Thread: BASIC LIST / SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL

SURVIVAL CACHE
The Gear Site For Survivalists

Survival for Omnivores, Vegetarians, and Vegans

Survival Gardening

In true SurvivalCache fashion, we are looking at a topic that we are almost positive has never been covered before on a survivalist website….”Survival for Vegans”. Of course the only person that could tackle this topic is the legend…Captain Bart.
By Captain Bart of SurvivalCache.com
A Request

In the comments of an earlier article we were asked to consider the Vegan survivalist. I have been doing some study into the special problems faced by Vegans; this is the result. First, I am not a practicing Vegetarian or Vegan so if I have made any mistakes or presented an insult it is from ignorance, not animosity. Second, I also have not addressed firearms. That topic is adequately covered elsewhere and does not need repeating here. Please feel free to correct any errors that you may discover.
Finally, before we begin, some working definitions:
1) A dietary Vegan does not eat or consume animal products in their diet but may use animal products in other parts of their lives. Leather shoes might be an example.
2) An Ethical Vegan will use no animal byproducts of any kind. Only plant-based products are consumed in any phase of living. Cotton clothes but no wool for example.
3) Vegetarians are typically less strict about animal byproducts than a Vegan but consume food that is mostly plant based. Some Vegetarians eat cheese, honey and other such items. Others will also eat fish or eggs but no meat.
I will address Vegans as I see them encompassing the problems of the Vegetarians as well. At first glance the problems of surviving for a Vegan are not so different that the rest of us. Initially, Vegans will need to draw from their store of supplies. The stores may be more difficult to obtain since not all bulk supplies are Vegan friendly. Many bulk supplies, while not containing animal products, are not ‘certified’ Vegan. For some foods, like whole wheat, this is probably not an issue, for others, it may be. Freeze dried fruits, bulk grains, and vegetables like potato flakes would all fit into the diet.
TVP is a source of protein that can be used to supply equivalent nutrition to animal protein. With this and items like peanut butter, peanut or canola oil, powdered potatoes, etc., a year or more of food can be stockpiled for use. Plant milk and meat substitutes complete the picture.
‘Trail food’ can be obtained easily enough. The Omnivore may go after jerky or some honey-based bar. The Vegan can go for a fruit and nut (no honey) trail mix or bars like the ‘Bora Bora’ bars which have a great taste, provide calories, and are Vegan friendly. As a diabetic I carry them as an emergency food source.
The difficulty begins with the recognition that a Vegan diet may be deficient in necessary vitamins and minerals. While we all must be aware of our dietary needs, Vegans must be very careful to get enough iron, B12, fatty acids, omega-3 and so on. In a SHTF scenario with its associated stress this is even more critical. When the foods don’t contain these elements, supplements must be provided or alternate foods sought. This need expands the requirements of the larder to provide for these items. The standard caution of eating the foods you plan to survive on applies so that your body is accustomed to the foods you will be eating.
Areas of Concern

A main concern for the Vegan is what happens when the larder begins to empty. Not every climate or location is conducive to growing the variety of foods a Vegan needs. Mushrooms are a good protein source but must be started before SHTF. Soy, rice, peanuts and such may need more acres of land than available for sufficient food. Potatoes are a good crop once you learn how to grow them. A system like ‘square foot gardening’ is useful for small areas. This system allows for some needed variety in the menu. The point is that where an Omnivore may go take game or fish if needed, the Vegan must plan a garden ahead for all needs and be able to grow those items themselves.
An additional problem in long-term survival is the reluctance to use animal products in even non-food ways. Some items may become unobtainable once the industrial infrastructure begins to dissolve. Living on a self sufficient farm is a goal for most of us, for the Vegan it can become necessary unless they are willing to relax their objection to animal by-products that are not used in food items. In climates where cotton doesn’t grow wool may be the only option for clothing. Bio-diesel can be made from waste vegetable oil but it requires preparation now so that the capability exists after SHTF. The same issues apply to candles. If bee’s wax is off limits, how are you planning to make candles for light? Oil lamps will work but just how many acres do you have in peanuts or olives?
Even more so than for the Omnivore, a Vegan must take a hard look at their life style and determine realistic numbers for how much of various things they use. If they do not live in an area where they can produce their own foods and clothing, then stockpiling is the only answer. Surviving SHTF is possible; surviving TEOTWAWKI will be extremely difficult without living in an area where Vegan sustaining farming is possible or you have access to vast amounts of wild plants that you can forage.

http://survivalcache.com/survival-fo...arians-vegans/

Emergency Preparedness Blog
Thoughts on Preparedness and Ideas for Self-reliance

http://www.closertonature.com/emergency/

Emergency Preparedness Blog
Thoughts on Preparedness and Ideas for Self-reliance

Emergency Food Storage - Freeze-dried Fruit

Fruit is an important component of a good emergency food storage program. Fruit is a good source of Vitamin C and also provides some variety for menus created from stored foods. And, believe me, a little variety can make a big difference.

