IMHO, the volunteering institute will extinct really quickly if TSHTF, labor for food and slavery will take it's place. Same fate upon dumpster divers. The food is not growing there by itself.

Is there any perspective for an at home hydroponics for urban survival?

Also I'm totally disagree with your mushrooms hatred. It's a very good source of nutrition, but requires some more practical knowledge and theory than dumpster diving. This book is all one may need to get started: http://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Demystified-David-Arora/dp/0898151694

I never ran into that problem at the food pantry. The one issue which pops up is my obsessive compulsiveness. I drive my fellow volunteers crazy with how I organize can goods.

Once organized I can pass by a stocked shelf and if there one item that is missing, I immediately know what that item is. Also, though this is not apart of my job description, I do inventory once everything is shelved. One time I saw that we had double the green beans, compared to everything else, so I made a recommendation that we double the amount of green beans we give out for a duration of time. As Joel would often say to me, "This is not rocket science."

Jeanette Isabelle

If the stuff does hit the fan, it is likely we would give out one can of soup per household rather than two. Drinks and snack foods may also be reduced to ensure that every household at may least get something. This particular food pantry was founded in 1993. Last week we set a new record: sixty-one households.

However, you bring up an interesting point. I'll be sure to discuss this with our team when I return Tuesday.

Jeanette Isabelle

I think you are right about the foodbanks and the dumpsters disappearing very fast.
I suspect the food (if it was entering the cities at all) would be diverted to refugee centers and relief organizations.

Mushrooms Demystified is a great text. I have a copy.
It is a bit to involved as a starter text though.
Mushrooming Without Fear by A. Schwab might be a better text to start with, even if some people might find it too simple.
It is still important to go mushroom picking with people who know what they are doing at first though.
Even if you identify correctly it really helps to be shown where to look for different mushrooms and how to find them.

Sometimes edibles in a city are handy. I have made a tea out of willow bark for a headache that my lady friend had. we were at a park in the middle of town. She didn't want to leave and I didn't want her to be in pain. She was surprised when it worked. Granted if the SHTF wild edibles would be a low priority in a major city, but if its TEOTWAWKI then it could be life saving. I would get out of the city quickly, but Reasons beyond my control could prevent that. I am thinking of the movie Legend. Then it could save your bacon.

What grows in a city can also grow outside a city. So knowing the wild, or introduced, edibles in your area is a good thing, assuming that you would like to survive any possibility.

Sounds nice for me to try but..
Direct quote from eHow.com (and I have read it from too many other sources to ever want to have a lady friend test it!)

:DO NOT consume this tea if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant. It has been known to cause the death of an unborn child within 24 hours! (though no one is sure why as of yet--always consult your physician first.)

If anyone has further information on this or IS a physician it would be nice to hear thoughts on this.

Doctors are so afraid of a lawsuit...

Medicinal uses of plants are all part of the "get-to-know."

I did discuss this with my coworkers and if a crisis were to happen, the plan is to give out fewer items per household so that more households are able to get some food.

Jeanette Isabelle