We have implemented a "family state of emergency", we are done going out,
the "kids", are done going to work,
until this "pandemic" blows over...
the "kids", are done going to work,
until this "pandemic" blows over...
pandemic
- Thread starter michaels4gardens
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kotapony
Well-known member
Scary times for sure...
We are blessed to work from home and the kids are homeschooled already. We are a working farm, so food is in abundance and we happened to have just restocked most supplies before the major panic hit.
We’ll still need the occasional run to town, but just one of us will go rather than the whole family like we used to. Overall we are in pretty good shape to hunker down and wait this out for a while.
My heart breaks for all those who are way more affected than we are - from front line workers to small business owners to waitresses, etc.
We are blessed to work from home and the kids are homeschooled already. We are a working farm, so food is in abundance and we happened to have just restocked most supplies before the major panic hit.
We’ll still need the occasional run to town, but just one of us will go rather than the whole family like we used to. Overall we are in pretty good shape to hunker down and wait this out for a while.
My heart breaks for all those who are way more affected than we are - from front line workers to small business owners to waitresses, etc.
The governor of this state requested the closure of all non essential businesses.
We're also blessed with a comfortable home, savings to help us through time off work, and a mostly self sufficient lifestyle. We produce rabbit and quail meat, eggs, herbs, black raspberries, and garden veggies on this small-town plot of land. I get the missfits market veggie deliveries. I still have a mostly full chest freezer, and plenty of goods we canned last fall. The kids already attend a cyber school, so education isn't entirely disrupted.
I'm a bit confused as to why the school decided to close for a week all of the sudden? All live lessons are cancelled, despite the fact that the teachers all operate from home and only meet the kids in a "virtual classroom." The necessity of that confuses me to no end.
We're also blessed with a comfortable home, savings to help us through time off work, and a mostly self sufficient lifestyle. We produce rabbit and quail meat, eggs, herbs, black raspberries, and garden veggies on this small-town plot of land. I get the missfits market veggie deliveries. I still have a mostly full chest freezer, and plenty of goods we canned last fall. The kids already attend a cyber school, so education isn't entirely disrupted.
I'm a bit confused as to why the school decided to close for a week all of the sudden? All live lessons are cancelled, despite the fact that the teachers all operate from home and only meet the kids in a "virtual classroom." The necessity of that confuses me to no end.
so they aren't closing for spring break? Maybe that's why. OR since all other schools are shutting down they decided to join the flow?
as for us, Hubby HAS to work (essential service). The rest of us are staying close to home, going out when needed, but that's par for the course in this introverted family.
I have the foodbank to do on Wednesday but that too is considered an essential service, our clients NEED the food we can provide.
we have full freezers and plenty in our cupboard so I not too worried. Live in small-town Ontario so as long as the people we associate with are smart, we'll be fine.
as for us, Hubby HAS to work (essential service). The rest of us are staying close to home, going out when needed, but that's par for the course in this introverted family.
I have the foodbank to do on Wednesday but that too is considered an essential service, our clients NEED the food we can provide. we have full freezers and plenty in our cupboard so I not too worried. Live in small-town Ontario so as long as the people we associate with are smart, we'll be fine.
There's still a lot of fun ahaed. About 1300 confirmed infections, and we had 4 deaths til now, 3 of them old people with health problems. Austria is about the size and population of Ohio, I think.
Here all shops and everything is closed except food, pharmacies, banks, - the essential stuff. It's practical a curfew, we have to stay at home except for going to work or buying stuff. No schools or anything. More and more borders get closed, some regions are completly quarantined. People who were to finish their military service have to stay in the army. People over 65 should not leave their home at all. That will last for some weeks minimum, I guess. And it is just to slow the outbreak, it will hit most of us sooner or later, there's no way to put the genie back in the bottle unless a vaccine is available, they say that will take appr. one year from now.
Many people lost their jobs already, and it will be grim for small businesses, although the government promised help.
The company I work at, well, the whole staff (about 35 people) all who can't do home office got divided in 2 groups, we work 2 days, then the other group works for 2 days. If there is an infection only one group gets quarantined and the company can stay operative. Which might not be needed much in the next months, we are in the aviation business and airlines are already canceling orders, the whole business is in a coma.
So, I got a new buck last week, he'll get to work this weekend. And it looks like I'll have time for a vegetable garden this year.
Here all shops and everything is closed except food, pharmacies, banks, - the essential stuff. It's practical a curfew, we have to stay at home except for going to work or buying stuff. No schools or anything. More and more borders get closed, some regions are completly quarantined. People who were to finish their military service have to stay in the army. People over 65 should not leave their home at all. That will last for some weeks minimum, I guess. And it is just to slow the outbreak, it will hit most of us sooner or later, there's no way to put the genie back in the bottle unless a vaccine is available, they say that will take appr. one year from now.
Many people lost their jobs already, and it will be grim for small businesses, although the government promised help.
