PREPARING against a financial/catastrophic crisis - SURVIVAL TIPS

[Abigail]

Here is a link to a 45lb pail of popcorn packed for long term storage with about a 15 year shelf life @ room temperature: http://waltonfeed.com/cart/all.html#19

They also have #10 cans (coffee can size) in 6 pack cases as well.


Thanks for this link...bookmarking it. Had NO idea there was such a thing as powdered peanut butter! I'm guessing it wouldn't go "rancid" as quickly?? I wonder how it would be reconstituted. With oil? Water?
:idunno

Abigail

[tygerkittn]

Thanks for this link...bookmarking it. Had NO idea there was such a thing as powdered peanut butter! I'm guessing it wouldn't go "rancid" as quickly?? I wonder how it would be reconstituted. With oil? Water?
:idunno

Abigail

It says use water, but add oil too or it tastes funny.

[Abigail]

Good news! I just emailed Thomas labs, the makers of the fish antibiotics I bought (I got them from amazon but read up on them on several sites, they're pharmaceutical quality, it says) and they are NOT made in china, they're made in USA and Ireland.
I was just on flutrackers.com, bird flu is heating up, lots of suspected cases in Indonesia. It has my vote for the first major pestilence of the end times!
Wow, good price on peanut butter powder at that link for the popcorn. I'm gonna go back and browse (MUST...NOT...SPEND...gasp) For those with a Sam's club they have 50lbs of popcorn in a bag for $12.99, won't last as long as a bucket though. Also huge things of popcorn oil and seasoning pretty cheap. You can check the price at your local Sam's club by going to www.samsclub.com (http://www.samsclub.com) and choosing pick 'n click, you place the order online and pick it up there, but it also lets you check local prices and availability.

Hi! Thanks for this info...I'm thinking if you vac sealed it maybe the shelflife would be extended...this is dirt cheap!

Abigail

[Abigail]

As far as I'm concerned, POPCORN is a STAPLE. It's a great way to stretch your meals and to fill hungry bellies, and it's CHEAP.

We have a camper's stove and I plan to use that mainly for popping popcorn. Just keep plenty of oil around and bags of kernels. (Coconut oil is the best for popcorn, but during hardtimes, any cooking oil will do.) No cleanup involved either. Just wipe the pot with a paper towel and it's ready for the next batch of popcorn.

What I use is an old pressure cooker that I inherited from my grandmother, but any large pot with lid will work.

This past Friday, my family went shopping and purchased 4 cases of bottled water and tons of canned goods. Realistically, if power shut off, and water was unavailable, it doesn't make sense to waste precious resources "washing dishes, and trying to cook with water, etc."

We plan to eat out of the CAN, so our grocery shopping consisted of canned soups, DintyMoore Beefstews, potted meats, corn beef hash, beenie weanies, and boxes of crackers. Also, COMFORT food. My husband (who's diabetic) has Atkins, sugar free chocolate coconut bars, and I purchased hard candies, tootsie pops, etc, for the family.

I think we are doing pretty good in getting a headstart in being "prepared"...
We also loaded up on toilet paper, paper towels, baby wipes, and matches/lighters, batteries.

My next list will consist of picking up another oil lantern, more wicks, bleach and some over the counter meds.

Ruth

Hello again...seems we'll both dodge the bullet with Dean...I stocked up too...twelve cases of bottled water, 4 gal tea ( if we don't have to have water/power to brew & good heavy jugs to refill with water) TP/paper towels too, as well as bleach and small propane canisters for camp lantern. 20 extra gallons gasoline, and a full tank.

I hear you about avoiding washing dishes during times without power and questionable quality of municipal water. You're right. We experienced that firsthand during Katrina. Improperly washed dishes is a good way to spread illness, which would REALLY complicate matters. Best just to avoid it w/ the throwaways, IMHO. The only downside to it is that it generates garbage. After Katrina, there was no garbage pickup for weeks and a burn ban enforced by threat of arrest, due to inadequate fire personnel/low water pressure and dry conditions and tons of debris everywhere. Still, it's the best option I was able to come up with...just black bagged the trash and piled it in my driveway...

We found the MRE's to work out better for us than the canned items, since the chemical heat packs didn't use up the scarce propane/gasoline powered generator power/charcoal, etc. It was the ONLY way to get a hot meal without tending some hot stove or BBQ pit. Anything to avoid being hotter than we already were! Still, we've stocked both.

