Prepping

[dmccarty]

...

Don't get weird about food. Buy what you eat, except buy more of it until you get a supply built up, then eat the old stuff while replacing it. I have lots of canned chili, fruit, tomato sauce, beans, mushrooms, pickles, hot sauce, jellies and vegetables. Quite a bit of it I canned myself, in glass, which keeps much better than stuff canned in metal.

Dried foods keep well. Pasta, beans, rice, potato flakes, dried skim milk, egg powder, oatmeal, corn meal, flour, semolina (cream of wheat), buckwheat, wheat berries, pearl barley, etc. My family is getting potato flake mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. Storing dried foods free of insects and rodents is a challenge. Don't trust plastic, a rodent can chew right through it. You can get glass gallon jars from fast food joints really cheap or free. Vacuum seal anything you want to last for a long time.

...

Soap. Lots of soap. Hand soap, dish soap, body soap, laundry detergent, degreasers, floor cleaner, window cleaner and ammonia.

Unfortunately, bleach has a very short shelf life, so you can't stock up. Instead, stock up on alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is cheap but poisonous. Ethyl Alcohol (ethanol) is just as good, plus you can use it to disinfect drinking water. Everclear (190 proof) is cheap. Iodine tablets have a reasonable shelf life, but still need to be rotated every year or two.

...

Water, shelter, food, sanitation, in that order.

Soap and sanitation is very important. I mentioned the Fox Fire books because in one of the first few books they talk about making lye soap from wood ashes and fat. The 1950s animal care book I was reading yesterday at the family farm had quite a discussion on sanitation. They mentioned using Lye and I THINK Calcium Hypochlorite. They mentioned using liquid bleach or mixing salts/powder with water for a cleaning solution. I THINK the power was Calcium Hypochlorite. I should have borrowed the book I was reading. I bet nobody in 30 years has pulled the book from the shelf.....

We keep all of the chicken feed in galvanized buckets so the rats/mice can't get the food.

When I started canning we needed a pressure cooker. I looked at a bunch of models, and in the end, bought the ubber expensive cast Al model that has a gauge and more importantly, a weight, to control the pressure. Figure that thing will last generations and as long as gravity works so will the weight. For years I would make a gallon of soup on the weekends to last us the week. The light bulb finally went on to make TWO gallons, , one to eat and one to can. We are eating through some of our soups from last winter before I make some more to put on the shelf. It is simple, cheap, very healthy, and tastes so much better than that stuff in the store.

Two summers back we bought a dehydrator which makes drying food really easy. If we did not have power we could make a dehydrator out of materials we have on hand. Course, people used to cut up apples and toss them on the roof to dry... The dehydrator along with the vacuum sealer can really preserve food. I have some apples I dehydrated sitting on my desk at work that are two years old. I was trying to make fruit leather for the first time and messed up by adding water. This was not a good thing I created something like apple powder. :laughing::laughing::laughing: Kinda interesting looking and it has not gone bad yet. :thumbsup: The vacuum sealer has a dohicky that seals mason jars and I am eating dried apples that I made a year ago. Not a thing wrong with them.

Salt. Oh my, but salt is cheap NOW, but if the SHTF, salt will be like, well, money. Remember, the word salary is derived from the amount of salt given to Roman soldiers as a form of pay. Salt will be more valuable than gold because salt preserves food. Go look up how much salt it takes to preserve a ham and one will see how valuable salt is if you can't get it cheap.

Sugar will be really valuable as well since it requires quite a bit of industry to produce. Sugar is really a modern invention and used to be very expensive. Course, any spice will be expensive which is why knowledge of local wild foods will be important. Coffee. Oh my coffee... What to do without coffee? :shocked: Frankly, that will be the end of the world if there is no coffee......

Getting hungry. I think I will get another mug of coffee. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[Egon]

Grinder??

Mortise and pestal!!

Got the real thing made from stone by Native Canadians and left at a campsite.

