Preparedness

[3DStudent]

The site I have been looking at for gold is apmex.com. You can buy 1 gram gold tiny bars for about $50, so it's economical. But they are smaller than a micro memory card! This site is good for looking at the price trends too.

Odyssey, that site doesn't tell the amount of gold in them. For $250 for 25, it can't be much, maybe just gold plated. I would go with something .9999+ pure gold. I don't think the country matters; US, Canada, Chinese, and Switzerland make gold coins, the latter being a trusted "brand".

 

[Laurentien2]

I received this week the book by EXCALIBUR, Preserve it naturally, the complete guide to food dehydration.

Link http://www.rawnutrition.ca/html/preserve_it_naturally_book.html?gclid=CLrCwfGU6qYCFdLLKgod-AlwzQ

It is a very complete book, tell you how to dehydrate fruit, vegy, meat, herbs etc... and give a lot of recipes for fruit or vegies leather as well of all kind of jerky. I wasn't sure how to proceed with the meat but this book really explain it very well. I will start experimenting soon with beef jerky, only waiting for my vacuum sealer to arrive and start testing. If anyone need recipe or guide line on dehydration just let me know.

 

[ScottD]

Laurentien,

Thanks for the book recommendation. I really want to try my hand at some dried foods for sure. Does the book go into detail about how long these items can be stored and would things like a vacuum sealer extend the life of some things?

 

[Laurentien2]

Laurentien,

Thanks for the book recommendation. I really want to try my hand at some dried foods for sure. Does the book go into detail about how long these items can be stored and would things like a vacuum sealer extend the life of some things?

I haven't read all the book yet but so far they do not say in any detail the longevity of stored dehydrate food. They say that vacuum sealing is the best way to keep them, you want to keep the exterior humidity out as much as possible and if possible in a cool and dark place. A cellar like place. Like I said, I will start processing meat shortly and vacuum seal the result and put it in the cellar and check monthly how the meat is affected. I think if you want to dehydrate meat, a good book about how to process is a must. It tell you what to look for to judge if it is either enough or not dehydrated.

It give a lot of detail like about all veggies and meat amount of water they contain. The best meat to use, porc is not recommended except ham, time table, thickness. Note like; most expert feel for the best storage that the percentage of moisture (residual moisture) should be as follow; fruits, 10%, vegetable 5%, grain 10 to 12% and meat 20%. So if you process 10 pound of meat you should expect 2 pound of dehydrated meat.

So as you can see, you need to calculate before and after the weight and know how much water is contained in the item you dehydrate. Like for example onion have 89% water and veggie dehydrated they should contain only 5% so you need to compute the pounds of water to be removed during dehydration. The time for dehydration can be affected as well by the quality of the dehydrator and other variable such as thickness and temperature.

My guest is that the dryer the longer it will last. I wouldn't be surprise that vacuum sealed leather can be preserved for up to a year and jerky easily 6 month if not more. Kept in a refrigerator even longer. I will let you know if I find specific info about it.

 

[Ollie]

The book that has been my dehydration 'bible' is:

Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook. 'Everything you need to know to make delicious dried snacks, jerkies, fruit leathers, nutritional meals, and even potpourri!'

 

[Laurentien2]

Laurentien,

Thanks for the book recommendation. I really want to try my hand at some dried foods for sure. Does the book go into detail about how long these items can be stored and would things like a vacuum sealer extend the life of some things?

I finished reading the book and they do not tell you specifically how long fruit, veggies or meat can be stored for. There are a lot of variable like the container, the dehydrator and it use, expertise at dehydrating and the quality of the product you use.

Here are some quotes;

Dehydrated food may be kept from year to year. It will have higher nutritional value if you only try to store each year's harvest to carry over until the next year's supply is available. If you have some food left, do not discard it but go ahead and use it unless you can obviously see that it doesn't have quality.

So well dehydrated food can last over a year,

Meat and all protein foods should be very dry unless they are to be refrigerated or frozen for a long time storage.
pick a lean cut of raw meat as free from fat as possible; the higher the fat content, the shorter the storage life of the jerky.
To better preserve your jerky, apply either a dry or brine cure prior to dehydrating.

Dehydrating meat need some preparation and as I said there are many variable and it is good to have a good guide. You can also smoke the meat before dehydrating it to give it extra taste. This book give many good recipe for curing all kind of meat, fish include but some give better result and will last longer then other.

Packaging

Any container that has been employed for food storage previously is safe to use for storage. You can use glass jar that contained other good and recycle them as dehydrated container. You can use zip lock as well but the best and most recommended specially for meat is vacuum sealed bag. About vacuum sealer, they say to look for one that seal for 3/8 of an inch thick for a better seal.

