Living a self-sustaining lifestyle does require a certain amount of planning, organizing and stockpiling of food and supplies but when is it enough and when is it too much? It is easy to get caught up in the frenzy of activity that goes along with preparing to be self-sufficient and sometimes the need can become obsessive.
The National Geographic is currently airing a show, "Doomsday Preppers", on Tuesdays about people who are preparing for the end of the world. These are not necessarily nut jobs who think the sky is falling but practical people taking a look at financial, political and geographical concerns around the globe and preparing for the possibility of some kind of catastrophic event say on par with Hurricane Katrina or the collapse of our economy.
To that end, these people are doing what they can to preserve and protect themselves in the event food and other supplies become scarce. In some case they may be stockpiling Meal, Ready-to-Eats (MREs ) which can provide the caloric and nutritional needs for a person for a day but are not exactly what self-sustained living is all about. In other cases, the show depicts people canning apple cider for later use as juice, wine or for bartering. Some raise bees for the honey. These activities fit well within the parameters of someone trying to live a wholesome, self-contained lifestyle without damaging the Earth.
When the need to stockpile excessive amounts of food and supplies over takes other aspects of your life, however, the tendency can border on hoarding, a psychological disorder. A&E airs a show focusing on extreme "Hoarders." Anything can be hoarded from food –edible an d not – to collectibles and animals. The activity becomes a problem when it impedes other areas of your life such as your finances, ability to work or maintain your home or even your health and relationships with others. In these cases, the individual often needs emotional and psychiatric help to overcome the problem.
Somewhere in between these two examples is where you want to shoot for. Southern Illinois families have a great number of options for enjoying s lifestyle based on eating what you grow and minimizing waste. With spring just around the corner, he local farmer’s market, found here, will be reopening their doors. These are wonderful places to visit if you don’t have a garden of your own or if you need things not found in your garden. Pick up your canning and dehydrating supplies at Rural King, Wal-Martor other stores. For those interested in military surplus-type supplies like rope, camouflage, tarps and more, Top Outfitters in Johnston City can help.
Comments