 

[Jstpssng]

Soap and sanitation is very important. I mentioned the Fox Fire books because in one of the first few books they talk about making lye soap from wood ashes and fat. The 1950s animal care book I was reading yesterday at the family farm had quite a discussion on sanitation. They mentioned using Lye and I THINK Calcium Hypochlorite. They mentioned using liquid bleach or mixing salts/powder with water for a cleaning solution. I THINK the power was Calcium Hypochlorite. I should have borrowed the book I was reading. I bet nobody in 30 years has pulled the book from the shelf.....

We keep all of the chicken feed in galvanized buckets so the rats/mice can't get the food.

When I started canning we needed a pressure cooker. I looked at a bunch of models, and in the end, bought the ubber expensive cast Al model that has a gauge and more importantly, a weight, to control the pressure. Figure that thing will last generations and as long as gravity works so will the weight. For years I would make a gallon of soup on the weekends to last us the week. The light bulb finally went on to make TWO gallons, , one to eat and one to can. We are eating through some of our soups from last winter before I make some more to put on the shelf. It is simple, cheap, very healthy, and tastes so much better than that stuff in the store.

Two summers back we bought a dehydrator which makes drying food really easy. If we did not have power we could make a dehydrator out of materials we have on hand. Course, people used to cut up apples and toss them on the roof to dry... The dehydrator along with the vacuum sealer can really preserve food. I have some apples I dehydrated sitting on my desk at work that are two years old. I was trying to make fruit leather for the first time and messed up by adding water. This was not a good thing I created something like apple powder. :laughing::laughing::laughing: Kinda interesting looking and it has not gone bad yet. :thumbsup: The vacuum sealer has a dohicky that seals mason jars and I am eating dried apples that I made a year ago. Not a thing wrong with them.

Salt. Oh my, but salt is cheap NOW, but if the SHTF, salt will be like, well, money. Remember, the word salary is derived from the amount of salt given to Roman soldiers as a form of pay. Salt will be more valuable than gold because salt preserves food. Go look up how much salt it takes to preserve a ham and one will see how valuable salt is if you can't get it cheap.

Sugar will be really valuable as well since it requires quite a bit of industry to produce. Sugar is really a modern invention and used to be very expensive. Course, any spice will be expensive which is why knowledge of local wild foods will be important. Coffee. Oh my coffee... What to do without coffee? :shocked: Frankly, that will be the end of the world if there is no coffee......

Getting hungry. I think I will get another mug of coffee. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

All good points. However, keep in mind that the guage on your canner isn't foolproof... I believe that your owner's manual recommends having it tested every year. (Free from your extension service, but what if they're no longer around? ) Also the gasket needs to be replaced occasionally, and these aren't things which store well.
Another thing which is never mentioned is strong ties with your neighbors.

To tell the truth, if it all came down to anarchy I'm not sure that I would want to be around. However, the OP was thinking about a temporary situation, which is a wise idea.


Your last comment is scary, if not downright mean spirited; don't even THINK about running out of coffee!!

 

[brin]

All good points. However, keep in mind that the guage on your canner isn't foolproof... I believe that your owner's manual recommends having it tested every year. (Free from your extension service, but what if they're no longer around? ) Also the gasket needs to be replaced occasionally, and these aren't things which store well.
Another thing which is never mentioned is strong ties with your neighbors.

To tell the truth, if it all came down to anarchy I'm not sure that I would want to be around. However, the OP was thinking about a temporary situation, which is a wise idea.


Your last comment is scary, if not downright mean spirited; don't even THINK about running out of coffee!!

I agree about maybe not wanting to be around if it was Anarchy - My wife and I watch the TV series " Revolution " and wonder who would like to live like that...I mean, even if you always won every confrontation...these folks have nothing...even worse than the 1800's ..there is no game, no bullets, the land has been ruined and if you did have animals or a garden ...you would have to stand guard 24/7 etc.

