Posted on 02/26/2018 12:12:20 PM PST by CottonBall
I’ve been missing the vast amount of information on prepping, survival, camping, simple cooking, the old ways of doing just about everything – all the things nw_arizona_granny knew so much about and shared with us, along with numerous other posters with a vast array of skills and knowledge.
We have our various related-threads here, a recipe thread, a gardening thread, and even a prepper thread. They are all great and I don’t mean to take anything away from those and the hard work their owners put in.
But I was missing a place to talk about ALL those things, to get the camaraderie that we used to have on granny’s thread.
I learned how to can on those threads! The pressure canner was not my friend, I thought, but I bought one and stared at it for a month, intimidated. Then I read the directions for another month. But with the help and encouragement of posters on granny’s threads, I jumped in and now have my very own food storage room in the basement with lovely jars of shelf-stable meats, vegetables, and fruit. When we moved, I fashioned my food storage room – and insisted upon having a basement – from what I learned on her threads. Getting started gardening was from her threads. Making my own cleaning products….the list is endless.
So I thought I would take the chance and start another comprehensive prepper thread and see how it goes. I used to have granny’s ping list since I made one of the threads for her, but alas, with numerous computer changes, I cannot find it. So please pass this onto any posters you think might be interested.
We’ll just keep it running until..whenever. Granny created a new thread at 10,000 posts or so. I do like the idea of having ONE thread to go to – because often I cannot find or keep track of the weekly threads. I won’t be posting lots of recipes or tidbits myself – to any mods concerned about the size of this thread. I’d just like a place to chat, post questions, post ideas, make new prepping friends.
Here are granny’s threads, if anyone wants to peruse them:
nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #1
What do you grow on your farm?“. Taxes
What do you grow on your farm?“. Also fruit trees, lettuce, wildflowers and peas.
Salt!
Why is it I keep forgetting to talk about salt? I have a ton of it stored but I forget to mention it.
Since we wouldn’t be eating processed foods, adding salt to our diets becomes vitally important. Not to mention the taste Factor.
I buy just plain old iodized table salt, pour it into zip-top bags (the good brand, not Ziploc!), then put it into a food grade super pail. I didn’t want to waste my vacuum sealer bags since it doesn’t matter if the salt is exposed to oxygen. That stuff doesn’t go bad! It just needs to stay clean. And I figured a mason jar would be a bad idea because of the metal lid. Although Tattler Lids would be okay. But if the salt gets hard it would be difficult to get out. I could just take the zip top bag and slam it on the floor and the salt would break up just fine. Plus again there is no need to waste expensive mason jars .
Thanks for the reminder met mom. I think I’ll go buy some more. It’s one of those things I don’t think we could have enough of.
Home Remedies:
We just found that Turmeric in any form is NOT compatible with Warfarin (Coumadin) BEFORE taking any supplements be certain to check on line or with your doctor. Warfarin is very unstable when combined with dosage or partaking of many, many things. ie - grapefruit, cranberries, broccoli. Food items normally supposed healthy.
For those who wish to lower blood sugar, try teaspoonful of cinnamon daily. IT worked here in a matter of a week when statins had elevated the sugar.
Those with high cholesterol and wishing to avoid statins try this. 8 ounces water w/two tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Stir and drink daily.
Must go finish dinner prep.
BBL
Sorry about your arms, CB that’s a real bummer,
especially if it prohibits housework :-)
And the iodine is important.
What brand bags do you use and why do you consider Zip-lock not the good brand?
George Washington'Diaries at Mount Vernon
Univ. Of Virginia has downloadable pdfs available IIRC.
I mention this because of your post regarding back ups. Well, there may come a time when the electronic data becomes unreadable, damaged or because the lack of computers.
A hand written diary for a growing season, including daily weather, Accu-weather not so accurate and may not be around; soil conditions and prep; planting what, where, when, and how. Crop yields and quantities preserved. Important records of data specific to ones location and circumstances, useful to your progeny as well. A well bound journal/diary still allows for old fashion paste in of computer generated text, calcs, spread sheets etc.
As I've gotten older I've tossed many generations of computers with out of date software, so it seems prudent to go cursive! There's also a quiet reflection on the days events and satisfaction in the work performed. In an outright TEOTWAWKI, it may be a small but important kernal of culture that can be replanted should events dictate. Keep them next to the family Bible.
Yes, my husband tells me that all the time, having seen its invasiveness.
But I’ve only got a balcony right now, so it will be in containers.
