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The vast majority of Americans have lost touch with how their food is produced at the most basic level. There are at at least two generations that have grown up on nothing but industrialized, pre-cooked, pre-packaged “food” loaded down with chemical additives for the sole purpose to enhance shelf life and keep products sellable on the shelves- all of which is transport and stocked in a 72 hour “just in time” logistics chain.

One of the more fascinating counter approaches to this system is the growing trend to have fresh food and ingredients delivered to your doorstep with step by step instructions on how to cook your own “fresh” meal. It’s rather comical, but in a sad way. At least people learn to cook by this approach, but it’s bothersome that many people in their 20s and 30s require hand holding on acquiring such basic skills.

Loss of Convenience is going to be a big killer when the lights go out and the trucks don’t run- especially in the high density urban areas. You can’t grow, cook and store food from the ground or breed livestock from the pen fast enough to keep from starving at that point even if you do know what you’re doing unless you are already doing it.

At least people learn to cook by this approach, but it’s bothersome that many people in their 20s and 30s require hand holding on acquiring such basic skills.

I was in the last Home-Ec class my high school offered. In the middle of the school year, they decided to cancel all life-skills classes and focus solely on college-prep. I got laughed at when I tried to protest that they'd end up graduating students who couldn't even boil an egg. Now, I'm considered the weird one because I can cook from scratch and sew buttons back on.

I hate being right sometimes.

In the sq. ft. gardening book, 3 4x4 ft gardens can grow the fresh veggies that are needed for a year. I bought several plans from Bountiful Gardens regarding garden plans that would provide the nutrients needed for your diet, as well as crops to replenish the soil.

We have been growing more and more of our own food since 2010. I freeze, dehydrate, and can what we raise, and what I get on sale. We can grow plenty of beans, tators, maters, wheat, rye and grains, onions, garlic, etc.

If available, we could raise chickens, rabbits, and keep a few goats. I used to milk a cow for my Grandparents when I was a youngin, so we could have goat’s milk, maybe.

I was cooking cheese burgers on a restaurant grill when I was 6 yrs. old. Didn’t do much other cooking till I was out of high school, and got married.

Bought a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook - no problems reading and cooking - any fairly intelligent person can do it.

For cooking, we have sterno stoves, fireplaces, fire pits, bbq grills, rocket stove and solar oven. I think I can use the rocket stove for canning, and solar oven for dehydrating.