Posted on 10/08/2012 1:56:11 PM PDT by hope_dies_last
Any tips or helpful resources to prepare for the coming food shortage and societal collapse? I am the father of two and I owe it to my wife and kids to make any necessary preparations, while I still can, for adequate survival in an economic meltdown or food crisis. I am on a very limited budget, but need any useful advice I can get out there to prepare with very limited resources. I am sure there are others on this platform, beside me and my family, that would stand to benefit from such advice.
Recently, it has become more and more apparent to me that urban dwellers may need to learn more about maintaining a survival or crisis garden. In order to maximize space and time for rapid growth and maturation of crops, one must become more adeptly acquainted with adequate soil preparation and maximization. Some of these methods are not widely used in commercial agriculture, which rely heavily on pesticides, fertilizers and heavy watering to compensate due to the nutrient starved and unconditioned soil.
There are several methods that require a multi-disciplinary, all-encompassing organic and soil preparation approach, to make the best use of limited time and space. The “working smarter not harder” approach, along with adopting a very green, composting and recyclable methods, one can make tremendous strides to maximize the use of the soil and increase yield, to sustain a small family during a food crisis.
We are at the brink of many different scenarios affecting supply chain and food distribution, including natural disasters, grid collapse, financial meltdown of our economy, etc. This is no longer far-fetched, wide-eyed alarmist theory, but a very real prospect that any one or combination of these ills, of our post-modern society, could very well threaten food availability and stability of city dwelling populations.
On average, all of our food is hauled in from an average of 1,200 miles away. Store shelves have been seen to empty, literally within hours, of the awareness of an impending emergency situation in any given major city. There are many preparations one can make to prepare for these situation and create a basic independence from the system for a temporary or extended period of time, depending on the location and the type of preparations made.
I am aware that these scenarios are real, and it is not a matter of “if”, but “when” they will happen. However, I work day in and day out and all of our resources and income is used up covering our basic expenses, like housing, food, transportation and other expenses, etc.
I know it will get much worse before it gets better and the saddest part is that although I am acutely aware of the situation, I am limited to act decisively due to our economic position at this time.
I believe acquiring the necessary know-how, tools, and essentials from very moderate means, would go a long, long way to help educate myself and those around me. I look forward to and I am open to your positive feedback and helpful advice to help move forward in this direction.
As they say, “Hope dies last”. To me there is still hope for the little guy who has the insight to plan and prepare.
Kartographer:
Could you please add me to your prepper’s ping list?
Thanks,
Carlitos
What is a good source for an air tight food storage container. And don’t say garbage con. What do you think would be best for barter - whiskey, tobacco, etc?
Dittos... not into OPP ya know?
The inverse still would apply though
...to protect my own
I can't grow coffee, so I buy bulk green beans from Costa Rica. I'm not sure I'd barter it though. Depends on what the girl looks like, and if she can pull a plow. ;)
/johnny
“One thing we did when young, and budgets were tight is to find (nonperishable) stuff you normally use, that is on sale, and buy as much as you can afford.”
That is such good advice! Save money AND prep!
You’ll be amazed how fast your food budget will shrink.
Salvage stores are great places to buy canned goods- as long as the exp date hasn’t passed they’re good to store if not acidic.
Mmm, corned/roast beef hash....
Take the chance to get out of the city whenever you get it.
And buy a case of cheap bottled water and stick it under your bed.
I live on a small sailboat... and when I’m away from all the comforts, I found one thing indispensable, an old, sturdy cast iron hibachi, if you can find one. Some of the new ones they’re making are really garbage.
I found that when I was traveling, that old hibachi bolted to my transom fulfilled all my cooking, water heating needs very well. I’m not saying it’s the ideal appliance for cooking, but it will burn anything...when I was traveling, if I saw the beach with a lot of driftwood on it, I stuffed my cockpit lockers full of wood... as long as I used sun bleached well weathered wood, I never had any problem... an added aesthetic benefit is that if it’s evening and the fire has burned down to coals, the salt in the wood makes multi colored flames, very neat.
The downside is, if the wind is blowing in the rain is falling, you need that first cup of coffee in the morning, you have to learn how to make a fire in any weather... but if you love your coffee, you learn!