I’ve seen where you can sink sheets of metal into the ground, to make a bed; but I doubt that really contains it permanently ;-)
Well, that all IS my excuse when the house is dirty :-) I think it’s a pretty good one myself.
How do you take a teaspoon of cinnamon? Or are there capsules? I am envisioning trying to swallow a teaspoon of cinnamon and not having to go well. lol!
LOL a teaspoon isn’t so bad. A little hot that’s the reason a glass of cool water is right at my elbow. Truly, this did drop the level to the amazement of the lab. The nurse asked several times what was really taken to enable such an extreme.
Another helpful hint - after the vinegar/water combo, a couple of swigs from a bottle of Power Aid (Walmart brand sports drink), grape flavor is drunk to attempt to void the vinegar taste lingering.
There have been ‘recipes’ seen for cleaning supplies and, of course ones also seen for baking. Both call for ‘SODA’. Only recently was it found that there are two types of soda. That for baking and another for cleaning.
Baking soda can be used in baths (for yourself) cleaning copper, odor eliminator, and countless others, not just baking.
Washing soda is used for laundry.
Here is a site which will explain
Ay Caramba!
Forgot to add the site addy
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/home-and-family/cheaper-alternative-to-super-washing-soda/
Right, CB, cinnamon is sold in capsule form, but needed it pronto thus the spoonful.
I'll just throw a few ideas out there, been prepping in my head since the 70's. Chickens I just saw a pinterest page where they can be raised in the same area as goats. Eggs. Both are kind of labor intensive.
Lots of fruit trees.
Now celery seed. It is aromatic and tasty, not safe for people with diverticulxxx problems. I only use it for cream of tomato soup made with milk and a generous pat of butter.
When I used to make German potato salad, I used it in that in place of celery. I think that could be canned. But corn starch thickening is not good for long germ. I got some special stuff to thicken fruit recommended in the recipe for raspberry turnovers and easy puff pastry.
Wild turkeys could be handy or a nuisance. They need trees to roost in at night.
Lots of predators are being allowed to make a comeback which is bad news. And hawks and eagles will grab small pets.
I don't know about Canadian geese They can get pretty tame but messy.
Just some random thoughts. Have lots of those lately.
Alamazan Kitchen guys cook with few utensils but having a knife like their might be a good investment if you wouldn't gash yourself with it. Boki will go out and cut off tree branches and whittle them to suit their needs.
When not in the woods on a campfire, it might bee a good idea to look into outdoor stoves and the cooking methods. I love those pots and simple kitchen pans they use. Especially that circular mesh thing they pile coals in and put on top of the clay pots and cook for hours sometimes. Have to have a good sense of temperatore and timing. And today was a no burn day because winds were so high and grass dry. Kind of odd for this time of year.
Have fun.
I’ve read the iodine will turn the salt yellow in long-term storage, but if it’s important, that’s no big deal then. I might get some without iodine, just for bartering.
I’ve had issued with Ziplocks for some time now, and the last time I bought some, I was irate!
They are getting so cheap and thin the freezer bags should be called storage bags. Being a hoarder by nature, I have ziplock bags from years ago. Every time the company ‘improves’ the zipper part, the rest of the bag gets thinner. Comparing the 3 versions I have, the new ones are so flimsy you’d have to use 2 of them to equal the original set I have. That original set have only one zipper, but are very thick. AFter that, they went to a much-touted double zipper. I’m not saying that wasn’t a good idea, because the single zipper did fail occasionally. BUT, at the same time, the bags got considerably thinner. Even at that time, I would pick up a freezer bag and think I accidentally got a storage bag.
Then, I bought some quart-sized Ziplocks with a new, improved zipper - something about being easier to open - and they are so thin that they can’t even pass for storage bags. The tops rip quite often, at the seam. The bag material is so thin, it won’t even hold up to a little bit of pressure when putting things in the bags.
I order mine from the Webstaurant store and they are top notch. They are like what ziplock used to be 10 years ago. They are 4 mil thick. Ziplock doesn’t say anywhere how thick their bags currently are. I’m sure it’s a secret, LOL! Any 4 mil bag will work, I am sure. I just like the Webstaurant store because I order other stuff from them periodically. Shipping is high, but if you combine orders and play around with weights in the cart, it can be reasonable.
You’re welcome!
I suppose that salt is like sugar, in that only moisture will make it cake. I haven’t stored mine with dessicants so might have to do some hammering at some point ;)
I did accidentally put oxygen absorbers in with sugar once, and it became rock hard....why would that be?
