food storage my thoughts

I am very new to this so sorry if I ramble on here. Anyway I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this. I work for a large grocery chain and have direct knowledge of the locations of all 20+ of our warehouses across the country with 5 location in Ontario alone and 4 within a 1 hour drive (Closest of which is 15 mins. away). Just to mention also none of the buildings are marked with the company name so someone without direct knowledge would have no idea what they were. Now depending on what happens and if I had to bugout to my cottage (Approx. 3.5-4 hours away). Depending on the route I would take I could pass 1-3 of the 4 warehouses (The 4th is 1 hour the opposite way). do you think it is ok to prep less food and possibly count on these location to be available for some additional food? Obviously the people that work at these locations would probably think of them too but still.

Anyway sorry if I rambled on there.

Here is my point of view on the matter...
First, you may not always have to (or be able to) bug out and even if you did/could, you may not be able to reach any of those warehouses at all. Fires, destroyed roads, riots, any number of obstacles could be in our way. Not to mention that if you, an average grocery store employee knows about these warehouses, then lots of other people do too...many of whom are more likely MUCH better prepared than you are, as even thinking this way kinda eludes to you being somewhat lazy.

Second, have you ever been to one of these facilities? They are huge and confusing. You would be wasting valuable travel time trying to gather what you need.

Third, have you considered armed protest to your theft? Either by security/police or by better prepared preppers or by gangs and criminals.

Fourth, there are several disaster scenarios that could completely remove some if not all of these warehouses from the equation. Tornado, earthquake, terrorist strike, etc...these facilities may not even exist by the time you decide to get outta Dodge.

Finally, NO, I cannot say that it would be OK to loot a warehouse. This is illegal, and your post has probably already put you on a watch list.

Great advise thank you very much for the reply. I haven't actually started anything except maybe purchased a few move weapons and not even the greatest just a few machetes. Not even sure how to tell the family as they think I'm half nuts already with just the machetes.

a machete is a great tool if you're walking thru the jungle. . . or trying to kill someone with a machete (maybe i've never tried it. . .i've got a sward for that 😉 AND LOTS OF GUNS lol)

but you if you're new to prepping you need some where to start. other wise you're just going in blind and have no idea where you're going to end up. this will waste a lot of money and leave you with a lot of gear you don't really need.

get a BOOK and read it, then get some more books.

"Emergency food storage and survival handbook by Peggy Layton" (i'd recommend this one first to a new to prepping person)

the next too are good books, a little more hard core, but if you're going to read anything, do the book above first, get your beans then worry about bullets.
"The complete disaster home preparation guide by Robert Roskind"
"Crisis preparedness handbook by Jack Spigarelli"

this one is one of the best out there, but it's geared towards the more advance prepper. . . you'll need this in 4-10 years.
"How to survive the end of the world as we know it by James Rawles"

there is NOTHING wrong with Cody's work, he's got great pictures, fun to read, but i just don't like his writing style over all. they have all the right info though.
When all hell breaks loose by Cody Lundin
98.6 degrees . . . Keeping your ass alive by Cody Lundin

this is another food storage based book, i haven't finished it, and i'm finding it hard to get thru. i bought it before i knew this was the lady on "dooms day preppers" (or how to get yourself killed or arrested preppers lol) but it's got a lot of good info from what i've seen, a lot of organization. . .
"Just in case: how to be self-sufficient when the unexpected happens by Kathy Harrison"

so GET a book, read it, while you're reading it come here and ask questions. . . you'll want to know where to find things you're going to want to buy.

now don't take this the wrong way, but do you know why your family things you're half nuts for buying the machete? because that's not a viable plan for preparedness, and even a non prepper can see that.

when something bad happens like a 2 day power outage, you're going to want food you can eat, a way to cook it, and clean water, light and heat. . .

if there is nuclear fall out, you're going to want food you can eat, a way to cook it, and clean water, light and heat (as well as a rad safe shelter, rad meters, decontamination kits etc) but the POINT IS. . . FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, HEAD, LIGHT.

when you get to the point where you can keep your family alive, then you need to worry about security.
remember the rules of three. . .
you can live 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water, 3 hours without shelter (in extreme environments) 3 minutes without air. . . (3 second with a shot in the head because you were breaking into a warehouse to get food because you didn't prep. . .ah, see how i tired that back in to the other post 😀 )

another famous prepping quote is "failing to plan is planning to fail" if you got buy things willy nilly without a plan you're going to get stuck with a lot of gear you don't need. i have lot of stuff i bought because it was a deal. . . instead of saving to a better quality product, so now i have some crappy tire (the old ones) solar panels in my barn that don't do what the box said they would. . .

