As the prices of gasoline and fuel in this past few months, one of the alternatives we thought of is to fire up woods instead of using the LPG 24/7; due to supply and some hoarding issues, the price of gas reached up to $20, were in my Asian place it's extravagant. Also, some cheating is always happening as the kilogram of the tank decreases over the original one.
We never stopped using LPG, just that we need to prolong at least the use over a week, let it goes for a month, so the budget goes tight at most minor. It also happened that inflation could not overcome the budget minimum wage of my family.
But I have realized that not everyone knows how to fire up woods properly, most of the younger generation has already forgotten the survivors, and we like to play a game in a virtual world where survival is the central concept. Still, in real life, things are different.
We can't even imagine how to live without the internet or even just electricity. We younger get annoyed when the internet is slow or even just logging.
Fire-up woods is indeed complicated, and it's not that you place woodchuck and place the fire; the thing will be good as it was, like igniting the LPG-powered gas stove. This isn't an easy piece of cake—also, one mistake results in smoking long, triggering eye irritation. The next thing that happens, you will get annoyed and don't look at the fire start you have.
One reason why some found it complicated is that even if the fire is on and smooth, they don't know how to feel the intensity of the fire as they make some dish cooking, you cannot control it as slow nodes and high, but you must be the one to control the fire itself.
Eye irritation from the smoke is also one of the disadvantages as they see fog-like smoke coming into the eyes, which results in even the nose feeling soggy and wet.
But why do we need to learn these things? It's not about having no gas in the kitchen; I think it's about survival. Especially since things are unpredicted this past few days, learning stuff like firing up woods correctly results in chances of survival, cooking, and even defense.
How to fir-up properly?
First, look for the dried-up twigs. One of the mistakes of people is wood. So when they fire up woods, they don't realize they still have water content. How can we light up a new trunk if we still have some water inside? Is it impossible?
Second is the alignment of the twigs and woods, place the light material in the lower part and the massive size in the upper position. As the light twig soon be ashes larger size is now ready for fire up.
The third is the science between fire and air, where fire also needs a space of airflow; properly blowing air also helps the coal to create a fire.
I found it interesting as more teenagers do not know how to start a fire. They were unconscious of how to cook in the woods.
This is what our dirty kitchen looked like. We used dried twigs and stems from firing up when we cooked food at dinner or when we cooked certain things that needed time, like mung beans and bulalo. When we cook it in an LPG base, we will have a problem with how long it takes.
This is the twig we used, and it mostly comes from over branches
As it needed to lose water, we dried up for a week before using it.
One thing is sure, learning survival skills such as firing up wood will help us survive in the wild and also help us ease the burden of fire in high gas prices as we cook. Twigs and dead trees are recourse where they will regenerate as they come back.
Well, my life was quite enjoyable, I guessed, for I know how it feels to live away from the busy city, yet I also could jump in the city and practice things like a regular guy in the dynamic world of people.
Boy and girl scouting teaches us to fire up woods and brings us to use them. Survival skill and just for some motions. Let us learn to use things ourselves, just in case we face adversity and scarcity or want to live in the wild.
Also, there is a unique taste difference between conventional and commercial cooking; smoke enhances some dishes' flavors, and only those province boys like me could understand.
ALL PHOTO PRESENTED OWNED BY @eunoia101
