comes to growing. Also, have an interest in permaculture and medicinel use of plants. So I think I'd be good with setting up a permentant food source with limited resources.

I have first aid skills and use to be a dental nurse in a past life so could sort of help on the teeth front.

Working on my bush skills...

Peetrik

IT also, hardware as opposed to software but as Khannie said its all just about being technically minded.

I'm a professional ring fighter, next to useless when faced with someone with a gun but I am lean, used to proforming on a calorie deficit and in peak physical condition.

So Krissovo... where did you say you'd be setting up 'camp superior ordnance' again?

Grizzly 45

Deise Musashi wrote: »

Pharma-Chem. manufacture so not a lot of use. :rolleyes:

Actually proably one of the more useful things...I take it as a "lab rat":D
you know your way around a basic lab set up?So with a halfway decent setup and maybe a decent book of formulas [Henleys formulas]from days of yore[IE the late 19th early 20 th century].You could be making everything from aspirin to bleach to explosives to booze?;):D

Aulld lad and all my family are builders/plasterers/plumbers and I've done a bit of all that from when I was a kid. Looking to learn a bit of welding, think I'll have to do it by firing up the big stick welder in me shed and blowing holes in steel for a bit as FAS courses are scarce on the ground atm.

Proably better off...I did the Fas welding and qualified under it to "city and Guilds" standard,but was never awarded the C&G as Fas was in no position to award it in the first place!!!:mad:.So a qualified welder in arc,gas,mig and tig,but no way of proving it on paper.:mad:

I've a basic knowledge of knife making so maybe I should look into becoming a blacksmith post Z Day. I sharpen most things that have edges on them for a hobby. I can shoot and use a bow, make slings, atlatl, dutch arrows and some basic traps and snares. I know how to load bullets if the right gear can be sourced (unlikely in this country)

You mean a knife or swordsmith:)?Blacksmith makes everything in iron from nails to gates,and is a well lost art now .Proably better off as a farrier,as "four hoof drive" will proably be back in fashion.
The reloading gear is out there..;) Its just the components like powder and primers that will be hard to find...Ah! isnt there a former pharma chem now survival chemist around here somplace,who might be able to homebrew nitro powder and primers??

I'm a first aider (out of cert. first responder) and have a good bit of experience of camping out with very little kit and making shelters, starting fires with boyscouts etc.

Dont mind me asking...where did you pick up that skill?Ireland or abroad?
Am looking to do a course like this...

I can make home brew that won't kill you

Even with that skill alone you are sorted! :D:D

waterfordham

snip..

Deise Musashi wrote: »

Pharma-Chem. manufacture so not a lot of use. :rolleyes:

I can make home brew that won't kill you


Waterfordham, you probably know my father in law...EI8IG

I know where there's a bunch of radio kit and solar and wind generators...

I do indeed know him, not chatted with him in a while though.

bonniebede

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Hmmm,so long as it doesnt end up like this!!!:D

[/YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOOTKA0aGI0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Hmm, argumentative and opinionated peasant, I think I just found my post apolcalypse niche! Thanks Griz!

Science so Im screwed too.

Did cub scouts for few years but all we did was play indoor soccer so we were all decent at soccer but could only manage the reef knot

johngalway

Peetrik wrote: »

One of the points raised in World War Z was the role reversal experienced by society. Previous high earning professions like directors, corporate executives, accountants etc were next to useless whereas plumbers, electricians, farmers etc were valuable sought-after skills.

How useful/applicable are your current skills?

Farmer

juice1304

I studied horticulture for a while and am pretty savage at growing anything if i do say so meself, other than shooting/hunting ,camping/bushcraft one of my other hobbies is picking locks and can open pretty much anything bar a few high security ones eg. some safe locks but i'll get them in time.

baords dyslexic

johngalway wrote: »

Farmer

[dyslexic dveils advocate]

While a Farmer would have the location and land that could be ideal for long term survival what farming skills would be relvant in a SHTF situtation with no artificial fertilizer, no diesel, no chemicals and no electric?

