We live in a fragile world

Looking around I ask

[bwnbwn]

How prepared are you for a disaster? We have all become dependent on going to the market and getting what we want. I know we all know what's going on around the world (not an end of the world post) Japan, Africa, Texas, floods in the major food areas of the US and China.
My question is can you feed yourself and family for a month, week?

We all see the developing food supply issue with US cattle at the lowest levels since 1972 and dropping, grain prices going crazy, and food increasing 2-3 times faster than inflation.

One day I began looking back at history and how people were more dependent on themselves. So about 3 years ago I decided to fence in my property. I did everything myself (ever priced fencing), and bought some goats and 4 baby cows.

Now comes the unexpected. Last year we discovered my wife had a rare cancer that required several operations (she is clear right now). Long story but we were notified the insurance co. had canceled us months before the operations, and we were told the operations that were approved was an error. They were sending out a letter requesting all the payments they had made on the operations back, and we were responsible.

With this monster health bills and my wife not able to work much we have barley enough to pay bills.

Tonight we ate red potatoes, Texas purple hull peas, fried okra, and a rump roast smothered in onions and bell peppers all grown and raised here.

We have 2 freezers full of meat (thanks to T-bone our cow) and vegetables produced from my garden. Ran out of freezer space so I have canned over 180 jars of potatoes, peas, carrots, pickles, real blackberry jam and surp, green beans, okra, tomatoes, salsa, peppers, pickled beets, sauerkraut, and onions hanging from the door. I put them in panty hose so if one goes bad it doesn't hurt the others.

I told my wife tonight we maybe broke but we can sure eat good.

Think about it next time you go to the market.

[buckworks]

For supper tonight our meat was store-bought, but the potatoes, carrots, beans and raspberries were fresh from our own garden.

I strongly agree that families should make practical plans for ways to look after themselves in an emergency or unfavorable circumstances. A well-stocked pantry is a good place to start.

Look around where you live, analyze what kinds of hazards your area would be most vulnerable to, and make some preparations accordingly.

For example, in my part of the world, we don't have hurricanes or earthquakes, but we have winter. Winter on the Canadian prairies has its own kind of beauty, but how we'd stay warm if we had car trouble on a cold night or the power went out during a winter storm are situations we definitely need to be prepared for.

Here's something else to think about: if you had to leave your home during an emergency, what would you take with you? Do you have some basic supplies organized so they'd be easy to grab if you were in a hurry and under stress? Could you locate them in the dark?

[topr8]

i managed to get a handful of rasberries from my urban garden (windowsill) last year!

... not much use in a crisis i guess.

i do have lots of cans and dried foods in the larder though.

[piatkow]

If only visitors to my sites would click on Adsense once in a while I could give up the day job and spend some time in the garden.

[bhonda]

I think this is a really interesting discussion to have. I think having the ability to provide for yourself and your family during an emergency is a really good thing to plan for, especially if you know you have specific risks (extreme weather, no access to food, etc).

However, I do think that being able to provide for yourself is only part of the bigger picture.

Whilst there is value in being in this position, I think one can take it even further and question whether your community can provide for itself during these times.

I know this is going slightly off topic from the OP, but I think it's an important thing to be aware of - there are going to be people/families in your immediate area (or community, however you refer to it) who, no matter what, will not be able to provide for themselves during an emergency or really tough times.

I think we have a duty to look after these people (or if we're in that position ourselves, making our need known to people who could help). I guess that starts with getting to know the people in your community, and then being willing to go the extra mile to make sure they have everything they need.

I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad here - it's just something that's been on my mind a while now, and I think it's quite an exciting prospect!

I think it's this kind of thing that builds up a really strong community - everyone has something they need. It may not be physical needs like food, or help lifting things (although I'm sure there are more people around us in need of this than we realise), but it may be emotional needs like having someone to talk to.

I guess we (well, at least me!) just need to get to know the people around us even more, be even more willing to help, and not to be ashamed to ask for help if we need it.

Yeah, I get quite excited about this sort of thing. I just need to make sure I actually do it!

[bwnbwn]

bhonda your post is not off topic but part of the person you are. I have been through a hurricane and a major ice storm were we lost power, communications, and the ability to move around for several weeks. Neighbors came together for a common goal survival.

I have lived in the home I am in for over 20 years and have not visited a neighbor around me. If or when the earth burps I would check on them and if need take them in.

Might sound right wing but when something happens I am well prepared to defend against those that might want to rule by force. I think an example we all might need to look at is the earthquake in Haiti, the hurricane in New Orleans, or the Asia tsunami were parts of society broke down and small groups of people turned into wolves.

piatkow I have a day job own and operate an ecommerce, and have some SEO jobs when I get off. A garden is work but having a job shouldn't be an excuse not to have one. The best way is to start small and add to it every year.

[lawman]

We can and should prepare for short term disasters. But if you survive the initial Yellowstone eruption, as soon as your larder runs out, you run out.

[rocknbil]

My wife put it best: If the world ends, why in the hell would you want to survive?

[Leosghost]

But if there was merely a large scale natural cull or other reduction of our ( in particular ) and other species, what was left would IMO, possibly be considerably better than what we currently experience..

Survivors with better than average intellect and awareness would be better equipped naturally to live in that new state of affairs, than those whose very existence appears to depend on regular hourly or daily doses of reality tv , facebook and the close proximity of shopping malls..and ready made and cooked ersatz substitutes for food..

[brotherhood of LAN]

Not so sure about that Leosghost. Plenty of very smart people (above average intelligence) that can do next to nothing practical, but can share amazing ideas.

Practical people out there that would have better survival instincts that are less 'practical' in our service societies of the West.

But fair enough, those that are not very practical, or clever..and just plain lazy may not stand much of a chance... unless they've been watching Ray Mears.

There's plenty disconnect with what's useful for 'getting on' in our society today and the survivalist traits we'd need in the aftermath of a global disaster.. imo

[Leosghost]

yes ;-) ..I should have included practical as being required along with intelligent and aware..having grown up how and where I did, I tend to forget ""practical ..and "curious" ..as to me they are as natural a part of living, as is breathing.

[StoutFiles]

I would use my gun to take from someone else. Kidding for the most part, but if the world got to the point where only the people who had food stored up would survive...well, those people would need to be prepared to defend themselves.

[bwnbwn]

The world is moving faster and faster to the point of being prepared is something we all need to consider. It doesn't take much of a burp in this world to send shockwaves around the world. End of the world na not worried, but a small scale natural disaster is a very real possibility wherever you live. Certian areas faster than others. Take time think about what would you do if food became a scarce item. Yea I got money, but sometimes it is better to have a little reserve then depend on the debit card to work.

Hell if it wern't for what I started 3 years ago I know we would be not only broke but hungry as well. I could just not pay bills but I can and eat 2. I figured we have about 6-7 months of the basic food from 1 cow and a garden of 4000 sq feet.