hankpac

One thing to remember is that if you stuff things under the bed and other bright ideas, DO NOT forget what is under where! Inventory control is the key to successful food storage. Just owning a huge amount of foodstuffs and putting it away is counterproductive. You don't know what you have, you aren't rotating it in a controlled cycle of use and replacement, and you are leaving out half of the basic rule of storage, "eat what you store, store what you eat". So keep a checklist of what is where, and get down there and pull some out once in awhile. Anytime we use up (open the last can of a 6 can box) a box, we purchase just that amount of the same product, and store it at the back or bottom of the stack. Try to maintain an even temp all the time, so don't store in the garage or shed. If you get mice, be sure to wipe a can lid with a bleach-soaked cloth before opening, and wear disposable rubber gloves when handling the cans. Mouse urine can contain (should be assumed to contain) Hanta Virus. Good luck.

All this time and no one can walk out to the storage area and take a tape measure to a box? Help a lady out here... They are 19X13X8 inches (Or as my wife says: "Oh, about like this, by this, by maybe this tall..."). Exactly. Stack no more than 6 high, and write the contents on each side, so you know the contents no matter how the boxes get turned. Tape lids shut, do NOT tuck lid flaps, since that weakens the box terribly. Stack on a rack or on 1x2 slats on the bottom, rather than flat on the floor. Allows air circulation to keep boxes from blooming molds in the cardboard. While most boxes will have only the same product in them, A few boxes will be 72 hour kits with certain mixes of cans. Keep them separate, and mark them with day-glow markers. Those will be the ones you grab to throw in the car on the way out the door. Good luck.

Additional info from University source: Weevils are in the grains themselves, not the packaging. Look for holes bored in the sides of a grain as evidence of infestation, even before seeing the animals or smell of ammonia (really far gone). Rice Weevil: Adult rice weevils live for four to five months and each female lays 300 to 400 eggs during this period. The female uses her strong mandibles to chew a hole in the grain kernel where she deposits a single egg and seals the hole with a gelatinous fluid. During hot weather, the development period for egg to adult may be as few as twenty-six days. This period is greatly prolonged during cool or cold weather. Rice weevils are capable of flight, and infestations may develop in the field prior to harvest. Maize Weevil: Maize weevils, for a long time were referred to as a larger strain or race of the rice weevil, but are now recognized as a distinct species. The maize weevil is slightly larger, up to one-eighth inch (four mm) long, and darker than the rice weevil; the degree of variation within each species makes them difficult to tell apart. The thorax of the maize weevil is densely and uniformly pitted with round punctures. An egg hatches in a few days into a soft, white, legless, fleshy grub which feeds on the interior of the grain kernel. After the larval stages are completed the grub changes to a white pupa and later emerges as an adult beetle. Granary Weevil: Adult granary weevil live an average of about seven to eight weeks. Each female lays 50 to 200 white eggs during this period. The female uses her strong mandibles to chew a small hole in the grain kernel, where she deposits a single egg in the hole and seals it with a gelatinous fluid. In warm weather, the granary weevil can develop from egg to adult in about five weeks. Cold weather prolongs development. The granary weevil cannot fly and so is most likely to be found where grain is stored, and moves with infested grain. DAMAGE These weevils are very destructive grain pests. Of the three, the rice weevil is probably the most insidious, owing largely to the ability of flight. All three weevils develop as larvae within the grain kernels. They frequently cause almost complete destruction of grain in elevators or bins, where conditions are favorable and the grain is undisturbed for some length of time. Infested grain will usually be found heating at the surface, and it may be damp, sometimes to such an extent that sprouting occurs. Wheat, corn, macaroni, oats, barley, sorghum, Kaffir seed, and buckwheat are just some of the grains and products on which these weevils feed. CONTROL Prevention is the best strategy to avoid insect problems in stored grains. Proper bin sanitation before introduction of new grain minimizes the need for pesticides. Good sanitation involves the removal of old grain and dust in and around the grain bin. This includes removal of old grain from corners, floors, and walls and grain that may have spilled on the exterior of the bin. Any grain remaining when a bin is emptied can harbor insect infestations which will move into the new grain. After the bin is cleaned, and all needed repairs have been made, the floor and wall surfaces both inside and outside the bin should be treated. Take special care to treat all cracks, crevices, and areas around doorways and other places where insects could hide or enter. Spray the bins about four to six weeks prior to storing grain. Before grain is placed in a bin, it should be screened to eliminate fine materials and broken kernels. Grain placed in a clean bin should be checked at two week intervals during warm months and at one month intervals during cooler months for the presence of hotspots, moldy areas, and live insects. If any of these conditions exist, the grain should be aerated to lower the moisture level and temperature. Grain that is to be stored for longer than six months may need a protective application of an approved insecticide. Treatments can be applied as the grain is loaded into the bin through the use of a metering device calibrated to apply the proper amounts. After the grain is binned and leveled, a surface dressing can be applied to prevent insects from entering the grain on the surface. If infestation occurs in spite of these precautions, fumigation of the grain will be necessary. Because of the high toxicity of registered fumigants and technical knowledge needed for their proper use, a qualified pesticide applicator should be contacted to perform the fumigation. by the way, I don't put insecticide on any food products, but large grain producers often do. Just thought you should know. Freezing large amounts of food products will be cumbersome to say the least (15 5 gallon buckets? forget it).