/johnny
For example, I live on the New Madrid fault line, and Tornado alley. These are part of the situations I have always tried to be ready for. One of your most important needs is water. Can't survive long with out it. It's more important than food. Hygiene needs to be high on list too. Dysentery is deadly.
When the market crashed, and gas prices rose, I knew from experience that food prices would follow quickly. I took some money from savings and bought a 6 month - 1 yr. supply of groceries, which I restock as sales come along. Most of the food that we eat consistently has risen about 25% per year.
Next I checked out the website for square foot gardening, and bought some seeds. Using these methods you can grow enough food and preserve it for 1 person in about 60 square feet. With row cover and plastic you can also extend your season and have fresh produce.
With rising gas prices, and Fed printing money, the food you buy today is going to be cheaper than what you buy tomorrow, so stocking up is essential. Like wise with guns and ammunition which could become unavailable under some scenarios.
To me, it is harder to survive in Urban situations. We live in a rural subdivision. Neither the subdivision nor the county has very many zoning rules or regulations. We have tolerant neighbors also.
We have our own well, collect rainwater from the roof. Have had a generator for years and lots of oil lamps and candles on hand, because we occasionally have electrical outages that last several days.
I would suggest that you look at your spending, and bills to try and have a little more money to use toward preparation. Magazines, Newspapers, Satellite tv, Redbox rentals etc. Anything that is not a necessity can be cut out.
Every dollar saved, for example, could be used to buy 2 cans of pork and beans-that’s 7 servings to eat straight out of a can if you have no way to cook stuff). In addition buy rice. Beans + Rice = complete protein. Stuff lasts forever. Quinoa is a grain that you can grow that has complete protein. Peanut Butter (another poor man's protein that you can grow). If you know you have water, then buy dried beans instead of canned beans(costs less).
I grew up with lots of people who had beans, taters, and cornbread for supper every night and they were thankful to have it. Some people I know grew up eating ketchup sandwiches and gravy made of pork fat, flour, and water with a little salt and pepper.
Just sit down and see if you can't eliminate or reduce the most costly items in your grocery list, to allow for buying extra of the less expensive things that you like and will eat. When you shop, buy one for the week, and 1 or 2 for the prep pantry. Rotate the supply. When there are sales, buy extra.
Use your imagination, and pretend that things have happened so that you no longer have any modern conveniences or that you are stranded in the backwoods or something. How would you survive? Prioritize the lists. Water, Food, Shelter, Health, and Protection.
Is there another method besides gasoline and a road flare? I guess that method might not go over well on a sailboat. ;)
/johnny
Believe it or not, two of the most valuable objects for trading purposes to stock up on are half pints of alcohol (vodka, gin, bourbon), and anti-diarrhea medication according to the guy in Serbia during the Clinton Bombing years. Also 22 short and long rifle ammo is a valuable asset both to have and trade.
mild vices will be as good as gold..better.
Alcohol,sugar,chocolate,tobacco...
As long as you don’t get high on your own supply..so to speak.
I would only get within eyesight of your place, then come to a stop and wave a white flag and get recognition from you that you wouldn't shoot me, before I advanced. I'd also wave a bottle of Jack Daniels to help insure you wouldn't shoot. See, you might hit the Jack Daniels and that would be my insurance you wouldn't shoot even though you said I could advance.
I really get tired of the posts to get a gun and go after someone elses water/food. Someone who is a prepper will take out anyone coming after their supplies. To suggest that for someone to do is inviting him/her to commit suicide. I have so much security to alert me someone is here, there is no way the zombie lives. I've been checking out zombie recipes, no sense in wasting meat.
Very interesting. I guess there are a lot more squirrels and bunnies running not to mention your neighbors’ kitties.
Preppers’ PING!!
I bought a green egg ceramic grill. Not cheap but its the best grill by far I’ve ever owned. I slow cooked a nice ham this weekend, a good 18 hours of cook time. Used maybe 1lb of charcoal and had plenty left over. You can close the grill up and stop the oxygen flow which puts out the fire.
I don’t think I’ll need 1000 pounds of charcoal with it and can enjoy some mighty fine pulled pork in the meantime.
Hmmmm ... envy, robbery, and murder.
What else ya got up your sleeve?
/johnny
Its not portable but as long as I can stay in place I will have a means of cooking just about anything with a minimum of fuel.
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