Preparing for hard times Pt. 2

[Moe M.]

  For those folks who aren't fortunate enough to have space available for food plots or to keep animals,  or those who are too old or infirmed to make and tend gardens,  one way of banking food goods and necessities is to buy long term survival food and supplies from a reputable supplier,  if you take meds you can talk to your doctors and request scrips for three months supply so that you'll have time get meds should supply chain interruptions occur.
  Another important consideration is clean water,  should power be interrupted well pumps may not work and some municipal water delivery systems may not work as well,  keeping bottled water on hand is a good idea, so is having some kind of water filter that purifies water,  Sawyer water filters are inexpensive and pretty efficient,  simple water filter don't remove bacteria or heavy metals,  so make sure what ever you purchase purifies as well as filters out impurities.
  If you decide to purchase long term survival foods always check out the suppliers you decide to buy from,  while there are a few excellent suppliers on the market, there are also a bunch that are not as honest or reputable in their advertising or quality of products.
  If you buy in bulk you can usually save money,  buying a four week supply for example will cost you less per portion than buying a 72 hour kit,  also check what you're buying, you want prepared foods that all you need to do is add water and cook, stay away from bulk grains that usually need extra milling and preparation, and a lot of work to turn into something palatable, also look closely at the calorie numbers of what you're purchasing,  three meals a day of standard sized portions should give you about 1800 ~2000 calories per day per person,  portion sizes that add up to 1500 calories or less a day will put you into starvation mode over time.
  You'll also want to diversify,  besides carbs, fats, and sugars you'll need protein, veggies, and fruit, be sure to include some in your prep., dried fruits are a good source for long term storage,  dried veggies are also a good choice, another good source of greens is sprouts, you can raise sprouts quickly for greens and for salads easily indoors or out with very little work, with a few trays of sprouts going you can have an endless supply of fresh veggies and great tasting salads.
  Some tings that don't usually come in kit form or packaged food plans are sugar, rice, salt, coffee, tea, powdered milk, coffee creamer,  yeast, flour, baking powder or soda, and don't forget powdered eggs for cooking, baking, and breakfasts,  some you can buy at your local market like salt, sugar, baking powder and soda, they will keep for long periods with not much prep,  however flour, yeast, rice, oatmeal, corn meal, cream of wheat and grits can go bad or get bugs if not packaged properly for long term storage, it's easier and best to buy them from survival food stores.
  You can also get some survival gear from survival food suppliers and from private food banks as well, one very good source is from the Church run regional food banks managed by the Church of Latter Day Saints, and they will sell to non church members. 
  My best supplier has been My Patriot Supply, their food is great, easy to prepare,  relatively inexpensive, and they deliver to your door within two to three days from receiving your order, most of their survival foods have aa 25 year shelf life, one year after opening the individual packages, and if you order $100.00 or more shipping is free.
  I just ordered again this afternoon, a couple of more bags of coffee, a #10 can of creamer that can be used also for cooking and baking and deserts,  and I also ordered more sprout seeds and a bucket of dried fruit & veggies, I try to purchase about a hundred and fifty dollars worth per month when we can. 
  I not so worried about a SHTF event as I am about supply chain stoppages, I'm also stocking up on TP and other cleaning supplies,  I'm not going through that exercise again if I can help it.            

[xj35s]

Good write up. I'm not predared enough for sure. Prices right now have me going bare minimum just because I'm pissed sbout it.


I have to wonder about the calories count thing. people don't haul milk, throw hay, split fire wood, and hand wash clothes anyomore. My wife watches My 600lb life. Doctor Naw puts them on a 1200 calorie a day diet. I wonder if a healthy adult chilling at home really needs more than that. 90% of us have a lot of extra that isn't helpful.
I'm staying away from the 25 year shelf life stuff. We are concentrating on expiration date and proper storage. Flour, Pasta, Rice, and home canned goods. ALways in the 50-70 *F range in a dark place.

[Moe M.]

Good write up. I'm not predared enough for sure. Prices right now have me going bare minimum just because I'm pissed sbout it.


I have to wonder about the calories count thing. people don't haul milk, throw hay, split fire wood, and hand wash clothes anyomore. My wife watches My 600lb life. Doctor Naw puts them on a 1200 calorie a day diet. I wonder if a healthy adult chilling at home really needs more than that. 90% of us have a lot of extra that isn't helpful.
I'm staying away from the 25 year shelf life stuff. We are concentrating on expiration date and proper storage. Flour, Pasta, Rice, and home canned goods. ALways in the 50-70 *F range in a dark place.