This is from a university extension web site: Grain Weevils Weevils, or snout beetles, are characterized by a head elongated into a snout. Two species of this large family, the rice weevil and the granary weevil, are common pests of stored whole grain and may become pantry pests. The adults feed on the outside of grain kernels. The larvae are small, white, legless grubs that develop inside the kernel. Granary weevil: This weevil is about 3/16 inch long and is chestnut brown to black. There are no wings under the wing covers, so it cannot fly. Both adults and larvae feed on a wide variety of grains. The adult female uses her mandibles to bore a small hole in a kernel, into which she lays an egg. The larva develops entirely inside the kernel. Developmental time from egg to adult is about four weeks. Rice weevil: This weevil is almost 1/8 inch long, reddish-brown to nearly black and marked with four light red to yellow spots on the wing covers. Unlike the granary weevil, it has a second pair of wings under the wing covers and can fly. Its biology and habits are very similar to that of the granary weevil. Methods of Control Sanitation is the best method of control and prevention at present. Removal of all cereal refuse does away with possible breeding places for the insects. Therefore, controlling insect pests in stored cereal products should include the following steps: Discard all infested foodstuffs and place all newly purchased flour, sugar, breakfast food and similar products in canister-type containers. Thoroughly clean the cupboard and storage bins of all refuse material. Be sure to clean out the cracks along the shelves and top of the cupboard. Scrub out these areas with soap and water, adding a little household disinfectant. Purchase foods in quantities small enough so they may be used up rapidly. Keep all food storage space clean at all times. Spray the shelves or other infested areas lightly, particularly cracks where shelves and cupboards come together. Suggested insecticides include resmethrin, sumithrin, tetramethrin, permethrin and pyrethins. Caution: All foodstuffs and cooking utensils should be removed before spraying. All sprayed surfaces should be allowed to dry thoroughly before packaged foods or utensils are placed back. Small children should not be allowed to come in contact with the insecticide until the sprayed surface has dried completely. When spray dries, cover shelves with clean, fresh paper before replacing packaged food and utensils. Nonchemical control: Either destroy the infested products, or salvage them by heating in an oven at 130 degrees Fahrenheit for one-half hour, or super-cooling by placing in a deep freeze at 0 F for four days. http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/images/insects/weevil_stored_grain.gif

Well, the tent went up fine, the igloo was poorly made, due to the type of snow (too fluffy). Pretty cold. Lots of fun! That was my birthday project!

