Please consider this
our Weekly Preppers’Thread to post progress, good buys, DIY ...
To start things off I opened a jar of rasins I vaccumed pack in March of 2009 to use to do some baking. They were still nice and moist like just out of the box.
I also opened a jar of brown sugar. Other than a few dots of molasses that had accumalated on the coffee filter I used to make sure no sugar was sucked into the vaccum machine it was soft and ready to use.
I am working on an inventory to identify what I might still need in an emergency and sorting food by expiration date to cycle through for use and replacement. I have enough food for my family for an extended period, water for a couple weeks plus the means to obtain and purify more, no need for meds for my family, enough weapons and ammo except that I go through 100+ recreational rounds a day so it always has to be replenished, finances good, and communications almost non-existent. Obviously, I may need to work on communications, but I haven't decided what to get. Otherwise, I'm where I want to be in case of a major disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, blizzard, zombie Apocalypse, earthquake, EMP, or communist seizing power from our White House.
I have a question.
I have a jar that I filled with fresh blueberries, sprinkled a teaspoon of salt over them, and then put on the lid.
They look fine and still fresh, and I wonder if they are safe to eat, they are from 2/7/1999.
I dropped dad off for an appointment a couple days ago so paid a visit to the trift store. I was amazed there was nothing “useful” there except a camo print cap which I grabbed (that’s the extent of this week’s preps). The big annual community garage sale a couple months ago was a bust on preps, too. Makes me suspect there are many others out there of the same mind and concerns. High five to dad for completing his set of Foxfire books and getting them on the cheap.
I had a new thought on prepping this morning.
I have decided that I will store up any edible that becomes very cheap. For example, there are certain birds that exist in huge numbers here in the winter. Using a ladder trap you can take thousands if there is predation on your crops. Salted, smoked, and dried the birds represent protein that will keep a long time.
If TSHTF, people will not be picky eaters for long.
I’m gonna store nuts in the shells; and some roasted coffee beans. I don’t have all that much confidence that I can roast green ones to do much good.
I have a question (ok, I just realized I had two questions), I hope you can point me in the right direction.
Question 1:
I am looking for airtight/watertight storage containers, and everything I see doesn't look like it is sealable to the degree I want. Even the rubbermaid storage containers I was looking at weren't watertight. Would you recommend where I need to look?
Question 2:
Vacuum sealed jars sound heavy, are there options to vacuum seal bags? I mean that really work? The reason I am asking, is that we have in our family a recipe for the base of a cream soup, all powered ingredients and you just add water (2 cups) and a protein of your choice once you are ready to make the actually soup. I want to do it up in prepared portions and then vacuum seal them for easy use later. I figure I will just print the recipe on big stickers and put in on the packages.
Thanks!
RS
Good link. Found lots of stuff to read too. Thinking that Doom & Bloom Survival Medicine Handbook might be good. My Dad was a paramedic.
After his stroke(he had difficulty speaking), I read a bunch of stuff, and bought a couple of PDRs at the Medical College, so I could better understand and communicate with his doctors.
I think this book might be a good addition to my collection.
I have a question from one of the other threads. We were talking about using a can, toilet paper, and alchol to create a little stove.
So I had pored a little alcohol into a plastic container to sanitize a thermometer holder, and had some left over, so I made a really small one with some toilet paper and left over alcohol.
It worked great. Hubby came home and asked me why do you put toilet paper in it, since the alcohol will burn anyway. I just said, I have no idea. So does any one know the answer?
/johnny
Stanley Thermos Lifetime Warranty
Do you know that Stanley and Aladdin stainless steel thermos bottles have a lifetime warranty. Older bottles were marketed under the Aladdin brand name. Newer bottles are branded Stanley.
If a Stanley or Aladdin thermos fails to keep the contents hot or cold Stanley will replace it at no charge.
You simply call the company and they will ask for the information stamped on the bottom of the thermos, ask a few questions about possible damage (voids the warranty) and to make sure you are using it correctly (that you pre-heat or pre-cool it).
No proof of purchase is required and you do not have to send the old one in as proof it is bad.
Of course they do not warranty just the plastic stopper so if that is the only problem you will have to replace it yourself.
The bottles generally run about $30 to $50 so it is worth the time to call for a replacement.
After at least 25 years I had an old one quart Aladdin thermos go bad a few years ago.
I finally got around to calling the company about a year ago and a new one arrived in about 10 days.
The one they sent lists for $35 and sells for $30 on Amazon.
Recently I just had a very old 2 quart with a handle go bad, called the company and a new one is on the way.
This one lists for $50 on the Stanley site and sells for $34 on Amazon.
Here is the site and contact info:
http://www.stanley-pmi.com/about-us/contact-us
Consumer Inquiries and Warranty Support
Toll free: 1-800-251-4535
Monday – Friday (closed on public holidays)
7am – 5pm PST
Email: info@stanley-pmi.com
Low cost and no electronics required Security...
It may not work for everyone, I just hung 3 mirrors... 2 in my living room, when I walk in to the living room now I can see both sides of my front door (I have a big window in the living room), I don’t need to look through the peep hole. I put another mirror in the kids room that lets me see through their window another angle of the front door... all from a distance.
Of course the shades need to be open for this to work
TT
I also just went through all of my canned goods to check expiration’s and condition... found some with dents, some with rust and a couple of bulged cans ... moved them to where they needed to be and made a list of what I need to replace.
Long Term Water is my biggest concern ... I have a well on site but a broke pump and now it is just a $ problem... I want both a manual pump and the electric pump ... what I want and what I end up with may be a tad different.
TT
Just got my Dehydrator and my adapter for my “Seal a Meal”
I was wanting to make packs of meals where I just add water, cook and eat.
My first batch of dehydrating is going to be Onions and Celery then I will see what is on sale...
Anyone dehydrated Squash?
TT
Wish I could dehydrate beer ... sure gonna miss it
A laryngoscope?
whoa....
Comments:
-For water, consider a cistern and/or rain barrels, particularly if in an area that gets significant rain. The water can be easily purified/boiled/filtered. You’d be surprised how much water is caught on a roof.