Abigail

[Waiting2go]

Good news! I just emailed Thomas labs, the makers of the fish antibiotics I bought (I got them from amazon but read up on them on several sites, they're pharmaceutical quality, it says) and they are NOT made in china, they're made in USA and Ireland.
I was just on flutrackers.com, bird flu is heating up, lots of suspected cases in Indonesia. It has my vote for the first major pestilence of the end times!
Wow, good price on peanut butter powder at that link for the popcorn. I'm gonna go back and browse (MUST...NOT...SPEND...gasp) For those with a Sam's club they have 50lbs of popcorn in a bag for $12.99, won't last as long as a bucket though. Also huge things of popcorn oil and seasoning pretty cheap. You can check the price at your local Sam's club by going to www.samsclub.com and choosing pick 'n click, you place the order online and pick it up there, but it also lets you check local prices and availability.

Good work tygerkittn!!!!!! I've been trying to find out that info myself and nobody knew. I wasn't sure if I should order them or not. Now after your post, I will be ordering some today. Thanks so much for that great info!!!!

[RRuth]

Improperly washed dishes is a good way to spread illness, which would REALLY complicate matters. Best just to avoid it w/ the throwaways, IMHO. The only downside to it is that it generates garbage. in my driveway...
Abigail


Good point on the garbage, and something I was going to mention earlier but forgot. Placing LARGE black trashbags on my shopping list was a PRIORITY. I too figured there would be a problem with all that garbage. I had decided to use 2 bags per trashload, this way to insure air-tightness and preventing odors, as I didn't want to bring every stray cat and dog into my yard.

Gosh, Abigail, what a nightmare Katrina must have been for your family. Just reading your posts brings to home the little things we don't think about. The news only reports so much.

Ruth

[tygerkittn]

Good point on the garbage, and something I was going to mention earlier but forgot. Placing LARGE black trashbags on my shopping list was a PRIORITY. I too figured there would be a problem with all that garbage. I had decided to use 2 bags per trashload, this way to insure air-tightness and preventing odors, as I didn't want to bring every stray cat and dog into my yard.

Gosh, Abigail, what a nightmare Katrina must have been for your family. Just reading your posts brings to home the little things we don't think about. The news only reports so much.

Ruth

Squirt clorox in the top of the trash bag! We were having a problem with dogs getting into the trash, and I started squirting some clorox spray into it. Anything strong smelling I squirt some directly onto it. I don't know if it would work on trash that's outside for a long time, I do it a few days before the trash truck comes, but it works short term, at least.

[Abigail]

Oh, hey, we were LUCKY AND BLESSED. With all my rambling on, we came back to an intact house with (minimally) running water. Our issues were inconveniences; not the tragedy the storm was for others. It's just that I was so close to it that it's made a profound impression upon me, motivating me to prepare for my family better AND to do whatever I can to share what I've learned the hard way with anyone willing to listen. Maybe it's a big dose of "survivor's guilt" that I feel led to "pay it forward" with the lessons I learned.

Know what else? I continue to be blessed with continued helpful ideas from all of you! God is amazing.

Take the clorox idea for cutting down on reeking garbage...no rodents, thank goodness, but it was getting a bit...ripe. Never considered doing this! Great idea; thanks.

Abigail

[just17]

In Darfur, they use these things called zeer pots to keep their food cool without using electricity. It's basically 2 clay pots, one smaller than the other. You nest the small pot inside the larger pot, then fill the space in between with sand. Twice a day, water the sand to keep it cool and place a damp cloth on top. They say you can even keep meat fresh in it for a few days, so it must stay really cold!

Do a google search, it seems to really work well according to all the articles I find - and it would be super cheap to get the supplies. All the garden centers here are having end of season sales.

[tygerkittn]

In Darfur, they use these things called zeer pots to keep their food cool without using electricity. It's basically 2 clay pots, one smaller than the other. You nest the small pot inside the larger pot, then fill the space in between with sand. Twice a day, water the sand to keep it cool and place a damp cloth on top. They say you can even keep meat fresh in it for a few days, so it must stay really cold!

Do a google search, it seems to really work well according to all the articles I find - and it would be super cheap to get the supplies. All the garden centers here are having end of season sales.

That's a good idea! Thanks!