Buy the food, store it properly, institute an inventory and rotation plan, and KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. If you tell everyone what you are doing, it becomes everyone's business. Not only the so called "authorities" but also any two legged animal who decides that stuff would be better in his belly than yours. Just do it, don't talk about it. Period.

Regarding bleach (with our without additives). Adding bleach to water will only kill some bacteria and viruses. It won't kill prions (like mad cow disease which is found in infected brain material, but given only as an example of what the heck a prion is) nor will it kill giardia or some resitant bacteria. Nor will it purify chemically contaminated water, nor clear cloudy( ie muddy or dirty water) or brackish water (water mixed with salt, like near the coast). A small handheld filter that does all of the above (not just a charcoal filter) is only about 150 bucks, available at REI, and light and easy to use. In an area with water, it makes up for what you cannot carry, and also makes the issue of replacement much easier to deal with. Elemental iodine crystals are also an good alternative to bleach, since will kill almost anything, when used properly, don't expire like halazone tabs or tincture of iodine or degrade to H2O like bleach will, and is also used in treating radiation exposure. I have a katydine filter that will filter contaminated water from a storm drain or a muddy hoof-print. Supposed to even be able to filter a septic tank, but I wouldn't put it to the test. In certain situations, the access to water in the city like Las Vegas can be mitigated if you are creative: Swimming pools, toilet tanks, decorative ponds, fire-fighting pools, casino displays (Bellagio, Venice, and that pirate thingy), fish tanks, storm drains, and even wells if you know the location and have a well dipper. Bug in, think locally (in advance) and form cooperative groups in your neighborhood (in advance). I wouldn't try walking to Lake Mead (for water) in summer from anywhere in the LV area. That sort of endeavor would require "Ranger level" skills, and conditioning in a SHTF situation. Stay home and preplan.

LDS Priesthood has Authority, directly from God. The Catholic Priesthood is a false priesthood, and practices only priestcraft. They are led by a Pope, and not by a Prophet. Your questions are more from the basis of, is your church more fun than the one I go to. the only reason to be a "Mormon" is because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true Church of God. I was raised as a Catholic, and from my earliest days as a child knew it was a false Church. I refused to call those men "Father" as though they were the true representatives of God. I knew in my innocent mind that they were not.

MRE: "Meals, rejected by Ethiopians". Yers they are legal to own. Good Grief. Anyway, the key is STILL that they must be rotated. don't just put them in the garage and think they will be fine until 10 years from now, and you are going to pull them out and eat them after the flood (or SHTF as we say in the preparedness world). Plan on eating one meal in the summer and one in the winter for your "Live off the 72 hour kit" drill weekend. And plan on eating the rest on your next camping trip, and buying another to replace them, or not at all if you decide, "Yuck, we aint eatin' that mess again!". If you don't know what stuff tastes like, don't store it, because you don't want the height of the storm to be the first time you try one (no mater what it is). I mentioned a biannual drill. Once a quarter I say, ""It's drill night" (ok, so it's a lot more often than biannual). We pull our 72 hour kits out, and live off that. Or we pull out new equipment, and put it up in the dark, or like next week, we will try to build an igloo, and spend the night. We do this in our own back yard, so that if things are getting out of hand, we can just come inside, and figure out what went wrong, without risking anyone's health. We did this all through the kid's childhoods, and had a great time. Far better to practice with things like tents, camp stoves, new forms of foods, sleeping bags, space blankets, fire starters, dutch ovens, lanterns, flashlights, and other accouterment under controlled conditions, than to find out under duress that "This piece of crap isn't going to work!". Tomorrow, just for grins, I am going to put up our mountain tent, and try to cook lunch outside: two feet of snow, 18 degrees this morning. It is still snowing.

Since you don't "eat that much" your total volume of storage won't be all that much. Rotating doesn't mean just switching position on the shelf, it means taking the oldest stuff, and cooking it, and buying new stuff to put in the back of the pantry, slowly and gradually rotating to the front. If you are thinking it is "too much work" consider how much trouble it will be when you need it and don't have it. What ever little work it is to set up, is far and away worth the trouble.