 

[forgeblast]

Home depot now has gamma lids, which go on 5 gallon buckets that let you make some secure storage vessels. I have used Emergency Essentials - Food Storage Emergency Preparedness Emergency Kits for my supplies. Shipping is very reasonable, and they have super pails 6 gallon pails filled with whatever. They also sell the metallic bags and o2 depleters for making your own at home.
1. pressure canner--get the biggest you can afford, lets you sterilize and store food.
2. grain mill helps with homebrewing and can grind grain,
3. box of shock from a pool place make sure no other additives. some are adding uv stabilizers to it. Shock is what they sell in the small little bottles for 9.00 to keep 55 gallons of water potable for 5 years.
4. reusable canning lids tattler brand.
5. Chinook medical has a great sale going on now. they have different kits. I suggest the burn and trauma one.
6. look at ibc aquaponics, even a high tunnel green house good book is gardening when it counts.
7. read read read, the fox fire books are great.
8. big stock pot with a lid 15 gallon, lets you cook, boil water, make beer, and a few pieces of copper and you also have a water distillation device. look at Home Distiller • Index page easiest is the pot still, with a liebeg condenser.
9. budget101 has recipes for making soap, dish washing liquid etc, along with dry mix soups etc.
10. water filter something like Amazon.com: Sawyer PointTwo Purifier with Bucket Adapter Kit with Faucet Adapter: Sports & Outdoors, we also have a ceramic filter to use as a prefilter.
11. water source, digging a small pond now, along with getting ready to make a small shallow well in a weep I have been digging out.
what is nice is that there are so many lists out there, survival or prepping on a budget, how to stock up by buying one or two extra things every time you go to the store.

 

[nc redneck]

Very Interesting post. Your thoughts on this part. How are you going to defend your house and family. Modern construction of houses, and in my case have so many doors and large windows that defending it against 5 or more people set on stealing your stockpile of food may be impossible. Anyone who lives within 50 miles of a large population of people would be at high risk. If you cant protect your supplies from theft and probably increasing by the day people who want to take it from you. It might become worthless as you may be forced to leave it behind for your own personal safety.
Many people on this sight may not have that issue as they already live on large tracts of land aweigh from populated city's. Would like to hear your input. I am not sure the first one to leave may not be better off.
I also think in the event of a long term catastrophe ammunition, liquor and medicine would be the next type of currency and easily transported.

 

[forgeblast]

Defense start small, go with the 3m plastic (anti-break) film on all the windows, build storm (hurricane shutters for all the windows also?), beef up the door jams etc something like the strikemaster 2, but for defense as a whole if your part of a community then as a community you will have to work together. You can also watch doomsday peppers and see what they do

 

[dmccarty]

All good points. However, keep in mind that the guage on your canner isn't foolproof... I believe that your owner's manual recommends having it tested every year. (Free from your extension service, but what if they're no longer around? ) Also the gasket needs to be replaced occasionally, and these aren't things which store well.

The pressure cooker I bought does not have a gasket which is one of the reasons I bought it. The pressure gauge on our cooker is a nice to have do dad but it really is not needed. The pressure is controlled with a weight. The weight controls how much pressure is in the cooker. As long as gravity works, and the tube that releases steam is kept clean, the pressure cooker is fool proof. The weight jiggles as the steam is released and you control the stove top heat so that the gauge jiggles a few times a minute. If the weight is a jiggling you know you have the right pressure. You don't have to look at the gauge which is real nice when you are running around the kitchen doing other things. The pressure cooker has nothing to wear out or needs to be replaced which is why I bought it. There are other pressure cookers that were much cheaper but they had gauges, gaskets, and other parts that might go bad which did not make me happy.

This is the pressure cooker we bought, Amazon.com: All American 921 21-1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner: Home & Kitchen, it aint cheap but it should last for generations. :thumbsup: I hope! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

The NC Extension office will check your pressure cooker gauge and it should be done for most cookers. Our cooker's gauge is tested every time we use it. I know what the pressure from the weight and I can check to see what the gauge says.

Later,
Dan

 

[k0ua]

The pressure cooker I bought does not have a gasket which is one of the reasons I bought it. The pressure gauge on our cooker is a nice to have do dad but it really is not needed. The pressure is controlled with a weight. The weight controls how much pressure is in the cooker. As long as gravity works, and the tube that releases steam is kept clean, the pressure cooker is fool proof. The weight jiggles as the steam is released and you control the stove top heat so that the gauge jiggles a few times a minute. If the weight is a jiggling you know you have the right pressure. You don't have to look at the gauge which is real nice when you are running around the kitchen doing other things. The pressure cooker has nothing to wear out or needs to be replaced which is why I bought it. There are other pressure cookers that were much cheaper but they had gauges, gaskets, and other parts that might go bad which did not make me happy.

