Preparations Update

[montanabill]

I can see now why people dehydrate food from cans when it approaches the ‘expiration date’. I have cans 3 or more years past date and just opened some apricots. Not good, with the flavor more like the can itself. Time to bring out the dehydrator and use it, or consider freeze drier.

I freeze dryed all my slightly older canned food. It can be stored in non heated rooms here in montana now and should be good for 20 years. Plus it is a lot lighter to move. If I am going to the trouble to freeze dry I make sure the food is in good shape going in....

 

[d_marsh]

Wheat berries would be good. (You have a grinder?). Also sugar has no expiration date. Salt is another. Those are what popped into my head- are those the sorts of things you had in mind?

I have sugar and salt, but flour instead of wheat berries. I presume wheat berries are used to make flour? What else can you do with them? I do not have a grinder.

I am just looking for stuff that has a long life span in a bucket, inside mylar with an oxygen absorber.

 

[Peanut]

I got the rest of my new medical supplies yesterday. Now comes the hard part, have to organize everything. Some items will go in my Ghbag, a few for the tote in the bathroom closet and the rest for my vehicle kit.

The vehicle kit is waterproof, contains a molle ifak and a separate first aid box. Have 3 stainless kits, veterinarian, suture and dental tools. Have plenty of sutures, blades and a preloaded skin stapler. Got electrolytes, water purification tablets and water straws, bandaids, gauze, water proof tape, iodine prep solution, tourniquets, ace bandages, quick clot. Even got a small box of disposable thermometers, iodine swabs. Gloves, masks and I have small 4oz plastic bottles, intend to fill those with alcohol and add them to the kits.

The biggy… a black molle bag for plant tinctures in plastic bottles. They turn a run of the mill medical kit into a great kit!! I think of them as a force multiplier. They buy time for serious injuries or illness if travel is impossible or delayed. I hope I never have to use any of it but given my age and the political climate, a good kit is reassuring.

 

[d_marsh]

So I selected another product to add to the food stores. And its something I won't be eating unless circumstances demand it. Dried whole egg powder. I decided that I wanted to store more protein and it was a pretty easy and not too expensive way to do it.

Anyone have experience with Auguson farms or ReadyWise foods? They sell 10# cans of dehydrated foods for a pretty reasonable price. May be my next purchase.

 

[Neb]

So I selected another product to add to the food stores. And its something I won't be eating unless circumstances demand it. Dried whole egg powder. I decided that I wanted to store more protein and it was a pretty easy and not too expensive way to do it.

Anyone have experience with Auguson farms or ReadyWise foods? They sell 10# cans of dehydrated foods for a pretty reasonable price. May be my next purchase.

The Princess buys Auguson Farms and Mountain House.

Ben

 

[Morgan101]

Anyone have experience with Auguson farms or ReadyWise foods? They sell 10# cans of dehydrated foods for a pretty reasonable price. May be my next purchase.

I have used both, but truthfully, all I can say is that delivery was prompt, and the pricing was good. Both of our purchases were buckets, and they are for long term storage. We did not open them or try any of the food.

For additional protein we have protein powder, which you can get at any health food store. Even Wal Mart carries it. We also stock powdered peanut butter, which we have tried, and it tastes fine.

 

[d_marsh]

I did some cleaning and organizing in the supply room. Checked some dates, rotated stock, swept up the room, put out some bug and rodent traps - just in case, tested the motion alarm and dialer, tested the surveillance camera and made sure the deadbolts and security hinges were solid. I also assembled and set up another metal shelving unit for my next round of purchases, which at this point will likely be 10# cans of dehydrated food.

I am debating putting in one of those pepper spray foggers connected to a motion sensor. The thief could still end up with my stuff but would pay for it in snot and pain. I think the ATF would frown on a motion activated gatling gun. Maybe one of those paint ball claymores filled with glass marbles would work?

 

[Amish Heart]

Shelf stable eggs are fine in a pinch. I freeze dried and also froze lots of eggs. But we have chickens and get lots.

 

[Neb]

Shelf stable eggs are fine in a pinch. I freeze dried and also froze lots of eggs. But we have chickens and get lots.

Count your blessings.

We are zoned for three max and no roosters.

Ben

 

[Caribou]

I have sugar and salt, but flour instead of wheat berries. I presume wheat berries are used to make flour? What else can you do with them? I do not have a grinder.

I am just looking for stuff that has a long life span in a bucket, inside mylar with an oxygen absorber.

Wheat berries last indefinitely, flour goes rancid eventually. You can sprout wheat berries or you can boil them for cereal.

 

[Magpie]

There are many things I can't find here, like dried egg powder, so I looked up UK Amazon. Its not something I have ever bought, as we have hens, and I freeze surplus eggs. The one think I notice is the sellers never put any dates on the descriptions. Now I do play fast and loose with dates as a rule; but I would like to know before I buy. I've noticed here in supermarkets the use by or best before dates have changed dramatically since before Covid. I know there was a shortage of tin at one point, so maybe tins aren't being made in the same manner. Not sure what the excuse is for other products though.

 

[Tommyice]

Count your blessings.

We are zoned for three max and no roosters.

Ben

Count yours Ben. I'm not "allowed" any.

I qualify that "allowed" with there are some people in the borough that do have them and don't seem to be bothered. I wouldn't have them now--travel back and forth to the cabin upstate leaves me with no chickensitter.

 

[Amish Heart]

I know the next town up the road that little granddaughter will have to go to school at can't have chickens. Not my favorite town at all...all the houses super close together, and it's a small town, just little back yards. That town always loses power with the slightest of wind. There is a "happenings" page on facebook that people post stuff on, and it seems that their town council votes in the craziest laws. The only animals really allowed there are pet cats, dogs, and probably a canary.

 

[kd4ulw]

The only animals really allowed there are pet cats, dogs, and probably a canary.

That begs the ‘my chicken identifies as a canary’ comment.