Storage Tips and Tidbits

 

Canning, is one of the ways that many people are looking at how to solve the food storage and preservation issues.  It’s been used for some time now, it’s reliable and somewhat portable into a time when the social and manufacturing structure completely breaks down.
One of the ongoing issues with canning is that the lids are not reusable.  Many people try to solve this problem by purchasing extra supplies of lids for their canning jars. However, this is still a relatively short term solution to what may be a very long term dilemma. Eventually, we would run out of these lids.
Now, we have another option, reusable canning lids.  These reusable lids could last a lifetime, and perhaps be inherited by the following generations if they are cared for properly. For now, the one place I have found them manufactured is Tattler.  These lids are starting to pop up on places like Lehman’s, SurvivalBlog, and in some of the more commonly known online canning supply stores.
And they can be bought in bulk. I am very excited about this. Locally, we are talking with other people to see if we can go in together to buy these lids in bulk.
Here’s the site if you want to check it out for yourself: Tattler Canning Lids  Be sure to explore the site, read the reviews and blogs, you’ll learn a lot about canning if you do so.
Courtesy  of  Edina

Food Storage : Beverages Other Than Water

Beverages such as powdered milk, cocoa mix, a fortified fruit drink mix, evaporated milk, and some bottled juice.  In a winter emergency, having cocoa mix around is a blessing.  The  milk  will come in handy for many  things  including  cooking.  However,  one important  thing  you  must keep in  mind is  palate  fatigue.  If you  have the  same foods  over  and over  again  palate  fatigue  will set  in and in a survival  situation  it is  not a good idea  to  go  without  food.  Children  especially  can  suffer  from palate  fatigue  and it is  important  that  these situations  be  taken into account  when  building a  food  storage for  future   use.
You  have the choice of purchasing powdered drink  mixes to  have on  hand when someone  gets that urge  to have  something   different  or  sweet. You  can  purchase  frozen  fruit  concentrate  and  dehydrate the juices just  as   is  shown in my  previous post on  dehydrating and  storing  foods.  Or  you  can purchase  freeze dried  juice  powders  from companies that  sell them already  packed in  #10 cans.  The  same  can  be  said  for  milk.
The thing  you  need to  remember  is that in a  survival  situation  everyone  will already  have to  deal with doing  without.  It  will be  hard enough  living   day  to  day with all the  things  you  cannot have  or do.  Why  make  things harder  or  more  unpleasant  than they  have to be.  When a  simple  treat  now and  then  can  serve  to lift  one’s spirits.  Cocoa , chocolate  milk, fruit  juice, a fruit  smoothie or milk  shake,  etc.  All these things can be  accomplished as  long as you have the  necessary  ingredients.  With the proper preparation and  forethought  you  can have all of this .
Powdered milk, chocolate  or powdered  cocoa and sugar   will make chocolate milk  or hot  cocoa.
Powdered fruit  juice, powdered milk and rehydrated fruit  pieces run through a food  mill or meat  grinder  can  be used  to make a  nice  fruit  smoothie.
Rehydrated fruit juice  and  water  will make a  nice  juice for children and  adults  alike.
Add a  bit of rehydrated veggies  of  your  choice and  you  have a vitamin  rich health smoothie where none  could have  been  had otherwise.
Powdered milk, powdered eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon , cloves sugar will make  eggnog.
Coffee and  tea  are  always  a nice  change of  pace .  Add  some creamer or powdered milk and  sugar  and  you are  set.
Strong  cold  coffee,  powdered  milk,  sugar will give  you a cool coffee drink  reminiscent of the  frappuccinos  and  iced  coffees  they  sell at the  market  (only  without the  ice).  However, still a nice  change of  pace.
Cold  oatmeal,  peanut  butter, powdered milk,  cocoa powder, sugar and  water processed  with a hand  blender  will  give you  a  nice  thick breakfast shake.  The  oatmeal can  be  substituted  by  any  soft  cooked  grain
Milks  can  be  made  of  rice,  almonds,  cashews, soy beans or oats.  For those  who are  lactose intolerant  this can  be a  welcomed change.  They are  mild  tasting  , nutritious  and  light to the  palate.
The varieties are limited only  by  your imagination.  But  remember  the  key  here  is having the  ingredients  , the  equipment  and the  understanding  to accomplish all of  this.  That is  why  storage and planning is the  key.
In  future posts  I  will be  going  into the  hand operated  equipment  you  should  be  thinking  about and  where to possibly   find  them.  Along  with   some  videos  on  how they  can be  used, Hopefully ( if I  can  find  what  I  am  looking  for in the  way   of  videos ).
***There are also hand operated  juicers  that  can  be  purchased for making   juices  from  vegetables,  fruits and even  nut  butters without  need  for  electricity.
***  Please  remember  that  without  a  blender you  could  achieve  very  similar results with  items such as a  food  mill or a  sturdy  stainless steel  sieve to mash the  fruits ,  cooked grains and veggies.  With a bit of preparation it  would not be as  time  or  toil intensive  as  you  would think.  Dried  fruits and  veggies  can  be ground to  make a  powder to  facilitate  preparation.
***  Milk  in  any  of the  recipes  can  be  substituted f or  grain or  nut  milk

