Sufficient Self Forum

Why do you suppose it is that some people equate stocking up food and other needed supplies with being paranoid?

It is easier to make fun of others than admit your lack of readiness.

I don't understand the head-in-sand mentality that NN referred to.  Yes, there may always be food on the shelves at the grocery store, but will you be able to pay the price they ask?  The antiquated electric grid may continue to function perfectly, but will you be able to afford the power they offer?  There seems to be an overabundance of complacency today that worries me.

When someone else (mommy, daddy, the government) pays for these things you tend not to care.

That always cracks me up because you don't have to have a complete meltdown to have problems. All you need is a good snow storm or tornado or something and then stores are closed. We know so many people who don't have enough food for more than a day or two it is ridiculous. Certainly isn't a matter of being paranoid, just a matter of being proactive.

Exactly! Where I live, we had a 2 week period where a main electrical tower got knocked out by a flash flood. Some people freaked. Many others around here are military or avid campers...so why a few freaked out, a lot had flashlights, coleman lanterns, full propane tanks, etc... and just made a party out of it

Another instance there was a blizzard. All the roads were shut down for 3 days. The Walmart shelves were empty. It took even longer for the big trucks to make it in to restock.

Last edited by Wifezilla (08/05/2011 7:36 pm)

I think it is sad that average people cannot plan ahead for most things, let alone ensuring that they have basic supplies on hand for more than a day or two  

I spent some of my growing up years living on an island where groceries only came in once a week by barge, if bad weather/seas didn't prevent it.

My Mom stocked up every week when the barge came in, along with just about everyone else.  But she also planned ahead.  We had cupboards full of canned salmon and fruit, our freezer was full of home-baked bread, veggies, and meat, and we always had a big bag of dry milk or a few tetra paks of "shelf milk" once aseptic packaging came in.  Our water came from a well, but we had an electric pump and the electricity could go out for weeks at a time (our fridge and freezer ran on propane so it was only light and water that were affected by power outages).  Sometimes the power company would let us know that there would be an outage, so we prepared by filling the bathtub and several water containers.  But we didn't always know, so we had an alternate source of drinking water (my Dad's office water supply was what we called "creek water", or surface water from a resevoir above town.  This water was generally good, but we could get boil water notices during dryer weather.

So although I'm only (almost) 40, I grew up similarly to my Dad's experience growing up on a farm in an isolated area of the Kootenays with no electricity and accessible only by CPR lake steamship.  My kids (teen girls) are growing up knowing how to budget, grow and cook real food, use their own ingenuity and creative thinking/problem-solving skills, and make do with what we have. 

Last edited by moolie (08/05/2011 7:52 pm)

We could live through the winter easily on what we put away by fall.....We'd be craving fresh greens and such by spring, but with the fermented stuff, there'd be no scurvy here.

I've always kept a well stock pantry, not necessarily incase TSHTF scenarios, but because 1) we have a large family 2) I don't like having to run to the store every other day to fix a meal and 3) my Mama said it was better to have extra on hand just in case.

The problem with people today is they believe the Disney'ed version of the grasshopper and the ant - the little cartoon that shows the little ant working his caboose off prepping for winter. The grasshopper laughing at their hard work, and playing all day.

Then comes winter, and the ant and his family are happily eating and drinking in their snug warm home, while the grasshopper is out in the snow freezing and shivering and starving. original story, grasshopper dies. Give it to Disney, and the Ants take in the grasshopper and serve him food, give him a scarf, and wait on sick from the cold grasshopper hand and foot.

When Katrina happened, all those people sat around, complained about the heat, and demanded the goverment provide for them. Very few if any tried to help themselves.

Back in 2007 I visited my cousin and his wife in Colorado Springs. They were stationed on Fort Carson. Almost NO ONE had food in their cupboards or fridge! I couldn't understand how people could live without even basic groceries in their home! Instead, they (including my cousin) either ate out or went to the on post stores daily for their meals. That. would. make. me. crazy.

When I go shopping and I buy in bulk, my answer for people who ask questions has two parts and is simple 1) I have a large family (this usually shuts them up fairly quick) and 2) I cook most of our food from scratch

Be the Ant people, and leave the grasshoppers to their own choices.

Im filking a nice pantry song right now...........Ill have it in a minute......