I have read this entire thread top to bottom. My take: Your husband has more than word of wisdom problems, he has serious mental health problems. Long term use of Marijuana creates an inertia of both thought and action. Several of his behaviors as described are typical of depression as well. Since we cannot really make a diagnosis over the internet, and since you will never solve your problems based on what advise you get on a forum, I suggest you talk to a professional (perhaps first a marriage counselor, even if he won't go), and others, including clergy, as to how to 1. asses the situation in toto, 2. design a plan of action to deal with the situation, and 3. ways and means to act on your plan most strategically. "Getting back together for the kids" is noble, but rarely satisfies the participants, especially if none of the problems are fixed. You want to do things, and go places, He wants to sit and stew and browse the internet. You don't want to argue, he calls you names, and swears at you. You want to discuss things, he walks off. Little things (your description) get blown out of proportion. This boy has problems. Women often think that if the "Just love him enough" they can fix this. Poor match for a couple with no kids at home, and often a recipe for separation. Get help, good luck.

Roll over the blue print and click to find the link. Dresslers, LLC, Making life good - Soygood! this company sells Dresslers products, and has a bulk 17 lb package of milk powder for 60 bucks. BUT>>>>you might want to read this and decide if this is a problem or a bunch of hooey. Soy is making kids 'gay'

there are several sources for bulk products, and one is a restaurant supply. If you live in a larger city, you can buy bulk items from spices in large containers, to flour and sugar, and all other foods, as well as bulk napkins, and plastic ware in several forms, not mention table cloths and that sort of thing. the one we go to in Medofrd even has fresh and frozen meats, deli meats in bulk sticks (like salamis, etc.) The idea is to think, "Where else can I get this stuff, besides the bishop's storehouse?" Brainstorm a bit, and look in your yellow pages, or do a search on-line. We buy chocolate in several forms from a sister who makes a huge bulk order, to get it cheap. Pounds and pounds of baking choc, choc chunks and bits, bar stock, white, with or without nuts, EVERY for known to man. All in bulk. As to the Soy milk product if the restaurant supply doesn't have it, (and I would be they do) then seek out a source by searching for it online, using "soy milk products as you search. Good luck.

None of this has makes any effect on our eternal progression, nor our salvation. You can get as deep as you want., and explore the unponderable questions of mankind and time, but that only distracts us from the primary issue: striving for obedience to the commandments, and being as Christlike as possible. You will know all the answers on the other side of the veil, and will marvel that you were ever so tied up in such triviality.

If you want to go to Church, GO! If she wants to join you she will, if not she won't, but rather than worrying about dragging her to church, or someone pulling her to join, merely go, and be an example. If she sees your life improving by what you learn she will get interested, too. The Church members will extend the hand of fellowship. No one will pull or drag you to Church. Your testimony is YOURS alone.

I like to hold manufacturers feet to the fire. In this case, I would copy the claim of one and email it to the other, and copy the claim of the second, and email it to the first, and ask both, the exact question you pose to the forum (none of whom {the forum} will have the data needed to make a comparison). They may BOTH obtain their products from the same source, by the way. These guys are retailers, not manufacturers, as far as I can tell. I am sure that you will hear from BOTH companies, and that they will explain carefully how they arrive at their totals. In your letter you should state that you are going to base your purchase on their answers, and that both companies have gotten the same letter. I happen to believe that taking a little time to query a company about their product, can result in much information. Also, consider contacting Oregon Freeze Dried Foods and getting a quote from them about the same product. They are the producers of most freeze dried products out there. Good luck.

Everything we store, we use on a cycled basis. Everything. Storing perishables and not using them is just a waste, imnsho. Check with a member of the church, and ask: Nearest cannery/Bishop's Storehouse, and if in a rural area, ask about the dry pack canner, and when it will be at that Ward or Branch. If you talk to the Bishop, He will refer you to the Ward Canning specialist or Food Storage specialist. You can order or purchase cans in various sizes, Order different product, and set up a time to process them from big bags to smaller cans. Start to research bulk food sources such as restaurant supply, and other wholesale places. We get the canner about once a quarter, and do the processing in the garage. Good luck.