Food Storage : Bulk Foods and Baking Items

 

BULK FOODS
Another choice for food storage are bulk foods.  For  the most  part  they are more cost-effective because you are buying them in bulk quantities. Generally ,  they  would  be  purchased from membership warehouse  outlets that  buy  large  quantities and  pass on the  savings to members.
Once you purchase your  bulk items you  will have to transfer them to  long  term  storage  containers.  Whether it be 5 gallon  plastic  buckets, #10  cans or Mylar vacuum sealed bags, the  choice is yours.  Items that you can purchase in bulk are  rice, grains, beans, sugar , salt and flour. If you are not familiar with cooking from  scratch with these items, my  suggestion  would be  to  become  acquainted with their  use now. Cooking from  scratch and  with whole grains takes time  and practice.  Better to practice now and learn how  to  do it  successfully than experiment  when you  and  your family  are  hungry and  cannot  afford  to throw out a  botched experiment. These  items  can  be  very  versatile  once you learn to use them , they  are  healthier  for you,  as they  are  more  nutritious than the  ready  made  or  over processed  foods  that so  many of us use  to make  cooking  easier  and  faster as  well.
Please  remember that  Salt  and  Sugar  are  essentials.  Salt is  necessary for  good  health and  sugar  is  needed to assist in making things more  palatable as well as for  energy.  Unless you  have the  money  to  buy cases of  honey, sugar will be   your  best  asset in providing the necessary calories  and  energy needed in a  disaster situation :  when  every  calorie counts.  They  are  relatively  inexpensive in comparison to  most  other  bulk  foods.  Making it  rather  easy  to  stock up on these  two  very  essential  items. Salt  and  Sugar  will last  for a  very  long  time when  packed  correctly.  Mainly  a  cool, dry  place.  You  can  even  pack  salt  and  sugar  in  zippered plastic bags and place  them in  5 gallon  buckets  or  Mylar  bags.  I  prefer  the  5  gallon  buckets  for these   items.
**Another  thing  you  may  want to  consider  is that salt and  sugar  may   very  well be used   as  a bartering  currency during  a  crisis  when these items might not  be  readily  available.
Baking Items
Basic materials for baking, such as flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, yeast, oil and shortening, can be very  valuable in a survival situation. With these simple items, you can make anything  from bread  to pancakes. Powdered milk can be used to  drink or  cook. Oatmeal, wheat flour and sugar are item that  can  be  made  not  only  into  staple  baked  goods  but into  treats as well.
For those who  prefer the  convenience,  baking mixes mean you do not need to add eggs or measure ingredients not to  mention  ease of use. These mixes can be time and  labor reducing.  However, these  will be a bit more  expensive  as  opposed to  bulk foods, which  you  can readily mix  to  make the same things at  a much  lower price.  If  your  budget  allows  then  feel free to purchase the  pre-packaged and  make  your  life a  bit  simpler.
I personally  like  the process of making things from  scratch.  At first  you  will not  get  exactly  what the  recipe  says  you  should  have , lol.  I  always  find  a way to  use it anyway  so I  don’t have  to  toss it  unless it is  inedible.  In  cases like  those  the  compost  pile totally benefits  , so there is no loss.  We may not be  able to eat it  but  it  will serve to  make  compost that way in a   very  roundabout  way   we  get to  eat it anyway.
Honey stores for years and can replace sugar in recipes.  It has  a much  higher  nutrition  value than  plain  sugar, However  it is  much more expensive.  Rather than storing flour or meal, purchase the raw grain and a hand mill. Then you can mill your own flour whenever necessary.  This  way the  flour  will retain  all of  it’s nutritional  value  as opposed to  milled  flour  that sits  for months  or years. Red winter wheat, golden wheat, corn and other grains can be purchased in 45-pound lots packed in nitrogen-packed bags and shipped in large plastic pails.   Or  you  can  purchase your own in the  local  feed  store and package them yourself either at  home or with an LDS cannery.
