McClatchy Washington Bureau

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Ammo. Canned goods. Vegetable seeds. Fortified water by the case.

These staples of the stockpile crowd are reportedly flying off the shelves.

"Survivalist" isn’t the right term, not in a downturn that has got everyone nervous. "Preparedness" or "self-sufficiency" _ is what they're saying.

Adhesive bandages. Gardens in the works _ be they victory gardens or, as some prefer, "crisis gardens."

The closet off the living room in the Owens home near Lawson, Mo., isn’t huge, but it’s organized.

Heavy coats, sweatshirts and Ron Owens’ cap collection greet wife, Jan, as she enters and flips the light. She pulls back the heavy coats.

There, on a rack covering the wall: Nonfat dry milk. Rice. A cast-iron skillet.

"You never know when you’ll need it," she said of the food supplies she began stockpiling five months ago.

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