I’ve read that minerals in salt will cause the shelf life to be reduced to that of the minerals. Pure salt will last indefinitely. I just buy plain table salt because it’s supposed to be pure. But...typing out loud here....iodine could lower the shelf life; the iodine-free table salt has anti-clumping agents that could lower the shelf-life. I do have some kosher salt and pickling salt stored - I have no clue what that has in it. Oh well, I’ll just go with what I have until told otherwise here!
Do you sell those items?
“Who was it who talked about escaping from Mexifornia?”
That was me. Escaped 3 years ago! It seems the Sacramento legislature has gone even more bonkers since we left.
You mean I can’t store cornstarch?
I love the aroma of celery seed. I need to use more of it, along with marjoram and tarragon.
I like your random thoughts - your posts remind me of granny’s. Lots of good information, some from years gone by, that people don’t think about any more.
I am a danger to myself with any sharp knife! I got a lovely set of very sharp ones some time ago, and every time I try one, I have bandaids on my fingers for several days. I must be clumsy..
A younger relative wants to decide which job to take and where and how to move. Wants me to come with. I could live in house on the property.
I hever had much in the way of money to invest and am not about ready to make a terrible mistake or comingle any funds with said person love her dearly and that's how you keep it that way.
We kicked around locations on the west coast. I't beautiful there but with the financial stuff, the uncontrolled immigration, and refusal to cooperate with ICE (lawbreakers), I don't want to live like that. But we have more and more trash coming in from Chicago and shooting.
Corn starch. I meant after it's been used for thickening by bringing to a boil and cooking one minute for gravy and stews. I always used flour but use that for pudding and thickening for fruit pies except apple. Oh and anything oriental has to be cornstarch, my chop suey.
The next day whatever is thickened with cornstarch won't hold, breaks down into a watery mess. Flour will stay much nicer.
From my experience corn starch has an indefinite shelf life and I keep it out (it doesn't seem to attract any bugs). I have kept some wrapped simply in the freezer, and it asorbs bad smells so I have to throw it out unless I seal it up better.
I'm low on celery seed, too. You can plant the chopped down stock (the part I used to like for the celery hearts to munch on and those tender green pieces). You put it in a pot and water it. It will put up enough new shoots you can use. Haven't tried it yet though.
There's also celery that grows like an herb. Would be handy to have some for the flavor but not the texture and easy to grow. Don't see it much, think it was Thompson & Morgan but it looks like they aren't in business, at least in the US, any more.
Your m and t I have never gotten used to cooking with. Tried rosemary for the first time (putchased in clam pack from the store) and it didn't do what I expected.
I'm sorry about the knife. I've never been handy with one either. Have to be very careful with them. I think the Alamazan one would be too much for me, too.
And sharpening. The men used to do that with the whet stone and oil. I finally bought a sharpener but if I used it for too many years would ruin all my knives.
I gashed my left arm. Never figured out how I did it. Was frantically trying to get a Chef John scallop chowder finished and felt a slight pain so pushed up my hoodie sleeve and a big flap of skin bleeding. Wow, no way am I going to the hospital for stitches. So I got the perioxide out after washing well with soap and water, dabbing well. Then cut strips of band aids because I didn't have any butterfly bandaids. I got it matched up really nicely and it took awhile to heal but when it did, I can't tell where it is exactly.
Don't forget to get some butterfly bandaids. I saved my son's face when he was a little boy by taping a short gash with that. Also used them when I cut the webbing between thumb and forefinger with my new fiskar sewing scissors. It almost made me sick. A guy visiting my daughter helped tape that up with butterfly and nobody would ever know.
I thought if somebody really wanted to be prepared, look how to do sutures and get a surgical kit. Also how to set a simple fracture. Worse than that God help us.
You aren't clumsy; it takes practice.
Another GREAT thickener and one that works very well for people with gluten intolerance, is arrowroot.
It also tends to separate when refrigerated but it easily recombines. It doesn't leave a pasty taste in gravy like flour does either and you don't have to cook it down like with flour.
I've been using it for YEARS for gravy and would never go back.
Neat, I’ve never tried it. Where do you buy arrowroot? How do you mix it into the liquid? I know different starches have different requirements.
I have used clear gel when canning apple pie fillings. It certainly makes a much prettier product sitting on the shelf. And isn’t so gloppy when you take the filling out.
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