Rice and Beans

[old_anorak]

Park the car in the sun. Roll up the windows. Place the fruits or vegetables on oven racks, window screens (if you do this, place a single layer of cheesecloth over the screen first), or anything else that can be used to act as a rack and allow air to circulate. Place the trays in the vehicle so that the air will circulate well around them, close the vehicle up and check back every 4-6 hours until the fruits and veggies are dehydrated to where you want them. I will advise not to dehydrate onions, peppers, or other strong smelling foods like this. The stink will last awhile with those items.

The higher the temperature is outside, the faster things will dry out. I don't think I'd do meat like this.

 

[PhoenixPrepping]

Yeah meat would spoil but still a damn good idea!! And if push comes to shove you could always smoke the meat or cure it with salt or sugar. Where did you hear this about using the car?

 

[old_anorak]

I'd heard one of my aunt's talking about it years ago, so being the normal, noisy kid that I was, I had to try it. My cousin and I did slices of apples.

We've also strung up fruits and veg to dry behind the woodstove, that works too if you're using it often.

 

[PhoenixPrepping]

Yeah, we did the woodstove/heater thing when I was a kid. Hell, I spent more time in the woods and in the mountains than I ever did inside. Learned a lot from the old mountain men, about hunting and tracking and living off the land. Ah for the good ole days!

 

[Scorpio]

Is everyone storing their dry goods in 3.5-5 gallon buckets with gamma lids? I use more 3.5 gallon buckets, because I can get them for free from an old high school friend who works at a donut shop and that's what they get their frosting in. Since they were used for frosting it's much safer to just wash them out and use. I also pick up a couple here and there from Home Depot or Lowes at $3-$5 a bucket too.

 

[old_anorak]

I don't use the gamma lids, just the lids that come with the buckets. I haven't had any trouble with anything so far.

 

[Roninsensei]

The standard lids aren't air tight!! That's why the gammas are sooo much better.. Throw in a hand warmer and seal the gamma and your good for years.

 

[Scorpio]

I don't use the gamma lids, just the lids that come with the buckets. I haven't had any trouble with anything so far.

I use the gamma lids, because they make the bucket air tight and it's easier to just unscrew the center part vs taking the lid on & off to add rice, beans, etc...... I found a place that I can get them at a pretty good price if order 6 or 7 at a time.

 

[Scorpio]

The standard lids aren't air tight!! That's why the gammas are sooo much better.. Throw in a hand warmer and seal the gamma and your good for years.

I'm just going to save some of the little silicone packets I get in my prescription bottles and toss them in there.

 

[Roninsensei]

All that does is help with moister not o2 removal. the hand warmers use up the o2 also killing any critters that may be hiding in there..

 

[Scorpio]

All that does is help with moister not o2 removal. the hand warmers use up the o2 also killing any critters that may be hiding in there..

yea, but critters shouldn't be a problem, if they aren't in there to begin with. Besides u have to keep a check on the hand warmers. Humidity is a big problem down here in Florida.

 

[Roninsensei]

Keep check on the warmers why?

 

[Scorpio]

Keep check on the warmers why?

I've never seen hand warmers that run forever.

 

[Roninsensei]

Once its sealed there's nothing to check.

 

[Scorpio]

but won't the hand warmer eventually quit working or have they improved the technology since I last used one??

 

[Roninsensei]

I'm talking long storage, you must be talking constant use. lol

 

[Scorpio]

No, I'm talking long storage. Where do u get the hand warmers?

 

[old_anorak]

You can keep your gamma lids and keep my share as well. I've learned what I know from my mother, aunts, grandmothers, and a great grandmother. Gamma lids weren't around then and neither were the plastic buckets, their staples were in wooden bins in the kitchen. If you add bay leaves to what you are storing, you keep the bugs out. For dry goods on your shelves, put bay leaves in the back of the cupboards. Anything that goes into bucket storage is frozen for a month first to kill the bugs and eggs.

Like I said, you all keep your gamma lids and I'm going to go bake some bread with 5 year old flour that guess what.... is stored in a bucket with a regular lid. I come from a long, long line of people who were prepping before prepping was the in thing, so I'll go with what I know.

