Post Apocalypse Living (without zombies)

[Ker_Thwap]

I lost electricity Friday night in a howling wind storm and just regained it this morning. While I was carrying a bag full of thawed perishables out to the dumpster, I ended up chatting with "that" neighbor. You probably know the type, the old lonely guy who's bored and will chase you down and talk at you, trying to get you to join his church and come by for a beer and won't take the clues that you have things to do and and keeps talking at you as you're walking away? Yeah, that guy.

So, as I'm walking by him (I didn't stop) he tells me if I'm going to go grocery shopping, I should go to Manchester, because the local grocery store probably doesn't have perishables, you know, because of the power failure. (Manchester, as well as most of Southern NH also lost power, but I'm not going to get suckered into a long conversion with the guy.) He then goes on to say he was down to two cans of beans.

Two cans of beans left? We lost power Friday night, this is a time frame of four meals, maybe five. He drives a nice car, he dresses well, he's not poor. Who the hell keeps only four meals on hand?

I figure I have at least two months of food on hand, most of it dried grains, pasta, flour and such. A few bags of dried fruit and some jarred stuff, tomato sauces/salsas, pickles, etc.

So, the question is, how long would your pantry last after the apocalypse?

[Tisket]

"without zombies"

You are clearly delusional. I expect this means you will be one of the first eaten. How does it feel to be a walking, talking ground zero?

[Revalos]

Access to clean water is what kills you in the apocalypse, not food. That and roving gangs. Your pantry will make good supplies for the people on the PC who brag about their gun collection after they kill you.

As to the lack of supplies others have, much of DC apparently would fall into the "creepy neighbor" category with very little food onhand. A friend of mine ran out of food in 48 hours during the Snowpocalypse because he just never cooked at home and always went out to get stuff. He learned a valuable lesson though - dark beer has good nutritional value.

[Ker_Thwap]

Fine, we can have zombies. I'll make a tinfoil hat so they can't smell my brains.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

My pantry would not last too long. Maybe a week or so, longer if I really stretched it. I do however have like 20 or so camping meals (by Mountain House), leftover from backpacking and hiking last summer.

In all honesty though, I'd think post-apocalypse that scavenging ASAP rather than staying holed up as long as possible would be the best course of action, or else when you do finally come out the other survivors will have already picked over and stockpiled the most useful things (and I'm not talking just food). Not to mention, if you're alone you'd probably want to go forth and find yourself a couple of other people to band together with (pool resources, better protection).

[Clove]

People without an emergency zombie plan are in denial.

[Tisket]

To actually answer the OP, I and my family could survive for months on what we have on hand. Hooray for bulk buying of staples.

No, I won't tell any of you where I live. No post apocalyptic dinner parties.

[WRoss]

Access to clean water is what kills you in the apocalypse, not food.

That surplus of water in your water heater is enough to last two people about two weeks.

[Clove]

So, the question is, how long would your pantry last after the apocalypse?Non perishables? Let's see about there's about:
4 lbs of asst. pasta
3 lbs of rice
5 lbs of oatmeal
4 lbs of asst. dried beans
8 cans of asst. soup
Perhaps between a dozen and a score of asst. canned veggies
Maybe another dozen asst. boxed sides (mac-n-cheese, rice, pasta, couscous etc) that require perishables to prepare properly but could be eaten)
About a lb or two of asst. nuts
About a lb or two of asst. dried fruits
Between 5-10 lbs of flour
Between 5-10 lbs of sugar
About 4 cups of granola
About 4 cups processed breakfast cereal
At least a lb or two of chocolate/candy
A few bags of different potato chips/tortilla chips
There's usually part of a bag of the following breads around too: Regular, english muffins and tortillas or dinner rolls.

So I'm going to approximate about a month for two people, rationed carefully- before I have to start hunting-gathering-raiding.

But I'm going to Tisket's anyway to party (just not for the food) :P

[Drinin]

I'm a typical single guy, I have 4 cases of beer in my fridge, some roast beef (sammiches, yay), and 2 packs of hot dogs on hand. As far as can goods, I've got a couple cans of chef boyardee and that's it. I'd probably just grab a gun and rob the old lady that lives across the hall from me.

[thefarmer]

http://rimix.nomadlife.org/uploaded_images/Grocery-Shopping-787398.JPG

I could live forever

[Chaddy]

I'm a typical single guy, I have 4 cases of beer in my fridge, some roast beef (sammiches, yay), and 2 packs of hot dogs on hand. As far as can goods, I've got a couple cans of chef boyardee and that's it. I'd probably just grab a gun and rob the old lady that lives across the hall from me.

