Is the World Going Crazy (or do we just need to can it)?

Just so we’re clear before we get into the thick of this article, also so we can just know each other as humans, my name is Cory Thomas and I’m what some would call a “prepper”.

Kinda feels like I just stood up at an AA meeting after I wrote that.

But what I’d like to do in this article is not incite fear and government hatred/bashing, like so many of those who paint people who like to prepare for disaster. I am a simple man with a wife, kids on the way, and a miniature Australian Shepherd. And it’s because I love my family that I’ve taken on these concerns about preparedness.

Now that we might know each other a little bit better, I look forward to sharing with you what my thoughts are on keeping your head down and doing what you know to do to keep you and your family moving forward.

Cheers!

How Will You Survive if America is in a Crisis?

A bit of a stark way to start, but I think I have your attention, or at least the attention of those willing to keep reading.

It seems that the world is going crazy these days. Every other story you hear on the news is about another act of crime or civil unrest due to some controversy or other. Predictions are being made of another possible civil war in the United States all over the internet. Does this worry you about you and your family’s future?

The day may come when a simple trip to the grocery store becomes impossible. It’s pretty hard to shop in a building that has been demolished or ransacked by panicked, starving people. This is where good food preparation and preservation skills will become not only handy but a necessity.

Get Growing While Everybody Else Gets Panicking

In a time of crisis and low food supplies people will be looking for food anywhere they can. If the grocery stores are destroyed or raided, you can bet the next place they will look will be — you guessed it — gardens. It’s great if you have a lot of land to grow your own food supply outdoors but what are you going to do when you find out something other than the rabbits has been raiding your garden?

This is where learning to grow vegetables, spices and even fruits indoor will become invaluable. Growing your own food indoors isn’t difficult.

Below are some easy choices for indoor garden growing:

Vegetables: Fruits: Spices:

• Potatoes Lemons Rosemary
• Carrots Mandarin Oranges Oregano
• Tomatoes Avocados Chives

These plants can be grown in regular garden pots, plastic storage buckets or even plastic sacks with some potting soil. Just make sure that the containers have the ability to allow for drainage. If you have holes in the bottom, make sure there is a drip pan underneath. If not, you can put some sand or stones in the bottom to allow for drainage. You can place the containers in front of a sunny window or patio door. If no sunlight is available or you just want to hide your precious plants from prying eyes, a grow light or even an indoor greenhouse would work great.

Safely Squirrel Away Your Homegrown Harvest

After you’ve grown and harvested your food you will need to preserve it possibly for the long term. Canning is the most common option as well as freezing but there are other ways to preserve your precious food source.

Vacuum sealers and dehydrators are excellent ways to preserve your food as are also airtight mylar bags that can be hot-iron sealed along with using oxygen absorbing packs.

If your electric goes out, though, non-pressure canning will be your most readily available option since most of the above items require electricity to work. This can be done by boiling your water in a large pot over a propane stove, grill or even a fire pit. <NOTE:  Please follow all safety precautions & do not water bath can non-acidic foods>

Okay, so you’ve grown your survival food and you’ve preserved in the proper containers but where you store your food can make as much difference as what you store your food in. The things that make food spoil are microorganisms and these guys require water and oxygen to thrive. Throwing that vacuum sealed bag in front of a sunlit window, for instance, could cause moisture to build up inside the bag from condensation resulting in spoilage.

Look for cool places in your home where food can be stored. Basements, unheated garages, an outdoor shed or even a dark shelf in your pantry. Some of these places are also great for freezing your food in the winter without electricity. Just make sure that any outdoor places are locked and aren’t obviously being used for food storage.

Survive and Thrive

Survival in a war torn America will lead to people having to learn how to go back to the old days when survival was a way of life. So, while everybody else is griping and worrying over some controversy or other, you can ensure that your family will be prepared by taking the following steps by learning to:

• Grow your own food indoors
• Preserve and…
• Store your food

By taking these simple measures you can not only ensure that your family not only survives but thrives.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Feel free to offer them in the comments below.

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My name is Cory Thomas, and I’m a 9-5 desk jockey, family man, and disaster preparedness enthusiast. I write on survivethewild.net to share what I use to help my family and help those in similar situations.