The company I work at, well, the whole staff (about 35 people) all who can't do home office got divided in 2 groups, we work 2 days, then the other group works for 2 days. If there is an infection only one group gets quarantined and the company can stay operative. Which might not be needed much in the next months, we are in the aviation business and airlines are already canceling orders, the whole business is in a coma.
So, I got a new buck last week, he'll get to work this weekend. And it looks like I'll have time for a vegetable garden this year.
My partner and I have been sick with dry coughs, high fevers that have lasted several days, and sinus-type symptoms.
We aren't really concerned for ourselves because we are fairly young, non-smokers in good shape. I sure would like to know if I pose a serious risk to others around me...However..
What we found out today was our area had incredibly limited testing (250 test kits total,) which will be reserved for people who have full blown pneumonia and are already struggling to breath. So we can still go to work, despite infection risk. Meanwhile, even the liquor stores are shut down.
We aren't really concerned for ourselves because we are fairly young, non-smokers in good shape. I sure would like to know if I pose a serious risk to others around me...However..
What we found out today was our area had incredibly limited testing (250 test kits total,) which will be reserved for people who have full blown pneumonia and are already struggling to breath. So we can still go to work, despite infection risk. Meanwhile, even the liquor stores are shut down.
Zass":26d0xbkg said:My partner and I have been sick with dry coughs, high fevers that have lasted several days, and sinus-type symptoms.
We aren't really concerned for ourselves because we are fairly young, non-smokers in good shape. I sure would like to know if I pose a serious risk to others around me...However..
What we found out today was our area had incredibly limited testing (250 test kits total,) which will be reserved for people who have full blown pneumonia and are already struggling to breath. So we can still go to work, despite infection risk. Meanwhile, even the liquor stores are shut down.
In the US, we will never know how many have, or have had this.
My E-acquaintances all over the US report,
that none but the hospitalized,and critically ill, are being tested.
Many of those who have had this, tried to find out, but were denied the test.
Consequently, people who would have stayed home and self quarantined,- if they had known that they had covid, are/were rapidly infecting others.
For some "official", to tell people that masks don't work ,to protect them from the virus, is criminal..
Those "officials", are preying on people's fear, and ignorance... trying to save themselves ,from the repercussions of failing to prepare for this...
U.S. hospital/healthcare systems, should have stocked up in January , when it was obvious, that it was inevitable, this virus would/did come here...
__________ Wed Mar 18, 2020 2:37 pm __________
News from England,
--- Hello Michael,
Every time I turn on the television or radio I hear more bad news. All a lot of us have to keep us going is the television but today we are being told the local soaps are stopping all filming and so are a lot of the dramas and weekly series. There is just constant updates on the coronavirus all day.
At least the shops are limiting what one person can buy now which will stop the panic buying. You are allowed one loaf of bread, one pack of toilet rolls, one packet of rice, four cans of dog food, etc.
People are allowed out of their homes for only a few good reasons but one of them is to exercise a dog. Thank goodness for that. I can go to the beach when ever I like.
The only proviso is that you do it alone but I always do it alone so I'm ok.
I did meet an old friend today but we stayed at least 2 meters apart the whole time.
Over here anyone with a constant cough or high temperature has to self isolate for ten days unless there are more than one person in that household, then it is for 14 days. It is like a ghost town everywhere you look. The roads are empty and it is so quiet.
We are being told this will last until Christmas if not beyond. I just don't know how we will manage when the food supply to the shops runs out. I will keep you posted.
Note...
my reason for posting this is, we in the U.S. will likely follow England's lead, and- they are being told this will last far longer than we are being led to believe...
Everything does feel uncertain, almost unreal. But right now I'm grateful for all the resources we have here on this little farm. Yesterday we brought all the potatoes out from the root cellar and picked out 20 pounds for planting in a few weeks, set aside some that were good sized but not over large to make batches of twice baked potatoes for the freezer, then put what we'll use over the next month or so into the pantry and took the other 50 pounds or more down to the apartments for low income seniors along with some onions and garlic that we wouldn't use before it starts to sprout. We'd heard from a friend there who was trying to see that people who needed to stay in were getting enough to eat.
We had to stop at the hardware store and also went into the grocery for fresh citrus fruit, sour cream for the potato recipe, milk for a 95 year old friend who isn't going anywhere these days and heard the stores were out of milk and didn't want goat milk (which is what we have--comes along fresh twice a day). Also took her a little applesauce, some carrots and some goat cheese I made this morning with fresh chives in it. Took our garage man some maple syrup. Hasn't been a good syrup year. We used to get a gallon of syrup from 35-40 gallons of sap but this year it takes more like 55-60 of sap for one of syrup.
The greens we grow all winter in our little greenhouse are producing more now that the light is growing and there are still plenty of canned tomatoes and green beans in the pantry as well as peas, berries, peppers, and pesto in the freezer. The hens just moved out into summer quarters this week and are laying well. Have pork and rabbit meat in the freezer and have 3 does due to kindle and one doe (goat) to kid next month.
