View Full Version : Fall and winter preps
Hi guys,
How is everyone doing? I'd like to start a discussion of what people are doing to prepare for fall and winter. As bizarre as this year has been so far, we could be dealing with more possibilities of civil unrest (although I have no idea what it might look like,) odd weather patterns (apparently the Sahara Dust storm is particularly bad this year,) a second bout of the pandemic, food prices rising, ammo prices rising, possible meat shortages, and possible fire danger going into the fall.
Is anyone doing anything different this year? I've been canning much more this year, and I discovered that pickled vegetables are pretty good.
I will be as unprepared as I typically am.
Maybe you should adopt me.
I will be as unprepared as I typically am.
Maybe you should adopt me.
We'll draw up he papers in the morning. Have you had all your shots? ;)
You'd better get clearance from a dentist beforehand.
... Or see if he has an extended warranty.
I'm still trying to grasp that it's summer already.
Is it too late to put up the Christmas lights already?
You'd better get clearance from a dentist beforehand.
... Or see if he has an extended warranty.
I'm still trying to grasp that it's summer already.
Is it too late to put up the Christmas lights already?
Naw man hanging lights is what July is for.
I finally got a working deep freeze in and I'm working on filling that. Have about 100ga of water and will hopefully start working torwards a generator next month along with some more of the 3p's. I also need to stock up on some dry and canned goods but other than that im good so far......until i think of something else that is.....maybe a new winter coat (added to the list).
We'll draw up he papers in the morning. Have you had all your shots? ;)
Yep. Pretty sure I got all of my immunizations before I started school back around 1975 so I should be good to go.
On a serious note regarding the original topic, what sort of stuff should I be stocking up on right now?
Naw man hanging lights is what July is for.
I finally got a working deep freeze in and I'm working on filling that. Have about 100ga of water and will hopefully start working torwards a generator next month along with some more of the 3p's. I also need to stock up on some dry and canned goods but other than that im good so far......until i think of something else that is.....maybe a new winter coat (added to the list).
What are the 3P's?
HBARleatherneck
06-24-2020, 11:32
What are the 3P's?
My math might be off, but I always went with the 6P's.
Prior planning prevents piss poor performance
Yep. Pretty sure I got all of my immunizations before I started school back around 1975 so I should be good to go.
On a serious note regarding the original topic, what sort of stuff should I be stocking up on right now?
Well, this is an extremely bizarre year thus far. I've gone to the store and seen no meat, so I've been stocking up what I can when I find it. Do you know any ranchers? Befriend them and get on their purchase lists for butchering their livestock- it's more expensive, but meat prices may remain elevated. Dairy- many cheeses can be frozen. Eggs are another thing. Did you know that you can freeze eggs? I have small ziploc containers that will hold 2 and 4 large eggs; I just crack them and scramble the whites and the yolks, and put them in the freezer. I also have 2 gallons of milk in the freezer; freezing it does no harm and upon thawing in the fridge, you just give it a good shake and it's good to go. Toilet paper, of course.
I've also been stocking up on cold meds, allergy meds, stomach meds/antacids.
Comfort foods, snacky stuffs, beverages for cold weather. Soups. Soaps. Good lord, Dawn dishsoap was a rare commodity for a while. Hydrogen peroxide. Isopropyl alcohol. Yeast. Flour and baking supplies. Even if you don;t use some of this stuff, I guarantee that you know someone who does. PET SUPPLIES. Man, Chewy was over a month behind on standing orders back in April and May. Stock up now on kibble or litter or whatever your furry buddy needs. If there's a whiff of COVID, I suspect there will be less hesitation to close everything down again. I SO hope I'm wrong.
Gardening stuff- if you're like us, we've started gardening (along with the entirety of western civilization, it seems) and have run into shortages there, too. As seeds and various soils and fertilizers come back in stock, grab them so you're not hampered early next year in February and March if you start seed indoors.
Holiday stuff. Try and get your holiday gifts and decor/foods/traditional things now- remember how Amazon limited what they would ship immediately? How Walmart was pretty much your only choice for purchases, unless you wanted to count on inconsistent shipping?
I know. It sounds like the sky is falling, right? This is just my list. And what I've seen of how this whole thing was handled has me relying on myself to take care of us, because our "authority figures" are far too busy virtue signalling to actually be stringing together the thoughts of every action resulting in reactions. I'm seeing that these reactions are having ripple effects that will take quite some time to smooth out.
HBARleatherneck
06-24-2020, 14:10
With all of the things going on right now... I think anyone would be foolish not to stock up on a wide array of things.
We all know whats going on. Super polarized Presidential election, BLM, Antifa, civil unrest, coronavirus, etc. That is just too many things piled on us at the same time. Things could get really bad. if we get lucky and nothing happens, well then you just have extras, no big deal. Like many others are saying, I think that when flu season starts, the tyrants may start quarantines again. These things have caused meat shortages, toilet paper shortages, etc. (maybe not caused, but they happened)
Stock up.
cmailliard
06-24-2020, 15:25
I will echo what Grey said. The OTC meds is a big one. The food issue is a wobbly one, but I would err on caution and stock up.
There is concern about the combined Flu and COVID season (in fact i just heard the "word" Fluvid today for the first time). Signs and Symptoms of Flu vs The Vid are nearly identical, so it takes testing to differentiate. But even with testing we can fill a hospital with either. COVID does not have to be bad to shut things down. Remember the Flu spreads pretty easy as well and with more and more ignoring the flu shot it can spread quicker. So two schools of thought, the general mask wearing, social distancing will help the flu season or if things go even slightly sideways, the combined Flu and COVID patients in the hospital WILL be a huge problem, enough to shut it down again.
But I heard from a media outlet yesterday that there are no indicators that covid will return in the fall.