[/dyslexic dveils advocate]

Grizzly 45

Actually be quite revelant even if peak oil happens as well.
As Western agriculture is based pretty much and is 100% reliant on oil ,oil produce or oil power.
We would proably have to go back to some form of perma culture in which we stop fighting nature and work with it.

Intresting prog on this here.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/farm-for-the-future/

sfakiaman

baords dyslexic wrote: »

[dyslexic dveils advocate]

While a Farmer would have the location and land that could be ideal for long term survival what farming skills would be relvant in a SHTF situtation with no artificial fertilizer, no diesel, no chemicals and no electric?

[/dyslexic dveils advocate]

Farming would have to go back to 'Low input, low output but the skills would remain much the same, the farmer would still need to know when to do what but might have to learn to do it with horses instead of a tractor. It would really wipe the smile off the faces of the horses and donkeys if they were hitched to a plough or cart .

Grizzly 45

And reduce either your acrage or recruit a load of "peasents" to get back to doin everything by manual labour!

TBH,I doubt there would be very many of us who could go back to a lifestyle of dawn to dusk six days a week of physical[hard] labour.
Its kind of been bred out of us over the last century.Not to mind recouping skills that are all but lost.IE working with big Shire horses,these lads can put about 1 tonne plus on the scales in body weight and can cause immediate serious injuries to you if you dont know anything about controling them,when they just want to play!!:eek:.There are dwindling amounts of pro work horse men around to pass on their skills,and then where will you get the Tack necessary for working horses.Saddlemakers and tack makers is becoming a thing of the past too.
Even old style farmers themselves are becoming a dying breed with the average age now in their 60s!!

Think we would head back to a mix of small holding,perma culture,and possibly a salvage of modern technologies,like hydrophonics to keep ourselves alive and for possible sale or trade of surplus.As well as possibly the resurgance of steam driven machinery and tractors,updated of course from a 100 plus years ago. TBH,its not THAT difficult to "reverse engineer" an internal combustion engine to work on steam again,as it came from the steam engine.

johngalway

baords dyslexic wrote: »

[dyslexic dveils advocate]

While a Farmer would have the location and land that could be ideal for long term survival what farming skills would be relvant in a SHTF situtation with no artificial fertilizer, no diesel, no chemicals and no electric?

[/dyslexic dveils advocate]

1. The current ability to farm my land without a tractor.

2. Subdividing my land via internal fencing to better graze it to encourage clover. This has two advantages, clover takes nitrogen from the air and fixes it to it's roots therefore providing an amount of free fertilizer. Managed grazing also gives less breathing room to weeds than set stocked grazing. Managed correctly it also produces more grass.

3. I can within a certain degree pick and choose to lamb later in the year should I want to. Current situation says I should lamb start of April, but I can do later which would allow me to be farther into the growing season so my grass would be farther ahead without need for artificial fertiliser.

4. I hand shear my sheep so I have no need for electric, I don't have an ESB connection on the farm.

5. I can't think of a weed I can't kill without chemicals. It would just take longer and require more physical labour to do so. All weeds need certain conditions to thrive, deny them that and they'll die.

6. I'm right beside the shore, seaweed is one of the best soil improver's going.

7. Farming was done successfully long before any of the things you mention, just to a less intensive model.

8. I've a spade, drag (grape), dung fork, shovel, mattock, and a lot more hand tools that I somewhat know how to use in anger. I do all my own draining, diy projects, and land clearance by hand.

9. I've made a start on planting an orchard (fingers crossed). I've planted over 100 Ash trees. In wet spots I'm planting Alder, which is also nitrogen fixing like clover. I've 22 or 23 Sweet chestnuts to sow. I have hundreds if not thousands of hedging seeds, and various other tree seeds I plan to germinate myself, that just needs time. I'm currently chitting spuds, and I've thousands of veg seeds bought and need to get digging in a hurry.

10. As an interest I have gained through farming I can if I need to hunt, trap or snare wild animals for food.

Basically, I'm experienced senior management

If the SHTF I'll be sitting back and carefully watching how many headless chickens are squawking, quite a feat for a headless thing.