So we're thankful for an early spring and work to do out in the fresh air and so much of what we need on hand.
We had to stop at the hardware store and also went into the grocery for fresh citrus fruit, sour cream for the potato recipe, milk for a 95 year old friend who isn't going anywhere these days and heard the stores were out of milk and didn't want goat milk (which is what we have--comes along fresh twice a day). Also took her a little applesauce, some carrots and some goat cheese I made this morning with fresh chives in it. Took our garage man some maple syrup. Hasn't been a good syrup year. We used to get a gallon of syrup from 35-40 gallons of sap but this year it takes more like 55-60 of sap for one of syrup.
The greens we grow all winter in our little greenhouse are producing more now that the light is growing and there are still plenty of canned tomatoes and green beans in the pantry as well as peas, berries, peppers, and pesto in the freezer. The hens just moved out into summer quarters this week and are laying well. Have pork and rabbit meat in the freezer and have 3 does due to kindle and one doe (goat) to kid next month.
So we're thankful for an early spring and work to do out in the fresh air and so much of what we need on hand.
Personally, we're pretty much doing okay, but mostly because we don't have to go out and get much.
Our little town, though, isn't doing so well. We are mostly a tourist town, I'd say about 40% - 60% based on tourism, and the tourists are being told to keep away. That's gonna hurt almost as much as the virus. Hotels are shutting, beaches are being closed, (although it's just the beaches, we can still swim in the ocean), parks are being closed, restaurants are take out only, non-essential shops are closing, etc., etc.
We're also an island, so when supplies run out, well, it will be awhile before more show up if they aren't out of them at the other end of the supply chain as well as here.
But, the garden is doing well, we have salad and mulberries and the neighbor's peach tree is loaded. He's flown off to Canada since his wife got a job there several months ago so he says I can have all the peaches I want. Looks like I'll be collecting and canning peaches for the next week. The bunnies like peaches, too. Fortunately, the bunnies can also eat grasses and forage so we will have food for them if the feed store closes.
We can feed everyone here, people, pets and livestock, for about three weeks before we need to go to the feed store. Guess we should go stock up on bunny feed, huh?
Our little town, though, isn't doing so well. We are mostly a tourist town, I'd say about 40% - 60% based on tourism, and the tourists are being told to keep away. That's gonna hurt almost as much as the virus. Hotels are shutting, beaches are being closed, (although it's just the beaches, we can still swim in the ocean), parks are being closed, restaurants are take out only, non-essential shops are closing, etc., etc.
We're also an island, so when supplies run out, well, it will be awhile before more show up if they aren't out of them at the other end of the supply chain as well as here.
But, the garden is doing well, we have salad and mulberries and the neighbor's peach tree is loaded. He's flown off to Canada since his wife got a job there several months ago so he says I can have all the peaches I want. Looks like I'll be collecting and canning peaches for the next week. The bunnies like peaches, too. Fortunately, the bunnies can also eat grasses and forage so we will have food for them if the feed store closes.
We can feed everyone here, people, pets and livestock, for about three weeks before we need to go to the feed store. Guess we should go stock up on bunny feed, huh?
all about me,
--- update...
I woke up feeling "almost fine" this morning, been taking some very powerful herbs,
... I suspect the "flu" has moved on. [I hope my wife stays well]
"We"/I will never know for sure,if what we had was covid, as no one can get tested here.
The hospitals and dr. offices, are saving their few test kits, for the seriously, or terminally ill.
I was not feeling like I was actually "sick", just felt poorly, hot and cold, headache, tired, and nasty lung condition. I still puttered around outdoors, ...
The people Tia and Evan[my daughter and son] worked with at the restaurant, had more "typical" COVID symptoms, but they are young, and were only "real sick", for a few days... [They told Tia "we were all sick as hell, for 3 or 4 days, then we started feeling a little better each day.]They could not get tested either,[they tried] didn't know what they had, so they came back into work ,coughed on, and contaminated everyone.
Last week, Tia and Evan were feeling like "they were getting sick",Evan wanted some "cold medicine",
but it passed in a couple of days.
I suspect, the SARS we had a few years ago, gave us some immunity.
[That "stuff" was bad, I can't remember, ever being that sick, my lungs were burning like they were on fire.]
The restaurant manager called Tia yesterday, and asked if she wanted to be put on the "unemployment list", so she could get "benefits". They closed the restaurant, and laid everyone off yesterday.He also said,even though her boss is still mad at her, for leaving before the rest of them were forced to leave , they want her to come back to work, when they can reopen...
We are fine so far, we have always had a "food , and emergency supplies , storage". [that included a small box of N-whatever masks]
So, we did not have to "run out and buy", at the last minute .
We have canned about 2000 bottles of food , since last April, when we moved here...