Large canned goods can  get  very  heavy  and  become difficult to transport. This  should not  pose a  problem if  you are stocking up your survival retreat or planning to weather the  storm at home.  Large canned goods are easy to store and can keep you and  your  family well fed  for a  very  long time. Individual cans may be purchased, however sets of multiple items for  variety  or a case  that has  most of the components  of a meal are  more  popular.  It  takes  the  over thinking  of menus and what they will contain out of the equation. These sets are designed to provide a specific number of calories per day (1,800 per day is usually  what is  recommended) for a set period of time, anywhere  from three months to a year.  Remember, however, these sets are  calculated for  one  person.  If you have four people in your family or survival group, and  purchasing a one-year supply of food , then you  will have  to divide the  food  accordingly for each member.
It would be advisable that one purchase the largest set of these canned, dried foods one’s budget can handle. Then supplement the set with items tailored to you and your family or survival group. Also, MREs are excellent supplements, as prepared sets of #10 cans are typically vegetables, pasta and grains, while MREs are usually meat-based. Although there  are  some companies that  do  have the freeze dried  meats  available in  #10  cans if  it is within your  budget.
You may also want to add a few special items, such as hard candy, chocolate or desserts, to reward yourself , for quick energy or to  stave off  palate fatigue.
Don’t forget to add vitamins and mineral supplements.   Fruits, green vegetables and other items rich in vitamin C and other nutrients may be difficult to come by and a  good multi-vitamin can  make all the  difference in  your  nutritional  intake.  Well  worth  having in  your  food  storage.
For those  who do not have  memberships  to  the  food warehouse  outlets: You can  purchase  extra  bags   and containers  of  these  items in  your  grocery  store.  There  are  some  supermarkets  who do  carry  the  economy  sizes and  even  25 lbs bags  of   flour  sugar  and salt at  reasonable  prices.  Thus making it  possible  for  you to   build up  your  food  stock  little  by little  as  your  pocket allows.
Do  not  discount  the  feed stores either.  They  sell  corn, wheat, barley  and  oats in  50  lbs  bags.  Yes they  sell  feed  for  animals ,  however, they are safe  to  consume.  If in doubt  ask the  store  clerk what grade the items are  and  could  they  safely  be  consumed  by humans.  They  will  tell you.  I have  purchased  a 50 lbs  bag of cracked  corn for the  wild  ducks in  our neighborhood for   $12 at  the  feed store.  That  was  last  year  though,  so I am sure it is  more  expensive  now.
***The  feed  stores  are also and  awesome place to look  for   hand operated appliances  like  meat  grinders, flour mills, food mills,  etc.  All of  which  will come in  handy when  electricity is not readily  available.
***There  is  no  set  rule to where or how  you  purchase your  food  supply  , as long  as  you  start stocking your  supply  as soon as possible.  The more food  you  have the better  off you  and  yours  will be.  With  enough  supplies  you  will not have to  worry  about  helping  those  who did  not  prepare or lost their  supplies  to a  disaster .  There is always that  elderly  neighbor  in the  house next door  or  across the  street.   You  see preparation  is beneficial to you ,  however it is  also a way to make  sure that you  can take care of others and  not put  your  family  or  group at risk.  As  the  saying  goes, “ an  ounce of  prevention  is worth a  pound of  cure”.  We all want to help those in need, so  better to  prepare  with them  in mind  as  well, so that there is no  surprise  when the time  comes.

Food Storage :Where To Begin?

