I check in almost every day, but seldom ever post, for exactly those reasons, helicopilot! Yup, I agree with your post.

Hi, I understand that feeling Helicopilot. I will admit that the past year has been a handful on my personal life.. It got busy enough that I didn't have time for my own blog never mind thinking of writing on other places. You are right, there were many more voices over the years.

It not like Myself and mine are not working our goals, we are.. even today, we planted more fruit tree's and bushes in the food forest, I am playing with Tree hay, something that is making my heart pitter patter.. its outstanding to "refind" pollarding tree's to be able to be used as wind breaks, shade for the pasture critters and making hay in the sky..

I am already looking at my first canning starting next week with the first batch of rhubarb.. I will be doing a butcher of a yearling goat that didn't catch that I will not carry for another year.. I am worried already about drought in the garden.. adding in another building worth of gutters and barrels.

We have the ability at the moment to catch 550 gallons per rain fall and with a average rain of 35 inches in our area. I hope to catch a min of 3000 gallons per month.. and want to expand on it.. so that we can catch and hold up to a 1000 gallons at a time.

I have had four major storms since the start of 2018, including days of power outages.. preps were tested, some things found good, other things found lacking.. I think many are like myself.. we are doing.. we are just being quiet about it.

I am not sure how to get folks talking.. FG

I still think there are things being learned on here. Helio, didn't you discover a free source of high quality kero? I do think looking for the big a ha prepping moment isn't realistic. It's the small incremental change/knowledge increases that matter. And maybe people don't always think that stuff is worth posting. It is.

... could also be called “Where’s The IPN I Used to Know?”

I’ve joined this forum a little over 5 years ago. This forum was full of people sharing on preparedness and homesteading, on gardening and hunting, on setting HAM gear and finding great deals on gizmos. Over time, some great contributors have come and gone, a few good ones from the US left after much anti-US judgemental comments were made.

I dont mean to bogart all the credit for that but thanks for noticing. Maybe you should flesh out what "good ones from the US" is , because I am of the thought that "Good ones from the US" are not at all bothered by critism of that nation, policy, or action, and "good ones" most certainly welcome perspectives different than there own, in fact they better expect it on a board specificaly oriantated to another nation. Those "good" ones you speak of do know this is a different country? Right!

Also, everyone I know, myself included is busy as hell right now.

I too have noticed the tendency of some people to refer to youtube to substantiate their point (instead of verbalizing it themselves). This seems a bit lame to me, but I suppose each of us communicates in different ways.

There seems to have been less involvement of members by way of contributions on this site. I'm aware that it's currently a busy time, but this has been the case for several months. Hopefully things will improve...

Since we’re on the topic of YouTube... I have very limited time to spend in front of screens, but I’ve been enjoying the wealth of info on gardening/permaculture, homesteading that is out there! Worth checking it. To me, it’s background video playing while doing some chores (cooking, folding laundry...)

Since we’re on the topic of YouTube... I have very limited time to spend in front of screens, but I’ve been enjoying the wealth of info on gardening/permaculture, homesteading that is out there! Worth checking it. To me, it’s background video playing while doing some chores (cooking, folding laundry...)

One Yard Revolution:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2OtGe6K41w
For those of us with the proverbial suburban back yard, this guy is amazing. No politics, no "anti/pro GMO" or any other ideologies. Just great gardening advice and practical measures to maximize the space you have.

David The Good:
https://www.youtube.com/user/davidthegood
Initially got on him for info. on developing my Peach tree. Stayed for his odd sense of humour and taking an otherwise dry topic like gardening, permaculture, etc. and adding some spice to it. Just an all around cool guy.

I'm open to other great youtube vids. I agree, having them play in the background is something I do also.

... could also be called “Where’s The IPN I Used to Know?”

I’ve joined this forum a little over 5 years ago. This forum was full of people sharing on preparedness and homesteading, on gardening and hunting, on setting HAM gear and finding great deals on gizmos. Over time, some great contributors have come and gone, a few good ones from the US left after much anti-US judgemental comments were made. We used to weed out the conspiracy-theorist trolling IPN, proving the vast majority of the members were grounded in reality and genuinely sought to further themselves and their family in becoming independents and resssourceful, able to thrive through whatever life threw at us. Not much I can do about Nimburu so may as well move along...

People eagerly showed their garden yields or their new “doom wagons” with other members praising - or politely criticizing - the posts. Folks would look at the tragedy of the day - a earthquake in Asia, a forest fire in California - and banter on how prepared they’d be to face such disasters.

