Net Control – K0STR
K0STR – Encourage to get a binder and fill it with lists of your supplied. Today we’re going to talk about food and water. Something to quickly check off what we have and what we need and rotations.
Want to start talking about food. A couple things we want to take into account, which is why we’re building our inventory list. In my shelter, we have the basis for food is the multiple supply kits. I purchase from Mountain House, I have several buckets of multiple foods, which forms the basis for food supply.
What I have done, without opening the buckets, taking the inventory off the bucket label and add to my inventory. Various freeze dried foods, and made a list so I can go through and see what I have.
I also have Wyse freeze dried foods as well.
The next thing I’ve made inventory of are my canned products. Like Keystone Meats, can get them at the grocery store in the canned section. Various meats, 23oz cans, rated to last around 7 years of storage life.
Also Campbell soups, love soups. I have many cans of these. I have all this stored at an off-site location, not at my house.
WB6IVF – In working with food supply, when you’re working with canned goods, do you rotate through that stuff?
K0STR – I draw off my canned goods, such as vegetables and soups, these I rotate. I watch other goods by when I purchase and rotate slower, these are for the survival foods.
I also have some buckets of rice, wheats and oats. These I rotate too but on a slower basis. If they are in a sealed container you don’t have to worry about rotating, about 20 year shelf life.
N0KMO – When we started prepping, firsts thing we though was: Let’s go get a food supply. Then we started thinking long-term, but how do we move that if we have to move.
When we mark the food, we go by first in, first out, and rotate through that way. Always know when to rotate out. Always put a date on when we want to rotate out. We also do some of our own canned goods such as salsas, etc. and can them.
A lot of people go get bottled water, but never rotate it out.
Tuna and chicken packets are great, 2 years shelf life.
K0STR – Tuna is very nutritious. Good to have a lot of tuna on hand. Also there’s canned salmon also sardines, high in protein and last a long time.
K7ASB – We need to plan things in Leadville. Ordered some bucket with gamma lids and lots of different kinds of grains. Not as organized as I’d like to be, but I’m working on it. Buying supplies from Augason Farms.
K0STR – Augason Farms makes a lot of number 10 can supplies. Freeze dried vegetables, etc. They also make cereals.
K7ASB – Do you use Mylar bags?
K0STR – I’ve had problems with Mylar bags. I try to think things in original containers.
KE0ZSH – My experience with vacuum sealing doesn’t work well for long-term storage. Don’t recommend. For Mylar bags, recommend the 7mm bags, best for long-term storage.
K0STR – Where do you buy Mylar bags?
KE0ZSH – Online, don’t recall the exact source. When I pack in Mylar bags, it’s for long-term storage, and I don’t rotate. All the other foods I have I keep close tabs on and rotate based on expiration date.
K7ASB – Thinking about getting a grain mill. If you grind the grain yourself, the grains store much longer.
K0STR – I have a small grain mill. I buy wheat berries and grind it myself and make my own flour. I like to make my own bread with my own flour. Make sure you have a source of wheat berries, this is the raw wheat.
KE0ZSH – I purchase wheat berried from the LDS long term food storage that is open to the public and it’s very reasonable price wise.
N0KMO – LDS church has been hit by some supply chain issues. If you are going to purchase from them, think about what you need for supplies and order in from their web site. They may not have items in their local food warehouse.
I rotate though the LDS stuff on a regular basis, but a lot is 25 year shelf life. Go online and look at the LDS web site.
Another thing they recommend is water filtration.
K0STR – You can buy wheat berries in smaller quantities is Sprouts and other smaller health stores (Natural Grocers). A grain mill is almost an essential tool. Preferences are a hand-run grain mill.
K7ASB – Brand of grain mill?
K0STR – I think it’s called Red Mill. I have a kitchen Aid grain mill that works with my Kitchen Aide mixer as well.
? – If you’re looking for a quality hand mill Wonder Mill. A little expensive, but it is quality equipment. I ordered my from Amazon.
K0STR – Dry milk. Canned dry milk lasts almost forever. Have a very large supply of dry milk in your food supply. I was buying Augason Farms, but they’re sources have dried up. Now I’m getting Swiss Miss, they come in #10 cans.
N0KMO – Shelf life for dry milk varies, seen up to five years. The best is always go by they guideline of the brand. The “best buy” date is not the expiration date. If in doubt, check with the supplier. LDS says 2 years. But I’ve seen everything from 1-5 years.
K0STR – I have made an effort of never buying whole milk. No one above the age of 16 should be drinking whole milk.
? – LDS milk is saying shelf life up to 20 years stored at 75 degrees or under.
K0STR – I like the hard winter red wheat. I like the flavor of it and it works well in breads. Darker bread. I get a good loaf and a good rise out of it. Yeast is a problem. The shelf life on yeast is short.
K0LTH – My grain mill is a Grain Maker. One thing to keep in mind with a hand-crank grain mill. I developed arthritis and can no longer crank the grain. Something to keep in mind if you’re older and are thinking about a hand-cranked mill. Also, so sourdough, if you keep a sourdough starter on hand, you won’t need yeast if you bake at least once a week. You just keep baking and baking.
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