Storage

Ideally, dehydrated food should be stored in a cool, dark, dry location. Food held in storage at 50F/10Cel to 60F/16Cel retain more food value than when it is stored at higher temperature. The absence of light in the storage area preserves color and vitamins.

As you can see ScottD the time that a dehydrated item can last depend on many variable. Still it stand as one of the best way to preserve food.

 

[ScottD]

Thanks, definitely good information to know. I think I will pick up a copy of this book. I do have a basement that I plan to stock soon but I may need to make some adjustments on how I store foods and either keep them in dark containers or away from all light sources. My intention is to have a years worth of food stored for my household and to rotate/add as things are available to me. Seeing that meats will hold for at least a year is suitable to what I'd like to accomplish. I'm considering a store of freeze dried foods as a backup plan which can keep up to 25 years but may have some bad ingredients in them. Those items would be Plan B or available for emergencies. Who knows if all this will be for naught but I enjoy picking up new skills, especially when it creates tasty treats! I think the only concern would be the lack of fats involved if using lean meats so I'll have to consider a way to supplement fat intake somehow.

 

[Laurentien2]

Thanks, definitely good information to know. I think I will pick up a copy of this book. I do have a basement that I plan to stock soon but I may need to make some adjustments on how I store foods and either keep them in dark containers or away from all light sources. My intention is to have a years worth of food stored for my household and to rotate/add as things are available to me. Seeing that meats will hold for at least a year is suitable to what I'd like to accomplish. I'm considering a store of freeze dried foods as a backup plan which can keep up to 25 years but may have some bad ingredients in them. Those items would be Plan B or available for emergencies. Who knows if all this will be for naught but I enjoy picking up new skills, especially when it creates tasty treats! I think the only concern would be the lack of fats involved if using lean meats so I'll have to consider a way to supplement fat intake somehow.

You can buy omega 3 supplement for one, good olive oil and coconut oil and kept a reserve of duck fat frozen. Sure there may be no electricity but that isn't sure either and if you live in the north in winter, where it get cold, you can use mother nature help.

 

[Divide by Zero]

Besides food (most important) you might want to think about things like soap, toilet paper, and bandaids . I had an acquaintance who toured the Soviet Union in an ice show in the '70's. He stuffed one suitcase full of bath tissue, and was able to trade for just about anything he wanted.

I'm surprised they bath tissue was that valuable in the 70's USSR!

What about U.S. Dollars? They can be used to wipe too, lol.

 

[Mayb]

 

[herondancer]

Besides food (most important) you might want to think about things like soap, toilet paper, and bandaids . I had an acquaintance who toured the Soviet Union in an ice show in the '70's. He stuffed one suitcase full of bath tissue, and was able to trade for just about anything he wanted.

I'm surprised they bath tissue was that valuable in the 70's USSR!

What about U.S. Dollars? They can be used to wipe too, lol.

It wasn't that it didn't exist, just that the quality of western TP made it almost a luxury item. Who knew? :)

 

[LQB]

I remember reading an account of a local describing some of his experiences during the worst of times in Yugoslavia. He was trying to impress on folks to prepare for bad times (future). He used TP as a particular example of some of the things you definitely do not want to be without.

 

[LQB]

Here it is - I found this (plus the 100-item list) posted on another forum: _http://www.emergencypreparationforum.com/the-first-100-things-to-run-out-in-an-emergency-50.html

The first 100 things to run out in an emergency
Stumbled upon this online and thought it was worth posting here.

100 Items to Disappear First

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens

From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.

1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate
near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war
quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to
do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of
the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs
enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in
bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival
guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you'll
have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how many
people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of
toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to
lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches

 

[Mark7]

Crabbydogtrix is giving people some good advice on youtube today...

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OohVw8uGqpU

 

[ScottD]

You can buy omega 3 supplement for one, good olive oil and coconut oil and kept a reserve of duck fat frozen. Sure there may be no electricity but that isn't sure either and if you live in the north in winter, where it get cold, you can use mother nature help.

I know the qulity of olive oil breaks down after about 6 months but maybe up to a year if kept in the fridge and I haven't yet experimented with coconut oil. My list of things to accomplish grows by the day. I am trying to find good alternatives that will always be available to me should commerce break down and both olive oil and coconut oil may not be available. I have had my eye on a solar powered freezer for a while now but funds have yet to be available to purchase it. SunDanzer (_http://www.sundanzer.com/BatteryFree.htm) creates a direct to Photovoltaic unit which is great so you don't have to have a solar infrastrucutre to use it, just some panels.