Time to stockup/prepare ?

[rvijay]

Looks like it is time to stockup and prepare for some challenging times.

RBS issues global stock and credit crash alert
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/06/18/cnrbs118.xml

[Dieselsmom]

My husband has been saying this very thing for months and months. I find it amazing how the world media seems to have just come upon this revelation recently. I guess it is just a case of the guys in power are all buddies with the guys who own the media outlets and they are all covering each others butts in order to keep things running along as smoothly as possible, so that they can continue to add to their coffers for as long as possible and at the expense of the little guy. But now the chickens are coming home to roost.

Subsequently, each time I go grocery shopping, I buy a little extra and at this point I would say that we have about a six month supply of food items. I'm currently working out a system to cycle what we have so nothing sits too long.

[codemonkey]

My church really encourages food storage. I've never really made a point of storing food before but I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Not that I'm expecting some horrible disaster but it would be nice to have a good stockpile just in case of a rainy day (or a natural disaster or unemployment or an "oh my goodness, I just had to pay $1000 to fix the car and now I can't buy groceries" kind of emergency.) I've seen lots of food storage suggestions of what to store and how much for each person but I've never seen vegan/vegetarian food storage suggestions. I'm thinking grains and beans would be good. I'm also thinking soybeans, a soymilk maker and tofu-making supplies would be good. I'm not sure what else.

[lobsteriffic]

We have a few months worth of beans and grains. I keep trying to stock up on canned tomatoes by buying a few extra, but the extras always end up getting used right away...

I spent a lot of my childhood way up north (where there are no roads) so that's just what you did, you had a stockpile of food in case there was a bad storm and the train couldn't get in that week. I don't live anywhere near that far north now, but it just seems normal to me to do that.

[rvijay]

Canned Food, dehydrated food, pasta, medicines. Also, keep freezer stocked well. Get a dehydrator and learn to dehydrate. Learn about foraging wild, edible local plants.

[rvijay]

My church really encourages food storage. I've never really made a point of storing food before but I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Not that I'm expecting some horrible disaster but it would be nice to have a good stockpile just in case of a rainy day (or a natural disaster or unemployment or an "oh my goodness, I just had to pay $1000 to fix the car and now I can't buy groceries" kind of emergency.) I've seen lots of food storage suggestions of what to store and how much for each person but I've never seen vegan/vegetarian food storage suggestions. I'm thinking grains and beans would be good. I'm also thinking soybeans, a soymilk maker and tofu-making supplies would be good. I'm not sure what else.

From your blog it is evident that you have children. So it is all the more important that you stockup for entire family. Even clothes, shoes, emergency lighting etc., are good.

[codemonkey]

Clothes are tough to stock up on since my kids are growing like crazy. I do have a buttload of fabric and a sewing machine though. That's a start at least. I should definitely round up emergency lighting and stuff (like those cool windup flashlights/radios). We've got GREAT camping gear so if we ever have to live outside for a while we're all set.

[vigilant20]

I started stocking piling in my pantry 3 months ago. :)

[codemonkey]

A few weeks ago I started stockpiling things when they go on sale. I've got close to a year's supply of toothpaste and a few weeks worth of canned beans and diet soda. I just need to make a list of what we'd actually need to survive an emergency so I can be more organized about it instead of just buying stuff willy-nilly.

[rvijay]

Oil, Vinegar, Baking Soda, Herbs, Spices, Curry Powder, Pepper, Salt.
Even Alcohol, if currency collapses, this will have great barter value

[rvijay]

Camping stove, fuel, repair kit for the same. Recipe books. Nuts such as Peanuts, Cashews. Chocolate.
Board games, batteries.

[codemonkey]

Does anyone know what the shelf life on batteries is? I'd hate to store a bunch of batteries and have them all be dead when I actually need them.

[codemonkey]

I'm thinking a hand-crank grain mill would be good to have just in case. Not that I'd ever use it unless the power was out.

[rvijay]

I'm thinking a hand-crank grain mill would be good to have just in case. Not that I'd ever use it unless the power was out.

Agreed and vital. Oil, books to read(there are entertainment needs). Baking soda, Baking Powder.

Some related sites (not veggie):
http://www.waltonfeed.com/grain/faqs/

http://alpharubicon.com/index2.html

[lobsteriffic]

Does anyone know what the shelf life on batteries is? I'd hate to store a bunch of batteries and have them all be dead when I actually need them.

I just checked and mine have an expiry date stamped on the package. It's a couple of years away though. These were AA batteries.

[rvijay]

I'm thinking a hand-crank grain mill would be good to have just in case. Not that I'd ever use it unless the power was out.

Where can you get one of these ? Thanks.

[codemonkey]

Where can you get one of these ? Thanks.

http://countrylivinggrainmills.com/

[codemonkey]

I think I want one of these badboys for if there ISN'T a power outage

http://www.ultimate-weight-products.com/page/UN/PROD/mill/H-nutrimill

[codemonkey]

Okay, this might be the coolest thing I've ever seen (Connecting a grain mill to an exercise bike):

http://countrylivinggrainmills.com/country7.html

[codemonkey]

I found a good article on putting together a vegetarian survival kit

http://www.vegparadise.com/survival.html

One thing it stresses is the importance of storing vegetarian protein sources. It says that in an emergency you can pretty much count on NOT having vegetarian protein available.

[codemonkey]

I found a great food storage website: http://www.simplylivingsmart.com

You have to sign up for it but it's free. It looks like most of the basic food storage advice is vegetarian and I'm thinking there's probably vegan subs for most of the powdered dairy.

[rvijay]

Great work. Thanks for all the links. Please keep it up.

[Michael]

We have a "supply closet" that we use to stock up on toiletries, dry goods, etc. It's stuff that we'll use that doesn't go bad. It allows us to buy more in bulk, buy more when it's on sale, and make less trips to the grocery store. It's something I did when I was single that we've carried over.

[Marie]

I want to stock up on dry goods type stuff over the summer so I won't have to go to the store as often in the winter. I hate running errands when it's cold outside.

[rvijay]

We have a "supply closet" that we use to stock up on toiletries, dry goods, etc. It's stuff that we'll use that doesn't go bad. It allows us to buy more in bulk, buy more when it's on sale, and make less trips to the grocery store. It's something I did when I was single that we've carried over.

This is good. Emergency skills are also very valuable. I get articles everyday from ehow.com

http://www.ehow.com/

These days, everyday I am getting one article from them about how to survive a natural disaster such as a flood or a tornadoe etc., Such challenges have gone mainstream, several are concerned and are preparing.

Vijay