I have heirloom seeds (non-gmo) and plan to get more. The food I've stocked away is just to get me to the point where I am producing my own food.
If you have the capability (land, knowledge etc) to do it then why not start now and cut out the delay starting from scratch post SHTF? Theres plenty of hands on trial and errors to be performed and it would seem a lot friendlier time to do so now when if you screw up you dont starve to death.
I have no seeds, no land, no livestock, nothing for being self reliant indeffinatly (indeffinatly being a loose term for your modern man in america). The reason is i have no land to do so. And i suppose i could try and claim the vacant 3 acres accross the street post shtf but if im not doing this stuff now it will almost certainly be wasted time, money and effort to try and wing it post SHTF.
Your statement its short and vague so im not assuming you arent already doing these things. But in my opinion not practicing these things now makes these self reliant items nearly worthless.
My point bassically im trying to make not directed at you 1000 just spring boarding from your post is that if you arent 100% living off the land RIGHT NOW or are atleast pretty close to it, then the chances are you wont be "self reliant" post SHTF. I dont know of really anyone in America that dosent require fuel to run modern engines to survive. The amish i suppose being one exeption to the rule. But im guessing even they require a functioning modern society to provide certain things for them to survive.
Self reliance is more of a fantasy in some peoples minds then a reality in my opinion. 99% of the people planning to be self reliant wont last very long once the canned goods run out. Many ahve the "i will rise to the occassion" thinking.. Nope... take how good you think you are at the very worst and then cut that in alf and you might be getting close to reality.
My answer while my belly is full and having been freshly showered and sitting comfortably in my living room is that when the preps run out its time to get religous and find a nice resting spot. Ask me again when my preps actually do run out to see what i say... i have no clue...
If i had the resources to try and become self reliant i sure as hell would try. It really would be a fairytale to make it a reality, post SHTF or Pre SHTF.