"buy once, cry once" earlier in this threat i talked about spending the money on the good stuff, the Excalibur dehydrator, the country living mill, the all American canner. . . i've never barked at the price because each of those were worth it, and paid for themselves in my mind.

and before you talk to your family about any of them . . . (or anyone else for that matter) get educated!!!! you don't want them thinking your a nut, they will not be on board with your prepping, they will talk to other people about how you've gone nuts and you're stock piling all this food and gear, then not only does everyone thing you're nuts, but they KNOW you have food and gear when bad things happen. "hey jimmy can i use your generator, all the food in my freezer is going bad. . . umm i'll need some gas too, i heard you have lots. . .oh do you have an extension cord too?" what happens when you say "no" and they risk loosing that 1/2 a cow in their freezer? do you think they will just accept that? there was a really good "the twilight zone" about this, i think it was called "the fall out shelter" it was the black and white one, but it showed a very true example of people falling apart and doing stupid things in the face of crisis.

so get a book, and please make the first one the Peggy Layton book, she'll start you off on the right path. (then get your wife to read it)
http://www.amazon.ca/Emergency-Food-Storage-Survival-Handbook/dp/0761563679/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347706368&sr=8-1

when you do start talking to YOUR FAMILY about it, keep calm, don't talk about the end of world, talk about say "insurance" because that's what it is. . . you don't buy house insurance so you can burn your place down, you don't buy car insurance so you can drive like a nut, you buy it for the unexpected. you buy food for that big winter storm that might leave you stuck at home for a week (two years ago that was me) or the flash lights and batteries and back up heat for when the power is out.

build your preps slowly (without debt) and follow the plan you laid out, food, water, shelter (including clothing) light, heat. . . and let it take you where it may. . . maybe you need gas masks, whole house positive pressure systems, rad gear, maybe you don't. . .it all starts with food and water!

I am very new to this so sorry if I ramble on here. Anyway I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this. I work for a large grocery chain and have direct knowledge of the locations of all 20+ of our warehouses across the country with 5 location in Ontario alone and 4 within a 1 hour drive (Closest of which is 15 mins. away). Just to mention also none of the buildings are marked with the company name so someone without direct knowledge would have no idea what they were. Now depending on what happens and if I had to bugout to my cottage (Approx. 3.5-4 hours away). Depending on the route I would take I could pass 1-3 of the 4 warehouses (The 4th is 1 hour the opposite way). do you think it is ok to prep less food and possibly count on these location to be available for some additional food? Obviously the people that work at these locations would probably think of them too but still.

Anyway sorry if I rambled on there.

Did you get this idea from watching "Surviving a Disaster"? In the show it makes sense but what the others have posted before me is the reality. I suggest you take what the others have said to heart. They are some of the most knowledgable preppers you will "meet".

And welcome to the group

Great advise thank you very much for the reply. I haven't actually started anything except maybe purchased a few move weapons and not even the greatest just a few machetes. Not even sure how to tell the family as they think I'm half nuts already with just the machetes.

When a persons FIRST post without an introduction of who they are is about looting private property I get a little suspicious about their intentions for the board!

I suspect that you are looking for someone to ask for the locations and then drag them into a conversation that includes them agreeing that looting private property is a good idea. Expect the cops to come and break down the door at any moment after that.

It was your first post. No introduction. No personal information.

Not a nice way to begin a conversation in my book.

If you're a serious participant then how about we do a "do over". Hi - I'm Anita - I'm the momma with the big stick - which I will put down as soon as I am comfortable that you are here to learn and not to cause trouble.

Sspencer69 the answer is ABSOLUTLY NO.

If your plan in case of disaster is based on stealing food , from any source, you are not a prepper nor do you understand what prepping is about.

Preppers plan for unpleasant events which can disrupt our lives or society. There are four basic areas that must be covered in order: shelter, water, food and security.

My advice would be to sell your machetes on eBay or Kijiji, buy a good book on beginning prepping then start to build up your food supply. You will find members of this forum more than welcome to give advice on what book might be good to get you started.

Great advise thank you very much for the reply. I haven't actually started anything except maybe purchased a few move weapons and not even the greatest just a few machetes. Not even sure how to tell the family as they think I'm half nuts already with just the machetes.

