Food Storage?

[d30gaijin]

Definitely off topic and controversial but I am wondering if any of our T&TTT Forum members are considering or doing short/long term food storage with consideration to our economic state in the USA?

Politics should not be a consideration in this discussion please. Keep it to the economics of the times we are living in i.e., I am not interested (politically) in how we got here, it's too late for that. I am only asking about a "What if" situation. It could be triggered by a local or national emergency such as recently seen in the gulf states in our country, Japan, civil unrest as recently seen in Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, etc. or who knows what? I am simply curious if T&TTT folks have a back up plan, an emergency food management plan, emergency food storage, long term food storage, and what constitutes emergency food storage vs. long term food storage.

How about an escape plan... (I know... escape from what?) and I am definitely not sure what that might constitute, but since T&TTT folks seem to be very self sufficient I thought I would ask here.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Don

[vomadude]

I'm just starting to put in a supply of food. I have enough for about a month more or less. The reasons are two fold. The economy and world situations. Gas has gone up and everything else will follow. Secondly I live in an area that can produce extreme weather. I was snowed in for a week this last winter.

[Big Dan]

Zombie Squad!!!

[d30gaijin]

Zombie Squad!!!

Thank you for your input but it means what? I asked a sincere and concerned question and you respond with the above?

If you have nothing to add to the discussion then please don't.

Don

[d30gaijin]

I'm just starting to put in a supply of food. I have enough for about a month more or less. The reasons are two fold. The economy and world situations. Gas has gone up and everything else will follow. Secondly I live in an area that can produce extreme weather. I was snowed in for a week this last winter.

Vomadude,

Same here with regards to living in an area that can produce extremes in weather plus extremes in earthquakes, which piques my interest in food storage and survivability. I too have started a short and long term food storage program and am curious as to what others here on the T&TTT Forums might be doing in that regard, if anything.

Thank you for your response.

Don

[Big Dan]

Don't take offence. Its another forum geared toward disaster preparedness. google it.

[d30gaijin]

Don't take offence. Its another forum geared toward disaster preparedness. google it.

I do take offense. If you choose to refer to another forum how about you link or provide a link to it in your original post? That is the correct/polite thing to do here on T&TTT. We have no need of cryptic nonsense here.

Don

[Big Dan]

Sorry. I thought you might already be a member. I know others on this forum are. Here is a link http://www.zombiehunters.org/forum/index.php ("cryptic nonsence"<<Thats a little prejudgmentle)

[Big Dan]

You like links, Here's another one for ya http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=42747

[Wimperdink]

I've got a decent supply of .22 rounds... I figure if supplies go short, I'm not going to be overly concerned about fighting my way through a grocery store as those will only last so long anyway. I'll take out bunnies, birds, squirrels, coons, possum, or whatever happens to come my way when I'm that hungry. I've also got a decent collection of fishing poles, nets, jugs, line & hooks that I can use to my advantage. I've been reading up on and planning to test out some old technology too... wood gasification interests me and knowing how to use it will help when/if that time were to come. I've got a few kerosene lamps hanging around but I'm sure kerosene supplies will run short too so I'll need to stick with using daylight to my advantage.

I only keep about 2 weeks worth of food around but about 2 months worth of baby food.

I've not actually sat down and organized or planned around any of this but its stuff thats here should I need it.

[Weirdnerd]

I would stock MRE's, you can find them on your local army surplus store, they have unlimited shelf life ( I had one from 1961, the cigarretes were so stale it was funny) and at 5,000 calories each, you can never go wrong, just find the flavors you like and stock some.

jokes aside, I went to a couple of survival courses ( as a Flight attendant) where we needed to set up a base camp, with nothing, and we spend 99% of the time trying to find food, so your premise to stock for "unforeseens" is very sound, also, I would recommend to stock beans and grains, dried food lasts for a long time ( I have seen grain stored in pre columbian tombs, about 1500 to 2500 years old that was edible and sprouted when planted) and beans have a huge nutritive value.

[S. Heisley]

Since I can't digest most grains or any ready-made foods that are "contaminated" with those grains, I keep an "imperfect" 3 month supply of food. However, it needs to be better organized. While still stocked, in the last couple years, I've neglected it a little. This summer or next fall, I hope to re-organize and improve on it.

There are many local "weeds" and weed-type plants that can be eaten in an emergency; so, I also have the book, Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants, to help me find those plants. Some easy plants to recognize and find are dandelions, clover, and cattails. However, be certain that you can recognize them and others that you want to eat because not knowing what to do or guessing wrong could poison you. A good field guide book can help save your life. If you don't have a book or are in doubt, build a cage and catch a critter such as a rat. Feed the food to this caged animal first. If the animal is still alive 24 hours after eating it, you will probably be safe eating it too.

If you have children, be certain that the foods that you are stocking include foods that children will eat. Please remember that children taste food differently than adults as their tasting ability has not yet matured. Children have been known to starve to death simply because the food available tasted vile to them and they would not eat it.

Even with extensive preparation, please recognize that the type of disaster that hits your area may render your supply unusable. Floods, fires, and tsunamis are examples of what might cause your food supply to become unusable or unreachable.

In truth, the best preparation any of us can do is to study up ahead of time and have a few different plans ready to put into action, depending upon the disaster that might hit. The very best “supplyâ€

[eamarquardt]

I would stock MRE's, you can find them on your local army surplus store, they have unlimited shelf life ( I had one from 1961, the cigarretes were so stale it was funny).

MREs did not exist in 1961. Prior to MREs there were C-Rats and MCIs..........

Cheers,

Gus

[doug hodder]

As a kid in the late 50's...we used to have a couple of cases of K rations in the house...never ate them for real, but were great for playing army with. Here's some interesting info on military rations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-ration

Doug

[Weirdnerd]

I would stock MRE's, you can find them on your local army surplus store, they have unlimited shelf life ( I had one from 1961, the cigarretes were so stale it was funny).

MREs did not exist in 1961. Prior to MREs there were C-Rats and MCIs..........

Cheers,

Gus

I don't know how it was called back then,but the food came in a green can (with the US Army label on the side) with a small key to peel the lid, inside there were three smaller cans, containing spam, crackers, powdered milk and three cigarrettes and a little match book...I still remember the 1961 date on the side.