Once a near-daily contributor, I have to make my mea-culpa for having taken a hiatus from sharing here, work abroad obliges while jobs around the homestead has also kept me away from the iPad and computer; not a bad thing I suppose. I also find it more difficult to visit IPN/CPN of late. Taboo topics of religions and politics, both usually better left alone, have crept into this forum. Unhealthy arguments are now common and left unchecked and unmoderated. Arguments of “my YouTube reference is better than your YouTube reference” now abound. Is this really what the world has come to, using YouTube videos as a basis for discussions???

Feeling a bit nostalgic today, thought I’d share and see where this goes.

How ironic that I notice this topic today. I HAVE noticed a couple of threads that have degraded into all out arguments, and planned on shutting a few down today. I can't say that I have noticed any really religious based discussions that need dealing with, but if anyone else has, feel free to report the post. I will never tell anyone who reports a post, so please do so without hesitation. That goes for the political ones too. If you see a topic that has degraded into the "my youtube example is better than yours" type of thing, give me or a mod a heads up.

I too, have cut back on posting. I found that my opinions or views on certain topics were mistakenly taken for policy setting...being the owner.

With that, I am trying to bring back the provincial blogs one by one in an effort to boost participation. Also along those lines, I'll make another call for volunteer moderators. I've made that call in the past, but hesitated due to the fact that many years ago, I got burned by a couple of mods...really badly at that. HOWEVER, if anyone would like to be a moderator and have the chance to perhaps reform the forum, PM me...I'm healed of my wounds and looking for a few good mods.

I have noticed this too, although I also notice that it's a small number of users who are making these type of conspiracy theory, anti-immigrant, anti-law enforcement, 3-per, "I'm better/tougher than you", whatever you call it. In real life I call these people out. Online, I find that if you feed the trolls, they grow,as that's what they want. Kudos to Denob for shutting down some of those threads. We are all adults (I think).

Count on my buddy Crowns own to put something positive in there.

Now; "Be the change you want to see in the world!" That means if you wanna see people gardening, showing off projects, preps, pictures, be cool, positive and proactive. You have to do those things too! If your thinking you want to see better content. Then post one new post of the nature you want to see a week. Challenge others to do the same in a friendly way!

I'd love to see people's garden, food and water storage, plans for the future, projects, MAG'S, specialties like Entropy did this night.

I'm going to keep posting my life in hopes you all do the same.

Namaste

Well, Hello again everyone!

Just came back from spending the better part of last year abroad on a job. This to explain my absence from the forum. I'm playing catch up around the property; there is still so much to do!!

Prepping priority right now is getting the garden and orchard further developed. I've had the chance to do quite a bit of reading on gardening and permaculture and I think I might go that route on the acreage. I haven't fully drank the CoolAid though so I don't think I'll be a purist. This will be an ongoing project for the years to come.

I'll continue to explore heating alternative. A wood stove is my goal, but the house would need some adaptation. As with any older homes that have been renovated a few times, I'm dreading making major modifications. Mrs HP is happy with the house layout as it is, so it will be a matter of compromising.

I eventually want to fence the property and add a security gate by the road. Returning from the last contract, I've noticed A LOT of my "neighbours" have installed a gate. I suspect that a recent uptick in rural crimes - some of them quite violent - has been the latest motivation. In the meanwhile, I have implemented a few cheaper means of deterrence.

There will soon be 4 more hens in the coop! We currently have more eggs than can routinely use, but a but of a surplus can't hurt!

I have increased my potential for rainwater harvest and, shy of a major drought, could be sufficient for gardens and personal use with a bit of rationing. I still want to add a manual pump for the cistern water however. Another project for when I get some time.

I'm happy to be back home and will try to add a few meaningful pieces of info from time to time. I'll also endeavour to add regular posts to the health sections.

Well, Hello again everyone!

I eventually want to fence the property and add a security gate by the road. Returning from the last contract, I've noticed A LOT of my "neighbours" have installed a gate. I suspect that a recent uptick in rural crimes - some of them quite violent - has been the latest motivation. In the meanwhile, I have implemented a few cheaper means of deterrence.

I am big fan of a proper gate and fence. No one should be able to drive right up to your home is my theory, unless you are expecting them and have opened the gate for them.
The stories I could tell about the things that have happened to people i know who cant control access to thier property...you would not believe. Just way too many drug influenced people driving about out in rural alberta...looking for opertunities. I know a lot of it is locals to the area