  I do a mix of both long term and short term, it's nice to have the peace of mind of knowing that you have reserves to count on in the event of long interruptions in supply, but still have the convenience of canned fruits and veggies and canned ham and other foods like tuna, and dried stuff like instant potatoes and pasta. 
  For that stuff we just keep a well stocked pantry with extras of what we normally use and keep it rotated as we use it, I keep extra seasonings, bullion, baking powder, baking soda, corn starch, and Ramen's as well, you can do allot with Ramen's with a little imagination. 
  Flour, rice, grits, pasta and other dried foods have a pretty long shelf life, but they can be problematic, especially in warm or humid conditions, and also where they were collected and processed, some have more bug eggs than others, also some foods like brown rice and whole wheat flours don't keep well and go rancid quickly.
  Some ways to deal with that is to just stock white rice and white unbleached all purpose flour,  grains like rice, grits, oatmeal, corn meal, flour and such should be stored apart from other pantry type foods in case they do develop bugs, dried foods stored for longer periods such as six months or more should be stored in air tight food containers with moisture absorbent packs, they are cheap and do a great job of keeping foods from going bad.
  Another way to kill bug eggs in dried foods is to stick them in the freezer overnight then letting them come back to room temp before storing.
  Another thing I keep allot of is un ironized Kosher Salt and white sugar (brown sugar can go bad),  Salt and processed sugar doesn't go bad and can be used for a variety of survival needs including preserving meats, if long term power outages occur, corn starch and baking soda are also good cleaning agents,  and don't forget white vinegar, it's inexpensive but good for all sorts of uses including getting baking soda to act as a leavener when baking or to make buttermilk substitute by adding one tablespoon full of white vinegar to one cup of milk, stir and let set for 10 minutes and you have buttermilk for your recipes.
  Powdered eggs is another thing allot of people overlook when planning for long term food prep,  not exactly cheap, but a must have if you like your scrambled eggs, cakes, and bread puddings. 

  Just some food for thought.      

[boomer]

In planning ahead dried beans are often overlooked. They last a long time, are pretty tolerant of many conditions, can be both eaten or grown, improve soils and parts we don't eat make good compost materials or animal fodder. They are also way less expensive than prepared packaged stuff and are a good source of protein.

I favor bush beans in my area as intensive planting provides good canopy for weed control and protects companion crops in the raised beds that work well in the desert.

In my area bulk purchased of 20 lbs or more the cost per pound is less than 79 cents usd. Far as i know folks can get them with food stamps. Not sure though.

Not particularly exciting food by themselves but folks have relied on beans as a dietary staple for a very long time.  There's a reason beans are 1 of the traditional "3 sisters" and 1 of the reasons kids learn never to pull dad's finger

[Moe M.]

In planning ahead dried beans are often overlooked. They last a long time, are pretty tolerant of many conditions, can be both eaten or grown, improve soils and parts we don't eat make good compost materials or animal fodder. They are also way less expensive than prepared packaged stuff and are a good source of protein.

I favor bush beans in my area as intensive planting provides good canopy for weed control and protects companion crops in the raised beds that work well in the desert.

In my area bulk purchased of 20 lbs or more the cost per pound is less than 79 cents usd. Far as i know folks can get them with food stamps. Not sure though.

Not particularly exciting food by themselves but folks have relied on beans as a dietary staple for a very long time.  There's a reason beans are 1 of the traditional "3 sisters" and 1 of the reasons kids learn never to pull dad's finger

     Good point,  beans are a great source of protein when you can't get meat or want a substitute,  another great source of protein from plants is from Sprouts and Micro Greens, inexpensive fast and easy to grow, usually from planting to to harvesting you're eating in 10~12 days,  and they have on average 30% more protein and nutrients per pound than beef, chicken, or pork, and they are loaded with anti-oxidants and immune system builders, you can grow them in your home year round and don't even need soil (though micro-greens do a little better when raised in good soil).

[madmaxine]

Short term preps are essential.  But they can disappear with one ruthless gang rolling through your neighborhood.  Stock up on those heritage seeds, small animal traps, and gill nets.  Store separate (really separate) from your short term stuff.  If they think they cleaned you out they may MAY not come back.

Think this can't happen in the USA?  Research south Chicago, Portland, and Atlanta goings on.  The gangs are shooting random cars and kids with no fear of arrest.  I just read a piece about Atlanta Bloods securing an autonomous zone.  Think about it.

You might be on yellow stage or even orange.  But you better be aware... and prepared.

[boomer]

Short term preps are essential.  But they can disappear with one ruthless gang rolling through your neighborhood.  Stock up on those heritage seeds, small animal traps, and gill nets.  Store separate (really separate) from your short term stuff.  If they think they cleaned you out they may MAY not come back.

