# Finding food on the run



## chris88idaho (Apr 30, 2012)

Anyone have any "out side of the box" ideas on where to find food and water on the run? 

I heard that 100 million tons of food is moved by railroad each year. Might be something others have over looked. Anyone work for the railroad? Also, might not be a bad idea to figure out now if there are warehouses in your area and what they have. Most businesses give tours if you call in advance.

Also, gas stations might get cleaned out in a few days, but what companies supply the fuel. On that note, my company (end user of fuel) holds 9,000 gallons of diesel at any given time. When tshtf, nobody is going to go there... 

Ideas?


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

chris88idaho said:


> Anyone have any "out side of the box" ideas on where to find food and water on the run?
> 
> I heard that 100 million tons of food is moved by railroad each year. Might be something others have over looked. Anyone work for the railroad? Also, might not be a bad idea to figure out now if there are warehouses in your area and what they have. Most businesses give tours if you call in advance.
> 
> ...


rob the RRs now and RR Dicks will shoot you or use one of the new terriost laws to send you to gitmo forever. after the SHsTF, there will be no RRs moving for a long time. There's just two choices, prepare or steal the food. Just the well prepared will have food and if they're smart enough to prepare, they're smart enough to keep it. better play it safe,prepare now.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Agree with lotsoflead, if you are concerned about finding food on the run, you may want to consider foraging. Get familiar with the wild edibles in your area or the areas you anticipate being in.

If someone has food and supplies, likely they also have guns!


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Abandon vehicles may have full tanks of gas. A syphon will come in handy. For food I always keep a couple MREs and a gallon baggy of dried fruits n nuts. The basics will be the last to be looted, like the flour and dried beans. They usually take the ready-made stuff first.


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## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

I'm not trying to sound like a smart ass, but anyone relying on getting food "on the run" will either slowly starve or encounter a violent quick death when they attempt to steal it.

Just my thoughts on the matter.


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## Mick_Jee (May 21, 2012)

As a matter of interest, how long would unopened canned food last before going mouldy in the can? Months or years?


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## efbjr (Oct 20, 2008)

Mick_Jee said:


> As a matter of interest, how long would unopened canned food last before going mouldy in the can? Months or years?


Depends on storage conditions. Cool, constant temperature in a dry environment will maximize shelf life. A can on the ground in the rain...about a week?

This topic has been discussed at this forum quite a lot. Search the older posts.


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

chris88idaho said:


> Anyone have any "out side of the box" ideas on where to find food and water on the run?
> 
> I heard that 100 million tons of food is moved by railroad each year. Might be something others have over looked. Anyone work for the railroad? Also, might not be a bad idea to figure out now if there are warehouses in your area and what they have. Most businesses give tours if you call in advance.
> 
> ...


All depends where you would be running to and going from. Where do you live? are you going to the country from the city? Do you have a series of fall back places or will you just be running around like a chicken with your head cut Off?


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Learn to forage*

Honestly, any food that you could find on some property and take could only potentially get you shot, detained and maybe incarcerated. If you can get it, anyone else can also.

I think that learning to forage is an excellent survival skill. This will be something that not very many will know how to, and currently, few would want to.

My family members survived the dirty 30's by foraging. When there was nothing in the cupboard or pantry, they picked the weeds they knew they could eat.

The other thought is to get some caches set up for yourself in your potential bug out locations.


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

One nice thing about where I live is there is plenty to eat if you look around. We have lost population and are becoming reclassifyed as agrarian by the state and fed gooberment. There are acres of field corn and orchards of apples, pears & peaches. There are lots of nut bearing trees and small game for trapping or shooting. The lake and bay are full of fish & fresh water clams. The marshes have lots of waterfowl pheasants & turtles.

The only dietary health problem I could see in my area would be in the winter when there was only protein available. Protein poisoning might become an issue.:scratch


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Find your local distribution hub.it should be a nondescript warehouse.ours actually says "restaurant warehouse" Guess where my last blue light special is going to be?


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Knowing where warehouses and fuel tank farms could come in very handy, aftter the panic has died down, and the herd thins it's self.


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## d_saum (Jan 17, 2012)

Tirediron said:


> Knowing where warehouses and fuel tank farms could come in very handy, aftter the panic has died down, and the herd thins it's self.


I'm with Tirediron here. I'm not advocating stealing or looting, but, like he said, after the herd is thinned out whatnot.. it'd be good to at least know where "stuff" is, no? :dunno:

And by the by... I'm ALL for foraging and living off the land.. but if after the craziness has subsided, if there's a warehouse full of food, or tanks full of gas.. why let it go to waste?


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## chris88idaho (Apr 30, 2012)

I was thinking 6 months to a year after major collapse. Most of the sheep have eaten each other by now and are pushing up daisies. Obviously not suggesting trying to take supplies from people or put myself in a face to face confrontation. That is retarded.

However, with hundreds of tons of life giving supplies rolling around everyday seems more than a little would get lost in transit and forgotten about. I live on a major railroad hub, there are dog legs with cars waiting for pick up for days in the middle of nowhere. Why get your head blown off snooping around Walmart when the supply car is sitting in the middle of nowhere? 

Just cause you have a stock of supplies doesn't mean you won't be forced to hit the road. Fire, flood, armed intrusion, nuclear meltdown, chemical spill, ect. No reason to not entertain a hypothetical conversation. I have 3 alternate bug out locations. One I could walk to and 2 I could hit with a full tank of gas. Where I go depends on what goes down. 

