The food storage calculator is interesting.  They have us down for a lot more in some areas than I think I would use.  Does anyone store water or is there a hookup for a generator that we can get for our well?

Very interesting calculator.  And how true that folks should always have chocolate on hand!  I’ve seen chocoholics fly into rages without it!  And besides, 14 out of every 10 people like chocolate.

Why on earth does the calculator say that I only need 14 gallons of water to last me a year?  (As a single adult.)  

14 gallons of water is two weeks of drinking water for me… if I’m frugal!  14 gallons for a year?  People pee more than that.  

lmao… oh I needed that one. 

The water is calculated for a 3 day emergency supply. They figure it would take you that long to get set up, and then you could find a fresh water supply.  Thus saving that storage room for something that can be rotated instead. 

Personally, I have us figured to roughly 1,000 gallons of water a month, not including showers. for that add in another 5 gallons per person per shower. And get one of thoes solar showers from walmart for 10 bucks.

After using this calculator, I have figured we would need quite a few differences than what it recomends.  for one, we would go through quite a bit more flour if we don’t have a hand grinder for the wheat we would need.  for a one year supply for the two of us and our Babies ( puppies and kitty ) we would need almost 700 lbs. of flour. or more.  Good thing I like to find good sales

Every family is different, that is why it is only a suggestion to get you started thinking about what you use. 

for instance,

I  use slippery elm. I use this, mixed with honey, for my sweetners in baked goods. I would need almost 15 lbs of it. Since it can also be used as a food by itself.  However, we only use about 5 lbs of sugar a month. so we would only need about 70 lbs of sugar a year, maybe 100 for baking extras.

Currently we have enough for about 5 months for the two of us. If you include our babies, we have about a 3 month supply. However, don’t plan on sweets, and don’t plan on creamer in your coffee.  Seriously, as long as we have what we need to get us through until we can start a harvest of some kind, and the weeds in the forest count as well…… then we will be alright.

As for the water, Adelane, all you need is enough water for cooking and drinking for a few days until you can arange for another water source. even if that water has to be drawn out of the well by a bucket.

Being in an apartment, in the middle of Minneapolis, if disaster strikes (especially a serious one), having much extra food and water on hand wouldn’t make much difference.  It would likely get robbed or looted from me anyway.

I do believe it’s smart to try to have a bit extra on hand for emergencies, but, for me, in my situation, it’s something I leave more in God’s hands.  I’m single.  No family.  No kids.  If there’s a disaster, I won’t be sitting at home anyway.  I’m sure I’ll be in the thick of it doing what I can to help.

That’s why prepping, for me, is to become as healthy as I can be right now.