If you need a gun to rob an old lady you're not a typical single guy. Well, maybe that's why you're single.

[Drisco]

We have about more cans of soup and beans and tuna/chicken that any house will have. We have a whole closet dedicated to it. We'd be fine.

[Drinin]

If you need a gun to rob an old lady you're not a typical single guy. Well, maybe that's why you're single.

Eh, maybe she's got a gun too. I'd rather not walk into a gun fight unarmed.

[Ardwen]

Drove thru central new hampshire to work friday, which was pointless since there was no power, but hell it got me paid for the say by showing up, 43 mile commute took an actual 124 miles instead, on the food side, I have a fairly well stocked pantry, and hell my grill has a smoker so I could probably save a decent ammount of the meat in the fridge, very short on vegetables though, I apparently eat way too much pasta, pork chops and steaks, and way too much fish of various types. Although I suppose part of that is I get most of my vegetables at the farmstand down the road and they arent selling much in february. Barring lack of vegetables causing like scurvy I'd guess 2 months area of bulk food plus whatever meat I managed to save.

The two little old ladies that live closest to my house do tons of canning, maybe I could loot their house after the zombies got them.

[Paradii]

I'd put my money on the odds that none of you will survive the initial apocalypse, especially anyone on the east cost. And if you some how did, you'd off yourself within the first month.

3 months of food doesn't help much in a nuclear winter. Only delays the inevitable.

[Stanley Burrell]

I'd eat people until I developed Kuru. Contracting Kuru would = ultimate bragging rights, even in the post-Apocalypse.

[Clove]

I'd put my money on the odds that none of you will survive the initial apocalypse, especially anyone on the east cost. And if you some how did, you'd off yourself within the first month.

3 months of food doesn't help much in a nuclear winter. Only delays the inevitable.I would. I have an emergency zombie plan.

[waywardgs]

The two little old ladies that live closest to my house do tons of canning, maybe I could loot their house after the zombies got them.

No, no... you can the old ladies... solving your meat problem.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I would. I have an emergency zombie plan.

My zombie plan is basically, "Find zombie, get infected, join the mindless brain eating masses."

[Clove]

My zombie plan is basically, "Find zombie, get infected, join the mindless brain eating masses."Good you can be my sexy zombie slave that I use as a test subject then...

[Drisco]

I'd put my money on the odds that none of you will survive the initial apocalypse, especially anyone on the east cost. And if you some how did, you'd off yourself within the first month.

3 months of food doesn't help much in a nuclear winter. Only delays the inevitable.

Yes because we all know you are an experienced vagabond and we just couldn't survive as well as you could.

[Paradii]

Yes because we all know you are an experienced Survivalist and we just couldn't survive as well as you could.

Um, I am actually. But I didn't mention I'd survive.

[Androidpk]

In all honesty though, I'd think post-apocalypse that scavenging ASAP rather than staying holed up as long as possible would be the best course of action, or else when you do finally come out the other survivors will have already picked over and stockpiled the most useful things (and I'm not talking just food). Not to mention, if you're alone you'd probably want to go forth and find yourself a couple of other people to band together with (pool resources, better protection).

Spot on. Ever go to a Walmart in an area thats been hit by a storm? People in a mad rush for batteries, flashlights, water, ect..

In a true post-apocalypse event picture that x 1000. I would feel VERY bad for someone living in a city (sorry Nikki).

The book and the movie The Road captures this perfectly.

[Drisco]

Um, I am actually. But I didn't mention I'd survive.

I changed to vagabond I prefer to think of you as homeless.

You may have not mentioned that you would survive, but you sure didn't leave out the fact that we wouldn't.

[iJin]

To actually answer the OP, I and my family could survive for months on what we have on hand. Hooray for bulk buying of staples.

No, I won't tell any of you where I live. No post apocalyptic dinner parties.


Not even me?! :(

You know what--all I need is my leather boots, sour gummy worms, water, dr.pepper, and a butter knife.

[Jarvan]

It's sad to say, but I have roughly 100 cases of MRE's at my friends. Along with enough water. He also bought a reverse osmosis water purifier, has an electric generator, about 100 gallons of fuel, and assorted other goodies.

Not to mention weapons for self defense.

It's not like I am worried or anything, I just like being prepared.

[BigWorm]

It's sad to say, but I have roughly 100 cases of MRE's at my friends. Along with enough water. He also bought a reverse osmosis water purifier, has an electric generator, about 100 gallons of fuel, and assorted other goodies.