They also stated that shark attacks were down this year and they contributed that to the beaches being closed down during the pandemic.
What are the 3P's?
Primers, Projectiles & Powder
buffalobo
06-24-2020, 17:45
Work on items that were OOS during lockdown and now. Grey has good list.
If lockdown part 2 comes this fall it might be prudent to stock up on some sort of lubrication for the pounding we?re all going to take.
Great-Kazoo
06-24-2020, 22:38
Well, this is an extremely bizarre year thus far. I've gone to the store and seen no meat, so I've been stocking up what I can when I find it. Do you know any ranchers? Befriend them and get on their purchase lists for butchering their livestock- it's more expensive, but meat prices may remain elevated. Dairy- many cheeses can be frozen. Eggs are another thing. Did you know that you can freeze eggs? I have small ziploc containers that will hold 2 and 4 large eggs; I just crack them and scramble the whites and the yolks, and put them in the freezer. I also have 2 gallons of milk in the freezer; freezing it does no harm and upon thawing in the fridge, you just give it a good shake and it's good to go. Toilet paper, of course.
I've also been stocking up on cold meds, allergy meds, stomach meds/antacids.
Comfort foods, snacky stuffs, beverages for cold weather. Soups. Soaps. Good lord, Dawn dishsoap was a rare commodity for a while. Hydrogen peroxide. Isopropyl alcohol. Yeast. Flour and baking supplies. Even if you don;t use some of this stuff, I guarantee that you know someone who does. PET SUPPLIES. Man, Chewy was over a month behind on standing orders back in April and May. Stock up now on kibble or litter or whatever your furry buddy needs. If there's a whiff of COVID, I suspect there will be less hesitation to close everything down again. I SO hope I'm wrong.
Gardening stuff- if you're like us, we've started gardening (along with the entirety of western civilization, it seems) and have run into shortages there, too. As seeds and various soils and fertilizers come back in stock, grab them so you're not hampered early next year in February and March if you start seed indoors.
Holiday stuff. Try and get your holiday gifts and decor/foods/traditional things now- remember how Amazon limited what they would ship immediately? How Walmart was pretty much your only choice for purchases, unless you wanted to count on inconsistent shipping?
I know. It sounds like the sky is falling, right? This is just my list. And what I've seen of how this whole thing was handled has me relying on myself to take care of us, because our "authority figures" are far too busy virtue signalling to actually be stringing together the thoughts of every action resulting in reactions. I'm seeing that these reactions are having ripple effects that will take quite some time to smooth out.
Holiday stuff for us is a non- entity.
As for everything else. Have 1/2 a hog at the processing place this weekend, should see that end of july. 1 lamb on order, expected date for that is mid sept, to early oct. We've already been stocking up on canned goods, dehydrated items and ALWAYS checking before purchase EXPIRATION DATES.
Here's a thought for canned items as well as say pastas, etc. Look for a non, working refrigerator, they make great dry storage units. Keeps vermin out as well as semi controlled climate w/out no electricity.
Finally got a small 8500w running generator w/ electric start. Wired in to panel with an A/B switch. It's nothing that will power a whole house, just enough to power the well and keep the freezers & frige's going.
We keep 2 bags of dog food on hand, in plastic containers with lockable lids
Regarding ammo. I'm trying to get back to my component inventory i had when in CO.
Here's something, iirc, posted in the Mormon cannery thread. Speaking with 2 different LDS canneries. The story is the same. No date to reopen to the public, possibly sept, maybe later, if at all. I believe they've circled the wagons and decided to "Provide" for their own, until further notice .
Now food for thought. Based on talking with a few people who work for gun manufacturers GFL if there's something you want, but don't have. More orders for guns than production has coming off the line.
In CA their CCW permits are based on the whim of the CLEO. Some counties are very gun friendly, issuing permits to those who have taken a ccw class.
Tulare cty where the daughter & S-I-L live, sent her paperwork in last week. I asked what the wait time was for approval, 2-3 months.?
Um no dad we're told 5 month minimum, due to what seems to be everyone able to, applying for a permit. In CA of all places
The last item one should be concerned with is the presidential election. I doubt anyone is going to be happy with the results. As the D's have laid the groundwork that trumps already fixed the election. Thank you Joe Biden. .
Pity those living in large urban areas.
In CA their CCW permits are based on the whim of the CLEO. Some counties are very gun friendly, issuing permits to those who have taken a ccw class.
Tulare cty where the daughter & S-I-L live, sent her paperwork in last week. I asked what the wait time was for approval, 2-3 months.?
Um no dad we're told 5 month minimum, due to what seems to be everyone able to, applying for a permit. In CA of all places
Kern county is not too difficult to get a CCW. FiL lives there.
Discussing a possible SHTF situation here in the states on another forum. I see it as a rural vs. urban conflict, if it happens.
Great-Kazoo
06-25-2020, 07:26
Kern county is not too difficult to get a CCW. FiL lives there.
Discussing a possible SHTF situation here in the states on another forum. I see it as a rural vs. urban conflict, if it happens.
Kern & Tulare are anomalies in CA, even Fresno cty is somewhat.
Bordering each other their sheriffs are pro 2A and most of the residents are. Well except for (like everywhere) the liberal city folks who fled the same shit they allowed to prosper. In places like L.A. & S.F etc
Increasing your cold storage capacity is good. People are now on several month wait lists for freezers and refrigerators. I like Hbarleatherneck's walk in cooler.
