Since I was a little child, I was exposed to being self sufficient. I generally have enough of everything for a couple of months without missing a beat -- except horse feeds, maybe, LOL -- and I do plan to do more gardening and canning next year. this year didn't do either. But no electric, bathrooms, etc., were a part of life at my grandparents.
There is ample hunting where I live with well fed deer, rabbit, wild turkey all over. I don't hunt but, no issue with people who do and they would be glad to hunt here and share. I have and can butcher animals. I have chickens and goats to provide eggs, milk, butter, cheese in abundance. I make (& sell) goat milk soaps, so plenty of that in stock. Gardening ok with a lot of compost available, seeds, plants, fruit trees. Like most of you, my lifestyle is one which includes many self-sufficient conditions. As we are retiring, cutting back expenses and needs is second nature.
I have always kept a couple 50 gal tanks for nothing but water.....I'm on E coast and hurricanes can cut the power. With these I can pump water for use for self and animals. My generator is large and I buy gas ahead for use if needed. The systems plugs into a special place on my meter to supply house and not feed back lines when power is restored. Yes, gas could be an issue if long term! I am working on having a solar panel set up to at least run the well for the water. Have oil lamps and a supply of oil.......can cook with wood. and heat with it, if needed. It's all here, just don't use. Have old hand pumps, wash boards, clotheslines, etc., have baked and cooked outside many times.
Would be a real inconvenience to do without some things but, I am confident I could. Oh, outhouse paper........leaves work, some better than others, LOL. Then there's old newspaper, or cloth and the washboards!
You know, we should probably take a week and "do without", like camping, which we used to do a lot. You sure make a list of what not to let run low. Plus many of us live in a rural area, so it's second nature to buy in a way that supplies you for 3-4 weeks of basics and even more if winters are bad, preventing driving.
There will always be people who do not feel they need to prepare for even a bad storm, so no knowledge of long term, and there are those who just have a hard time with day to day self sufficiency. I would hope the time doesn't come that we have the bombings as we now see in countries overseas. But, as for "bad times" otherwise, I feel I would be better than many others I know. Hey, I have neighbors with riding horses to borrow, also, should I need to ride somewhere. Would I fight over my supplies? If it were true theft of all, yes!! If a family had nothing, I'd help....with conditions to help them help themselves.
Guess I better buy a few more pounds of dried beans! Always a good value food to have on hand.