 

First  thing is  first,  make a  selection and  decide what  room   or  space  you  will use for your food and   first aid items. It should be the coolest place in the house.  The temperature should be a within the  40-60 degrees Fahrenheit range.   The room should stay dry at all times to avoid damage  or  spoilage to your  items.  Closets, under stairways, spare bedrooms,  crawl space or under beds,any unfinished area  of the home will work as well. North facing walls are cooler  because they are away from excessive heat  exposure from the sun.   This room is where you will store the foods  you  will use  to restock  your  pantry.   The  room  you  choose  will depend  on the  space  you have  available  within  your home. Whatever  space you  can  spare that  will serve to house  your  food  supply will be  good. The reasons for having a separate storage are  simple. Ever hear the saying “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket”?  In a true disaster scenario, it is better to lose some of your food , than all of your food!  Redundancy  is also the  key  to  this  strategy.  Having  the  same  items duplicated in  separate areas will  insure that  you have everything that  you  need should  an unexpected scenario arise.
To elevate the food up off the floor you  can  use  shelving, wooden  planks  or  pallets. The containers should never come in contact with the ground. The moisture from the  ground will rust the  cans  and  can get into the buckets.  Platforms can be made of bricks with wood across them to elevate the food up off the floor,  if you like.  A simple rotation system should be implemented to insure freshness.  The  best system would be  to  stock oldest food to be used first and the newest food to be held further back and moved  forward  as you replace  what  you  have  used. The air must be able to circulate around the food to keep it dry so make  sure they are properly  stacked to allow for this  air  space. Items  with  higher  oil content  or  dairy  products should  be placed  lower because  hot  sir  rises  and it will be  cooler closer to the  ground.
To insure proper rotation, always date the cans and put the newest cans to the back and use the oldest dated cans first. If you  leave a  space  under the  bottom  shelf then you  have  effectively  created a storage  space  for non  food  items.  Such as  cooking equipment, camping equipment ,sleeping bags, blankets, etc.  The smartest thing  you  can  do is  keep  everything  you  will need  for  a  survival  situation together that  way you will find it  when you need it.
If an  emergency arises  and you cannot  find  it ,  then you  might  as  well not have  it .  You may  not have the time  to  go  searching for  something  that is not  readily  available.   In an emergency  situation ….”Time is of  the  essence”.
Do not store food in an attic because it will get too hot and  your  food  items  will spoil.  Seal all cracks and crevices where mice or insects might get in.  Mice and insects  will ruin any unsealed buckets or cardboard containers.  The mice can eat right through the Mylar foil, cardboard and  even  some softer  plastics. Keep  these items in buckets with  sealed lids.  The moth larvae eat  through the Mylar also.  Heavy plastic containers, jars or metal cans with tight-fitting lids will keep mice and insects out.  You  can  also place a bay leaf in with grains, flour, beans, etc to keep them from being  invaded by insects.
Do not leave any food items that have not been sealed properly on the shelves  or you  will risk insect infestation.  Do not store chemicals in the same room as the food or  you  could  face  cross  contamination.
What  To Store.
The best thing to  do  is  focus   on the  foods  that you and  your  family  eat.  If  you  store  foods  that  you normally  do not  eat then you  will not  readily  use  them Rotating  your  supply is  important.  However  , if  you  do  not  eat the  food then you  won’t be  rotating it  will you ?  Not  to mention  that it is  important  for you to know  how  to  prepare the  foods  that  you  have  stored.
CANNED FOODS
Canned foods make an excellent food storage item. Typically, most canned foods have a shelf life of several years, some even longer.
They come in large varieties such as vegetables, meats, fish, soups and fruits to name a few.  Most canned foods, in an emergency situation, will not require that you heat or cook them before eating them. They may not taste as good cold, but they will sustain you. You can also take advantage of great sales on canned foods and stock up quickly.
You  can  also  look into stores in  your area  that  might  sell dented  cans  at a  reduced, price.  As  long  as the  cans  seals  have  not been  compromised there is  absolutely  nothing  wrong  with the  contents of that  dented  can.  Getting it at a  considerable  discount for it’s slightly  dented   exterior is a good deal  and an excellent  way  of  building  your food  storage  quickly  and  inexpensively.
BULK FOODS
Another choice for food storage are bulk foods. Generally they are more cost-effective because you are buying them in bulk quantities.