Made a pot of "home canned" soup ,
2 quarts of green beans,
1 quart of carrots,
1 quart of dry-canned potatoes,
1 quart of rabbit meat,
2 quarts of rabbit broth.
1 -12 oz package of dry "mueller's" egg noodles.
[very cool because, I don't have to make my own noodles "yet".]
cook noodles according to instructions on package.
drain, set aside.
bring broth to a boil,
add carrots [and juice from jar]
green beans, [and juice from jar]
bring to a boil, and turn heat off.
add potatoes, rabbit meat, and noodles,
stir it up, and serve.
Didn't feel like eating again yesterday,
but i had a few bites while making the soup, and it was yummy,
so I drank some of the broth. Maybe I will feel hungry today...
I have plenty of fat storage, a few missed meals will not hurt me very much...
We are playing with our seedlings, and the garden...
looks like we will have plenty of "gardening time" this spring...
wish all of you the best...
Michael
--- update...
I woke up feeling "almost fine" this morning, been taking some very powerful herbs,
... I suspect the "flu" has moved on. [I hope my wife stays well]
"We"/I will never know for sure,if what we had was covid, as no one can get tested here.
The hospitals and dr. offices, are saving their few test kits, for the seriously, or terminally ill.
I was not feeling like I was actually "sick", just felt poorly, hot and cold, headache, tired, and nasty lung condition. I still puttered around outdoors, ...
The people Tia and Evan[my daughter and son] worked with at the restaurant, had more "typical" COVID symptoms, but they are young, and were only "real sick", for a few days... [They told Tia "we were all sick as hell, for 3 or 4 days, then we started feeling a little better each day.]They could not get tested either,[they tried] didn't know what they had, so they came back into work ,coughed on, and contaminated everyone.
Last week, Tia and Evan were feeling like "they were getting sick",Evan wanted some "cold medicine",
but it passed in a couple of days.
I suspect, the SARS we had a few years ago, gave us some immunity.
[That "stuff" was bad, I can't remember, ever being that sick, my lungs were burning like they were on fire.]
The restaurant manager called Tia yesterday, and asked if she wanted to be put on the "unemployment list", so she could get "benefits". They closed the restaurant, and laid everyone off yesterday.He also said,even though her boss is still mad at her, for leaving before the rest of them were forced to leave , they want her to come back to work, when they can reopen...
We are fine so far, we have always had a "food , and emergency supplies , storage". [that included a small box of N-whatever masks]
So, we did not have to "run out and buy", at the last minute .
We have canned about 2000 bottles of food , since last April, when we moved here...
Made a pot of "home canned" soup ,
2 quarts of green beans,
1 quart of carrots,
1 quart of dry-canned potatoes,
1 quart of rabbit meat,
2 quarts of rabbit broth.
1 -12 oz package of dry "mueller's" egg noodles.
[very cool because, I don't have to make my own noodles "yet".]
cook noodles according to instructions on package.
drain, set aside.
bring broth to a boil,
add carrots [and juice from jar]
green beans, [and juice from jar]
bring to a boil, and turn heat off.
add potatoes, rabbit meat, and noodles,
stir it up, and serve.
Didn't feel like eating again yesterday,
but i had a few bites while making the soup, and it was yummy,
so I drank some of the broth. Maybe I will feel hungry today...
I have plenty of fat storage, a few missed meals will not hurt me very much...
We are playing with our seedlings, and the garden...
looks like we will have plenty of "gardening time" this spring...
wish all of you the best...
Michael
kotapony
Well-known member
They finally found the first positive case in my county in WV. I’m surprised it took this long, but there has been very little testing done in WV. I think that’s the only reason we hung on so long without a positive.
Our family has had some bug going around us since the beginning of March. For the older kids it was pretty mild. The baby hit a fever of 102 one night, but it passed and she’s been fine since (relatively - she’s still a bit stuffy with the occasional cough). For me I had one day of low fever and now it’s turned into an annoying, persistent cough. Rationally I really don’t think it’s Covid-19, but the more I read the more I make myself wonder a bit. Either way we’ve been able to stay isolated here on the farm. The worst part for us is that my parents live on the other side of the farm. The kids are used to visiting them at least 4 days a week, but we’ve been staying away since we first got sick. Mom has asthma, so whatever this is she sure doesn’t need to catch it. It’s killing the kids that it’s been so long since their last visit.
In the end, this too shall pass. It seems like the real mortality numbers are coming in much lower than they initially claimed as they’re realizing just how many people actually have this and don’t get that sick. At this point it’s the economic impact that scares me the most. Most small businesses barely make ends meet as it is. Now being shut down for an indefinite period of time? The fallout from all these shutdowns will be long lasting and far reaching, and I’m afraid the government is not thinking through at all what they’re doing here before they do it.