This is the pressure cooker we bought, Amazon.com: All American 921 21-1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner: Home & Kitchen, it aint cheap but it should last for generations. :thumbsup: I hope! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

The NC Extension office will check your pressure cooker gauge and it should be done for most cookers. Our cooker's gauge is tested every time we use it. I know what the pressure from the weight and I can check to see what the gauge says.

Later,
Dan

Same one we have, Wifey loves it. The seal comes from a precision metal to metal fit like a JIC fitting.

 

[forgeblast]

We have the 930. Same as dans just a bit bigger, but no gasket is awesome. My little stove top one has a gasket, but that one is now just for cooking.

 

[NS Gearhead]

Yeah, lots to think about. That was my wife's reaction when I started talking about doomsday stuff; "you just need a gun with three bullets" I'd rather go down fighting. If you're new to the SHTF stuff, watch this;
After Armageddon - A SHTF scenario. - YouTube

I'm just being careful not to go too crazy; sure I could put all my resources into prepping, but that's what crazy people do. LOL Watch "Doomsday Preppers" Point in case. LOL However, not doing anything, or being prepared for anything is just as crazy. We just had a wind storm that took out the power for hmm, 6hrs, took out 6 trees on my property, and ripped some sideing off my neighbor's house. Not too extreem, but damaging and a reminder that we're not too far away from something more.

Again, it's easy to get carried away and not see the forest from the trees, so to speek. Start with the most likely senario that would effect you and plan to be self sustained for how long it may last (longer is better obviously). Their is someting to be said for the way passed generations lived. We visited a heritage site this summer. It's a working town from the 1800s (I think). 99% of what the needed they made. Nothing was wasted. No one got a free ride. Everyone had and job, and contributed. I had a chance to visite a hemenite (sp?) comunity in Manitoba... that was cool. They're like Amish, but use electricity. They share everything, and believe in having the best of the best, as well as being efficient as possible. For example their houses were set up in a townhouse style; because it's easyer on heat. The community had a laundromat; a couple women worked there. All SS, above and below. Very cool. They talk a little funy, and make their own clothes, but other then that I thought they were awesome.

As far as defence... well we're the last house, on the last rd of the subdivision. One Rd in/ out where I am. My neighbor's of the same mindset as I am, and has a collection of smoke sticks. 22 & 12 are at the top of my list, but a Rem 700 and Glock 9mm are on there too. I have thought of pre-cutting 3/4" ply and insulation to board up 1/2 or more of the windows in the house (remember, I'd be heating a fair sized house with just one woodstove). Hold out where their's only one way in/out in your house, and keep it pointed in that direction when someone's inside. OR, leave, let them get comfy, and pick them off one at a time as they exit the building.

Another thing I have to consider is prepping at work. I'm a thermal plant operator, and law requires someone be here 24/7. Twice in my career an operator (thankfully not me) have been stuck at work for several days due to their relief not being able to come in. My current employer has a 1MW getset for the plant... but keeping a locker full of food, and personal hygene products isn't a bad idea.

So yeah, short term supplies/ non end-of-the-world stuff first, then perhaps shift towards the more extreem after. For example; In the short term I'm storing water, but I may make a berkey filter;
Berkey Water Filter Systems - World Leader in Portable Water Purification Also heading towards more getting back to basics. It would be a good idea for me to stockplie some wine kits when they go on sale as well as the sterilizing stuff. That way all we need is water and we can make wine when all goes to ****. LOL I'd have to check shelf life. I know the wine I've made so far is only good for one year. Oh; picked up another 2lbs of inside round today for our 2nd batch of jerky. The first was so good, we don't want to try another kind yet. LOL Other then the salt, a fairly healthy snack. Better then chips I suppose.

Oh question for you guys; The arsinic in my well water is due to the water trickling through the bedrock, so would the water in the surrounding lakes and streams also have it?

