BiggerPockets

We do keep a food supply on hand, but in the old school way. We have a small herd of dairy goats that give about 3 gallons of milk a day. Also cheese. We have chickens that give us a dozen eggs a day. A Jersey cow that is about to have a calf. A garden. Fruit trees. Like I said, old school.

We also keep more food in the house than most, but not as strategically as you are doing.

I wish I could find my previous posts on this subject, but as most know, I'M NO TECHIE!!
This is a subject I'm real involved in. I don't mean to Proselyte here, But I'm Mormon. Our leaders have suggested all members have up to a TWO year supply of food, 6 months of expenses in reserve cash, as much water as possible and some way to prepare and rotate the food.
My wife and I have done that. When we had 6 kids at home, I bought 20 acres in S. Utah and was fully self sufficient.Installed 1/2 acre pond,12 ft deep, with rubber liner, 60 ft tall wind generator, auto tracking solar panel system, batteries, a 300 ft deep well, low voltage elec, solar fridge, timber on the acreage, a 24x30 basement UNDER a garage for food storage, sleeping bags, pillows, guns, ammunition etc.
Now, my kids are grown and gone. I still have more than 2 year supply of food and lots of water, as well as cash, gold and silver.
PLEASE, don't forget the water. You can LIVE a long time with no food, not so long with no water. This is really important.
Three examples.
1. Wifey and I were in Cancun during Wilma. It destroyed all 5 of our condos. We were without elec for 9 days and without running water for 30 days!!

Before you say it can't happen in U.S.

2. St. George , Utah had a forest fire TWO HUNDRED miles north that burned up the electric substation and transmission lines. No elec for 4 or 5 days. That means, no gas pumping ability, NO groceries(all cash registers are down) , no elec stoves, and a lot of other problems.

3. Also S. George. The dam that supplies water broke New Years eve 20 years ago and went roaring down Virgin River Gorge, damaging I-15. It is the only HWY between Vegas and no. Utah No trucks were making trip. People panicked and emptied the grocery stores in half day.

I always have felt that it is good to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

If there is enuff interest in this subject, let me know and I can post or blog in greater detail. Pm or vote for post to let me know of interest. Above all, follow Tims' suggestion. It is like insurance. You don't expect an accident or medical problem, but you have insurance... This only makes sense. Good luck. Rich in FL.

p.s. If you're in my area and we incur an emergency, you're welcome to come share my stuff-not cash and gold/silver!

I envy you Jon. I've actually been looking for a 25 +/- acre parcel within a half hour or so of my RE portfolio to do some small scale food production. Any time you can properly shift from being a consumer to a producer is a good thing in my opinion.

Mark - MRE's were always expensive when I found them. I never found that I HAD to have them when I could go to Walmart and put together what I needed to survive pretty easily. Cheaperthandirt.com seems to have the best prices on anything I've found related to any of this.

Rich - I like the sound of your acreage. There's an electronic copy of the Mormon "handbook" I guess you could call it on storing food. I often use it as a reference.

Yes, I certainly have more than a month's supply of food; 25,000 gallons of water; guns, and ammo.

It's only smart to be prepared!

Mike

Yes, the swimming pool - great source of water. I also have a gallon of bleach with my emergency supplies to purify water.

Mike

This is a good reminder for me: I use a dog food sold in animal feed stores, rather than grocers. We have about 2 weeks of kibble left. I was in the area recently and consciously decided to not buy that day because (knowing better) I would be there again soon. :oops:
I'm not always able to get out easily, so do keep a supply of some things (need to add dog food to that list). But rather than going again when I can, I use it all up, then go get more.

A few questions:
What's to stop theives from B&E when that emergency occurs? Wasn't it the cops who took all the guns from registered owners after Katrina?
How does one store without a cold cellar/room?
How and where does one store feuls in hot dry climates, with neighbors only feet away?
MRead

Tim

There are solutions close by your. More important that "getting away" is getting creative with where you are and what you have. Tell me where exactly you live geographically and I can give you a lot more info based on where exactly you live.

Tim