One thing you will need to do with bulk items after you purchase them is transfer them to  long  term  storage  containers.  Such as  5 gallon  plastic  buckets, #10  cans or Mylar vacuum sealed bags.  Many of the items that you can buy in bulk are items such as rice, grains and beans. If you are not familiar with cooking these items, you will need to educate yourself now. Cooking with whole grains takes time  and practice. Better to learn now than have to  learn  when you  and  you r family  are  hungry. These  items  can  be  very  versatile  once you learn to  cook  with them  and they  are  much  healthier  for you as  well.
Please  remember that  Salt  and  Sugar  are  essentials.  Salt is  necessary for  good  health and  sugar  is  needed to assist in making things   palatable and   for  energy.  Unless you  have the  money  to  buy cases of  honey.  Sugar will be   your  best  asset in providing the necessary calories  and  energy needed.  They  are  relatively  inexpensive in comparison to  most  other  bulk  foods.  Making it  rather  easy  to  stock up on these  two  very  essential  items.
**Another  thing  you  may  want to  consider  is that salt and  sugar  may   very  well be used   as  a bartering  currency during  a  crisis  when these items might not  be  readily  available.
Baking Items
Simple raw materials for baking, such as flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, oil and shortening, can be assets in a survival situation. With these staple items, you can make everything from pancakes or rolls to breading fresh fish. Powdered milk can be mixed with water. Oatmeal, wheat flour and sugar are other staples with which you can make baked goods.
For those looking for a simpler answer, mixes for muffins, corn bread and pancakes mean you do not need to add eggs or measure ingredients. These ready-made or pre-mixed ingredients can be time and  labor saving.  However, one  must  also  consider the  added  expense the pre-packaged  items will cost as  opposed to  bulk foods  that  you  can readily mix  to  make the same things at  a much  lower price.  If  your  budget  allows  then  feel free to purchase the  pre-packaged .
For long-term survival storage, honey stores for years and can replace sugar in recipes. Rather than storing flour or meal, purchase the raw grain and a hand mill. Then you can mill your own flour whenever necessary. Red winter wheat, golden wheat, corn and other grains can be purchased in 45-pound lots packed in nitrogen-packed bags and shipped in large plastic pails.   Or  you  can  purchase your own in the  local  feed  store and package them yourself.
Large canned goods, on the other hand, are difficult to transport. But if you’re stocking up your survival retreat or planning to weather the  storm at home, the large canned goods are easy to store and can keep you well-fed for months. While individual cans can be purchased, most popular are sets of multiple items. These are designed to provide a specific number of calories per day (they’ll recommend 1,800 per day, but you’ll probably want more) for a set period of time, often three months, six months or a year. Remember, however, if you have four people in your family or survival group, purchasing a one-year supply of food will only equate to three months worth for the family.
It is recommended that one purchase the largest set of these canned, dried foods one’s budget can handle. Then supplement the set with items tailored to you and your family or survival group. Also, MREs are excellent supplements, as prepared sets of #10 cans are typically vegetables, pasta and grains, while MREs are usually meat-based. Although there  are  some companies that  do  have the freeze dried  meats  available in  #10  cans if  it is within your  budget.
You may also want to add a few special items, such as hard candy, chocolate or desserts, to reward yourself , for quick energy or to  stave off  palate fatigue.
Don’t forget to add vitamins and mineral supplements.   Fruits, green vegetables and other items rich in vitamin C and other nutrients may be difficult to come by and a  good multi-vitamin can  make all the  difference in  your  nutritional  intake.  Well  worth  having in  your  food  storage.
MREs (MEALS READY TO EAT)
With these you will have a nice hot meal without having to cook. A disposable MRE heater provides a chemical reaction which heats the food.
Ease of portability of these meals is  also a  plus. They are small and easy to store, perfect for an evacuation scenario and keeping some in your car kit. They are also quite tasty. One disadvantage, however, is that they can be pricey and they do not provide as much roughage as you need. (This can lead to digestive problems if you plan to live on them for an  extended  period  of time.)
Beverages Other  Than Water
such as powdered milk, cocoa mix, a fortified fruit drink mix, evaporated milk, and some bottled juice.  In a winter emergency, having cocoa mix around is a blessing.  The  milk  will come in handy for many  things  including  cooking.  However,  one important  thing  you  must keep in  mind is  palate  fatigue.  If you  have the  same foods  over  and over  again  palate  fatigue  will set  in and in a survival  situation  it is  not a good idea  to  go  without  food.  Children  especially  can  suffer  from palate  fatigue  and it is  important  that  these situations  be  taken into account  when  building a  food  storage for  future   use.