We vacuum seal packages of meats and even dry foods for cold storage. We've got 3 deep freezers and four refrigerators close to full. I've long stored pinto beans and white rice. Vacuum packed in crock pot meal sized portions, a 25 lb. bag of pintos provides a lot of meals over 2 years and more. Lately, I've been stocking up on cat kibbles, vac sealed and stored in the freezers. It can go stale otherwise. Same with flour and yeast. There was a shortage of these during the panic. Sugar was also limited. I keep ~250-300 lbs. of sugar on hand.
Sugar was also limited. I keep ~250-300 lbs. of sugar on hand.
Looks like somebody has a serious sweet tooth.
Great-Kazoo
06-25-2020, 11:16
Looks like somebody has a serious sweet tooth.
says the guy with red dye #2 on his fingers ;)
Ha! I'm not the sugar junkie I used to be but the hummingbirds are now using about 7 lbs. a day. In another month with juvenile and northern migrants we'll use about 12-14 lbs. a day.
Oh, and I don't use red coloring.
With how aggressive some can be I'm surprised you don't need bird air traffic control. I know a rufous here often won't anything else near a feeder in eyesight.
Aloha_Shooter
06-25-2020, 18:04
Surprised no one has mentioned water filters. I've got 4 Sawyer water filters (https://sawyer.com/products/all-in-one-water-filter/) and a couple Lifestraw Home water pictures (https://www.lifestraw.com/collections/frontpage/products/lifestraw-home). Will have non-perishable foodstuffs but water is everything.
HBARleatherneck
06-25-2020, 18:08
Surprised no one has mentioned water filters. I've got 4 Sawyer water filters (https://sawyer.com/products/all-in-one-water-filter/) and a couple Lifestraw Home water pictures (https://www.lifestraw.com/collections/frontpage/products/lifestraw-home). Will have non-perishable foodstuffs but water is everything.
Good catch, I forget about a lot of things, because I have them and assume everyone else does too. I have a dozen lifestraws. (maybe a few more) A Crown Berkey, Royal Berkey and a bunch of spare filters. Clean water is kind of important. We also have a hand pump for our well. No matter what if there is no power we can pump water out of the well.
Surprised no one has mentioned water filters. I've got 4 Sawyer water filters (https://sawyer.com/products/all-in-one-water-filter/) and a couple Lifestraw Home water pictures (https://www.lifestraw.com/collections/frontpage/products/lifestraw-home). Will have non-perishable foodstuffs but water is everything.
It hadn't even crossed my mind!
I was at Murdoch's today and saw they had 5 Gallon water jugs (block style) on sale for $7.99 each.
Walmart has pool shock on the shelves this time of year
buffalobo
06-26-2020, 07:40
Water is far and above the greatest concern for us.
Hbar - have you checked out the solar jack pumps? Prices seem to be decent.
The neighbors and I have been investigating a now abandoned irrigation well on the border of our properties to see the feasibility of getting it pumping if SHTF.
tactical_2012
06-26-2020, 20:37
I picked up a couple of the lifestraw gravity bags
https://www.lifestraw.com/collections/summer-survival-sale/products/lifestraw-flex-multi-use-water-filter-with-gravity-bag
Aloha_Shooter
06-26-2020, 20:39
It hadn't even crossed my mind!
I was at Murdoch's today and saw they had 5 Gallon water jugs (block style) on sale for $7.99 each.
You can go through 5 gals fast plus things grow or it gets stale after time. 0.1 micron filters like those used in the Sawyer Mini or Lifestraw Home pitchers will clean just about anything bigger than a virus from the source you're drawing from. Get a few of the jugs so you can set up a long gravity feed and not have to wait for clean water when you want it but don't plan on storing all your potable water desires for a long time in them (IMO).
You can go through 5 gals fast plus things grow or it gets stale after time. 011 micron filters like those used in the Sawyer Mini or Lifestraw Home pitchers will clean just about anything bigger than a virus from the source you're drawing from. Get a few of the jugs so you can set up a long gravity feed and not have to wait for clean water when you want it but don't plan on storing all your potable water desires for a long time in them (IMO).
Thanks for that suggestion! I'll look up lifestraws.
Great-Kazoo
06-26-2020, 23:30
Thanks for that suggestion! I'll look up lifestraws.
we got a few from the Mormon cannery. Which is still, CLOSED!
Aloha_Shooter
06-27-2020, 08:41
Thanks for that suggestion! I'll look up lifestraws.
Personally, I think the Sawyer products are more economical and are thought out for things like using a 5 gal bucket gravity feed.
The Lifestraw Family is rated for nearly 4800 gals and runs just under $50: https://www.lifestraw.com/collections/frontpage/products/lifestraw-family-emergency-water-filter
The Sawyer All-in-One is rated for 100,000 gals and runs $60 retail (although I got 2 at REI seasonal sales for $25 each): https://sawyer.com/products/all-in-one-water-filter/
The Sawyer also has inline kits so you can insert it along the drinking tube for hydration bladders and replacement filters are very reasonable. So I only need to worry about a single type of cartridge but can use it multiple ways.
One of the things I like about the Lifestraw Home pitchers is that they use a microfiber filter like the Sawyer or their normal Lifestraw products but they add a carbon filter before it goes through the microfiber filter. Nicely thought out design IMO but more for drinking water at the table than the kind of mass sanitized water you want for cooking and cleaning. I use one Lifestraw Home to feed the humidity tank in my CPAP.
I use one Lifestraw Home to feed the humidity tank in my CPAP.
Does the filter remove the minerals as well?
Great-Kazoo
06-27-2020, 17:55
Does the filter remove the minerals as well?
It should. You could (if there is room) set up a purification station. Run water through charcoal, then fine sand, then another tank or bucket of charcoal. Throw in a UV light at the end.
Setup a distillation rig. Boil into steam, condense, and collect. [Swim]
Aloha_Shooter
06-28-2020, 16:30
Does the filter remove the minerals as well?
