Stocking up with Food Storage

I went today and bought seeds for a garden.  I have not had a garden since I was a child.  I am a little nervous that I will be horrible at growing things.  I don't do well with house plants. However, I feel like we need to set up a storage of food in our home.  I have never canned food in my life, but I have a couple wonderful friends that can every year.  They have agreed to help me learn how to do this.

This kind of came about after the last year of financial difficulties.  We weren't prepared.  We didn't have the financial savings we needed, and no food stocked.  If it wasn't for friends and family stepping in to help, we would have had no food a couple times.  We ended up having to accept state aid for awhile until we got on our feet.  I don't want to accept food stamps again.  I would rather learn to grow things myself and stock up as much as possible. 

With summer on the way, I am doing my best to plan to buy the sales and seasonal items.  What I can't grow, I want to buy.   That way I can either can or freeze veggies, fruits, and meats.  My basement stays a constant 60 to 70 degrees, even in the winter.  It can be damp, but canned goods should be safe if they are kept on high on a shelf.  Grains and such need to be stored in a more dry area.  I have a closet under the stairs that is full of junk right now.  I am considering cleaning it out and storing grains in airtight bins in there. 

My pantry that I have is fine for everyday living.  It is not big enough for storing a large supply of food.   One of my goals is that, should my husband be out of work again, I know we will at least have food.  I won't have to worry that what money we do have has to feed us while bills go unpaid.  I would like to have a few months food in storage.

The question was raised that having a large store of food isn't trusting God.  I disagree.  I feel God is leading me to this decision.  I don't feel the economy is stable.  We've been without income.  I haven't even listed considerations like inflation.  I also think there is a difference between a store of canned goods and grain and hording.  I am not hording food, afraid that our world is going to collapse.

For centuries people were considered wise if they had a storehouse of food.  They grew gardens and stored what they could, even with no refrigeration.  Now, with canning methods, freezing,  and refrigeration, creating a well stocked pantry and storage is easier.   Many people I read about save money by shopping a month at a time and stocking up ahead of time. 

Creating a food storage will happen over time.  I can't afford to go out and spend a bunch of money at once.  Plus, a lot of our storage will happen over summer as things we grow and others grow ripen.  As I learn to can and make things homemade, our storage will increase.  This is something that will take time.  Grabbing a few extra canned goods each time I grocery shop.  I am looking into buying some bulk flours to keep in some watertight containers.  However, this will not happen overnight.  It's a slow process.

I would probably be doing this even in a good economy.  However, with the shape the economy is in, it only makes sense right now.  I don't trust that the helps that are out there for those that have fallen on hard times, like food stamps and even unemployment, are going to be available to the degree they are if things don't improve.  If my husband's job should not be there one day, I am hoping to be able to get through tough times without worrying about the government supporting us.  I would like to have a substantial savings too, but that's slower going than a food storage.  My main concern has been to get out of debt first and foremost.   Building a storage of food seems to be the direction we are being led right now.