Thursday Open Thread 4-27-2017

Submitted by studentofearth on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 6:26am

Reading old non-fiction books gives a different perspective on life. They can help us understand where we were, how we have changed, what we have forgotten and where some of our trends may have developed. The scary perspective of an interruption of the conveniences of modern day life was once called daily living. How does one cope without electricity, antibiotics, refrigeration, chemical insecticides or emergency services?

Healthy Living vol 1 was published in 1918 to teach school children how to grow strong for their country. Health Living vol 2 was published in 1920 for to teach the principles of personal and community hygiene.

Some of the suggestions for a healthy life.

Eat a balance diet, avoid fads and over eating.
Avoid adulterated and contaminated food
Know safe food handling and cooking methods
Exercise
Avoid alcohol and habit forming drugs
Avoid tobacco
Keep current on vaccinations
Avoid exposure to contagious diseases
Know first aid
Practice safe habits to avoid injury
Know how to control insect populations

Suggestion for a well balanced and economical diet was probably based on northern European diet. Olive oil would be substituted for butter in Mediterranean countries. For a single adult the food quantities would last a month.

Food Supply for a family of five for a week
Kind of Food	Amount	Cost	Percentage
Meats and fish	6 1/4 lb	$1.31	10.9
Eggs	2/3 dz (qty 8)	$0.30	2.5
Milk	21 Qt (84 cups)	$3.08	25.7
Cheese	1 lb	$0.43	3.5
Fats	3.5 lb	$1.20	10.5
Sugar	1 lb (2 cups)	$0.44	3.3
Grain Products (breads, cereals, etc.)	20 lb	$1.85	15.5
Vegetables	23 lb	$1.65	13.8
Fruit	8 3/4 lb	$1.45	12.1
Nuts (including peanut butter)	1/2 lb	$0.14	1.2
Coffee	1/2 lb	$0.08	0.7

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Comments

Submitted by dance you monster on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 7:32am

One-half pound of coffee per month.

One pound of cheese per month.

Oh well.

Submitted by studentofearth on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 2:35pm

Drink less milk and eat more

@dance you monster cheese (1.5 oz = 1 cup) and yogurt (1 c = 1c). It is the modern trend, greater profit in cheese. (also tastes better)

—

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Submitted by QMS on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 8:28am

inflation

oops, edit double post

Submitted by QMS on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 8:24am

inflation

Thanks for some common senseical info about diet. Gave me a chuckle to see the inflated price difference. I know the govt. doesn't like to admit the weakening value of the almighty buck, but 8 cents for a half pound of coffee is about 700% less than now, if my math is correct. It's no wonder the social security dollars I paid in the 70's ain't worth a damn dime now. Cheers

Submitted by Lookout on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 8:41am

good morning

I like old books (and pictures) too.
Here's a couple of shots. An Appalachian farmhouse

And a field shot of strawberries (I think?) and cotton

The old books seem to be more practical and how to. When I went to ag school in the 70's, I was told by the dean - Our job isn't to teach how to grow crops, but how crops grow. Interesting how the books about ag in the early 1900's did the opposite.

Hope all is well on your homestead SOE. We've had 4.5 inches of rain in the last week or so. They're flooding in central NC.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by studentofearth on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 2:21pm

Afternoon

@Lookout everything is going well. My heifer (first time mom) I have been fussing about just delivered her calf with no problems.

Plums are just finishing their bloom. Enough rain has been coming I have not had to start the irrigation. I irrigate 16 acres with a mixture of hand pipes and K-lines.

I have been using this site to review old books for ones I would like in my library.

—

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 9:17am

Good morning, SOE ~

That diet doesn't look healthy to me! Too much meat, dairy, and sugar. The fruits and vegetables look about right. More nuts and eggs. But then again, I'm a pescatarian who limits my dairy intake and I only eat fish about three times a month!

We've had rain this week and are expecting more tomorrow and Saturday. We are drier than a popcorn fart, so it is more than welcome!

Have a beautiful day, folks!

—

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by WIProgressive on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 9:27am

I actually thought the meat was low RA based on what some

@Raggedy Ann people eat today. There are people (my husband included unfortunately) that eat meat at every meal. I believe he eats more than 6 1/4 pounds HIMSELF each week.

—

O.k. When is the next meeting for the revolution?
-FuturePassed on Sunday, November 25, 2018 10:22 p.m.

Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 3:12pm

My husband used to be

@WIProgressive
that kind of meat-eater, as well. He still eats some lamb and beef once in a while, but has to get it out because I don't cook it anymore.

—

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by studentofearth on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 11:38am

At the time a pound of eggs cost more than meat

@Raggedy Ann I mostly avoid commercial fish since they started regularly adding sodium triphosphate to increase the weight of frozen fish products. Do you catch and process your own, or do you know a source without the additive?

—

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Submitted by lotlizard on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 12:46pm

So that’s what E451 is!

@studentofearth I’d seen “E451” on food product ingredient lists all over the place in Europe, without knowing what it was.

Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 3:11pm

I buy wild caught

@studentofearth
at Trader Joe's.

—

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by dkmich on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 9:18am

Talk about some good information

and overall common sense. I wish our food was as healthy today as it once upon a time was. We shouldn't have to pay extra for food that is chemical free.

—

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Submitted by studentofearth on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 10:34am

The primary reason to make your own food & pet food

@dkmich @dkmich Food additives do not have to be proven safe.

Your sports equipment may be safer than what’s on your plate.

Senator Ed Markey recently characterized this flawed process as “a self-graded take home exam that industry doesn’t even have to hand in.” That means the food we serve our families contains hundreds of chemicals whose identity or safety is unknown. The process is a massive exploitation of an exception in the 1958 Food Additives Amendment for ingredients found to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), which was originally intended for things like olive oil and vinegar.

Organic finished products, such as ice cream, yogurt, frozen dinners and breads have their own "organic approved" thickeners and preservatives.

It would be nice to have a better answer. Not everyone has the time, money or energy to DIY everything.

—

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Submitted by studentofearth on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 10:37am

The primary reason to make your own food & pet food

Duplicate

—

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Submitted by eyo on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 9:49am

What does meat taste like? I forget

Meat went off my food budget a while ago, but I never ate that much anyway. I read John Robbins' Diet for a New America and couldn't eat any dead animals for a long time after that. It was a friend suggested lack of (whatever in meat) might be contributing to depression after I broke, but eating meat again didn't help me. Nothing does. LOL! It's the economy, stupid. No one knows how to change it, as far as I can tell. "That's the system." "We're Capitalists." Too bad we can't vote for or against the economy we want, if only the pols would stop lying about it. Oh well ~shrug~.

Peace

Submitted by studentofearth on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 1:33pm

It is hard to find meat where animals are raised

@eyo with a quality life and killed with minimal stress. There is lots of good information on balanced protein on a vegetarian diet. I find as time goes on I eat more of a modified vegetarian diet. Eggs and milk products like cheese an yogurt providing most of the protein.

Did you see this link on MSG type food sources and additives provided in the comment by the_poor_educated

—

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Submitted by Cant Stop the M... on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 10:02am

Good morning, folks!

Thanks for your OT, studentofearth; I only just remembered last week that you were going to do a sustainability thread!

—

"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 11:25am

Thanks, SOE. Sure looks like they really, really liked their

milk. Then again, one wonders how much baking was presumed to be going on.

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by studentofearth on Thu, 04/27/2017 - 2:23pm

Children drinking milk for strong bones

@enhydra lutris and healthy bodies. I was surprised at the percentage of the food budget spent on dairy.

—

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.