A lot of them, yes. I saw calcium deposits but only after I'd left the secondary charcoal filter in the pitcher much longer than I should have. The agent that delivered the CPAP had said the instructions say to use distilled water but she used a Brita. The Lifestraw Home is much better than a Brita because all the Brita removes are lead, copper, large mineral deposits. The microfiber filter on the Lifestraw Home (like on the Sawyers) removes particles down to 0.1 micron while (as I understand it) the charcoal filter removes dissolved solids.
Firehaus
06-28-2020, 21:37
I bought one of these after reading a review about a guy bringing some water from one of the LA Canals into his office and filtering it with one of these, then drinking it in front of his coworkers. Wish i could find that review, it was funny. But anyway, its nice for piece of mind. Overkill yes, but clean water is important.
https://www.msrgear.com/water-treatment/filters-and-purifiers/guardian-purifier/02370.html
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A lot of them, yes. I saw calcium deposits but only after I'd left the secondary charcoal filter in the pitcher much longer than I should have. The agent that delivered the CPAP had said the instructions say to use distilled water but she used a Brita. The Lifestraw Home is much better than a Brita because all the Brita removes are lead, copper, large mineral deposits. The microfiber filter on the Lifestraw Home (like on the Sawyers) removes particles down to 0.1 micron while (as I understand it) the charcoal filter removes dissolved solids.
We just use distilled water in ours.
encorehunter
06-29-2020, 06:58
We purchased a second incubator for eggs so we can be hatching every 12 days or so. Right now we have a lot more duck eggs than chicken, so the ducks hatch every 28 days. We put duck, turkey and guinea eggs in the same incubator to try a mixed hatch. So far it is working, we have hatched 5 ducks, 3 turkey and 1 guinea. I ordered plucker fingers so I can build a whiz bang plucker along with heat shrink bags. Water is always our biggest issue, but qoth controlling run off, we are able to have water for the animals most of the time without hauling it in.
I have stocked up on jars, and our garden is starting to produce. It isn't overly large, but I'm hoping to put up more vegetables than most years. I am trying the tire method for potatos this year and so far it seems to be working. We try to produce as much of our own food as possible. At work, my coworkers always enjoy my 'farm fresh' food. A few have started buying from me, including half hogs and now half beefs.
A root cellar is definitely in the works, but until time frees up, that is on hold. The water well is still in my thoughts, and I'm hoping to get it drilled early spring. It would take a lot of stress off of me and my vehicles. Hauling water in is no fun and expensive.
tactical_2012
06-29-2020, 21:08
I just added a Glock 20/20 recover brace to my get home bag paired with my G19 w/rmr. I am easily able to hit targets at 50-100yards. This thing rocks.
https://www.recovertactical.com/product/recover-tactical-20-20-stabilizer-kit-for-glock-also-umarex-cybergun/
We purchased a second incubator for eggs so we can be hatching every 12 days or so. Right now we have a lot more duck eggs than chicken, so the ducks hatch every 28 days. We put duck, turkey and guinea eggs in the same incubator to try a mixed hatch. So far it is working, we have hatched 5 ducks, 3 turkey and 1 guinea. I ordered plucker fingers so I can build a whiz bang plucker along with heat shrink bags. Water is always our biggest issue, but qoth controlling run off, we are able to have water for the animals most of the time without hauling it in.
I have stocked up on jars, and our garden is starting to produce. It isn't overly large, but I'm hoping to put up more vegetables than most years. I am trying the tire method for potatos this year and so far it seems to be working. We try to produce as much of our own food as possible. At work, my coworkers always enjoy my 'farm fresh' food. A few have started buying from me, including half hogs and now half beefs.
A root cellar is definitely in the works, but until time frees up, that is on hold. The water well is still in my thoughts, and I'm hoping to get it drilled early spring. It would take a lot of stress off of me and my vehicles. Hauling water in is no fun and expensive.
That sounds like a great start to your setup!
Great-Kazoo
07-01-2020, 18:53
I just added a Glock 20/20 recover brace to my get home bag paired with my G19 w/rmr. I am easily able to hit targets at 50-100yards. This thing rocks.
https://www.recovertactical.com/product/recover-tactical-20-20-stabilizer-kit-for-glock-also-umarex-cybergun/
I'd like to see a pic or 2 of that assembled, if possible.
tactical_2012
07-02-2020, 20:47
Here ya go This is my G17 and then it mount with the brace. Surefire light has to come off but mounts to the side of the brace.
Costco on Quincy & Wadsworth has no limits on meat (except 1 kind of bacon) that I saw, with plenty available today. 88% fresh ground beef for $3.79 if anyone is still looking.
Thanks for update. The Costco on 92nd and Sheridan was limiting to 1 per person of chicken. I was about to buy breasts and wings though.
Great-Kazoo
07-06-2020, 18:33
Here ya go This is my G17 and then it mount with the brace. Surefire light has to come off but mounts to the side of the brace.
Thanks. Interesting item.
I picked up a ruger charger in 9mm then added the brace this morning. The rds is way forward, as i was shooting it like a regular hand gun before the brace arrived.
https://i.imgur.com/1sbEXRm.jpg?2
https://i.imgur.com/FbuqrcN.jpg?1
tactical_2012
07-12-2020, 19:31
King Soopers has 2lbs packs of Strawberries on sale for 2 for $3. Just picked up 40lbs for a little over $30!
King Soopers has 2lbs packs of Strawberries on sale for 2 for $3. Just picked up 40lbs for a little over $30!
Great to know! Thanks. :)
Right now, Sam's Club has the 9+ lb pork loins at $1.58/lb, which is far less than the $3.38/lb they were asking for at the beginning of June (when they actually had them). I've heard rumor that this is still from the previously-frozen stock on hand. They had very little bone-in chicken (save for the 2-packs of roasters they normally carry for $.92/lb) and they had a bunch of chicken breasts that were discounted slightly because they were getting close to the sell-by date, at $1.72/lb.