Grizzly 45

johngalway wrote: »

5. I can't think of a weed I can't kill without chemicals. It would just take longer and require more physical labour to do so. All weeds need certain conditions to thrive, deny them that and they'll die.

QUOTE]

Ragwort and all types of thistles!!I'm infested with these.About 40 acres of the place grows them well.:(

Sabre0001

If the media are to be believed, my years of gaming experience will come in handy.

Besides that I can document what happens.




So no.....

johngalway

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

johngalway wrote: »

5. I can't think of a weed I can't kill without chemicals. It would just take longer and require more physical labour to do so. All weeds need certain conditions to thrive, deny them that and they'll die.

QUOTE]

Ragwort and all types of thistles!!I'm infested with these.About 40 acres of the place grows them well.:(

Do you want to spray them or no?

We've never had any ragwort actually so can't advise on that, I know people pull it and burn the remains. There is probably an effective spray for it. CoCo's seem best at spreading it across the country.

Thistlex is supposed to be good for spraying thistles. I used High Grass last year but won't know how that fared until later this year, I had quite a lot of thistles so they're near the top of my hit list.

From memory I'd dig up spear thistles. Creeping thistles I'd cut just before they flower or around 4-6 inches tall. Persistence is what's needed, never give up, never give them a break.

Start on it this year, don't just make plans I find what works for me is to find a gateway or corner of a field initially and just start there radiating out from that point. That way you see progress and it encourages you to do more, rather than doing bits and pieces here and there which doesn't look like much and can be disheartening.

johngalway

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

TBH,I doubt there would be very many of us who could go back to a lifestyle of dawn to dusk six days a week of physical[hard] labour.

Hmm, I should give classes, cha-ching!

baords dyslexic

johngalway wrote: »

Hmm, I should give classes, cha-ching!

Oh dear, the first thing that springs to mind is a quote from George Bernard Shaw "Those who can do, those who can't teach."

johngalway

baords dyslexic wrote: »

Oh dear, the first thing that springs to mind is a quote from George Bernard Shaw "Those who can do, those who can't teach."

Or you could look at it like "Those who have done, and now let other do it while being paid"

sfakiaman

Why does Tom Sawyer keep springing to mind while reading the last few posts .

Peetrik

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

TBH,I doubt there would be very many of us who could go back to a lifestyle of dawn to dusk six days a week of physical[hard] labour.

The conspiracy theorist in me says that whole concept is a modern thing. After reading the likes of 'waldens pond' I'd be quite ready to believe that if you were just growing enough for yourself to eat and were willing to forgo the luxuries then life could be very easy

KrustyBurger

Peetrik wrote: »

The conspiracy theorist in me says that whole concept is a modern thing. After reading the likes of 'waldens pond' I'd be quite ready to believe that if you were just growing enough for yourself to eat and were willing to forgo the luxuries then life could be very easy

Modern farming is intensive and designed to maximise productivity and profit. In a SHTF scenario I'd imagine that keeping the wolf from the door would be the first priority possibly followed later by growing more than your immediate requirements in order to barter etc.

Grizzly 45

Dont forget that after your dawn to dusk work day of 6.5 days.You will have a load of other work as well,like sentry duty,fire watch,clothes washing ,repair etc.And on a reduced calorific intake,proably on a low sleep as well.
Luxuries,well it depends on what you classify as such.
EG I dont belive any of us could do without some form of power in any post SHTF situation.And why should you deny yourslf the use of it,when there are now plenty of ways of scavenging power systems to keep your retreat/settlemrnt with some form of power to make life easier.

Going to have a crack at the hydrophonics this year and see if that makes life for gardening any easier,as I am the worst green finger around.:rolleyes:.But that would be a simple way of retroing/scavenging already there technology into somthing usable to make life easier post crunch..

johngalway

I intend to build a polytunnel this year, DIY jobbie. I was going to add that to the list earlier but thought the plastic will fail on it eventually. Makes me think a type of glasshouse with the most rugged panes would be better, in the context of this forum (the PT has a friendlier price at the moment ).