Home Made Survival Foods
Canning goods is a tradition that will come in very handy in a survival situation.  From spaghetti sauce to your own jam. The types of  foods you can  preserve  with this  method  is  limitless.  However, when you are dealing with canning fruits, vegetables or meats, its important to follow the latest specifics from the true experts.
You can also dry, vacuum-pack and otherwise prepare food for storage. Vacuum pumps are available commercially or can be constructed in your own home. You can use them to seal dried food in mason jars and other containers.
When packing foods for storage, you want to eliminate oxygen (which is why a vacuum is so good). Bugs, such as weevils, and other organisms that can destroy your food need the oxygen to live, just as we do. That’s why commercial companies who prepare survival food pack grains, cereals, pasta, beans and other food in nitrogen-filled containers. You can accomplish a similar packaging yourself by using dried ice.
Simply take the 10 pounds of noodles (or 25 pounds of rice or other dried food) you picked up from the warehouse and put them in an appropriately sized plastic bucket with a lid that can create a good seal.  Add several chunks of dried ice. As it sublimates, your bucket will fill with carbon dioxide, which will displace all or most of the oxygen (since carbon dioxide is heavier, the oxygen should rise to the top and out of the bucket). Place the lid on the bucket, but don’t seal it all the way until you think the dry ice has completely turned to gas. This is a fine line, since you want to seal it before oxygen starts leaking back into the bucket.
Drying fresh  fruit ,  vegetables, herbs, spices  and  meats at  home is also a good  way  of  preserving  foods.
With a  good  dehydrator you  can make  fruit leather ( like   fruit  rollups) and  jerky.  Some  have  even dehydrated  scrambled  eggs.  You  can  dehydrate  any type of  food that  does not have a  high  fat  content ( at  can  turn  rancid  and  make  your  food  unappetizing).  Storing   dehydrated  foods  will  be  done  in the  same  manner as  bulk foods to  insure freshness and safety  when  you need them  most.  If  stored  properly dehydrated  foods can  last for 5  or more  years.
Comfort Foods
Coffee, hard candy and chocolate ( chocolate chips keep  well and  can be used the  same  as baking  chocolate and is  better than a chocolate bar when trying  to  maximize storage  space). Boosting morale with comfort foods can help keep spirits high in an emergency situation.
High Energy Items
You may need to make a special effort to keep your energy levels high, so stock up on items with plenty of protein and fiber. Peanut butter, granola bars and trail mix are recommended. Energy bars  and  protein bars  can  also  come in handy, if  you  can spare the  expense.  Also  having peanut  butter,  flour and  honey  you  can  make  high calories protein bars of your  own.
Specialty Items
Don’t forget to store specialty items that you might need. If you have a baby, cans of powdered formula would be good to have on hand, even if you’re nursing. Diabetics who eat certain foods and supplements will need to keep those on hand. Elderly people who use a meal supplement will need to stock that.
Making  sure  you  have an  ample  amount  of  cases  of  Ensure or  something like it would not  be a  bad  idea if  you have  children  or  elderly   family  members.  This  will help  to  supplement  their  diet and  keep  them  healthy in an  emergency  situation.
**Having nuts  like   almonds, walnuts, cashews and  grains like  rice and  oats will also give  you  an advantage aside  from the  menu  aspect.  They can all  be used  to  make  nut and grain  milk  to  supplement for  babies or  even lactose intolerant adults.  They  are  nutritious  and  easily  digested.
SEEDS
Many people forget this item. Seeds are a ‘must’ for every prepper in order to grow your own food.  In a long  term survival  scenario  it  will be  the  difference  between  surviving and  possibly starving to  death.   These should be rotated every year or two. Check your packets for an expiration date. As seed packets are inexpensive enough, it’s not a huge endeavor to rotate these.  Besides  you  can  always  practice  with  a  garden  now and use  those soon to expire  seeds in your own backyard garden and  grow  your  own  food.  Practice  makes  perfect.  A survival emergency  scenario  is not a  good  place to  practice skills that  you are  not  familiar  with.  Focus on  Heirloom seeds  rather  than  hybrid  as  they  are  stronger and have  stood  the  test  of  time.
**May  also  be  proven  to  be  valuable as  a bartering  method during  an emergency  situation  when seeds  would  not be readily  available.