 

[NS Gearhead]

Also; people say to store what you eat anyway... but we eat fresh produce, dairy and breads. No saving those. We don't eat canned much of anything... but if it was that or starve I'd have no problem with them. LOL

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Very Interesting post. Your thoughts on this part. How are you going to defend your house and family. Modern construction of houses, and in my case have so many doors and large windows that defending it against 5 or more people set on stealing your stockpile of food may be impossible. Anyone who lives within 50 miles of a large population of people would be at high risk. If you cant protect your supplies from theft and probably increasing by the day people who want to take it from you. It might become worthless as you may be forced to leave it behind for your own personal safety.
Many people on this sight may not have that issue as they already live on large tracts of land aweigh from populated city's. Would like to hear your input. I am not sure the first one to leave may not be better off.
I also think in the event of a long term catastrophe ammunition, liquor and medicine would be the next type of currency and easily transported.

This sort of thinking always astonishes me. In the country, there is no reason to let looters within a mile of your house. It's easy to set up barricades and ambushes. You know the terrain and trails, while they don't. Barricades across the roads put them on foot, where they are easy to pick off. The neighbors would quickly organize 24 hour sentries

 

[Larry Caldwell]

The best thing to do with jerky is cook it into stews. It salts the stew and adds meat.

 

[dmccarty]

Same one we have, Wifey loves it. The seal comes from a precision metal to metal fit like a JIC fitting.

Well, we are supposed to use some petroleum jelly on the lid to help seal the metal to metal fit. Not sure it is really needed but I do smear some petroleum jelly on the edges from time to time just because. :laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[creekbend]

Just a thought. If you are planning to raise food in a garden, it would be prudent to obtain Heritage Seeds. Not all hybrid seeds can be used and saved for future use. Correct me if I'm wrong. Just a thought.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Just a thought. If you are planning to raise food in a garden, it would be prudent to obtain Heritage Seeds. Not all hybrid seeds can be used and saved for future use. Correct me if I'm wrong. Just a thought.

Squashes and brassicas are promiscuous cross pollinators. Cauliflower and broccoli will cross pollinate with turnips and mustard. Pumpkins will cross pollinate with cucumbers and zucchini. Either you bag the blossom and pollinate each flower by hand, or you take whatever nature hands you.

 

[LJH]

Squashes and brassicas are promiscuous cross pollinators. Cauliflower and broccoli will cross pollinate with turnips and mustard. Pumpkins will cross pollinate with cucumbers and zucchini. Either you bag the blossom and pollinate each flower by hand, or you take whatever nature hands you.

Oh yes, that whole squash, pumpkin & gourd family is shameless! :laughing: Sometimes the result is interesting though. Heirloom/Heritage seeds are what you want. They produce true to the parent plant and you can continue to save seed from year to year. Some hybrids will too, but you can't always count on it. Again, results not always bad, just undependable.

 

[randy41]

it makes more sense to grow food that doesn't require refrigeration. if you grow broccoli (for example)chances are that you would end up with too much to use at once. potatoes, onions, carrots, squashes, and some others keep very well with just a root cellar. i suppose you could trade excess veggies that don't keep well for something a neighbor might have. things like lettuce, spinach, and other greens can be grown all year round in most places with minimal plant protection. if you seperate the plantings by distance or time you can preserve the squash seeds each year.
when i've thought about this scenario i've thought in terms of using my existing farm as a refuge for close relatives as well as myself...my 3 kids all live in big cities. but i don't really see any of this actually happening.

 

[forgeblast]

Baker creek seed co is a great company, the book Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners, 2nd Edition: Suzanne Ashworth, David Cavagnaro, Kent Whealy: 9781882424580: Amazon.com: Books will tell
you all you ever wanted to know about saving seeds and how to avoid cross pollination.
Remember too that putting in berry bushes, fruit trees, nuts etc will offer a lot of food, and if you get a press you can make oil for cooking.
Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation: The Gardeners and Farmers of Centre Terre Vivante, Deborah Madison, Eliot Coleman: 9781933392 is also a great book