Not to mention weapons for self defense.

It's not like I am worried or anything, I just like being prepared.

Actually it sounds like your friend is prepared, not you.

[Androidpk]

Actually it sounds like your friend is prepared, not you.

Don't be jealous he's part of a post-apoc guild already.

[Warriorbird]

We'd have to fight like hell to protect the vineyard... but once some small semblance of civilization developed we'd actually be in a good position to trade. People like alcohol.

[Paradii]

We'd have to fight like hell to protect the vineyard... but once some small semblance of civilization developed we'd actually be in a good position to trade. People like alcohol.

All you need is yeast and water to make a potent drink. It's what all the native tribes do in Alaska. Looks like semen, and tastes pretty bad, but it's more reliable then trying to attempt agriculture in an inhospitable wasteland.

[Clove]

All you need is yeast and water to make a potent drink. It's what all the native tribes do in Alaska. Looks like semen, and tastes pretty bad, but it's more reliable then trying to attempt agriculture in an inhospitable wasteland.Don't you need some kind of sugar too? Oh, and you want to drink semen??!

[Clove]

It's sad to say, but I have roughly 100 cases of MRE's at my friends. Along with enough water. He also bought a reverse osmosis water purifier, has an electric generator, about 100 gallons of fuel, and assorted other goodies.

Not to mention weapons for self defense.

It's not like I am worried or anything, I just like being prepared.It sounds more like your friend is the one that's prepared...

[Paradii]

Don't you need some kind of sugar too? Oh, and you want to drink semen??!

My bad, yeah, you definitely need sugar.


And eff you buddy.

[Ker_Thwap]

Once the food in my pantry is gone, I'll make my way to Australia where I shall roam the outback in my black 1973 Ford XB Falcon. Duh.

[Tisket]

Thoughts turned to cannibalism in less than two pages. I think the PC will weather the apocalypse just fine.

[Killer Kitten]

I have plenty of Chinese food ingredients.

[Androidpk]

Meow

[Latrinsorm]

Most people don't know this but after salting and freezing being Raptured is the best method to preserve meat. Thanks to ClydeR, a God-fearing nation like the United States has nothing to worry about.

[Drisco]

Thoughts turned to cannibalism in less than two pages. I think the PC will weather the apocalypse just fine.

:rofl:
This is what I was thinking.

[Jarvan]

It sounds more like your friend is the one that's prepared...


No, cause I live about 2 min from his house. His place is bigger then mine. More room, easily defensible, and he has a panic room.

Besides, he has a family, I don't. So when we set up our stuff, we planned for his house incase of a disaster.

[BigWorm]

No, cause I live about 2 min from his house. His place is bigger then mine. More room, easily defensible, and he has a panic room.

Besides, he has a family, I don't. So when we set up our stuff, we planned for his house incase of a disaster.

Sounds like he would have a pretty easy time keeping you out.

[Kithus]

Sounds like he would have a pretty easy time keeping you out.

"You know buddy I've got my kids to think about. I'm going to have to ask you to step off the property unless you'd like to become part of our meat stores."

[Sean of the Thread]

I forget how most of the nation is naive to this sort of situation. It's second nation to MOST non complete turds in my area.

And wtf no zombies? We have Tecate drinking drunk Mexican zombies every hurricane. They'll go around knocking at your door in 120mph winds asking if you need new landscaping of if you have any water damage to be repaired yet...

(the Tecate makes them immune to any effect of the hurricane)

[Guister]

Thoughts turned to cannibalism in less than two pages. I think the PC will weather the apocalypse just fine.

Hahaha. Actually you know what movie is extremely relevant to this thread? The Road (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/). It deals with zombie-like humans who have resorted to drastic measures to subside. I won't spoil any plot details for you rubes but it's one of my favourite post-apocalyptic movies, stories, or works.

I've said it before, but gold bullion (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=50306) will likely be the official currency of any post-apocalyptic nightmare land. Not gonna plug this further.

Peace.

[Clove]

No, cause I live about 2 min from his house. His place is bigger then mine. More room, easily defensible, and he has a panic room.

Besides, he has a family, I don't. So when we set up our stuff, we planned for his house incase of a disaster.


Sounds like he would have a pretty easy time keeping you out.


"You know buddy I've got my kids to think about. I'm going to have to ask you to step off the property unless you'd like to become part of our meat stores."Thanks guys that's kinda where I was going... I don't think you thought this through all the way Jarvan buddy... just sayin'. First rule of apocalyptic zombie doom survival- control your own resources.