Our family has had some bug going around us since the beginning of March. For the older kids it was pretty mild. The baby hit a fever of 102 one night, but it passed and she’s been fine since (relatively - she’s still a bit stuffy with the occasional cough). For me I had one day of low fever and now it’s turned into an annoying, persistent cough. Rationally I really don’t think it’s Covid-19, but the more I read the more I make myself wonder a bit. Either way we’ve been able to stay isolated here on the farm. The worst part for us is that my parents live on the other side of the farm. The kids are used to visiting them at least 4 days a week, but we’ve been staying away since we first got sick. Mom has asthma, so whatever this is she sure doesn’t need to catch it. It’s killing the kids that it’s been so long since their last visit.
In the end, this too shall pass. It seems like the real mortality numbers are coming in much lower than they initially claimed as they’re realizing just how many people actually have this and don’t get that sick. At this point it’s the economic impact that scares me the most. Most small businesses barely make ends meet as it is. Now being shut down for an indefinite period of time? The fallout from all these shutdowns will be long lasting and far reaching, and I’m afraid the government is not thinking through at all what they’re doing here before they do it.
Restrictions prolonged until easter. Police started to enforce the "keep distance" and curfew rules, we are only allowed out for a walk, to shop (there almost isn't anything open but pharmazies and supermarkets), or to go to work, well, if there is still work to do, and if we can keep 6ft away from others at any given time.
Well, be it. The virus will pass, one way or another.
What I worry is that nothing will go back to normal, the climate activists and others seize the opportunity, gloating over the cornucopia of possibilities that opens up, our media happily jumps on that train. I wonder what the new normal will be once it's proven that you don't need to travel, that you can keep humans in tiny cages like chicken, as numbers grow this is more efficient and easier to control anyway. Freedom is overrated, people will get used to it.
Ok, I'm in a somewhat negative mood, doesn't look good for my future even if things change just moderatly. I needed 20 years and a lot of luck to find a job where I can function and earn a living, if that ends I'm toast.
Well, be it. The virus will pass, one way or another.
What I worry is that nothing will go back to normal, the climate activists and others seize the opportunity, gloating over the cornucopia of possibilities that opens up, our media happily jumps on that train. I wonder what the new normal will be once it's proven that you don't need to travel, that you can keep humans in tiny cages like chicken, as numbers grow this is more efficient and easier to control anyway. Freedom is overrated, people will get used to it.
Ok, I'm in a somewhat negative mood, doesn't look good for my future even if things change just moderatly. I needed 20 years and a lot of luck to find a job where I can function and earn a living, if that ends I'm toast.
Preitler":1dobvq0z said:
wish you the best,
I am sure this will pass,
I hope your "employment" survives...
Blessings,...
Well, it's now May? I'm pretty sure it's May. Yeah, my computer tells me it's May 12th. The whole state (Hawaii) has been on lock down since mid March and we are just now beginning to see some restrictions easing. We've been pretty much at home, I've pretty much lost track of the days and am not all that certain of the month half the time. I may get to go to the feed store this Friday. Such excitement!
The state still has a two week quarantine for all arriving folks. I think that will stay in place for awhile longer. Tourists have to stay in their hotel rooms and order in food, they can't rent a car for the first two weeks. There's been some tourists arrested and some sent back to where ever they came from because they wouldn't quarantine. The airlines have ridiculously cheap fares so some people can't resist coming here even though everything is closed.
Everyone is doing social distancing and wearing masks. That's been a requirement for the past three weeks or so and it's gonna be the norm for probably the next few months or more. The post office, hardware, grocery and credit union have remained open. The quilt shop (fabric store) has been deemed an 'essential' business and allowed to open since everyone needs fabric to make masks. Now - as of the second week of May - small retail shops are being allowed to open but no sit down restaurants, no large gatherings and everyone will have to social distance and wear masks.
All incoming people to the state will be required to quarantine for two weeks and we no longer have any direct flights to the island from any continental land masses. Oh, and there was something about health checks before they will let them onto or off the airplanes. They've also been talking about various ways to enforce the quarantines, someone thinks those ankle tracking monitors would be a good thing.
Our island, Hawaii Island, has had 74 (?) maybe it's 72, cases and no deaths. Currently, there's no active virus cases on the island, but we've had some stupid tourists breaking quarantine. One stupid entitled and infected person can really wreck all the effort everyone has gone through to get rid of the virus and keep the virus out. We will see how things go, there's talk of how to enforce quarantine and keep the virus out. If there's new cases that show up, then we will be in lock down again.
There's been all kinds of odd things not-available. Toilet paper ran out really quickly, but that was expected. Rice and Spam got scarce for awhile, but we can find rice now. Our local (and only on this island) Costco ran out of pork and chicken. There is a slaughterhouse on the island, though, so we can source meat from other placed. Plus there's this annoying rooster still running around so things aren't totally dire yet.