I believe the are locations rich in resources most people wouldn't think of. My work place has thousands of gallons of fuel. It would pry turn to sludge before anyone ever thought to look for it there.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

Food on the run, would be crops and bait!
Worms , bugs, birds , rodents and Corn or beans .
Large scale row crops, ect


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## artman556 (May 2, 2012)

You should have a bug out bag with food such as mres


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## chris88idaho (Apr 30, 2012)

I do. I also pack fishing hooks and line, premade snare (I regularly use), water filter, iodine tabs, plastic for dolor stills, metal water bottles with several fire starters, and a .22 pistol for small game.

I have been reading about local edibles but have a ways to go. I think I could make a go of living off the land if I absolutely had to. Finding food out here is not difficult, exposure and in the winter is what would get ya.


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## platoon62 (May 22, 2012)

I would locate all food distribution centers in your state a keep a list in your bug out bag. Some of these places receive hundreds of trucks a day. There is no doubt that a lot of food and abandoned trucks will be in the area of these. I would recommend a siphon/pump for the BOB. They are made by roadpro and are very light and affordable. They can be picked up at most truckstop shops or online. I think u r right about your area, u should have no problem finding food. Your major issue will be surviving the climate. Throw some Chapstick in your bag as well.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

platoon62 said:


> I would locate all food distribution centers in your state a keep a list in your bug out bag. Some of these places receive hundreds of trucks a day. There is no doubt that a lot of food and abandoned trucks will be in the area of these. I would recommend a siphon/pump for the BOB. They are made by roadpro and are very light and affordable. They can be picked up at most truckstop shops or online. I think u r right about your area, u should have no problem finding food. Your major issue will be surviving the climate. Throw some Chapstick in your bag as well.


 during the gas shortage in 73, people just used a punch and hammer to make a hole in the tank, let it drain in a can.


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## shadowr434 (Feb 15, 2012)

Magus said:


> Find your local distribution hub.it should be a nondescript warehouse.ours actually says "restaurant warehouse" Guess where my last blue light special is going to be?


Make sure that is actually a food warehouse.Some places with that name are actually a restaurant equipment supply company.


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## urbanprepper (May 15, 2012)

I know that in my area, we have 2-3 large supermarket warehouses, that have very little signage outside. The ones that I know of, tend to be in smaller towns, usually a few kilometres (or a few less miles) off a highway, near train tracks. 

I plan on having enough food for a few days in my bob, and already keep plants growing at my bug out location, but I will check out the warehouses to see how things look as I pass through.


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## Ration-AL (Apr 18, 2012)

if your really hard up, hit up large office buildings, people always keep food in their desks, there's usually crackers,candy,pretzels and of course coffee! in those sort of places, i'd start with storage closets then raid each desk if needed, stadiums/venues anywhere that has concessions... basically anywhere where people gather and stay for longer periods of time there will be food ...America isn't the 2nd fattest country in the world for no reason, where people hangout there will be food


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## SuspectZero (Feb 3, 2011)

I worked on the RR for 3 years and can tell you that all the refer cars are kept in a seperate part of our rail yard, typically in the middle of the yard or on a track on its own to the side because it must move fast. But yes this is a great alternative if on the run. Downside is most yards are located in cities and typically close to prisons. Lotta baddies out there. If you're on the run then you need a new B.O.L. Otherwise learn skills to live off the land. All processed food eventually spoils or loses its nutritional value.


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## chris88idaho (Apr 30, 2012)

Thank suspect zero, that was basically the information I was sniffing for. So, there would be a small window where in a total collapse nobody would be thinking about hitting up rail cars for supplies then it closes as they spoil. 

Located in cities near prisons is the deal breaker for me. I imagine they are designed to keep people out too. Electrically opened I would imagine.

Thanks for your input.


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## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

Well if you plan on busting into rail cars you better pack a torch or massive bolt cutters cause every car I ever loaded was locked up tight!


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## Ration-AL (Apr 18, 2012)

mojo4 said:


> Well if you plan on busting into rail cars you better pack a torch or massive bolt cutters cause every car I ever loaded was locked up tight!


ya know how to make thermite right ? lol :nuts:l


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

small rural airports, hangers, and the planes themselves if they are still around...for fuel food n stuff. Rural fire stations too have alot of crap around, when I worked for cdf for a season all but one station was fairly rural and stocked to the hilt..good find if on the run and no ones home...

Im all down for knowing regional plants and critters and stuff..even bugs, frogs, worms, snails so long as they are not poisoned...like found in the woods, brush etc. Prob not real tasty but Ill keep ya alive and ya wont get shot over it.


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## lwig72 (May 22, 2012)

Foraging is a grate idea but what if the problem is chemical or something like that. I think a well stock house and well stocked bobs and vehicles are a must


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

After it hits the fan every office building, industrial site, school, church, etc. will be raided for possible food. Office buildings have snack machines. So do a lot of non-profits besides factories and warehouses. When it gets bad enough people will break car windows for the chance to find french fries under the seats. Predators would hide in some of those places to attack people who forage in those areas. 

If I didn't have any food, then yes, I'd probably look at rail cars for what's being transported.


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## bahramthered (Mar 10, 2012)

Guys you seem to think that the warehouses are a big secret. They're not. All the truck drivers, all the workers will know about these and would likely be the first people to try for them. 

Seriously in a Sh1T situation I would expect these to turn into mini fortresses pretty quick. With decent security already and an amble supply of building materials I think you can write these off pretty quickly as nonpreppers take them over.

In a Sh1T situation I would expect the food to run out in roughly this order;

1; perishables in grocery stores
2; Gas stations would be stripped because small inventories and people would raid them while getting the gas (same applies to obvious food in any useful business)
3; The last of the basic/useful grocery store stuff
4; restaurants 
5; well know Local forging options exhausted 
6; Door to door of houses
7; all other business in systematic searches 
8; destruction of local foraging options do to over harvesting.


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