Water (continued) My Tried and Tested Methods

 

These  are  methods  that  I  have  tried  and tested in  my  own  home. They work  for me. Look over them and see if  they  are  a viable resourced for  you and your  family. Only you know your  circumstance, family needs  and  your shelter.  Space, comfort  and  surroundings are very  important.  Do your research don’t  just take my  word  for it.   Your  knowledge  and the  skills  you  acquire are  more  valuable  than  any  amount of  prep  work  you  can  do  for  any  disaster scenario!

Rainwater
Rain Catchment  System
Now  if  you  have  property then  the smartest  thing to do is  to have a  rain  catchment  system.  This  way  you  can  always  have a  viable way  to  capture  water  when it  rains  and  you  do not have to  go very  far to  replenish  your  supply.   It can  be as  simple  as  purchasing  some inexpensive  plastic  trash  cans  with  lids that  you  can  line  with untreated plastic  bags .  Placed under a  downspout  from your  gutters.  Or  all  along the  length of  your  roof right  under the  overhang  where  water  collects  the most.  This  is  generally  at  corners or  where there  is a joint such as occurs in  split  level  homes.  They  can  be  placed  behind  bushes so they  are  not easily  seen.  That  way   you  avoid neighbors  complaining.  I  use  this  method  to  collect water  for  my  garden.  Twelve- 30 gallon containers and  I  always have  in  excess of 360 gallons  of  water  that  can  be  used.  If  I  needed  to use it  for drinking  all I  would need to  do is  filter  and  sterilize and  I would  have all the  water  I  needed for  as long  as it  rained.
If  you  have  to  leave your location  for  water  reason then it  would  be  best  to have a large  tarp.  No  matter where  you  go  that  tarp  can  be  set  out to  catch  rain  water  for you.  Most  o the  time it is best  to  dig a  hole and  place a container ( as  big  as  you  want  it to be anywhere  from a  5  gallon  bucket  to a  30 gallon container.  The choice  is  yours).  A  hole  is  made in the  center of  the  tarp and that hole is  placed  over  the container.  Making  sure  all  4 sides are  elevated enough  to  create a  slant  so the  water   will run  towards  the  hole naturally.  If  you  are  unable  to  dig a  hole  to place the container  beneath the  tarp.  Then  you  must  find a  way  to fasten the  4  sides  of  the  tarp securely above the  container.  Same  as  before  the edges  must  be elevated  enough  above the  container  as  to  create  a slant significant  enough for the water  to  flow to the  center where the  hole is.  Make  sure that  the  tarp is  well  secured as in a  heavy  rain the  weight  of the  water  will surely pull it  loose.   
Hauling  Water  From  an Outside  Source

• Streams, rivers, and other moving bodies of water
• Ponds and lakes
•  Natural springs
• Rainwater

