Part 3 of Wake-up calls, insurance and having a plan
Here’s a sobering fact: Grocery stores in general seldom have more than a three-day supply of food.
Add to that this little gem: According to the “Kerr Center Centennial Report: Closer to Home: Healthier Food, Farms, and Families in Oklahoma,” Oklahoma imports a large number of basic food items from out-of-state; 90–100 percent for many things that are backbones of a nutritious pantry. Example: We import 100 percent of the lettuce we eat, 99 percent of onions, 98.2 percent of the tomatoes we consume. More detail on Oklahoma’s import/export situation here.
Southern California's Imperial Valley produces about 80 percent of the nation's winter vegetables, and according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the whole state produces nearly half of U.S.-grown fruits, nuts and vegetables.
Most of the food we eat is shipped an average of 1,500 miles or more due to globalization. The aggregate share of of food imported from outside the U.S. in 2005 was 15 percent based on volume. Needless to say, the globalized food system we now have makes us vulnerable to all kinds of crises elsewhere in the nation and world.
More sobering. Households in general seldom have more than a one-week supply of food. We tend to think the stores will always be open and fully stocked with just what we need, just in time. Katrina and now Japan show us that just isn’t so.
Another scenario: Oil spikes to $120, $150 or $200 a barrel. Since much of what’s at the grocery store is shipped from around the nation and world, prices tend to escalate quickly. During the 2008 oil price spike, the price of some food items increased by as much as 125 percent in less than year, and the dramatic increase in food prices in 2011 has been much in the news lately. This kind of food inflation can eat a significant hole in your overall household budget.
If you’ve got a resiliency plan and/or emergency planning in place (I think the two go hand-in-hand), you’re much less likely to be vulnerable to these kinds of events. Having a food strategy seems useful. Key points:
- Think of your home as a grocery store and stock it accordingly.
- To get an idea of how much food you need, keep track of what you eat for a week and multiply that by the number of weeks of supplies you want to have on hand.
- Buying in bulk usually means a lower price point.
- Stock what you and your family will eat and what will provide good nutrition. Layton notes there’s nothing wrong with buying dehydrated food stuff, but if you don’t eat that kind of food routinely, eventually you’ll throw it out and that money and food just goes to waste.
- To make the cost of creating your home grocery store affordable, spread acquisitioning out over several weeks.
- Pay attention to expiration dates. Use older items first and rotate in newer items.
- If all of this feels overwhelming, work on a two-week supply first and then build from there (if you want).
- When you use an item, immediately put it on your grocery list to replenish and maintain your supply.
- Learn how to can, freeze and preserve food yourself.
A significant and overarching way to help yourself and your community is to support the growth of, and transition to, a more localized food system. We will probably always import coffee here in Oklahoma, but there are a wide range of food items that can be grown here that are currently imported from California and elsewhere. Having a vegetable garden, shopping at farmers markets, local food cooperatives, buying directly from farmers, ranchers and local producers, are also good strategies for increasing not only your household food security, but of that of our community.
And a word or two about water. It’s what we need most for survival. 
You can survive without food for at least 72 hours. You can’t live long without water.
Two ways to start an emergency water supply:
- Take empty juice or soda bottles (use only food-grade plastic or glass), rinse thoroughly, fill with water, and store away from sunlight. General rule of thumb – plan for one gallon of water per person per day.
- For a longer term water supply consider a rain tank and capture water from your roof. You’ll need to purify it but there are some simple ways to do so (see basic steps of food and water storage below). A rain tank also provides water for your garden and lawn and you’ll save money on the water bill, all at the same time.
- Don’t forget to include your pets and livestock in your planning.
You’ll find a brief synopsis of the basic steps for food and water storage here (taken for the most part from Layton’s book with a bit of personal commentary and info from yours truly). Disclaimer: Please note this is a very rudimentary introduction food and water storage and is not, by any means, comprehensive. It’s primarily a few notes I took in reading Layton’s book and doing a little research and decided to share in hopes it might be useful.
Coming in part 4, learning more and growing community.
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