[Warriorbird]

All you need is yeast and water to make a potent drink. It's what all the native tribes do in Alaska. Looks like semen, and tastes pretty bad, but it's more reliable then trying to attempt agriculture in an inhospitable wasteland.

Right, right. It'd depend on whether the grapes got nuked. If not though.

[Jarvan]

Thanks guys that's kinda where I was going... I don't think you thought this through all the way Jarvan buddy... just sayin'. First rule of apocalyptic zombie doom survival- control your own resources.

True, thats why I am the one with the key to the safe where the main stuff is stored.

And once I get my own house, i'll be moving the stuff to my place.

[Paradii]

Right, right. It'd depend on whether the grapes got nuked. If not though.


Plus, if shit hit the fan, fresh water would be a limiting factor. It'd be much safer to drink an alcoholic drink. However, I doubt grapes, potatoes, or corn-mash could be spared to use it the brewing wine, vodka, whiskey, ect.

I'd put my money on crab apples. The trees can grow anywhere, are worth shit for food, and make a high alcohol content beverage. It'd be 1800-era Johnny Appleseed-era hooch.

[Androidpk]

I've said it before, but gold bullion (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=50306) will likely be the official currency of any post-apocalyptic nightmare land. Not gonna plug this further.

Peace.

The only official "currency" is going to be survival of the fittest, gold isn't going to be worth shit in the aftermath, at least not for quite some time.

[Archigeek]

The official currency will be the sammich.

[Kuyuk]

Brain sammich

[Warriorbird]

Plus, if shit hit the fan, fresh water would be a limiting factor. It'd be much safer to drink an alcoholic drink. However, I doubt grapes, potatoes, or corn-mash could be spared to use it the brewing wine, vodka, whiskey, ect.

I'd put my money on crab apples. The trees can grow anywhere, are worth shit for food, and make a high alcohol content beverage. It'd be 1800-era Johnny Appleseed-era hooch.

Eerily... we have a bunch of crab apple trees, almost orchard level. I have my 1800s era ancestors to thank for sweet post apocalypse planning.

http://www.eeriebooks.com/horror/book-club/pride-prejudice-zombies.jpg

We also, randomly, have a bunch of aloe vera. I remember that stuff grew straight through nuking back in Sim Life.

[Archigeek]

Aloe Vera is also a medicinal plant. Good to have around.

As for crab apple trees being THE thing to make hooch out of, apples don't produce high content alcohol, but that's just fine. What you may really want is a low alcohol beverage that effectively preserves the caloric content of the apples, so that when you're nearly starving in winter, you have something to wash down those last few shriveled up potatoes. If you want to distill it to a higher potency, there are a number of methods for that. See this website for fun home distillation methods. I'm particularly fond of the pop bottle/power drill cold distillation method that used to be on this site, but isn't there anymore... though I don't think that will be a good one in the post apocolyptic era with zombies, as it requires a freezer AND electrical power. Neat, but probably best to go with a solar still.

http://homedistiller.org/notstill.htm

The real problems are going to be the obvious necessities: food, shelter, clothing and security if you have those. You should be good to go for a while with clothing and shelter, unless there's a lot of destruction, but existing food supplies will dwindle quickly, because we've become so dependant on an industrialized food system that will be effectively gone. Subsistance farmers will be far ahead of the rest of us assuming they survive, as their lifestyles won't change that much.

And also, don't forget: Soilent Green is people!

[Clove]

Dammit. I forgot about the 12lbs of peanut butter on hand (because my wife is addicted to Peanut Butter Co. boutique flavors.... okay I like teh white chocolate...). So add another couple of weeks to our ability to support nutrition for two adult humans. Of course long before we run out of food I'll have ferrets trained to hunt rabbits (I'm rooting the rabbit population survive any apocalypse so I'll have a protein supply).

[Archigeek]

Rabbits aren't too difficult to snare. Eat the ferrets rather than feed them, unless of course you're the only one who survives and you need someone to talk to.

There are a lot of plants you can eat that grow everywhere too. Dandilions for example. In fact, the first thing I would do is plant a garden as soon as possible. I'd focus on things that keep and things that provide essential nutrients. Plant potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets... all the root veggies that you can keep through most of the winter. Also plant a crap load of peas and dry them. And plant things high in vitamin C like tomatoes and then can them. You can also harvest a lot of berries, depending on where you live and can those too, but watch out for zombies when you're out harvesting.

The thing you're really going to wish you had is flour, so raid the grocery store and steal a big sack of flour before the zombies make the trip too dangerous, otherwise, no sammich for you!

