It's a Depression... Have Fun with It!

S

sander06

Dryer sheet aficionado
Joined
Mar 3, 2009
Messages
31
Location
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Because of our being part of this Great Depression, my wife and I have decided we're going to need to live a bit differently now. We've decided that we're going to grow our "victory" garden a little more agressively (read bigger), raise poultry out at my wife's father's farm (where the garden is), and take up quilting. The best part is that the relatives are already doing all of this stuff and more, so we can get free advice!

I figure, if you can't have fun with it, what's the point of having a Great Depression in the first place?!:)

Your thoughts? Any other "fun" ideas?

BTW... We live in Chippewa Falls, WI where the life style and environs are much the same as what existed 50 years ago. A little town that the troubles of the world seemed to have missed.
 
DW already does quilts, bought her a quilt machine last August to do my part to prop up the economy...obviously that didn't work.

I gardened when I lived in the states and will again when I return. We have a couple acres, and the neighbors have some horses and cattle, so we plan to get free fertilizer (will pass along some of the extra production made possible by the free fertilizer). Unfortunately we don't live in the states right now, where the quilting machine is and where our acreage is...

Life is for enjoying, and if you keep a positive attitude (and turn off the news), its not too hard to enjoy!

R
 
My parents met during the (first) Great Depression, so we 3 kids heard Depression stories all our lives.

We have 3 acres and used to have wonderful vegetable and flower gardens and apple trees, but the deer destroy everything now. Nothing works against them, and fencing would be prohibitively expensive. The deer have no predators, and no one is allowed to hunt because there are other houses. There were 12 ravenous deer in the yard the other day, in broad daylight, right in front of the house, devouring our front plantings.
 
Amethyst said:
... the deer destroy everything now. Nothing works against them, and fencing would be prohibitively expensive. The deer have no predators, and no one is allowed to hunt because there are other houses. There were 12 ravenous deer in the yard the other day, in broad daylight, right in front of the house, devouring our front plantings.
Click to expand...


I have no experience with these devices but I am told they are effective. Have you tried anything like this?

Electronic Scare Crow, Motion Activiated Animal Repeller
 
Other "fun" ideas? Let's see...

The old clothes that I wear when working around the house and yard, the torn pants and paint splattered shirts... maybe I'll start wearing those in public - Depression Era chic! :cool: (Besides, that might help with the artist persona that I'm working on.)
 
The negative GDP growth will probably last until sometime next year, which would probably classify this as a depression because of it's length. But in the end I doubt it will be considered a 'Great' depression, more of a mild one. After that we'll probably enjoy sluggish growth and some form of chronic deflation.

After the dot.com bust I decided to be prepared for the next one, so I could enjoy it, and was fortunate enough to be ready for this. We're still living frugally, but we're enjoying it by being relaxed, drinking more exotic teas, and taking more vacations.
 
Maybe I'll grow grapes in my back yard and start making my own wine . Grape stomping parties could be fun !
 
Moemg said:
Maybe I'll grow grapes in my back yard and start making my own wine . Grape stomping parties could be fun !
Click to expand...

In Florida? Isn't it too humid for a vineyard? Or have I missed the great Florida wine industry?
 
At least we have almost a half acre out in the back yard if we need to grow stuff. The problem is that we don't have any water out here and won't unless it ever decides to rain again.
 
Well, since I live in a motorhome, a victory garden is not an option for me. I'll just have to visit the farmer's markets instead. Oh - my freezer isn't big enough to put food by either.

Saw Diesel fuel for $1.79 yesterday. With those prices I can't feel too depressed! :clap: The most affordable thing right now is moving our motorhome - LOL!

Audrey
 
ziggy29 said:
At least we have almost a half acre out in the back yard if we need to grow stuff. The problem is that we don't have any water out here and won't unless it ever decides to rain again.
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We've got a bumper crop of dandelions in this drought...so maybe dandelion wine? :flowers:
 
Gearhead Jim said:
In my experience, plenty of BAD wineries in Florida.
Similar to Door County in Wisconsin- lots of very pretty wineries making lots of bad wine. Well, some of it rises to the level of mediocrity.
Florida has lots of nice things but local wine isn't one of them.
YMMV
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Good or bad was not the issue, surviving the Depression, and can grapes grow in Florida's humid climate was the question :)
 
Moemg said:
Maybe I'll grow grapes in my back yard and start making my own wine . Grape stomping parties could be fun !
Click to expand...
Reminds me of my most frugal plant. SO pulled it from the garbage and it's been doing its thing in my apt. for seven years, leafing out and vining. It's a cabernet sauvignon bonsai. All we'd have to do would be to let it out of the pot, plant it in the back yard, stomp on the fruit, drink the results, enjoy the depression.
 
Me at my grape stomping party
 

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Gearhead Jim said:
In my experience, plenty of BAD wineries in Florida.
Similar to Door County in Wisconsin- lots of very pretty wineries making lots of bad wine. Well, some of it rises to the level of mediocrity.
Florida has lots of nice things but local wine isn't one of them.
YMMV
Click to expand...

There was a local winery in College Station, Texas, when I lived there. Locals loved it, but I thought it was undrinkable!! :yuk:

That was many years ago, when I used to drink wine occasionally. I don't partake in alcoholic drinks any more, for several reasons including the fact that they are expensive, add empty calories, and never did much for me anyway.
 
Amethyst said:
My parents met during the (first) Great Depression, so we 3 kids heard Depression stories all our lives.

We have 3 acres and used to have wonderful vegetable and flower gardens and apple trees, but the deer destroy everything now. Nothing works against them, and fencing would be prohibitively expensive. The deer have no predators, and no one is allowed to hunt because there are other houses. There were 12 ravenous deer in the yard the other day, in broad daylight, right in front of the house, devouring our front plantings.
Click to expand...

Will they allow Bow & arrow hunting? Ahh a big pot of Bambi chili and venison steaks on the barbie.:D
 
audreyh1 said:
Well, since I live in a motorhome, a victory garden is not an option for me. I'll just have to visit the farmer's markets instead. Oh - my freezer isn't big enough to put food by either.

Saw Diesel fuel for $1.79 yesterday. With those prices I can't feel too depressed! :clap: The most affordable thing right now is moving our motorhome - LOL!

Audrey
Click to expand...

We all have to re-learn the lost art of canning.:)
 
ziggy29 said:
Do you mean Messina Hof in Bryan? Or was this before then?
Click to expand...

That's the one! Blech. Not my favorite wines, personally, but others living there thought they were really great. I think they got a lot of local support.

When I drank wine, I didn't care for French wines, either. I liked middle-of-the-road Napa Valley wineries like Inglenook.
 
W2R - Locals translates to Aggies. Case solved.

On the depression ideas, parents told stories of going to the farmers market for veggies and canning them.
 
Rustic23 said:
W2R - Locals translates to Aggies. Case solved.
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Hey, I'm an Aggie with 3 degrees from A&M. :D

In College Station, the term "locals" often refers to the non-university community around the area. But I suppose I meant everyone including the university community (other than students) when I used the word. Whoever-it-was that ran Messina Hof was apparently everybody's best friend, so a lot of wine was bought just because the owners were nice people. If a party or gathering was being held, it was almost "PC" to serve only Messina Hof wines, when I lived there.
 
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