Food Security - The Time is Nigh

September 21st, 2008 · 7 Comments

I am utterly wiped. I just killed & butchered 6 chickens (5 meat chickens and one very bad sumatra rooster who had attacked my kids one too many times).

Two are now on to boil, to make stock and chicken sandwiches for supper. The other 4 will also be boiled to make heaping amounts of chicken soup that I will then can.

These chickens will be too tough to eat any other way. We will also be making soup from the feet.

As you may or may not have picked up, I am concerned about a phenomenon called Peak Oil (click here to learn about this very important issue).

The current problems in the stock market and mortgage world have synchronized and fed off the massive and unprecedented transfer of wealth from our pockets, through the gas pumps, to foreign hands.

We are in a position where we have very little resilience or ability to bend and cope. This is especially the case for the middle and lower income classes (most of us). We live lives where we are disconnected from our food production. Our grocery stores have at most 3 days supply food on hand if the supply chains are cut.

With this last week in the market, the absurd government response and the predictable slow motion collapse starting on Monday, it is absolutely time for all of us to be thinking about putting away food.

We have been skilling up on how to grow our own food and store it, care for and raise chickens for meat and eggs, tending our dairy herd of 9 for milk and cheese.

We just got our breeding boy goat who we named Flax. He is not related to any of our girls and he will be the sire of the next generation.

We have, through the extremely appreciated and deeply needed help of a family member, just installed a wood fired furnace for our heat, hot water, and to heat the greenhouse. We are now 100% oil-free. If I had $20,000 laying around I would be setting up a solar array for systems electricity.

I suggest that you consider doing what we are doing and what the Mormons do - lay in a well stocked pantry with enough to get you through a few months (Mormons go for a year goal) on your own and perhaps with some for friends who may need to lean on you in the coming hard times.

To this end, we will be stock piling some rice and beans because it is so easy to store and make (wheat or flour for bread = needing yeast and a functioning oven, etc).

Have you been thinking about this? Tell me what you have been doing to be ready for any instability we might see as the economy lists and takes on water.

Tags: · food, peak oil, security

7 comments for this entry ↓

1 Linda // Sep 21, 2008 at 11:13 pm

Nika,

You really need to run for VP. Palin has nothing on you! LOL! Dang.
2 Linda // Sep 21, 2008 at 11:18 pm

I also wanted to add that you’re really an inspiration; from your gardening to raising animals for food. I only have an acre of land. We’re not allowed to have farm animals here…I know there are hidden farms in Detroit but we don’t give out that info so the City will stay off their backs. I don’t know what we’ll do when everything goes kerplunk…and you know it will. Oh to be oil-free!
3 n // Sep 23, 2008 at 11:44 am

Linda: Dont even get me started on Palin! I am so sorry that its like that there.. I wish the city would ease these sorts of things a bit as times grow tougher. I know that Cambridge, MA allows chickens - if they do Detroit should!

You can do a whole lot with 1 acre! I know you all are working hard at it too. Chickens can be done stealthily (certainly do not need pesky roosters!) I am thinking of getting a community hen house started for people to share the load and share the eggs!
4 Chou // Sep 25, 2008 at 4:25 pm

I appreciate your careful outlining of what you are doing to prepare. I grew up in a household of food storage gurus (um, yeah, mormon and hated the yearly canning extravaganza that resulted. Now, though, when I hear that my mother is canning salsa or working in her garden I can’t help but think how wise she is. In case you or your readers are not aware of it, the LDS church has a website devoted to food storage and how to start here. My personal storage is focused on lentils (which I love) and legumes, with some wheat, dried milk, flour, oats and sugar to supplement it. As we just moved to NYC, I am still trying to figure out where I will garden this next year.
5 Hannah // Sep 30, 2008 at 11:24 am

I can’t stress enough the importance of water storage!! Water is more important than food. The human body can go for a while without food, but after 3 days without water, it will begin to shut down.

For other food storage tips, check out our blog! It’s a step-by-step guide for beginners and non-beginners alike! I hope it can help you.

Hannah
http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/
6 Nika // Oct 4, 2008 at 5:04 pm

Chou: thanks for the link! Lots of info there. I hope you can find a community garden there. I wonder what mormons in NYC do (space is limited and community gardens are limited, etc)
7 Nika // Oct 4, 2008 at 5:07 pm

Hannah: Indeed, water is very important. When I am thinking of long term food needs it really isnt about short disruptions (like a snow storm here) but long term food shortages. Beyond small water carboys, people should also consider rain catchment systems and purification methods.

Will check out your blog!

Nikas Culinaria

eat with your eyes