Once you are out of the food you are a prisoner. Just remember that.
If we have reached a point where the S has truly hit the fan than things
are going to get out of hand. Food is going to be like gold, maybe even
more valuable.
A combination of gardening and food storage is going to help you stay on top of the food in a crisis and also keep yours from becoming beholden to others. You have to have an answer for food.
Many people think gardening stops when you pick the produce. That couldn’t be further from the truth! There is an entire process that happens after the produce has been picked. You now become the person who cares for that until you eat it.
You have invested months into that cucumber. You want to get the most out of it. If you don’t have a root cellar what are the best ways to store that produce?
Cool, Dry
It’s important to keep picked produce cool and dry. The fridge is not the best place for most vegetables. You need to find a cool dry place. The crawl space is not bad if you have a sizeable one. The basement, as well.
Temperature and moisture are the enemies. Bacteria like to drink like us and they proliferate in moist areas. They also like warm temps to grow in.
In Sand
Many people store produce in barrels of sand in a root cellar. You can do the same in your cool dry place.
Not for Long
You can also preserve or eat the produce. Do that, too! Don’t just try to hang on to produce for the sake of having it on hand. Eat some of it and enjoy the, literal, fruits of your labor.