Not  having the  ability  to set up a  rain  catchment system  or being  faced  with  drought conditions  where there is  no  rain then one  must  consider other  sources.  Nearby  lakes,  rivers  or creeks that  one  can  use  5 gallon  buckets for  transport.  Using  a wheel barrel , cart, wagon or  any viable  means  of  transport that  would  make it  easier  to  haul  the  water back.
Fire  hydrants nearby that  can  be  opened  to  access  water.  Remembering that  if  the  grid is  down   pressure  will be  low  and  if  that   hydrant  happens  to  be on a lower elevation then  gravity  will be working  in  your  favor  and  the  water  will flow.
Making the  water  safe  to drink
There  are  many  ways to make  water  safe to drink.  You  can  boil it  and  then  filter it  to  kill  microbes and parasites that  would make  you  and  your family  ill.  You  can  buy  a  Berkey  filter  which  many   people  swear  by,  although  it is  quite  pricey.  Not to  mention  having to  purchase  extra  filter  components for  when  they  need  replacement.  After all,  no  filter can  be  used forever without replacement.  Unless you have a  bio  filter.
Sand Filter
You  can  use a  gallon  bucket   filled with  sand  to  filter  out all of  the  solids, so that the  water is  ready  for  disinfection.   This  will help  by removing  all solid  matter  and  clearing  up the  water  getting  it  ready  for  disinfection.  If you  are  unable to  boil the  water due to  lack of  fuel  then there  are  alternate solar  methods  that  can  .  be  employed  to achieve the  sterilization  process.  A solar  distiller is  easy to  make  and  it  utilizes  the  heat  from the  sun  to   distill the  water no matter  how   dirty  or  contaminated  it is, into safe drinking  water
Slow Sand Bio Filter
You  can also  build  a slow sand  bio filter.  Using a 30  gallon or  so  plastic  trash can, fill it ¾  of the  way  with  sand.  A hole is  drilled into the  bottom  of the  plastic  container  and a  spout inserted  and  sealed before the  sand is added.   Then the sand  filter  can be  connected to receiving cans where  you  can have  your filtered water for use.  Or install a  spigot  where you  can  turn it  on and  off and add water  as  you  need it to  be filtered Always  being conscientious to leave  water in the filter.  Allowing the filter  to sit  without water  would  kill the   anaerobic  beneficial  bacteria( as  they  need  to  be in  an  oxygen  deprived environment  to  survive or the  bio  filter  will  crash and  become  useless.  As they  take a bit of  time to  become  established.  You  will know  that  your  bio filter  is  established when you  see the  slime  build up at the  top of  the  sand.  Yes  I  know  that  is  gross and  it  sounds  disgusting,  however,  nature  has  it’s  secrets  and  this is  one of them.  The  same  process is used to  keep  the  water  in  fish  ponds  and aquariums  safe.
Biological water treatment involves the use of naturally occurring micro-organisms in the surface water to improve water quality. Under optimum conditions, including relatively low turbidity and high oxygen content (as occurs  with  rain water  run off  from let’s  say a  roof), the organisms break down material in the water and thus improve water quality. Slow sand filters or carbon filters are used to provide a place on which these micro-organisms grow. These biological treatment systems effectively reduce water-borne diseases, dissolved organic carbon, turbidity and color in surface water, improving overall water quality.  Once  the  colony  of  beneficial  bacteria  is established  it  will take  care of  the  most  of the organisms that  can  make you  sick.  Biological treatment has been used in Europe to filter surface water for drinking purposes since the early 1900s and is now receiving more interest worldwide.
Quick Water  Source for Immediate Storage
There are  many  ways  to  store  water inexpensively  without  having to purchase cases  of   bottled water. They  can all be  used to  hold ordinary  tap water.  Yes, tap water.  At the  risk  of  offending  the  health  advocates out there.  The  true  reality  is that  not  everyone is able  to  afford to  purchase many things.  So  in the  spirit  of  being  not  only  practical but  realistic we will deal  with that  fact  and  address it  accordingly.  The  alternative would be  not  having  enough  water  causing  dehydration,  unsanitary conditions and  possibly  death.  Tap water is  the   single most  inexpensive  source  of  water  you  have  access to.  Using  tap  water and  the items  I have  mentioned  can  save  you  not only  plenty  of  money  , but it  could mean the  difference between  life  and death in a  situation  where  there is  no water  readily  available.  Not to  mention  the  simple  fact  that  it  has already  been  chlorinated  and  treated so that  it is  safe  to  drink.  You  need  not  add  anything to it  ,  just  make  sure  that  the vessels  you  use  for the  water are sealed properly  to  avoid  contaminants  from  getting in.   Saves  you  time in having to  go out  and  look  for  it  not to mention the fuel and  time you  would have to  put into disinfecting it to make it safe to  drink  and  use  for personal  hygiene.

***  I  would like to add here  that when water  is collected for  boiling disinfection it  is best  to  make  sure  you  have  stocked up on  paper  coffee  filters .  They  are  excellent  for  filtering out  the  larger  particles.

****  Throughout  this  blog  I  will be  presenting  diagram  and  schematics for DIY projects on  survival and green items that  will come in  handy.  Not  only  when the  grid  goes  down  but to save  money  as  well as energy.

See ya soon     …………………