I stay away for five or six days and get a ping from WestCoastGal and notice we have grown by a full thousand posts! Looks like I'm going to have to get caught up soon, or I never WILL catch up!
Told you last time I rec'd my tobacco seeds... Been waiting for HeirloomAcreSeeds that I ordered first of the year, and they STILL had not shown up!
I called them, and a sweet sounding Lady took a look into the order, and said they will get them out to me at the end of the week. They are truly busy there... the background noise I heard on the phone sounded like the circus was in town!
I've been hedging my bets by stopping off at various stores and buyin BAGS of different vegetable seeds... We aren't alone in this pursuit Granny, every place I go says their stock is flying off the shelves... just like ammunition is... I made a major score at the huge Navy Exchange store! Caught them just as they were putting up the seed displays and snagged fresh seeds at the best price I've seen anywhere!!
Prepping for a major run to the "Gulch" mid March... I have a question for ALL of you: I'm transporting large amounts of food on this run. How much effect will there be on canned goods that I know will get frozen on the long trip? No avoiding that happening unless I wait to transport those until after the thaw! Will the freezing/thawing adverse it's nutritional value much? I have my doubts it would, but just throwing it out here to see if anyone knows!
>>>>Will the freezing/thawing adverse it’s nutritional value much?<<<
Nope, not the nutritional value... Many of them will have a texture change from freezing.
Of more concern would be if tin canned, bulging, leaking from the swelling would be a major problem.
Home canned, as long as the seal is intact, should be OK if they are slowly defrosted.
I don’t think I would let them freeze though. There are always ways to prevent it. I don’t know how you are transporting them, but even if you were putting them in the back of a pickup or trailer, there are ways to protect them. You can get styrofoam in large sheets from most home building supply stores - and if that was not going to be enough, I would try taking a cheap electric blanket inside the styrofoam and plug it in to an inverter. That way you would have heat in the ‘box’ and unless it will be -30 or -50, you should be able to keep them from freezing.
The following is from University of Missouri on the subject.
If home or commercially canned foods freeze, they are still safe to eat IF the seal (or seam of the can) is not broken.
When commercially canned foods freeze, the food inside expands and the can may bulge or even burst. Throw cans in this condition away, without tasting (don’t even give it to your dog). Even if the can is not bulging, there may be microscopic openings in the seams due to stress.
Thaw frozen canned goods slowly; a refrigerator is an ideal place to thaw such foods. Commercially canned foods can be placed on a tray or plate to check for leakage from the seams that may not be apparent. If any leakage occurs, discard the food.
Use canned goods that have frozen as soon as possible (providing seals and seams are not leaking) as quality will deteriorate quickly.
Starchy foods may curdle (separate) when frozen — thawing and heating should correct this problem.
As an added precaution, boil all low acid foods 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the food, before tasting.
If produce canned at home was processed in jars made for freezing as well as canning, the frozen jar may be placed directly in the freezer and kept there until used. Keep in mind that quality, especially texture, will be affected. Therefore, this food should be used as soon as possible.
Any food that looks or smells bad should be discarded so that humans and animals cannot eat it.
To prevent loss of food, home and commercially canned goods should be stored in an area where they will not freeze. While an unheated porch or garage might be acceptable during a normal Missouri winter, these areas will not offer enough protection from freezing during the sub-zero temperatures that Missouri sometimes has. If jars must be stored where they may freeze, wrap them in newspapers, place them in boxes and cover them with more newspapers and heavy blankets.
Barbara Willenberg, Nutritional Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia
Prepping for a major run to the “Gulch” mid March... I have a question for ALL of you: I’m transporting large amounts of food on this run. How much effect will there be on canned goods that I know will get frozen on the long trip? No avoiding that happening unless I wait to transport those until after the thaw! Will the freezing/thawing adverse it’s nutritional value much? I have my doubts it would, but just throwing it out here to see if anyone knows!<<<
I am thinking that if the cans freeze, it will break the seals and it will spoil.
Cans expand when frozen.
You will need to wait for warmer weather, take only what you can keep from freezing.
But, if there is an empty freezer going with you, you might get away with putting them in the freezer and then wrapping the freezer in quilts, plastic or?
That is how I moved my jars of food to Arizona, but there was not a freezing worry.
I am glad you are getting your seeds, the late shoppers are not going to get anything to plant, or not the old varieties.
I see sold out all over the internet and hear it is the same in the stores.
We miss you already, be careful and stay safe, and an extra hug for the wife, she deserves it, putting up with you.
Smile.