They had a sale on the #4.5/lb packs of ground beef (90/10) going for under $3.00/lb.
Just FYI, and it may be something you really don't want to think about- if this fall is handled anything like this last lockdown, you'll want to pick up "girl's stuff" if you live with any ladies that are having monthlies or are close to the age/weight for their monthly cycle to begin. I understand items such as tampons and pads were difficult to come by. Be sure you find out what their preferred brand/sizes are. Don't just buy generic unless they request it!
cmailliard
07-14-2020, 15:07
Just dropped $400 at Amazon last night on hygiene items. Lots of TP available still [shit-happens]. Just trying to even avoid stores as much as possible in the next several months.
hollohas
07-14-2020, 15:42
To expand on what Grey said above, diapers too if you have littles. Diapers were sold out everywhere as well last go around.
And I don't know if anyone mentioned it already, but dog food. My Chewy orders were delayed by weeks for a couple months in a row. They are back to shipping on time, but it'd be a good idea to have an extra bag or two just in case there are delays again. Can't have fido eating your precious human food if the grocery is going to run low again.
Edit: I caught up, looks like it's been covered!
To expand on what Grey said above, diapers too if you have littles. Diapers were sold out everywhere as well last go around.
And I don't know if anyone mentioned it already, but dog food. My Chewy orders were delayed by weeks for a couple months in a row. They are back to shipping on time, but it'd be a good idea to have an extra bag or two just in case there are delays again. Can't have fido eating your precious human food if the grocery is going to run low again.
Edit: I caught up, looks like it's been covered!
Cats, too! I was annoyed with Chewy- seriously, we've been customers forever and I finally canceled my Autoshipment after five weeks of being overdue for the food and cat litter.
The stores are now back to normal stock levels on most things, especially foods, TP and other paper goods. Still, 70% and 91% isopropyl alcohol is scarce, and hydrogen peroxide is trickling in. No simple ammonia product at all. We use a good amount of all those so I keep looking and buy when I can. Sam's hasn't had it's good, low cost carpet cleaner since February. I like clean carpets. Any sanitary and cleaning supplies are important. We keep stocking up as we can and shop almost exclusively in Grand Junction where the Covid risk is lower.
We're keeping up on vehicle maintenance so we don't have to deal with it later. We have extra wheels and new tires mounted if imports get cut off. Store fuel if you can safely do so. I'm having our propane tanks topped up now while prices are low, including the spare tanks. Just filled the 300 gal. diesel tank but need to move and fill the 300 gal. gasoline tank.
If you have income now is the time to build preps. Supplies that will sustain you over several months and more. We're still in the early stage of the pandemic and things could get more serious by October-November. I expect a war like situation if not a hot war coming. Protect yourself, your family and friends.
Good points all, Hummer! Our nearby Kings is still out of pasta on most days- not that I buy a lot of pasta, but I've got it on hand in case our young neighbors with children run low of things. Certain varieties of canned beans are also limited, oddly, and I haven't seen much of certain types of soup since February. Strange.
I asked a worker at Sprouts of they have any idea if they'll be having Roma Tomatoes on sale 2/$1 like they have every year about this time, and she said they not only have no idea, but they sometimes don't get the shipments in that they're expecting. Eeeep. I may have to bite the bullet and pay $.88/lb like they have on sale now.
This May have been covered but not sure.
How do I store large bags of goods? Looking to store in the basement and worried about critters. Buckets? What type and where?
Also I heard that flower goes bad and oxidizes. How do you store it?
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I would imagine food grade buckets and Gamma Seal lids would be a good start.
tactical_2012
07-17-2020, 12:25
Pick up some 5 gallon mylar bags with O2 absorbers and cheap buckets with lids to hold them is your cheapest route.
Look at this on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324166729003
Use a straightening hair iron to seal the bags. I picked one up at Goodwill for $3 have sealed tons of bags with it
I would think that planning for the future would be fairly easy based on what was in short supply in Feb-April of this year. Nobody is going to die from running out of toilet paper, but food comes in handy from time to time. Rice/beans are cheap and with an adequate stash of salsa/hot sauce can be pretty tasty.
I would guess that everyone on this site has enough lead to risk the integrity of their foundation, so get some food and don't go around licking door knobs and you will likely be as prepared as you can be.
If you like profiteering, get a few cases of N95 masks and 'supply' those that didn't think ahead.
This May have been covered but not sure.
How do I store large bags of goods? Looking to store in the basement and worried about critters. Buckets? What type and where?
Also I heard that flower goes bad and oxidizes. How do you store it?
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Hi Erni!
Yes, depending on what type of flour you have, it can go bad within about 3 months (that's the average on the 'net) for whole wheat/whole grain flour. You can bypass that issue by putting it in the freezer. You'll want to freeze bags of flour for at least 3 days, to kill any weevil eggs that are in it. I've found that freezing it in 4-cup amounts in ziplocs means that I can stack them nice and flat, and when I need flour I don't need to pull out the whole container. All-purpose flour and bread flour will keep a bit longer- up to a year, they say. I'd still keep it in the freezer if you can.
Things like almond flour and coconut flour can live on the shelf safely enough, until you open the container. Then it stays in the fridge.
As far as keeping foods in large bags- it depends on what types of foods, and what types of critters you're worried about. If you have a chance of having mice or rodents in your basements, those buggers will chew through a plastic food-grade bucket at the worst possible time.
If you're worried about moths and insect-types, food-grade buckets will be helpful. You can get 5 gallon buckets that are food-grade at Home Depot or Lowes.
