equinox

[Tartar Horde]

If civilization ever does collapse to the point of total decay, leaving a pre industrial agrarian society, we would need to know when to plant in Spring, harvest in Autumn etc, and have a general idea as to what time of year it is. Without calenders etc how do we do this?
In pre-historic times our ancestors erected monoliths. These rudimentary calenders lined up with the sunrise at the Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter Equinox.
It wouldn't hurt to check your area of choice if you decide to stay and eventually farm. It would be a simple matter to take a compass bearing on sunrise at each Equinox. And then you could even erect your own monoliths resplendant with Pagan Toad licking orgies

[bigpaul]

Observe the phases of the moon, from NEW moon until FULL moon is 28 days or thereabouts. OH says old gardeners never planted anything until it was warm enough to put their bare arses on the ground and feel the warmth in the soil......you wouldn't plant anything until the last frosts have been and gone..in other words! harvest isnt so much about time of year as it is that whatever you have planted is READY to be harvested as in has reached full growth.

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Country people have NEVER planted by the calendar, but they do it when the conditions are right, so that they get the best yield/results.

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it also makes me laugh when people say "after TSHTF what are we going to do without watches and clocks ??" to which my answer is the same, you get up when it gets light, you do whatever chores you have to do...dosent matter how long it takes, its not like you'll be clocking-in or filling in time sheets, you'll eat when you get hungry, and go to bed when you get tired, Spring is when it gets warmer, summer (hopefully) is when it gets hot, autumn is when it cools down and Winter is when it gets bloody cold!

[Tartar Horde]

(27 October 2012, 15:18)bigpaul Wrote: Observe the phases of the moon, from NEW moon until FULL moon is 28 days or thereabouts. OH says old gardeners never planted anything until it was warm enough to put their bare arses on the ground and feel the warmth in the soil......you wouldn't plant anything until the last frosts have been and gone..in other words! harvest isnt so much about time of year as it is that whatever you have planted is READY to be harvested as in has reached full growth.

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Country people have NEVER planted by the calendar, but they do it when the conditions are right, so that they get the best yield/results.

---

it also makes me laugh when people say "after TSHTF what are we going to do without watches and clocks ??" to which my answer is the same, you get up when it gets light, you do whatever chores you have to do...dosent matter how long it takes, its not like you'll be clocking-in or filling in time sheets, you'll eat when you get hungry, and go to bed when you get tired, Spring is when it gets warmer, summer (hopefully) is when it gets hot, autumn is when it cools down and Winter is when it gets bloody cold!

Bastard! I was just looking for an excuse to build a stone temple
I see what you mean about planting when the conditions are right in your area.
I also agree with you about watches clocks etc, I don't use a watch now. But I would like to know roughly what time of the year it is in a post SHTF world just for me personally.

[IB1]

I'll be ok, my iPad has a calender on it

I do think that if it ever came to it I would try and keep track of the days and weeks somehow. It doesnt matter if you are not exact but having a good idea of when to expect the first frosts and the like would be useful

[NorthernRaider]

My watches are either solar powered or self winders, both over 20 years old and still going strong.

[Metroyeti]

I want to have a toad licking orgy in a pagan temple.

Time to make rowan jelly after the first frost.
You would need alot of green houses, this years crops would not see us through winter

[bigpaul]

(27 October 2012, 15:39)Tartar Horde Wrote:

(27 October 2012, 15:18)bigpaul Wrote: Observe the phases of the moon, from NEW moon until FULL moon is 28 days or thereabouts. OH says old gardeners never planted anything until it was warm enough to put their bare arses on the ground and feel the warmth in the soil......you wouldn't plant anything until the last frosts have been and gone..in other words! harvest isnt so much about time of year as it is that whatever you have planted is READY to be harvested as in has reached full growth.

---

Country people have NEVER planted by the calendar, but they do it when the conditions are right, so that they get the best yield/results.

---

it also makes me laugh when people say "after TSHTF what are we going to do without watches and clocks ??" to which my answer is the same, you get up when it gets light, you do whatever chores you have to do...dosent matter how long it takes, its not like you'll be clocking-in or filling in time sheets, you'll eat when you get hungry, and go to bed when you get tired, Spring is when it gets warmer, summer (hopefully) is when it gets hot, autumn is when it cools down and Winter is when it gets bloody cold!

Bastard! I was just looking for an excuse to build a stone temple
I see what you mean about planting when the conditions are right in your area.
I also agree with you about watches clocks etc, I don't use a watch now. But I would like to know roughly what time of the year it is in a post SHTF world just for me personally.

make a mark on a bit of wood for each day, cross through 7 for a week or 28 for 4 weeks.

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(27 October 2012, 16:26)Metroyeti Wrote: I want to have a toad licking orgy in a pagan temple.

Time to make rowan jelly after the first frost.
You would need alot of green houses, this years crops would not see us through winter

you would need to put in successional planting, maybe a fortnight between sowings, so that you dont get a glut.

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(27 October 2012, 16:11)NorthernRaider Wrote: My watches are either solar powered or self winders, both over 20 years old and still going strong.

until some bastard nicks them!

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(27 October 2012, 16:26)Metroyeti Wrote: I want to have a toad licking orgy in a pagan temple.

Time to make rowan jelly after the first frost.
You would need alot of green houses, this years crops would not see us through winter

how about using cold frames??

[Skean Dhude]

Totally agree about the harvestiong etc. It aint a job for a calendar. However, that isn't the point of a watch. It is make arrangements, call at 1900 or be a the coner at 2200. seat of the pants stuff doesn't cut then.

[bigpaul]

(27 October 2012, 19:33)Skean Dhude Wrote: Totally agree about the harvestiong etc. It aint a job for a calendar. However, that isn't the point of a watch. It is make arrangements, call at 1900 or be a the coner at 2200. seat of the pants stuff doesn't cut then.

sorry SD, but who do you expect to be calling at 1900 or meeting at 2200 if its all "gone to hell in a handcart"??

[Bug_out_Bag]

(27 October 2012, 19:33)Skean Dhude Wrote: Totally agree about the harvestiong etc. It aint a job for a calendar. However, that isn't the point of a watch. It is make arrangements, call at 1900 or be a the coner at 2200. seat of the pants stuff doesn't cut then.

I agree, for me, it is important to accurately keep track of time in terms of communications. When power is going to be a huge issue you don't want to waste time transmitting on a radio if the person your trying to get has lost trCk of time. The other important reason for accurate time keeping is to ensure that radio transmissions are brief, reducing the risk of triangulation etc. Of course prearranged frequencies and times of transmission has to be arranged with third parties pior to an event.

For gardening, I'd plant and harvest according to the weather and the ripeness of the crop.

However, a temple specifically built for toad licking orgies sounds much more fun!