Anyone stock piling food? (room, countryside, Alaska, cabin)

[NVplumber]

To keep deer out of your garden try spreading out the used litter from your cat box (if you have a house cat). Works great. They think it's from a mountain lion (Iguess) I just know they stay clear of areas so treated. I've stocked up on ammo as well as food and fuel also. Always kept ample supplies, but more so now. Extra 100# propane cylinders and 20# pots as well. Most of my neighbors are similarly prepared and we will no doubt be close allies in the event of any crash and burns. It's a good idea to keep medications piled up too, painkillers, antibiotics, and other medical items as well...AND don't forget salt and other seasoning/ preservitive stuff. Thats an often overlooked item that ya can't do without

[wifiwaves]

Best book EVER:http://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-Traditional-American-Skills/dp/0895779390You (broken link) You can also find it at the major books stores or they can order it for you. I give copies of this to all my friends who share a like-mindedness about preparation.

[Huckleberry3911948]

i was but i keep eating it, help im getting fat.

[Katarina Witt]

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Originally Posted by movin'on

I bought Tamiflu and another drug a few years back and by now they are expired, but at the time it seemed like a good idea. What makes you think Avian bird flu might happen? I thought we were out of the woods on that. I will be a sitting duck if things ever get to the point of marauding bandits, as I don't have a gun. Oh well, if things get that bad...then life as we know it is OVER. I already think it's over but most people do not realize it.

Most influenza A has become resistant to Tamiflu anyway. As a public health professional, I think there will be some pandemic, but we won't know what it is till it hits us.

Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren

Under normal circumstances I always stock up on things like food and other household items.

Me too.

Originally Posted by bbkaren

Not to mention if things were to get chaotic, how would anyone pay the mortgage anyway? I doubt the postman's pledge would apply at that point...

And a return to simpler times, is right, the way I see it.

Sometime in the future there will be a point where we have "maxed out" and just like a typewriter (remember those?), we'll hear "ding" and we'll be back to basics.

We'll be relying on our neighbors and families to come together and work together to keep our communities safe, rather than squabbling over who hasn't mowed their lawn often enough.

I think it's a natural progression; I mean, how can things just keep on going as they are?

As for the poster who said, ask our grandparents about the depression...they were "hungry but had a great time" I believe that's a fantasy. The depression affected many people so deeply (including all four of my late grandparents) that to this day they were unable to throw away a toothpick, tea bag, or twist tie without using it several times. Those were NOT good times and many people suffered.

I'd also like to note that today's people are not like the people back in the days of the depression.

Do we farm and can/preserve our own food? Do we know how to raise cattle and chickens to feed ourselves? Do we know how to butcher a deer if needed?

People back then knew how to survive.

This generation hasn't a clue.

This generation will either beg or rob to survive, and it ain't gonna be pretty.

Think of one event. One terrorist "dirty bomb" dropped in New York City (God forbid). Or even just a power outage of more than a few days, or cessation of trucks as another poster mentioned.

All those people, with nowhere to go, would flee the city for outlying areas. No food, no shelter, only desperation. And they will be on my doorstep and the doorsteps of my neighbors. Both the good AND the bad, ready to ask for help--and take it by force if needed, to survive.

Am I an alarmist? Maybe. But my mentality is this...make fun of me, roll your eyes at me because I'm being silly, or be mad at me because I hurt your feelings, whatever.

Since 9/11/2001, all bets are off in my book, and I will be caring for myself and my family with diligent preparation and vigilance.

Never underestimate the power of human beings to adapt. We'll figure it out!

[monkeywrenching]

Originally Posted by movin'on

I kind of doubt people are doing this now. Maybe some survivalists are doing this, but Americans are so asleep right now I don't think it would occur to them.

I have been stockpiling on essentials since 1997 and shall continue to do so. I also rotate foodstuffs out every week as my family consumes them.

[Submariner]

Since we have a few livestock, we go through a lot of grains.

We have learned to mix our own livestock feeds. Last year we bought a year's worth of grains from farmers as they were harvesting it from their fields. [very good prices this way]

Now we have stocked up for our second year.

Last winter we playing with these grains and began making our own corn chips and multi-grain breads too.

Each year is providing opportunity for us to learn more and more.

[Bluesmama]

I believe that everyone should have a personal responsibility to stock up on what they can. And not just for shorter-term disasters.

When Katrina hit New Orleans we couldn't believe how ill-prepared its people were. We would have kept tubs of emergency food and supplies upstairs and had a rubber raft. (And, no, this isn't post-disaster reasoning; we talked about this often when we started to vacation there years ago.)

This winter, after the holidays, I do intend to stock more canned food and other non-perishables.

[monkeywrenching]

if people want me to post the link I shall do so, but you can put food by on 62 cents a day.

[tcrackly]

I grew up in N.E. We have always been "good Yankees" and stockpiled food; for a lengthy storm, for a hedge against inflation, for civil defense events. My DH and I now maintain a non-perishable larder just to stay solvent during an uncertain financial winter. We can our own stuff as well.
The added benefit is being able to count on three home-cooked meals a day!

[lyoness]

Originally Posted by monkeywrenching

if people want me to post the link I shall do so, but you can put food by on 62 cents a day.

I, for one, would love to check it out. Could you post?