Subsistence living examples from some of you older ones in days gone by
Some stories of how families would cope in times of dire need is just fascinating. People would grow their own garden, raise and hunt animals for food. Churn butter from the milk of their cows, bake their own bread. The list goes on.
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I used to teach homesteading and lived off the grid in the past... I've got a story for almost everything
so have the luxury of growing food and animals if I choose... for those in the city...
microgreens are easy to grow inside... just need seeds, flats and a growing medium... or you can grow sprouts with a jar... if you can get ahold of seeds, it's easy to keep yourself in fresh greens
bees are easy to keep anywhere, city or country... lots of fresh honey and I use the beeswax to make healing salves, lip balm, muscle rub, candles, etc...
food coops are a must for group subsistence
most of the skills needed can be learned a bit by watching youtube videos
today I had to trap a white ermine that was terrorizing my chickens... out here in the wild, I have to deal with bears, fox, weasels, skunks, etc... not so much in the city.... there are other vermin there 
my way too crowded garden last year … of course the weed is in the center
ducks make even better pets though I am a vegetarian, eat the eggs but would never harm my girls (and even the rooster, although he starts crowing every morning at 4 
)
buying club... group of people buy in bulk (usually monthly) and all work to split up the goods
Even learned how to make tofu.
Made butter in a blender.
Good times.
He knows how to work the land and make it work.
He took a fall last year and was not well.
He was really sad and I went to the local dispensary and bought him a clone. I brought it in and showed it to him and he seemed uninterested in it. I took it and put in in the car so the cats wouldn't get it.
It was not 15 mins. after that he was up out of bed and in the yard digging a hole. He planted the clone in the soil and it grew to be decent insect free plant with no pesticides used. No one could believe it as it was meant to be grown indoors under special lights, etc.
Everyone wanted to know how he managed to pull this off.
I told them I did not know and that he is from a farm in Ireland and that is what he does in life, he grows things; he is a farmer. 
He got better after that and he is doing pretty good today.
He is not horribly worried about the virus but he's seen a few things in his day. Both of his grandparents on either side lived through the Great Famine in Ireland and died over the age of 100 years in the 1940's.
And we think the old people are not valuable! He often asks me "Where are all of the the old people today?" I don't want to tell him that many are stuck in these assisted living centers and nursing homes, something that no one in his family ever considered doing to an old person. You kept them at home and kept them safe, you valued them, you cared for them and most importantly you loved them until their time came in life to go, just as his family did.
I am so very sad when I hear or read things like "Go die already you old useless fool!", as it is the old people that are still here that can tell us what to do at times like this when we are afraid and scared to death. They know because they've have lived through perhaps far worse times than any of us could possibly imagine, that is what I happen to think.
I also believe that the very old are sacred, as are all living things. 
I met him when I was 22 years old; he was 41 at that time. It was a love at first sight sort of thing and we have been together ever since that day which was March 17, 1978.
We married some 7 years later as he was over 40 and had no health insurance and I had a found a very good job with great benefits, so we married alas.
Neither of us wanted any kids for different reasons so we had none.
We've been together ever since and always with a few cats around.
I often wonder what I will do if he were to die before me. However, many times I've often thought he'd certainly outlive me.
When I was almost dead, the hospital advised him to find out what money might be around to hire a nurse to care for me at home.
I'll never forget what he said. He replied, "What is it that needs to be done? Tell me and I will do it for she is my wife and I will care for her". And so he did, colostomy bag and all. I managed to slowly heal after the tragic events that led to this in 2009 and I got rid of that damned bag as well thanks to his very loving care.
He always acted as if he did not know how to cook but he sure figured out how to make the recipes he liked the most in my cookbooks, and so he did just that while I healed. 
Many have eyed our situation negatively over the years for different reasons, even my parents. However, even they both realized what a fine man he is before they died and I thank God for that. If I were to die tomorrow, I would have no regrets.
I was very lucky that St. Patrick's Day in 1978 when I was all of twenty-two. Luckily, we both realized it.
Take care everyone and I wish you all the best in life. Live while you can and love all you can learn to love in life for that is the greatest gift that can be found.
Peace be with you all!
about anything from very basic ingredients.
I am pretty resourceful and talented in the kitchen so I definitely won't starve. The strange thing is that I find I am much less hungry than I am when I am working in the workplace. I was always so hungry in the office.
One meal per day is fine for me now. Maybe it's because I am not as active or as stressed. 
