SURVIVAL PREPS

[John]

I have been thinking over time about the one year of stock of food that seems to be generally recommended.
Is it enough? I know enough can never be enough but after our move to South West England some years ago we started a garden, fruit and vegetables. It took us a while to get the soil into reasonably good condition and we have had to learn how to grow stuff. Things like which plants grow best in our area, which plants grow well with other plants, when to water and when not to and much more.

I began to think, is a year’s stock really enough. A garden in the first year after the collapse would draw people to it, especially those that are starving, and they will keep coming until it is gone. Against so many people, you wouldn’t stand much of a chance. Then there are things like drought, hail storms, insect infestations, flood, fungal infections, lots of things that can wipe out a garden overnight. So all that considered, I started to think a three-year supply of food to be the absolute minimum, and since it is so easy to collect and store, why not five years?

A person who thinks he can start a garden and live off its produce in one year will be fatally wrong.
Maybe the second year, depending. But not the first.

Stored food will ensure immediate and mid-term survival and non-hybrid seeds will be a long-term investment.
The we considered forage. I expect much of the animal life to have been hunted to near extinction and that will take time to replace, I don’t think we will manage to kill it all off. Also many people know their basic plants, things like common fruits and vegetables but what about wild edible plants. These may help and supplement your food store over the first year or so.
I would be interested in the thoughts of others.
John