There were no dried beans at the grocery store. Well, except for one lonely bag of lima beans. Since when do folks buy that many dried beans? Do they even know how to cook them? Also out of flour and yeast. Very bizarre. I'm not sure if folks are planning to bake bread to save trips to the store or to save money, but since when does the store run out of yeast and flour? There's no more vegetable seeds available at the hardware store. Loads of flower seeds, but the veggie seeds are all bought up. Everyone is now planting gardens?
We planted an 'apocalypse' garden and it is doing really well.
It's actually a terrace for the hillside. We're fencing the back yard for sheep and we beat up the grass on the hillside to do it so since the grass was beat back, it seemed a great place for a garden. That's corn and beans behind the fence to keep the chickens out.
I've got a new nesting hutch half built as well as we've been working on an extreme fixer-upper. It's not specifically a quarantine project, but one we'd already been working on.
So how's things in your area? Have you been doing anything different or specific for the pandemic?
The state still has a two week quarantine for all arriving folks. I think that will stay in place for awhile longer. Tourists have to stay in their hotel rooms and order in food, they can't rent a car for the first two weeks. There's been some tourists arrested and some sent back to where ever they came from because they wouldn't quarantine. The airlines have ridiculously cheap fares so some people can't resist coming here even though everything is closed.
Everyone is doing social distancing and wearing masks. That's been a requirement for the past three weeks or so and it's gonna be the norm for probably the next few months or more. The post office, hardware, grocery and credit union have remained open. The quilt shop (fabric store) has been deemed an 'essential' business and allowed to open since everyone needs fabric to make masks. Now - as of the second week of May - small retail shops are being allowed to open but no sit down restaurants, no large gatherings and everyone will have to social distance and wear masks.
All incoming people to the state will be required to quarantine for two weeks and we no longer have any direct flights to the island from any continental land masses. Oh, and there was something about health checks before they will let them onto or off the airplanes. They've also been talking about various ways to enforce the quarantines, someone thinks those ankle tracking monitors would be a good thing.
Our island, Hawaii Island, has had 74 (?) maybe it's 72, cases and no deaths. Currently, there's no active virus cases on the island, but we've had some stupid tourists breaking quarantine. One stupid entitled and infected person can really wreck all the effort everyone has gone through to get rid of the virus and keep the virus out. We will see how things go, there's talk of how to enforce quarantine and keep the virus out. If there's new cases that show up, then we will be in lock down again.
There's been all kinds of odd things not-available. Toilet paper ran out really quickly, but that was expected. Rice and Spam got scarce for awhile, but we can find rice now. Our local (and only on this island) Costco ran out of pork and chicken. There is a slaughterhouse on the island, though, so we can source meat from other placed. Plus there's this annoying rooster still running around so things aren't totally dire yet.
There were no dried beans at the grocery store. Well, except for one lonely bag of lima beans. Since when do folks buy that many dried beans? Do they even know how to cook them? Also out of flour and yeast. Very bizarre. I'm not sure if folks are planning to bake bread to save trips to the store or to save money, but since when does the store run out of yeast and flour? There's no more vegetable seeds available at the hardware store. Loads of flower seeds, but the veggie seeds are all bought up. Everyone is now planting gardens?
We planted an 'apocalypse' garden and it is doing really well.
It's actually a terrace for the hillside. We're fencing the back yard for sheep and we beat up the grass on the hillside to do it so since the grass was beat back, it seemed a great place for a garden. That's corn and beans behind the fence to keep the chickens out.
I've got a new nesting hutch half built as well as we've been working on an extreme fixer-upper. It's not specifically a quarantine project, but one we'd already been working on.
So how's things in your area? Have you been doing anything different or specific for the pandemic?
CanineWild
Well-known member
I've been really lucky all things considered- I'm in Manitoba Canada, and in a small town setting, so my risk was lower than many. I think we had around 250 cases province wide, and 9 deaths, which is still awful of course, but a lot less than many many other places. I think we're not having any new cases currently, and things are opening back up a bit. It's one of the good things in living in a bit of a backwater place ;P
Still stayed home except for grocery runs when needed and suchlike, but that's not greatly different than usual. I really miss being able to meet my sister or friends out for coffee and whatnot, but if that's all I'm worried about I can't complain!
Of course, through all of this I have had to move (well, I'm still in the process, but almost done), which is ridiculous timing on the one hand, but excellent on the other as I'm moving to a more rural-ish property just in time to get a bigger garden going than I was going to be able to, and I got 4 lovely little hens! This summer I'm going to be building hutches as well, as I have a rabbit breeder getting me some meat buns at the end of August or so!
Still stayed home except for grocery runs when needed and suchlike, but that's not greatly different than usual. I really miss being able to meet my sister or friends out for coffee and whatnot, but if that's all I'm worried about I can't complain!