I don't care for using buckets, personally. I can't see what's in them, can't see if the food is okay, and in order to check, I have to open it up. That exposes the food inside to air, which undoes everything you've worked hard to achieve- unless you have the foodstuffs in smaller containers inside the bucket. What type of stuff are you storing?
It also depends on how you plan on treating your food storage. Thus far, I've found two distinct types of food storers: the type that stash food away for their emergency stash, and they don't touch it- it's for emergency only; and the type that cycle through their storage, replacing as they eat it. I prefer the second type, so I know what we have, know that it's not expired, and know that we store only what we can and will eat. I can our food, so I can see at a glance what we have through clear jars.
What type are you? Emergency-only, or cycle-through?
Grey, great question. Staring to think I don?t know.
Here is my goal. Get the family ready for a 6-3-6 prep. Six weeks of eating well to smooth over disruptions in supply chain like we saw earlier in the year. Three months of eating ok in case of 2020 dialing things up past 11. Six months of getting by total nourishment, so the last 3 months can be rice and beans and vitamins but honestly don?t know. (After 6 months well.... we are all going to have bigger problems)
We are blessed with a large pantry that can feed us well for several weeks with shelf stable foods, and a freezer we are filling up. Pantry is being worked by my wife to bring it up to 6 weeks. She finally saw the light. I want to get to 3 months of shelf stable foods that we normally eat and will be rotated and replaced, sort of our own store.
The last 3 months of food is is what I am trying to figure out. Rice and beans in buckets? Rotate it yearly- donate to food pantry and buy new? Flour and lard? Yeah, not sure what to do here. This is meant as sustenance to be augmented with whatever can be found and not meant to be great eating.
Any guidance appreciated.
So part of me here is thinking this is a bit much, but even my Los Angeles based friends who have never even considered prepping are stocking up something fierce. That includes a new garden, generator and deep freezer to name a few.
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Grey, great question. Staring to think I don?t know.
Here is my goal. Get the family ready for a 6-3-6 prep. Six weeks of eating well to smooth over disruptions in supply chain like we saw earlier in the year. Three months of eating ok in case of 2020 dialing things up past 11. Six months of getting by total nourishment, so the last 3 months can be rice and beans and vitamins but honestly don?t know. (After 6 months well.... we are all going to have bigger problems)
We are blessed with a large pantry that can feed us well for several weeks with shelf stable foods, and a freezer we are filling up. Pantry is being worked by my wife to bring it up to 6 weeks. She finally saw the light. I want to get to 3 months of shelf stable foods that we normally eat and will be rotated and replaced, sort of our own store.
The last 3 months of food is is what I am trying to figure out. Rice and beans in buckets? Rotate it yearly- donate to food pantry and buy new? Flour and lard? Yeah, not sure what to do here. This is meant as sustenance to be augmented with whatever can be found and not meant to be great eating.
Any guidance appreciated.
So part of me here is thinking this is a bit much, but even my Los Angeles based friends who have never even considered prepping are stocking up something fierce. That includes a new garden, generator and deep freezer to name a few.
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I'm going to offer what I would do, were I in your shoes. I'm sure others will chime in with their experiences/ideas, because we've got people from all walks.
I'm not sure I would do a 6-3-6; it seems very restrictive. I get where you're coming from- you want belt AND suspenders. But I think having a "if all else fails, we've got this shoe leather we can make soup out of" idea is going to serve you and your family well. If you are blessed with a large pantry and a freezer, you've got an excellent start. What I would do is make a log of everything you've eaten in the last few weeks- that's your normal consumption. If your wife is the de-facto chef, have her make a list of foods that she likes making, and then a list of meals that she likes to make for special occasions. Keep in mind that although it's hot as hell out now, it will be winter soon- that means soups, stews, hearty breakfasts and warm beverages, too. Holiday meals. Your pantry should reflect that- dry storage such as canned veggies, dried beans, spices, stock and broths, rice/grains, cereals, baking supplies, yeast (for the love of little green apples, get yeast!) and such. Soup and stew-making stuffs can mostly go here.
What we're doing is keeping meats in the chest freezer, and the fussy stuff in the freezer below our refrigerator- veggies, frozen pizza, ice cream, and bits and bobs. But our freezer is mostly for meats and flour, because I can our veggies and fruits. I take things like sugar (or sugar substitutes, as we are a low-carb family due to medical issues) and put them in airtight containers that I can see into at a glance. Nothing drives me up a wall faster than thinking I've got some sort of foodstuff in storage and finding out that we're out of it or it's gone bad. Beverage mixes are important- keep those handy.
It's easy to get overwhelmed, too- try and keep an inventory on a clipboard.
Don't forget fun stuff like Jello (or whatever treats you prefer.) If we have a strict lockdown, I don't think there will be an easy or 'fun' trip to the store for a while. So buy popcorn while you can.
Think about what was not available before. Eggs. Milk. Butter. Pasta. Rice. Bread. Bread, you can make with a bread machine as long as you have basic ingredients. Eggs can be frozen (though not in the shell.) Milk? Absolutely can be frozen. Creamer? Not so much. Better get the dried stuff and stick it in the just-in-case section.
Getting the basics, rather than the already-completed meals (soup fixings, rather than the ready-made cans) may be better for long-run storage. You can make a lot of different foods with combinations of basic ingredients than if you had 40 cans of the same soup. Food fatigue is a REAL thing.
Before I forget- this will show you that the expiration dates on these foods are arbitrary for most things. Sour cream and yogurt can last far longer than the date stamped on the package.
One other thing, before I forget- do you have a Food Saver? Get one, and get extra bags. You will not regret the investment.
That's all I can think of for now.