And if your the only guy who survives with large numbers of women, don't forget that it behooves you to repopulate the human species, so get to work. Women will once again gravitate towards "women's work" because they will be too valuable to risk going out hunting/gathering.

[Cephalopod]

Rabbits aren't too difficult to snare. Eat the ferrets rather than feed them, unless of course you're the only one who survives and you need someone to talk to.


Didn't you ever see The Beastmaster? Ferrets are pretty helpful.

[Androidpk]

Planting shit to harvest and eat is a swell idea, but it all depends on what type of event causes this hypothetical apocalypse. In the case of a nuclear war you won't be doing much growing if a nuclear winter sets in.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Why the hell would you eat the ferrets? They're scrawny and have very little meat on their bones. That just seems retarded.

Edit: Anthropology wise, 'gathering' fell under the category of "women's work", too. And it wasn't about women being more valuable, it's the hard and fast truth that men are physically stronger and faster than women, making them the better hunters.

[Warriorbird]

Why the hell would you eat the ferrets? They're scrawny and have very little meat on their bones. That just seems retarded.

Edit: Anthropology wise, 'gathering' fell under the category of "women's work", too. And it wasn't about women being more valuable, it's the hard and fast truth that men are physically stronger and faster than women, making them the better hunters.

Women did actually gather more total food too. Men are faster and stronger and better at sudden sensory reactions. Women get more sensory input total, however.

[Archigeek]

Why the hell would you eat the ferrets? They're scrawny and have very little meat on their bones. That just seems retarded.

Edit: Anthropology wise, 'gathering' fell under the category of "women's work", too. And it wasn't about women being more valuable, it's the hard and fast truth that men are physically stronger and faster than women, making them the better hunters.

Because you're starving to death?

And the only reason I made the comment about women's work is because we're talkin' post apocolypse zombie world here. Reproduction is exceedingly important, and danger lurks. It wasn't meant as a comment about the capabilities of women.

[Kithus]

Because you're starving to death?

And the only reason I made the comment about women's work is because we're talkin' post apocolypse zombie world here. Reproduction is exceedingly important, and danger lurks. It wasn't meant as a comment about the capabilities of women.

He just wants you to stay comfy on your back Nikki. It's important his fluffy pillows are there when he gets back from snaring rabbits.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Reproduction involves men and women though, so I still don't get the logic. A woman safe at home with her uterus isn't going to be turning out any babies by herself.

We all know women should stay home just to make the sammiches though.

[Kuyuk]

Reproduction involves men and women though, so I still don't get the logic. A woman safe at home with her uterus isn't going to be turning out any babies by herself.

We all know women should stay home just to make the sammiches though.

Agreed. They should also stay at home and work on crafting alcoholic beverages for when we get back from hunting.

[Archigeek]

He just wants you to stay comfy on your back Nikki. It's important his fluffy pillows are there when he gets back from snaring rabbits.

And that. Here, have a ferret sammich while you wait.

[Archigeek]

Reproduction involves men and women though, so I still don't get the logic. A woman safe at home with her uterus isn't going to be turning out any babies by herself.

We all know women should stay home just to make the sammiches though.

True, men are required. But only for about 2 minutes. Women get the long haul.

[Androidpk]

Don't worry guys. I'll be the designated male to stay home and make babies with the womans.

[Cephalopod]

Don't worry guys. I'll be the designated male to stay home and make babies with the womans.

Sure to lead to a very fast end for the human race.

[Clove]

Rabbits aren't too difficult to snare. Eat the ferrets rather than feed them, unless of course you're the only one who survives and you need someone to talk to.Ferrets are active rabbit hunters, snares are passive. Trained ferrets can clear out a warren all at once instead of having to wait snare by snare for the rabbits to fall into the trap.

The overhead in rabbit meat you feed the ferret is completely worth it. There's a reason why people took polecats from the wild 2,500 years ago and trained them to hunt rabbits for them; it wasn't to give them a cuddly weasel to talk to. I'm just replicating a survival pattern that was proven successful in a low-tech world long ago.

[Clove]

Sure to lead to a very fast end for the human race.Inorite?

[Androidpk]

Sure to lead to a very fast end for the human race.

Au contraire..

My 3 year old is in like the 98% percentile in regards to height, and he's exceptionally cute and intelligent. I make great babies.

[Archigeek]

I concede. You may keep your ferret. Just stay away from my rabbits!

[Clove]

I concede. You may keep your ferret. Just stay away from my rabbits!I'll trade you some gloves for one of your bunnies...