Think this can't happen in the USA?  Research south Chicago, Portland, and Atlanta goings on.  The gangs are shooting random cars and kids with no fear of arrest.  I just read a piece about Atlanta Bloods securing an autonomous zone.  Think about it.

You might be on yellow stage or even orange.  But you better be aware... and prepared.

Sources for Atlanta goings on?  Have family in the city and they're not aware of this kind of thing.

[madmaxine]

I have friends that live there that never heard about the NFK in Stone Mountain last spring carrying AR15's and intimidating old folks.  There IS an autonomous zone around a Wendy,  The Bloods control. 

And don't blow smoke up my ass asking for proof.  Get your google fu on.

[boomer]

I have friends that live there that never heard about the NFK in Stone Mountain last spring carrying AR15's and intimidating old folks.  There IS an autonomous zone around a Wendy,  The Bloods control. 

And don't blow smoke up my ass asking for proof.  Get your google fu on.

I was unaware of the recent events or tragic death of the 8 yo. Seems arrest warrants have been issued for the identified shooters in the briefly declared autonomous zone.

Autonomous zones in cities seem to be the new thing in recent years. Another reason I'm content to live in the sticks. Things can look curioser everyday.

No need to be defensive though when asked for a source.and I certainly have no interest in your body parts. Given all the nonsense and absurdities circulating on the interweb that's a pretty reasonable request especially in these times of burgeoning  hysteria.

[madmaxine]

Cool.  Blowing smoke is just a saying

[madmaxine]

... but blowing smoke visual is kinda funny.

[Moe M.]

Good write up. I'm not predared enough for sure. Prices right now have me going bare minimum just because I'm pissed sbout it.


I have to wonder about the calories count thing. people don't haul milk, throw hay, split fire wood, and hand wash clothes anyomore. My wife watches My 600lb life. Doctor Naw puts them on a 1200 calorie a day diet. I wonder if a healthy adult chilling at home really needs more than that. 90% of us have a lot of extra that isn't helpful.
I'm staying away from the 25 year shelf life stuff. We are concentrating on expiration date and proper storage. Flour, Pasta, Rice, and home canned goods. ALways in the 50-70 *F range in a dark place.

  Prices are climbing, that's for sure, what it cost me for a weeks worth of groceries on average last year is up by $25.00 a week today, so don't deprive yourself because you're angry about it,  what ever you don't buy because of it today you will buy when you absolutely need it, and you'll end up paying more for it anyway.
  And that's if you can get it at all, what I find more troubling about food and other necessities than rising prices is availability,  I've been watching what's been shaking out globally and it doesn't look promising when it comes to food production and transportation,  of course the pandemic has slowed production of just about everything including those things we in this country have been taking for granted since the Great Depressions of the early 1900's.
  In our country food production has been devastated by wild fires in the west, flooding in the southern states, and drought in the growing belt,  overseas production has been hampered as well by pretty much the same things,  couple that with slowed transportation restrictions because of the pandemic and other things such as the blocking of the Panama Canal, that was a while back but we are still being affected by the stoppages.
  Taking all of this into consideration it's not hard to notice that grocers shelves are again starting to look depleted again, which is showing up in the prices of food, paper goods, and cleaning products at the check out counter,  judging by the past all these things may work themselves out in time and all our worries will go away,  but if the don't, or if they get worse before getting better, those of us who went the extra mile in preparing for such an event will be glad they did. 
  That said, I remember back a couple of decades ago when I was cleaning out our Y2K provisions that had all gone bad because the world didn't fall apart, and the stuff went unused, which is why we based our food preparedness half on long term food storage and and half on everyday foods that we normally use that has a shelf life of two to five years and rotate it on a normal basis as we use it, so if that time of shortages actually happens combining the two will give us a pretty good span of not having to worry about where our next meal is coming from, we've also made preps for being able to hunt small game and fish a little to stretch our supplies.
  They (whoever they are) say that all the good planning goes out the window as soon as the battle begins,  lets hope that "they" are wrong this time and that all our preps and plans are either not needed, or that they are enough to carry us through.       

[Moe M.]

