4 ms·

This is excellent news, and good awareness for the ag sector. The most existential threat to human survival is the consolidation of the farm sector. If any ind

This is excellent news, and good awareness for the ag sector. The most existential threat to human survival is the consolidation of the farm sector. If any industry needs to be decentralized (for the sake of resiliency) it's agriculture. We don't want to create single points of failure in the food supply Urban USA doesn't can't comprehend the fact that famine is a logistical possibility if finance/tech fucks up farming.

jay_kyburz 7y ago
Many people will argue that finance / tech have already fucked up farming.
- squish78 7y ago
  I would agree, but we're not yet to the point of massive famine and crop failures - although it seems closer year after year. Every farmer I talk to is worn out and tired of the bullshit.
  - jay_kyburz 7y ago
    I've often wondered if our government has some massive stores of grain somewhere to feed the nation for a few years in the event of a near total crop failure. Seems irresponsible not to have it. Update: I sometimes wonder what it would take for me to have a year of food in reserve here at home, but I worry that its just the crazy Prepper in me trying to come out.
    - squish78 7y ago
      Think on this topic long enough, and you'll find yourself starting a vegetable garden in the spring.
      - jay_kyburz 7y ago
        Good exercise away from the computer, and nice fresh food too. Makes a lot of sense.
        squish78 7y ago
        You might enjoy the author Michael Pollan, if you haven't already encountered his books. He writes on the history of agriculture and human diet
    - skinkestek 7y ago
      > but I worry that its just the Prepper in me trying to come out. Fixed it for you :-) There's nothing crazy with a little prepping, is it? Many of the practices are even recommended around here (stock up on food with long shelf life, keep clean water around, some iodine, a battery powered radio etc)
      - jay_kyburz 7y ago
        I don't know why you were downvoted. A little prepping makes sense to me.
      - squish78 7y ago
        There’s nothing wrong with a little prepping but you have to take that to the scenario’s logical conclusion. What happens if you run out of supplies and there is no deus ex machina narrative and you are faced with starvation.
        jay_kyburz 7y ago
        The hard part will be deciding when to pick up the family and move somewhere with a climate conducive to farming. I have a nice big block now, but live in a very arid area and rely on civilisation to deliver water to my house.
    - shantly 7y ago
      Costco sells buckets of emergency food with 20ish year shelf lives. I think at one point they had a year-long supply bundle available, best I can find now is 1-month (for one person) at $114 (though it's out of stock). https://www.costco.com/all-emergency-food.html https://www.costco.com/all-emergency-food.html So, if/when that's back in stock, $114 x 12 x (# of people in household) is your price for a year of food. Can probably go a little lower if you allow for some lower-calorie rationing (1800 instead of 2000 will probably keep everyone alive and fairly healthy, if not thriving, and for some people might still be more than sufficient). Might want some multivitamins or something, too. Though you've gotta figure out something for water, separately. I guess maybe then you eat a month of it per non-emergency year and buy another month's worth every year, to rotate through the supply well before the expiration but while maintaining (about) 1-year's supply of food at all times. That way you're not just wasting the money by putting the food on a shelf until it goes bad, and you're never eating food that's very close to its expiration date. Unclear whether the food's healthy enough that eating it for 1/12 of all meals in a year, indefinitely, wouldn't cause noticeable harm versus whatever diet it's replacing. Or whether it's tolerable enough to eat in a non-emergency situation that you'd be able to convince all the other members of your household to commit to a plan like that :-)

jay_kyburz 7y ago

Many people will argue that finance / tech have already fucked up farming.

squish78 7y ago
I would agree, but we're not yet to the point of massive famine and crop failures - although it seems closer year after year. Every farmer I talk to is worn out and tired of the bullshit.
- jay_kyburz 7y ago
  I've often wondered if our government has some massive stores of grain somewhere to feed the nation for a few years in the event of a near total crop failure. Seems irresponsible not to have it. Update: I sometimes wonder what it would take for me to have a year of food in reserve here at home, but I worry that its just the crazy Prepper in me trying to come out.
  - squish78 7y ago
    Think on this topic long enough, and you'll find yourself starting a vegetable garden in the spring.
    - jay_kyburz 7y ago
      Good exercise away from the computer, and nice fresh food too. Makes a lot of sense.
      - squish78 7y ago
        You might enjoy the author Michael Pollan, if you haven't already encountered his books. He writes on the history of agriculture and human diet
  - skinkestek 7y ago
    > but I worry that its just the Prepper in me trying to come out. Fixed it for you :-) There's nothing crazy with a little prepping, is it? Many of the practices are even recommended around here (stock up on food with long shelf life, keep clean water around, some iodine, a battery powered radio etc)
    - jay_kyburz 7y ago
      I don't know why you were downvoted. A little prepping makes sense to me.
    - squish78 7y ago
      There’s nothing wrong with a little prepping but you have to take that to the scenario’s logical conclusion. What happens if you run out of supplies and there is no deus ex machina narrative and you are faced with starvation.
      - jay_kyburz 7y ago
        The hard part will be deciding when to pick up the family and move somewhere with a climate conducive to farming. I have a nice big block now, but live in a very arid area and rely on civilisation to deliver water to my house.
  - shantly 7y ago
    Costco sells buckets of emergency food with 20ish year shelf lives. I think at one point they had a year-long supply bundle available, best I can find now is 1-month (for one person) at $114 (though it's out of stock). https://www.costco.com/all-emergency-food.html https://www.costco.com/all-emergency-food.html So, if/when that's back in stock, $114 x 12 x (# of people in household) is your price for a year of food. Can probably go a little lower if you allow for some lower-calorie rationing (1800 instead of 2000 will probably keep everyone alive and fairly healthy, if not thriving, and for some people might still be more than sufficient). Might want some multivitamins or something, too. Though you've gotta figure out something for water, separately. I guess maybe then you eat a month of it per non-emergency year and buy another month's worth every year, to rotate through the supply well before the expiration but while maintaining (about) 1-year's supply of food at all times. That way you're not just wasting the money by putting the food on a shelf until it goes bad, and you're never eating food that's very close to its expiration date. Unclear whether the food's healthy enough that eating it for 1/12 of all meals in a year, indefinitely, wouldn't cause noticeable harm versus whatever diet it's replacing. Or whether it's tolerable enough to eat in a non-emergency situation that you'd be able to convince all the other members of your household to commit to a plan like that :-)