Of course, through all of this I have had to move (well, I'm still in the process, but almost done), which is ridiculous timing on the one hand, but excellent on the other as I'm moving to a more rural-ish property just in time to get a bigger garden going than I was going to be able to, and I got 4 lovely little hens! This summer I'm going to be building hutches as well, as I have a rabbit breeder getting me some meat buns at the end of August or so!
Our garden is looking good, except for some frost damage the last few days, -
We have been staying in, and watching everyone else drive by ,for 2 months.
We have almost no new cases here, I think 4 last week. but no one has died,
and most new cases were from testing well people.
I am grateful this didn't affect us like it did China, in the beginning .
People here are returning to work, some are wearing masks, but most are not.
Some are social distancing, but most are not..
The restaurant "the kids" work at is opening for take out, but from reports, they are not
calling most employees back until they can open the dining area all the way..
We are just fine, we had everything we need already in stock.. when the panic hit...
We have been staying in, and watching everyone else drive by ,for 2 months.
We have almost no new cases here, I think 4 last week. but no one has died,
and most new cases were from testing well people.
I am grateful this didn't affect us like it did China, in the beginning .
People here are returning to work, some are wearing masks, but most are not.
Some are social distancing, but most are not..
The restaurant "the kids" work at is opening for take out, but from reports, they are not
calling most employees back until they can open the dining area all the way..
We are just fine, we had everything we need already in stock.. when the panic hit...
KimitsuKouseki
Well-known member
My life hasnt changed much since I was already homebound since over a year ago. My dad started isolating us 2 weeks before everyone else started and people were saying we were crazy back then.... we were just early, my health is very fragile and my father worries. Even packages I order I'm not allowed to touch until after 2 days later and if I do touch he makes sure I've washed my hands (I'm 32 years old btw, I'm not a kid lol)
Main change to things atm is, I just don't sell my rabbits anymore, I'm kinda sad though cause I'm having to chop for meat some really nice angora kits when they never got a chance for new homes They are starting to mature though and I dont have the extra space to split them up so I don't have a choice if I want to avoid things getting out of hand. Still sad though sigh
Main change to things atm is, I just don't sell my rabbits anymore, I'm kinda sad though cause I'm having to chop for meat some really nice angora kits when they never got a chance for new homes
They are starting to mature though and I dont have the extra space to split them up so I don't have a choice if I want to avoid things getting out of hand. Still sad though sighI'd offer to buy your bunnies from you Kimi, but international shipping - especially to Hawaii - in a pandemic is about impossible. There's a lot of cancelled flights and no more direct flights to our island so incoming livestock gets as far as the ag inspection desk in Honolulu and then what? They don't shift the shipment to the interisland airline so the bunnies could only get as far as Oahu and not get to our island.
As for the pandemic, our island currently has no active cases and of the 74 people who have tested positive, they've all gotten better. No deaths. We've been on lock down - the whole state - since mid-March. Currently EVERYONE who flies into the state is supposed to be on a two week quarantine, although some tourists are not complying. Some of them have been shipped home, some have $5K fines, I don't know if any of them are doing the one year in jail, I don't think so. It's really, really rude of them, we've pretty much gutted our economy to keep the virus out and one entitled and infected tourist could wreck the whole effort we've put into it. Some of the other islands, especially Oahu, are having a much worse problem with active cases and people dying. Our island has limited healthcare, when things get serious we usually go to Oahu so it's important that we keep the virus out.
As mentioned previously, we no longer have any direct flights to our island. Everyone (and everything) has to fly into Honolulu airport on Oahu first and then take another flight to get to us, so that has helped with the spread of the virus. However, we have have a tourist based economy in our state, I think the unemployment is around 40% at the moment.
As for us personally, things are quieter but not a lot different. My SO retired several years ago, so we're used to being home together. Part of my work is online, so that's not changed. The other part is working in a small shop in town, which has been shut down and a ghost town since mid-March. We are planning to open the shop next week with reduced hours, masks and social distancing. Lots of hand sanitizer, too. So we are starting to come out of isolation, but it's gonna be really limited for probably the rest of this year and part of next.
I've got half a new bunny hutch built, but have to clear out where I want to put it in the yard before it can be finished. We've been fencing the back yard for sheep and the new bunny hutch may be near the sheep fence so I gotta put in the fence before the bunny hutch. Before putting in the fence, the tall grass (9 to 12' or 3 to 4 meters) has to be cut down. However, as an earlier part of the fencing project, we beat up the grass on a hillside so it seemed a good opportunity to terrace the hillside with a raised bed garden.
The sheep fence is in at the top of the hillside, but it's a huge mess below and the sheep won't be eating there.
Ricky Rooster helped make sure no extra bugs went into the new garden, although I hid the worms so he didn't see them. He got all the grubs. He was a hen until about four months ago when he decided to grow a tail and crow. Wretched roosters! Oh well, he's a friendly kinda guy and good with eating bugs. There's one white hen and she stayed a hen so with a pair maybe there will be chicks later.
