TAKE STOCK – WEEK 17

In case you’re wondering – I didn’t post my Week 16 message here on the blog because it revolved around planting your garden and I didn’t want to stress out my more northerly friends, who are still getting snow, by declaring, “It’s time to plant your garden!”

This week let’s TAKE STOCK of our personal attitude toward Food Storage.

One way to prepare our households to survive hard times is to establish a storage of food beyond what we will use today or this week.

Having Food Storage helps us when things go awry, whether in small ways or extraordinary ways. It helps when we are sick or otherwise homebound and can’t get to the grocery store. It helps when the supply chain struggles, and the grocery stores themselves have a shortage of supplies. It helps when there is job loss or a reduction in income. It helps when there is a weather event or natural disaster that affects our ability to get supplies. It helps when we suddenly have more mouths to feed than we had planned. It helps us use our food budget more effectively. It helps when someone else needs help feeding themselves. It helps ensure that the ingredients we need are on hand when we need them, even if we can’t go to the store. It helps us be more self-reliant.

Each person is at different levels of understanding the importance of Food Storage and of establishing it in their households. Some typical responses for why someone is not accepting the wisdom of having a storage of food at home include:

1. Unnecessary. Some people might say, “That’s just a bunch of hooey and fear mongering. Things will be fine.”
2. Later. Some people might say, “That sounds like a good idea. Maybe I’ll look into that someday.” Then let’s someday becomes never.
3. Exempt. Some people might think they are exempt from doing it because: “I’m young and poor.” “I’m old and poor.” “I have no space.” “I don’t know how to get started.” “My spouse is unsupportive.”

If you fall into one of these categories, please stop and reconsider your attitude. There have been enough examples, especially in recent years, to support the concept of having Food Storage in your home. Do not let the thoughts that it is unnecessary or something to do someday or allow yourself to find any number of excuses to avoid protecting and benefiting your family.