I sincerely doubt that there is contamination IF your bags were vacuum sealed before storing. Where are you located? Check with the manufacturer of the salt product and find out what is in their salt. You should look at a plant where flour is ground, or a silo where whole grain is stored. Pretty dirty. Scooped up by tractors, carried in trucks, birds crap on it, etc. The buckets may not be food grade, and you might not sprinkle the salt on your fries, but if there is nothing toxic in the product, stop worrying. The mylar is pretty stout stuff. Look. You haven't lost anything by just letting this stuff sit there until you CHECK everything. Contact the company that makes the mylar and ask about leaching. Check the contents of the salt (msds) and ask the company itself. Take a little trouble to see if you can prevent throwing all of this out. Don't be precipitous. You did in fact vacuum and seal these bags, right?

Start small. One thing. Like a first aid kit, or a 72 hour kit for each member of the family. simple things. A case of tomato sauce, a case of corn or beans. One thing at a time. don't ever just run out and buy 2000 bucks worth of food storage that will jsut sit in yoru closet and never get rotated. that is a waste of your precious resources. rotate all foods, as described and store what you use, use what you store.

if you put SEALED mylar bags in there, NO problem. Just put them (the sealed mylar bags) into new buckets. If you put an opened bag back into it, I would probably toss that particular one.

Always re-pack your large bags of flour (I think you mean 25-50 lb sacks) When you open a sack to get flour out, you open the sack to invasion by weevils, and mice. You also invite contamination, as the bag can tip or spill. Large bags are not all lined with an inner plastic bag. In fact most are not. These invite moisture, leading to molding and rot. Canning will last the longest, then vacuum bagging, then plastic buckets,and tupperware-type containers. Freezing works well on live bugs, although not 100% but it doesn't always kill weevil eggs, and it only takes two to hatch and find each other to have a serious problem. If you have ever smelled weevil infested grain products (strong ammonia like cat urine!), you wouldn't consider for a second the stupid "it's just extra protein" remark. Re-packing into smaller containers avoids loss of large amounts from spoilage, moisture, or flooding, and animals. It also lends to ease of use, and sharing.

I agree that it is best to use your 5 gal buckets as containers for smaller vacuum sealed bags. Makes it far easier to restock, in both directions, and when the buckets are damaged (almost inevitable) you don't lose the product. Next: I thought ALL members (in fact everyone) has access to the canners. the nearest Bishop's storehouse will allow you to use theirs, and if you are not a member, the Bishop in your area will STILL allow you access to the canner when it comes to your area. Talk to anyone in the local Ward or Branch, and ask who the canning specialist is. Then ask THEM to schedule some time for you on the canner. If by some stretch of the imagination the local branch or ward isn't doing canning like they should, you can still ask them to arrange for the canner to be brought to town, and you can use it. The vacuum sealer will give you a really good seal, and just drop one disc in each bag. Regardless of size, unless your bags are of a size to require two. The vacuuming of the bag prior to sealing will extend the shelf life a great amount. As to out of the ordinary, I canned a 6 pack box of # 10 cans full of ammunition.

Let her pay. No just kidding. We scheduled a Saturday, went on a long hike, Ate lunch on the hike, ID birds, animals, trees and plants, and had a great time. We didn't go to dinner or to a move until we got to know each other. Been married 34 years and still dating.

I once decided that I had heard enough about "Works" from a so called "Christian". I asked him: If works won't save you, then how can works condemn you? Can't have one without the other. Bad works (sin) would be non-existent if there were no good works.

Here is a source for commercially canned butter. this stuff is good. Butter - Pure Creamery Canned Butter if this is not a live link, copy and paste it into your address bar.