 

[Scorpio]

well, my mother, aunts and grandparents were all deceased before I started prepping. I'll have to give the bay leaves a try though. I can probably get the buckets and gamma lids for less than what a wooden box would cost me. All 4 of my freezers are full and there's no room in them to freeze anything before placing in storage. Besides the bugs will just add a little flavor to the rice, beans and pasta.....LOL!!!

 

[Roninsensei]

They used flint lock guns back then too but we've come a ways since then.. lol The hand warmers all use the same basic tech. So brand doesn't matter much. If you are sealing the container then there's limited air in there. The hand warmer will use up all that air then burn out. Leaving your food o2 free.

 

[Scorpio]

They used flint lock guns back then too but we've come a ways since then.. lol The hand warmers all use the same basic tech. So brand doesn't matter much. If you are sealing the container then there's limited air in there. The hand warmer will use up all that air then burn out. Leaving your food o2 free.

actually I have a muzzle loader rifle. Ok, I gotcha about the hand warmers. Do you use the ones that warm up from a chemical reaction operated or fuel operated?

 

[Roninsensei]

O2 Absorber
Time -- O2 level
5:53 -- 20.9%
5:56 -- 19.9%
5:58 -- 19.0% <- O2 sensor alarms begins ringing
6:53 -- 5.8% <- 1 hour in
7:53 -- 1.9% <- 2 hours
8:08 -- 1.6%
Level is still dropping, but VERY slowly. Calling off test #1

ONE Toe Warmer
Time -- O2 level
8:13 -- 20.9%
8:14 -- 19.9%
8:15 -- 19.0% <- O2 sensor alarm begins ringing
9:13 -- 1.1% <- 1 hour
10:13 -- 0.5% <- 2 hour
Level is not dropping that I can see. O2 sensor MAY not sense accurately below this level.

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=99140&page=4

This test was preformed on another site to see which is better. The hand warmer won. And after the bag was opened again the warmer activated again meaning it will remove o2 several time in its life.

 

[Roninsensei]

Chem operated.

 

[Scorpio]

O2 Absorber
Time -- O2 level
5:53 -- 20.9%
5:56 -- 19.9%
5:58 -- 19.0% <- O2 sensor alarms begins ringing
6:53 -- 5.8% <- 1 hour in
7:53 -- 1.9% <- 2 hours
8:08 -- 1.6%
Level is still dropping, but VERY slowly. Calling off test #1

ONE Toe Warmer
Time -- O2 level
8:13 -- 20.9%
8:14 -- 19.9%
8:15 -- 19.0% <- O2 sensor alarm begins ringing
9:13 -- 1.1% <- 1 hour
10:13 -- 0.5% <- 2 hour
Level is not dropping that I can see. O2 sensor MAY not sense accurately below this level.

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=99140&page=4

This test was preformed on another site to see which is better. The hand warmer won. And after the bag was opened again the warmer activated again meaning it will remove o2 several time in its life.

Thanks for the info.

 

[old_anorak]

Scorpio have you considered canning or dehydrating some of what you have in the freezers so you don't lose if a freezer goes out or something?

 

[Scorpio]

Scorpio have you considered canning or dehydrating some of what you have in the freezers so you don't lose if a freezer goes out or something?

my wife does can stuff. I have generators and fuel for the freezer's and there's plenty of doe and small game on my property. Plenty of gators too. I'm also about 10minutes from the river for fishing.

 

[PhoenixPrepping]

In post-SHTF fuel will become scarce quickly, and the noise of the generaters might draw attention you would rather not have. I'm trying to prep with either methods that use no fuel source other than solar, or wood burning.

 

[old_anorak]

We're set up pretty good on game as well, our 12 yr old daughter got 2 does this year.

 

[old_anorak]

I try to keep at least half of our meat either canned or dried just in case something happens and I can't keep a freezer going.

 

[PhoenixPrepping]

Canning FTW!!! Mamaw showed me how to do it a long time ago but I don't remember much of it. All I can remember is putting the stuff in the mason jars with some water and then her placing the cap and lids on them and placing them into boiling water. Don't remember for how long or even if this is right though.