Great-Kazoo
07-18-2020, 19:17
I would think that planning for the future would be fairly easy based on what was in short supply in Feb-April of this year. Nobody is going to die from running out of toilet paper, but food comes in handy from time to time. Rice/beans are cheap and with an adequate stash of salsa/hot sauce can be pretty tasty.
I would guess that everyone on this site has enough lead to risk the integrity of their foundation, so get some food and don't go around licking door knobs and you will likely be as prepared as you can be.
If you like profiteering, get a few cases of N95 masks and 'supply' those that didn't think ahead.
We're redoing an out building, to have a dedicated place to store paper goods. That will free up another building we can climate control, if needed for canned goods. Sadly neither the spouse or i have gotten in to canning. So we're browsing costco and other larger stores (shamrock/foodservice warehouse) for bulk buying. Also have an in at restaurant depot. for long term shelf items. Unfortunately for livimg in a small rural town is. The trip to the valley for bulk buying is a full day.
The most important thing we've seen that people tend to ignore is.... Checking expiration dates. Buying in bulk is nice. Providing the pallet of goods you have, doesn't expire in 6 months.
tactical_2012
07-18-2020, 20:53
Was at Shamrock today picked up (2) 40lbs cases of chicken leg quarters for $16.59 each. Boneless skinless chicken breast went up use to be around $42 for 40lbs but is niw $53.99 picked up a case of it. 80/20 ground beef is $1.99lb in 10lbs logs. Picked up a couple bags of sugar and a few 10lbs bags of fettuccine for long term storage
The most important thing we've seen that people tend to ignore is.... Checking expiration dates. Buying in bulk is nice. Providing the pallet of goods you have, doesn't expire in 6 months.
Depending on the item, exp. dates don't mean diddly.
Not directed at you Great-Kazoo but I think the obsession with expiration dates is, to an extent, generational. My next door neighbor will toss a bottle of ketchup that has been in the fridge since new the day it expires, same with mustard, she thinks beer in the fridge goes bad, etc. Read up a bit on why expiration dates are when they are, and how the FDA determined that. They aren't all that.
My favorite ramen comes from Asia and I've never found a packet in the U.S. that is still in-date, we eat it regularly and are still alive. I can all but guarantee the various canned beans we have are not days, weeks or months past retirement, but years. They may not be quite as flavorful (maybe) but they are fine.
A can that now looks like a grapefruit I'd avoid, otherwise, eat up, it's likely far less harmful to eat expired food than breath the air in any metro area.
Most of the expiration date hoopla has been dictated by states. I think New Jersey has a max limit of 2 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expiration_date
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/sell-by-dates-have-little-to-do-with-food-safety-2013-09-19
tactical_2012
07-19-2020, 08:54
There is a show on History Channel called "Eating History" where they taste test old food
There is a show on History Channel called "Eating History" where they taste test old food
I find this YouTube channel more interesting and entertaining;
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2I6Et1JkidnnbWgJFiMeHA
An example:
http://youtu.be/JA6u-sYhFi0
Aloha_Shooter
07-19-2020, 23:51
LOL, I remember taking Flight Rations as my pack lunch on a school outing in 1982 or 1983. The Flight Rats were dated 1946 or 1947, my dad brought a case home for emergencies since the Department of Civil Defense was throwing them out. I think the spaghetti would have been perfectly fine if I'd warmed it up (although middle America's idea of what constituted spaghetti in 1946 was kind of pathetic). The peaches were fantastic.
Expiration dates on canned goods are a crock. Look for a bulge to see if it's gone bad.
StagLefty
07-20-2020, 07:23
Had a couple of cans of beans left in my old camper for about 12 years. So they'd been in 100 degree heat and frozen for several seasons. No bulges or signs of rust so I thought what the hell. Slight off taste but perfectly edible with no side effects.
tactical_2012
07-20-2020, 16:53
Picked some fresh rosemary and oregano to cook up some spaghetti meat sauce for dinner. Also picked some fresh lettuce and zucchinis to go with dinner
Great-Kazoo
07-28-2020, 00:16
Picked some fresh rosemary and oregano to cook up some spaghetti meat sauce for dinner. Also picked some fresh lettuce and zucchinis to go with dinner
Nice, we've had zero luck this year. Outside of green beans, everything else is not producing. But it seems to be the norm around here, this year,. Compared to last when we donated tomatoes, carrots and over 10 lbs of lettuce to the food bank.
As for the rosemary. IF anyone would like some, we have a healthy bush out back that can and needs to be trimmed.
encorehunter
07-29-2020, 16:29
Do any of you sell some of your preps to offset costs? My wife started selling jelly last year from what we had harvested. I believe she was charging $8 a pint or $10 for the 1.5 pint. She sold so much, we almost had to buy jelly for the boys.
It paid for all the sugar, jars, a nice stainless juicer (my mother loves the juicer), several stainless pots, food processor, and plum and cherry pitters.
We are cleaning out the freezers now for beef, so we are processing all the juice into jelly. I didn't realize we still had about 25 gallons of juice in the freezer.
Do any of you sell some of your preps to offset costs? My wife started selling jelly last year from what we had harvested. I believe she was charging $8 a pint or $10 for the 1.5 pint. She sold so much, we almost had to buy jelly for the boys.
It paid for all the sugar, jars, a nice stainless juicer (my mother loves the juicer), several stainless pots, food processor, and plum and cherry pitters.
We are cleaning out the freezers now for beef, so we are processing all the juice into jelly. I didn't realize we still had about 25 gallons of juice in the freezer.
That's amazing! I haven't considered doing it because of Colorado's stupid"cottage industry" law that requires the address of the kitchen used to produce the product to be listed on the label. I have been making a ton of jelly and jams, though.
encorehunter
07-30-2020, 06:24
Thats where it pays off owning mutiple properties. We dont have to put our home address, just which kitchen it was made in.
