Food Supplies

Getting a kit together is a lot like planning for a camping trip.  Let’s see, we’re going to be gone for six days so we’ll have to take food for 18 meals, plus snacks, s’mores ingredients and drinks.  Then comes the sleeping bags, extra clothes, tent, camping stove and on and on and on.  The only difference between packing for a camping trip and preparing for a major disaster is with the latter, we really don’t know how long to plan for.  Those living in Hurricane Sandy territory last November were still without some services up to 60 days following the arrival of the storm.  By that time F.E.M.A. had arrived and other services, including food were brought in from outside the area.  

I have read that grocery stores in the region were sold out within three to four hours, there were similar reports from other stores dealing in camping gear and supplies. Someone recently approached me and asked about food resources locally.  Although there are a few food banks in the area, they really are not set up to serve our entire region in the event an earthquake  strikes our region.  The food banks receive supplies either from donated sources, program funding from various agencies which can be affected by the ebb and flow of available money or the generosity of local food drives and private individuals.  These food banks routinely provide groceries to families in need in our communities.  There is no cache of groceries in our county set aside specifically to be distributed in the event of a disaster.  

Back in the Civil Defense days of the 1950s to 1960s, there were some resources on hand to be “activated” in case of enemy attack.  There was an entire military field hospital stored in one of the buildings at the North Bend Airport.  This unit contained everything, with the exception of medications and staff, needed to set up a Mobile And Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H.) .  That unit was dismantled sometime in the late 1970s.  There are currently no government (or private) warehouses full of food in our area to be distributed in case of disaster.

So now we’re back to the Y.O.Y.O. scene.  You’re On Your Own!  Building a pantry doesn’t require a huge extra outlay of funds.  Start by watching the sales.  Take advantage of the ‘buy one get one’ bargains.  One lady wrote to me and bragged she had saved $7000 in a year’s time by using coupons, online bargains and shopping the sales.  The side benefit was she had built up a very tidy stockpile of groceries as she did so.  

If money is no object, or you’re looking for a good way to spend some of your tax refund, there are literally hundreds (or more) websites selling disaster preparedness food supplies.  You can order freeze-dried, dehydrated, canned or a combination of all the above.  Some even offer free shipping.  A word of caution, all the experts recommend storing food that you are accustomed to eating.  During times of emergency, your body is already stressed and introducing an entirely foreign diet could result in some unpleasant gastric distress.

As always, send your comments, questions and arguments to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.

Chicken Farmer

I just purchased 22 baby chicks in hopes of starting some kind of productive (and successful) poultry program. This is not my first attempt at chicken farming.  (Or is it ranching?) The first year I started with nine and lost them over a period of months mostly to murderous raccoons.  I woke up on the morning of December 24 and discovered the last five had all been killed the night before.  Two months later, determined to get it right, I ordered another batch.  (Did you know they’re shipped through the U.S. Mail?)  This time I started with nearly two dozen chicks. Over the next several months they were slowly picked off by raccoons, but mostly by the neighbor’s dog. The final ones were killed sometime around the first of the year.  This time I think I’ve got all the holes plugged in my fence and the neighbor’s dog seems to be no longer a factor, especially since mine weren’t the only chickens he feasted upon.  No further comment.  So maybe the third time’s the charm?  

If you’re interested in disaster preparedness, then maybe you should consider chickens as a part of your plan.  First of all once they mature, they provide a steady supply, and sometimes an overabundant supply, of fresh eggs.  Everybody knows once you’ve had farm fresh eggs, it ruins you for the store-bought variety.  A little bit like home-canned tuna versus store bought tuna.  Some folks even get a rooster and work at hatching theirr own chicks, thus perpetuating your flock. No you don’t need a rooster to get eggs, only if you want those eggs to hatch into baby chicks. If that confuses you, then you need to ask your mom to review “the talk”!  

Then some raise chicks especially to butcher.  There are some varieties that gain weight very quickly and can be butchered in six to eight weeks time.  Certain breeds are better for laying eggs, and still some are a good cross between both types.  The feed store where I bought my last batch of chicks orders in the most popular breeds, among which are Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks and Buff Orpingtons.  If you research what kind of chicks you want, the feed store will order them for you or you can order them directly and eliminate the middleman.  Some hatcheries require a minimum order so if you’re just testing the waters, you may want to start small and buy from the local feed store.  Another advantage to doing business locally is they have the waterers, feeders and the proper feed to start your little peepers.  Most chickens start laying in 20 to 24 weeks so there is a pretty fair time lag to production.  Once they start laying you might just wind up with more than you can eat so you’ll find your neighbors, relatives and fellow church-goers are happy to take them off your hands.  

As always send your comments, questions and chicken stories to me at disasterprep.dave@gmail.com. 

Preparedness Gardening

    Whenever the economy does a downturn the seed companies experience an upturn.  Planting a vegetable garden is viewed by many as one way to push back against high food prices and an uncertain economy.  Many preppers consider a garden as a hedge against not only high prices but the inability of the grocery supply line to come through in the event of a disaster other interruption.  
    Obviously gardening is a long-term project not to be rolled out the day after an earthquake with the expectation of a ready food supply.  But with Spring just around the corner, now would be a good time to start thinking about adding gardening to your disaster preparedness plan.  If you’ve never tried growing your own vegetables it can be not only a rewarding hobby but could potentially feed your family if needed.   

By way of disclaimer, I am certainly not a Master Gardener by anyone’s definition, barely an amateur gardener.  But if this interests you, contact the OSU Extension Office in Myrtle Point and inquire about their next Master Gardener Training Classes.  According to the Extension Office website the program offers a basic, practical  course in plant science and horticulture. Classes usually include basic botany and plant psychology, pest identification and control methods, soil management and plant nutrition and diagnosis and control of plant problems.  You may call the Extension Office at 541-572-5263, Ext 295 for full details.  

Something to consider before you plow up your backyard is the raised-bed concept of gardening.  Build a raised-bed enables you to confine your garden space to a specific area controlled by the framework of the raised bed.  Other benefits include the ability to control the soil or planting medium you prefer, enhanced draining ability, and raised beds tend to warm up faster, possibly giving you a jump on the planting season.  There are plenty of books and on-line resources to glean for information about raised-bed gardening.

Another item to consider is a sprout kit.  A sprout kit usually contains a variety of seeds suitable for raising edible sprouts.  There are several versions available and most come with the hydroponic growing apparatus needed to raise healthy, nutritious, organic sprouts.  Sprouts can be grown in just a few days and are rich in vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes and fiber.  They provide a quick supply of vegetables for use in salads, sandwiches and stir-fry.  They may be steamed and even used in some baked goods.  Prices for a sprout kit run in the $50-$80 range, depending on which model you prefer.

    So while you’re laying in supplies, don’t forget that vegetable gardening can take you just one more step closer to the independence necessary for surviving calamity.  As always,send your comments and questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.