Stockpiling food against economic uncertainty

Los Angeles Times via (Tacoma) The News Tribune ^ | 4/15/11 | FAYE FIORE

[Kartographer]

The laundry room of Tamara Huffman’s split-level here in the Shenandoah Valley is filling up with cheese powder and freeze-dried ham, at the ready should her husband, Brian, lose his job anytime in the next 25 years. She carves a little bit out of their already tight budget every month to buy some more.

This sort of stockpiling was once the purview of survivalists preparing for Armageddon. But Huffman’s fear isn’t the end of the world so much as the $5 basket of grape tomatoes she bypassed the other day at her local supermarket.

[Ladysforest]

That’s what I had thought about using the food grade buckets.

It didn’t occur to me to ask at a bakery, LOL, and I used to work at one. They get lots of different products in those buckets, and they are various sizes.

Thanks for the tip!

And here is a gruesome thought - IF things get really bad per a food shortage - unprepared people will start to die off very quickly. Starvation. First they will begin to weaken, and so be a bit less of a threat, unless they band together.
Since a huge segment of the US population have no idea how to even make a “bisquick” biscuit (3 ingredients), nor how to use dried beans or long cooking rice, they are in for a rude awakening.

I’ve been learning to make good bread, jellies, pickles, sauerkraut, soup from scratch. But my hubby has learned to make fantastic beers, wines, soap, breads, and hunting and deer cut up skills. Gardening too. I hope to learn to can more things this year - veggies, ect. Planted a few fruit trees, be maybe three more years before we have fruit to harvest.

[VirginiaMom]

“I have to stick up for this lady. I know a personal friend of hers,and the reporter was told to not use her full name and location. She was shocked to see that all her info was just out there for the world to see.”

---

OMG! I’ll bet she was furious as well as shocked! Goes to show you that NO reporter can ever be trusted.

[Free Vulcan]

I’ve started using reverse psychology on people. I tell them we’ve flooded the world with our dollars and debt, mostly to China. Then I tell them I don’t know what’s going to happen, but that our destiny isn’t in our hands, but in the hands of other countries who may not have our best interests at heart.

Then I drop the bomb: they are going to a convertible currency soon and won’t need our dollars or our debt after that. You should see the looks on their faces. That’s about the biggest cup of STFU that I can buy them.

[djf]

United States long-term debt was today downgraded by Standard and Poors.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Every Ferengi knows you hide the Latinum and keep your mouth shut.

[Mark17]

Very interesting. Thanks for your insight. I hope this societal melt down does not happen, but I am not confident. If it really gets bad, I just wonder if I can escape to my wife’s home country. Her mother owns rice fields.

[WhirlwindAttack]

Invest in a Seal-a-meal or some such vacuum-sucking gizmo. Freeze your product for 2 weeks (kills bugs and eggs) and repackage into vacuum bags. Or put into vacuum bags and then freeze it. Take it out after 2 weeks and stack in your pantry.

Mrs. W recommends that you Vac seal grains then freeze them to keep the moisture down.

[appalachian_dweller]

Thanks for the ping K!

Each paycheck, I spend $20 on ‘survival food’, mostly canned meats/fruits, pasta, etc.

Remember that many bulk foods like beans and such need much water and cooking fuel to prepare. For me, it’s best to stay with foods that are already cooked or require very little water or cooking time.

We are also tripling the size of our garden this year.

Many folks are starting their own stores and stockpiles. I know several people who are starting to can foods.

On self defense: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACICE. I train weekly with a couple of friends. This is NOT target shooting, this is tactical training. We practice shooting from cover, building clearing, etc. It’s actually a lot of fun too.

For many folks, water will be the biggest problem.

Wish I had more time for these important threads, but sadly I don’t. I do pick up good advice on these threads and appreciate everyone’s input.

Thanks folks!
AD

[Kartographer]

Her mistakes seems to be trusting a reporter to do what they promised. See Post #74

[Ancesthntr]

Yeah, I saw that after I posted.

Now I feel sorry for her...she just got a hard lesson in “why not to trust ANY reporters.”