My wife has an amazing salsa recipe that I have been told need to be bottled and sold. Sadly, it has to be done in a commercial kitchen, which we don't have full access to yet.
The first time she put it in a competition, it took 3rd place. She made it hot, not playing to the judges. After the competition, she had a line of people asking for it. One of my captains is a self proclaimed chip and salsa connoisseur, and he wants it all the time. He stocks and sells chips and dip in stores in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, so he would be more than willing to add it to his line up. Which brings us back to needing to build a commercial kitchen.
Thats where it pays off owning mutiple properties. We dont have to put our home address, just which kitchen it was made in.
My wife has an amazing salsa recipe that I have been told need to be bottled and sold. Sadly, it has to be done in a commercial kitchen, which we don't have full access to yet.
The first time she put it in a competition, it took 3rd place. She made it hot, not playing to the judges. After the competition, she had a line of people asking for it. One of my captains is a self proclaimed chip and salsa connoisseur, and he wants it all the time. He stocks and sells chips and dip in stores in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, so he would be more than willing to add it to his line up. Which brings us back to needing to build a commercial kitchen.
You don?t need to build a kitchen just find a commercial share kitchen. We were recommended to just use the local commercial share kitchen in Longmont when we thought about starting a bakery biz.
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Great-Kazoo
07-30-2020, 16:41
You don?t need to build a kitchen just find a commercial share kitchen. We were recommended to just use the local commercial share kitchen in Longmont when we thought about starting a bakery biz.
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If not one available near you. Check with a local VFW, KoC, or DAV hall in the area. That's what a few "cottage" business use, as it's already health dept certified.
encorehunter
07-30-2020, 22:00
I will have to look into those. I don't know of any "timeshare" commercial kitchens locally, but I do know a few of the others like these.
hollohas
08-04-2020, 20:37
Super cheep (instant rebated) LED bulbs at Costco. $0.99 for a 6 pack.
Maybe not necessarily a fall or winter prep for the pending overblown viral apocalypse, but a darn good buy to stock up on.
These are the nice ones made of glass. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200805/502b354a596678917a4a5cdcb32c8b40.jpg
tactical_2012
08-08-2020, 17:30
Not much of a fall or winter prep. But dealing with my kids going to outside multiple times a day leaving the back door open got me thinking after swatting fly after fly. I need to add some fly swatters to emergency preps.
encorehunter
08-08-2020, 18:27
We are going to butcher a steer tomorrow. Should be an interesting day. Backstraps and one quarter in the fridge and the rest will be ground and some roasts. It should be a busy day tomorrow.
encorehunter
08-09-2020, 18:50
Well, 351 pounds hanging weight along with around 25 pounds of heart, tongue and liver. He was a minature black angus steer, so we were not sure what to expect, but we are quite happy. Now for a 12 day wait to process and package.
How long do you hang the meat before cooking?
Great-Kazoo
08-09-2020, 23:24
How long do you hang the meat before cooking?
Hang it to age, then butcher, wrap & freeze.
Great-Kazoo
08-09-2020, 23:25
Well, 351 pounds hanging weight along with around 25 pounds of heart, tongue and liver. He was a minature black angus steer, so we were not sure what to expect, but we are quite happy. Now for a 12 day wait to process and package.
getting any stew meat out of it? You have dogs to grind the heart, etc in to food for, or going back to other animals for feed?
Heart is one of the best cuts of an animal. I can't say the same for liver.
encorehunter
08-10-2020, 06:13
We are hanging it for 12 days. We kept the heart and tongue for us to eat. I don't want to eat the liver, so it may go to the dogs. I took the rest of the guts and dumped them in a gulley. I fed some to the pigs before, but the wold not eat the stomach and intestines and they stunk up the pen for a few days before I took them and dumped them. I figure 10 lbs of stew to start, then I will cut up round steaks if we need more.
Once we figure out how full the freezers are, we will work on processing another pig.
tactical_2012
08-10-2020, 07:31
Everytime we do ours the pigs almost fight over the intestines. We dump the bones by the chickens for a day or two and they almost strip the bones clean.
2020 Is the Year of the Freezer
https://www.thekitchn.com/2020-year-of-the-freezer-23064079
The Association of Major Home Appliance Manufacturers, which tracks the domestic shipment of appliances, found that 227,000 freezers were shipped in the month of June — a 41.3% increase from the number shipped at the same time last year. Roughly 163,000 of those were chest-style freezers, an 87.1% increase of such freezers sold in June 2019.
2020 Is the Year of the Freezer
https://www.thekitchn.com/2020-year-of-the-freezer-23064079
The Association of Major Home Appliance Manufacturers, which tracks the domestic shipment of appliances, found that 227,000 freezers were shipped in the month of June — a 41.3% increase from the number shipped at the same time last year. Roughly 163,000 of those were chest-style freezers, an 87.1% increase of such freezers sold in June 2019.
I can believe that! I've been waiting for our freezer for four months.
Sounds like Whirlpool stock might be a good investment. [Coffee]
encorehunter
08-16-2020, 10:40
82669
Received this the other day. It sure goes a long way to making jelly.
<MADDOG>
08-16-2020, 10:44
Yea, add me to the chest freezer number!
82669
Received this the other day. It sure goes a long way to making jelly.
I bought Pomona's pectin from Amazon. It's awesome.
encorehunter
08-17-2020, 05:03
I bought Pomona's pectin from Amazon. It's awesome.
Interesting. Now I need to order a pound of that and see what it turns out like. My brother is diabetic and could use low sugar. I don't like eating super sweet things, so I should enjoy it as well. Thank you.
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