Some folks grow their own strawberries, blueberries, or other fruit. Some people have a root cellar where they can store fruit like apples and pears.

For long-term storage, freeze-dried fruit is a good alternative if you don't grow your own. You can buy it at various online stores and vacuum-pack it yourself, as I did with the blueberries and strawberries in the above photo. I try to buy it in bulk in order to get a better price.

I use my freeze-dried fruit on a regular basis. I find that I actually spend less this way than if I were to buy it fresh from the market.

When I buy a fresh pint of blueberries, for example, there always a few that are bad from the start. Then, if they aren't all eaten pretty quickly, more go bad. With the freeze-dried berries, they're always available and don't go bad for a long time - if stored properly.

I store my freeze-dried fruit in the pantry in the basement, which is very cool and reasonably dry. I've put the jars in a cupboard that has a door. That way the light, which can change the color and degrade the food quality, does not affect them. I cover the jars that I'm not using in the near future with black garbage bags, so the light doesn't get to them when I open the door. Not pretty, but it does the job.

Another option is to buy freeze-dried fruit in #10 cans (about the size of large coffee cans). This tends to be a little more expensive, but you save the cost of buying the mason jars and the energy it would take to vacuum-pack the fruit. The #10 cans of fruit are also available from many online sources.

Yet another option is to dehydrate fruit yourself and vacuum-pack that. Dehydrating is different from freeze-drying. See Wikipedia's article on freeze drying. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze_drying


Here's our blog entry on dehydrating fruit. http://www.closertonature.com/emergency ... -fruit.htm

See also:

Storing Grains and Beans http://www.closertonature.com/emergency ... -beans.htm
Types of Grains to Store http://www.closertonature.com/emergency ... -store.htm
Storing Canned Food http://www.closertonature.com/emergency ... d-food.htm
Electric Grain Mill http://www.closertonature.com/emergency ... n-mill.htm
Manual Grain Mill http://www.closertonature.com/emergency/grain-mill.htm

http://www.closertonature.com/emergency/

Every Life Secure - Emergency Preparedness Blog

An Emergency Preparedness Blog Helping to Make "Every Life Secure" in Any Emergency or Disaster... at Home, Work, School or On-the-Go

http://www.everylifesecure.com/

http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/

Popular

Survival Knife Review: the Mora http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2010 ... eviewfeed/

Make a Survival Kit Part of Your Wardrobe http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... vival-kit/

Include Simple Flour Recipes In Your Survival Kit http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2010 ... cipesfeed/

Make a Garbage Bag Shelter Part of Your Survival Kit http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2010 ... elterfeed/

Dryer Lint as Wilderness Survival Firestarter? No Way! http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... arterfeed/

Peter Kummerfeldt: How to Choose the Best Saw For Your Survival Kit http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... t-sawfeed/

Know the Fabrics to Make Smart Clothing Choices http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2010 ... oicesfeed/

Restoring a Cast Iron Treasure http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2010 ... asurefeed/

Worth Reading: A Survival Storage Food Cookbook http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... kbookfeed/

Make an Altoids Tin Survival Kit http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2010 ... l-kitfeed/

Peter Kummerfeldt: Winter Survival Gear Review of Blizzard Products http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... ductsfeed/



http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/

Food and Cooking

Survival Food: Spaghetti Mix http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... i-mixfeed/

Survival Recipe: Trout in Foil Over the Campfire http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... -foilfeed/

Survival Recipe: Popped Wheat http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... ped-wheat/

Survival Skills: Try This Quick, Easy Way to Make Jerky http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... jerkyfeed/

Survival Recipe: Hummus With a Kick http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... ecipefeed/

Survival Recipe: Blackberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... -cakefood/

Survival Recipe: Country Hash Brown Breakfast http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... kfastfeed/

Survival Recipe: Santa Fe Chicken Casserole http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... erolefeed/

Survival Recipe: Cowboy Spaghetti http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... hettifeed/

Survival Food: Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... owderfeed/

Survival Food: An Apricot Energy Bar Recipe http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... ecipefeed/

Worth Reading: A Survival Storage Food Cookbook http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... kbookfeed/

Wild Game Recipe: High Speed Venison http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... nisonfeed/

Healthy Hudson Bay Bread http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/2011 ... breadfeed/


http://www.survivalcommonsense.com/

http://www.thepreparednessblog.com/

http://modernsurvivalblog.com/

Modern Survival Online
Thoughts on Survival and the World Today

http://modernsurvivalonline.com/