Finished, seeded and anti-rooster (and hen) fencing installed. There's 'True Gold' sweetcorn, 'Strawberry' watermelons (what a strange name for a watermelon) and 'Good Mother Stallard' pole beans. This picture was from April 6th. I don't have any current pictures but the corn is now about ten inches taller than the wooden corner posts. Here's a picture from last week.
We've started on the next terrace which will be in that tall grass area on the far side of the garden in the pictures. But, it takes awhile to get a terraced raised bed garden ready to plant. The only fertilizer we have is bunny 'berries' and they seem to be doing really well.
We've also been working on an extreme fixer upper which is supposed to become a rental at some point, although I think I'd rather live there myself. So, we've been well, staying home and staying busy but it will be really nice to visit with friends again.
As for the pandemic, our island currently has no active cases and of the 74 people who have tested positive, they've all gotten better. No deaths. We've been on lock down - the whole state - since mid-March. Currently EVERYONE who flies into the state is supposed to be on a two week quarantine, although some tourists are not complying. Some of them have been shipped home, some have $5K fines, I don't know if any of them are doing the one year in jail, I don't think so. It's really, really rude of them, we've pretty much gutted our economy to keep the virus out and one entitled and infected tourist could wreck the whole effort we've put into it. Some of the other islands, especially Oahu, are having a much worse problem with active cases and people dying. Our island has limited healthcare, when things get serious we usually go to Oahu so it's important that we keep the virus out.
As mentioned previously, we no longer have any direct flights to our island. Everyone (and everything) has to fly into Honolulu airport on Oahu first and then take another flight to get to us, so that has helped with the spread of the virus. However, we have have a tourist based economy in our state, I think the unemployment is around 40% at the moment.
As for us personally, things are quieter but not a lot different. My SO retired several years ago, so we're used to being home together. Part of my work is online, so that's not changed. The other part is working in a small shop in town, which has been shut down and a ghost town since mid-March. We are planning to open the shop next week with reduced hours, masks and social distancing. Lots of hand sanitizer, too. So we are starting to come out of isolation, but it's gonna be really limited for probably the rest of this year and part of next.
I've got half a new bunny hutch built, but have to clear out where I want to put it in the yard before it can be finished. We've been fencing the back yard for sheep and the new bunny hutch may be near the sheep fence so I gotta put in the fence before the bunny hutch. Before putting in the fence, the tall grass (9 to 12' or 3 to 4 meters) has to be cut down. However, as an earlier part of the fencing project, we beat up the grass on a hillside so it seemed a good opportunity to terrace the hillside with a raised bed garden.
The sheep fence is in at the top of the hillside, but it's a huge mess below and the sheep won't be eating there.
Ricky Rooster helped make sure no extra bugs went into the new garden, although I hid the worms so he didn't see them. He got all the grubs. He was a hen until about four months ago when he decided to grow a tail and crow. Wretched roosters! Oh well, he's a friendly kinda guy and good with eating bugs. There's one white hen and she stayed a hen so with a pair maybe there will be chicks later.
Finished, seeded and anti-rooster (and hen) fencing installed. There's 'True Gold' sweetcorn, 'Strawberry' watermelons (what a strange name for a watermelon) and 'Good Mother Stallard' pole beans. This picture was from April 6th. I don't have any current pictures but the corn is now about ten inches taller than the wooden corner posts. Here's a picture from last week.
We've started on the next terrace which will be in that tall grass area on the far side of the garden in the pictures. But, it takes awhile to get a terraced raised bed garden ready to plant. The only fertilizer we have is bunny 'berries' and they seem to be doing really well.
We've also been working on an extreme fixer upper which is supposed to become a rental at some point, although I think I'd rather live there myself. So, we've been well, staying home and staying busy but it will be really nice to visit with friends again.
KimitsuKouseki
Well-known member
Yeah those that dont take the quarantine seriously are a real trouble everywhere really. My friend started working again today, she works at SUBWAY, she's happy. Me, I'm gonna maintain isolation for a long while still though because of my health.hotzcatz":l6ec68gg said:
Hopefully you don't struggle too much being so isolated from outside supplies. I'm sure you're almost fully able to cut yourself off and manage well, even more than me, but being so isolated can be dangerous sometimes. I hope all goes well for you.
If you ever need new angora blood at a time the world is kinder, we could arrange you getting some of mine hotzcatz. Although I've never shipped rabbits and I'd worry to death something would go wrong XD. The current youngsters are just out of luck really, who knew this would happen? It's not their or mine's fault, but measures have to be taken. I've chopped 2 already, tonight will be 2 more and tomorrow the last 2 :/
You could probly take Clovis btw, my pure english angora buck, I only need to get a lionhead cross heir from him and he can be let go. He's a really strong and nice buck so he should be able to handle being shipped. I've been putting off getting his heir cause I like him but, ultimately, my goal is to make my fluffy eared lionheads and keeping pure angoras is superfluous for me.