  One way to stock up on emergency food for what ever comes down the pike like natural disasters or economic downturns, or any emergency that prevents you from getting your normal weekly provisions without having to buy long term emergency or survival foods and other essential supplies is to stock up on those foods that you normally use from your local super market, especially foods with two to five year shelf lives such as canned and dried foods.
  That way you can stock up a few things at a time every time you do your shopping,  not only foods, but cleaning supplies, over the counter meds, and first aid supplies,  it's always good to have extras "Just in case",  just be sure to buy what you normally use and don't panic buy or over buy stuff you aren't using on a regular basis,  get a good supply going and use it as you normally would replacing what you use and rotating it according to age and use by date.
  Some packaged and canned foods are not as easy to keep fresh as others, but you can stretch the shelf life considerably by taking the time and spending a few bucks on prepping it for storage,  first, keep your pantry as cool and dark as possible, air conditioning helps in the hot summer weather,  keep it as dry as possible,  in humid climates a dehumidifier works well even if you use it just a few hours a day, if your pantry cabinets have glass doors hang some curtains in them to shade or block the light.
  Most dried foods like flour, rice, pasta, oatmeal, grits, instant potatoes and the like can grow bugs over time or go rancid, the biggest enemies of those types of packaged dried foods is air, moisture, and light,  so if you are storing them for a year or more you can stretch their shelf life considerably by investing in dark colored air tight and waterproof totes or food safe containers with snap on lids that seal the contents from air, light, and moisture, and when you use them fill as much space in the containers with food as possible and before snapping the lids in place throw in a few oxygen absorber packs, they will soak up any oxygen and moisture in the container and keep your food from going bad for an extra year or two or more in some cases.
 Food storage containers can be purchased on line (I prefer those sold by 4-Patriots supply, I just order a package of four for about $50.00, they are approx. 13"W x 18" L x 8' deep, they stack nicely, and they are rodent proof, oxygen absorbers can also be purchased on line at Amazon, Walmart, and many other name brand stores, they come in different sizes and bundles, they also are very inexpensive and do a great job of keeping stuff fresh, the same people sell Mylar food storage bags that can be sealed with a flat iron or hair drier, they also are pretty inexpensive.   

[madmaxine]

So my 5 cases of potted meat and and 2 cases of canned brussel sprouts out in the garage are a bad investment?

[Moe M.]

So my 5 cases of potted meat and and 2 cases of canned brussel sprouts out in the garage are a bad investment?

 LOL, Hell no, what did I say in my post to make you think that ?

 Assuming that the Best use by dates are not way past due they should be fine,  the only issue I could mention is where they are stored,  Florida is fairly hot year around,  if your house has central air and your garage is air conditioned as well then your stores should be fine, another thing to consider is that use by dates are based on the anticipated shelf life of the product if it is stored in a dry dark place with a consistent temperature of between 50*F and 70*F.
 If the temps are cooler the shelf life increases,  warmer and the shelf life decreases,  however, that doesn't mean that 
once the use by date is reached the food is not usable,  it is in most cases, usually it just means that it's reach a point at which the flavor and fresh color of the food may be compromised, but most canned foods if reasonably stored can still be consumed up to a year or more past it's used by date.
 If the cans are in good condition, if they aren't rusted, bulged out, or leaking the chances are good that the food is edible and still nutritious, but if the food looks or smells funky I'd toss it before risking getting sick in a survival situation,  food poisoning is not fun, and the GI trots can rob your body of hydration PDQ.
 That's one of the main reasons I chose to store long term survival food with a 25 year minimum shelf life for about half of our preps and keep a good supply of short term pantry foods such as dried, canned, and jarred food that we normally use every day,  rotate it as we use it so that the use by dates are at least one to two years ahead.
 I learned a costly lesson with Y2K, panic buying and stocking allot of food that you don't normally eat simply because it has a longer shelf life or is cheap to buy is never a good investment, preparing for emergencies is an on going exercise,  it's not simply buying a ton of dried foods and forgetting about it until you need it, it doesn't have to be work, just something else in our lives that needs occasional attention and tweaking to insure the best results.     

[hayshaker]

preparing for the hyperinflation that will soon be upon us,
that' a tough one. as for shtf most here know what that means,
in some ways it has already happend to me yeah hayshaker, imagine that.
my well went belly up around august last year. i've since had to get very creative with water.

i buy boatloat loads of bottle water collect rain water and snow, thank god for the woodstove
and the big berkey. as wel as the 2 holer outhouse.
now as for hyperinflation and fuel shortages and fuel price increases,
everything we use one way or another comes by truck, think about that for a moment.
10 dollar or more a gal diesel and its over, so long short of it is
get all you can now while youre able, just saying,

as for water i have a 500,gal cap in the basement as well as a few thousand gal cap 3 season
outside till i can some how get a new well, i pray for everyone here,
freeze dry dehydrated food it's all good but you still need water, figure 2,cups per meal times how many meals you have
don;t forget the pets also vitamins they will be important as well.