When a persons FIRST post without an introduction of who they are is about looting private property I get a little suspicious about their intentions for the board!

I suspect that you are looking for someone to ask for the locations and then drag them into a conversation that includes them agreeing that looting private property is a good idea. Expect the cops to come and break down the door at any moment after that.

It was your first post. No introduction. No personal information.

Not a nice way to begin a conversation in my book.

If you're a serious participant then how about we do a "do over". Hi - I'm Anita - I'm the momma with the big stick - which I will put down as soon as I am comfortable that you are here to learn and not to cause trouble.

Look out ICRCC...she's got the stick out again!

Anita and that stick! Well maybe, just maybe, I will get a stick too. If I do I will definitely check out :
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc ="s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fejmas.com%2Fjnc%2Fjncart_barton-wright_0200.htm&ei=FahUUL_-HKjkywHWn4HYDQ&usg=AFQjCNG-0apBavu5Iwpm6X2sp97NEbpEdQ"

In the show surviving disasters for a flu epidemic, the ex navy seal doing the show tells people to raid food storage places and to leave an I.o.u. Anyone watching that show would think that is the correct way to survive. Just saying.........

In the show surviving disasters for a flu epidemic, the ex navy seal doing the show tells people to raid food storage places and to leave an I.o.u. Anyone watching that show would think that is the correct way to survive. Just saying.........

navy seals work under a very different set of rules under very strange settings. . . if you are going into a very dangerous place to kill a very evil group of people. . . you can take food and if you leave an IOU then youre a better person. . . until you're willing to give up your life for the good of something much larger then your family. . . i'd consider sticking to buying food and watching movies 😉

(not directed at anyone, just my thoughts on seals stealing stuff. . . not sure what i think of the show, it's a little drawn out IMO)

navy seals work under a very different set of rules under very strange settings. . . if you are going into a very dangerous place to kill a very evil group of people. . . you can take food and if you leave an IOU then youre a better person. . . until you're willing to give up your life for the good of something much larger then your family. . . i'd consider sticking to buying food and watching movies 😉

(not directed at anyone, just my thoughts on seals stealing stuff. . . not sure what i think of the show, it's a little drawn out IMO)

Agree, it the wrong way to go and like those outdoor survival shows it's just a show, not real life or real training.

Great advise thank you very much for the reply. I haven't actually started anything except maybe purchased a few move weapons and not even the greatest just a few machetes. Not even sure how to tell the family as they think I'm half nuts already with just the machetes.

When a persons FIRST post without an introduction of who they are is about looting private property I get a little suspicious about their intentions for the board!

I suspect that you are looking for someone to ask for the locations and then drag them into a conversation that includes them agreeing that looting private property is a good idea. Expect the cops to come and break down the door at any moment after that.

It was your first post. No introduction. No personal information.

Not a nice way to begin a conversation in my book.

If you're a serious participant then how about we do a "do over". Hi - I'm Anita - I'm the momma with the big stick - which I will put down as soon as I am comfortable that you are here to learn and not to cause trouble.

Sorry if I started off the wrong way. As I mentioned I am new and have NO idea what I'm doing. Hi I'm Scott, and live in the Toronto area. I used to like my job but really don't any more. I have a cottage about 3.5 hours north of the city and if I knew how to grow my food and knew my family wouldn't think I was completely off my rocker I would move there and get completely off the grid. My wife and I were up there a few weeks ago and it is so secluded I was able to run around completely naked(Yea, don't picture that!!). Hmm Maybe I'm a closet nudest and not a closet prepper??

at was an some friends place in Niagara falls, we were talking about peeing in the shower. . . or they were, because my buddy kept leaving his swim trunks in his sisters shower. . .

long story short, i told them i pee outside here more then i do inside. they asked me "how do you wash your hands when you pee outside. . ."

i replied "i don't piss on my hands" city folk eh!

out of the closet peer lol. (sometimes nudest)

There is some truth to what spencer said in the original post. There will be workers looking to get their handout thats for sure. But once inside with even 50 employees can you imagine the fights that would break out for the stored water and canned goods? I take his post as one of total innocence in the matter since that would be most peoples first reaction. Here people would jack the co-op warehouse for sure. My hunch is that the major chains would pay police and security in food if money was a problem. The troll word comes out way too often since we do not know for sure what the true intent was in the post, we can only speculate based on our view of it (text does that). He showed in later posts that he is not a troll and that is my point.