What Do They Know That We Don’t? DC Officials Flock To Doomsday Camps

Washington D.C. government officials are flocking to doomsday camps around the country.  Which of course begs the question: what do they know that we do not?

According to the Washington Examiner, a building network of backwoods doomsday camps around the country are pulling in members from affluent areas and even Washington national security officials as the threats grow from nuclear war, an EMP (electromagnetic pulse), or virus attack.  Dubbed Fortitude Ranch, the outposts promise protection and a year’s supply of food for those unable to build their own bunker with preparations for a SHTF scenario. What’s more, until a crisis strikes, the doomsday camps are being used for prepper training and vacations.

One of Fortitude Ranch’s members from the Baltimore area said that he and others joined after “waking up” to the potential of a national crisis from an attack, financial meltdown, or political violence. “For most of us, something rattled our cages and woke us up,” he said.

“We’re seeing members from all the three letter agencies,” said Fortitude creator Drew Miller, a retired Air Force colonel, and intelligence officer, in a reference to the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and more.  Miller called an attack or even a weather-related electromagnetic pulse shutdown of the electric grid “inevitable,” and a driving force in his project.

Prepping has offered many a sense a freedom none of us have anymore.  No longer needing the government for anything, preppers can survive most scenarios that will leave many others begging for their slavery again and in return, for the government to give them abject poverty in exchange.

Through memberships and his own cryptocurrency called “Fortitudes,” Miller has raised about $400,000 and established a ranch in West Virginia and Colorado with 10 others planned. An open house at the West Virginia ranch is scheduled for April 21-23.

He said that for the West Virginia ranch, “most members are professional Washington area folks. They don’t have time to do this own their own.” The cost is about $1,000 per person per year to join. –Washington Examiner

“You’d have to be an idiot not to think it will happen,” said Miller, author of “Rohan Nation: Reinventing America After the 2020 Collapse.” Miller also said that the camps are nearly as survivable in an attack as the Mt. Weather FEMA site near Virginia’s Shenandoah River where several Washington leaders were housed after the 9/11 attacks.

Each camp has a shooting range and is equipped to handle between 50 and 500 people during any SHTF scenario. The camps will have lodges, underground bunkers, and guard towers. In the event of a social meltdown, members will be responsible for manning those towers.

With all of the high-powered government officials signing up as members at Fortitude Ranch, it’s pretty safe to say that if you are not prepping now, you should probably start. A good reference for those just beginning to tread into the realm of prepping is the book titled The Prepper’s Blueprint.

 

Stockpile Challenge 2018: Week 1 Check-in

We’re at the end of week 1 for the Stockpile Challenge, 2018!

For this week’s check-in, I want to dispel some myths about the challenge and share with you some of the observations people have made.

Stockpile Challenge Myths

Here are a few things I addressed in the Facebook group but figured that people not in the group would also want to read.

If it’s not difficult, that is a GOOD thing.

I noticed that some people had said they were feeling almost guilty because the challenge has been too easy so far.

That the things they’re eating are “normal.”

And I say this is a very, very good thing. First of all, you’re eating without your regular grocery trip and you’re happy with what you have put aside. That rocks!

But secondly, and most importantly, the number one reason we end up using our preps is a financial difficulty.

Here’s a personal example. About 10 years ago, I got laid off. As a single mom with a mortgage, this was terrifying. I knew I’d be employed again within 6 months, but I would be going that amount of time on only 60% of my wages (with unemployment insurance payouts.

So, for 4 months, I spent every dime of my unemployment pay on my mortgage, my utilities, and insurance. I didn’t have to spend money at the grocery store at all. Why? Because I had a chest freezer that was loaded with food. I had shelves laden with canned goods and dry foods. I had toilet paper, sanitary products, shampoo, toothpaste. We were absolutely fine, kept our home and our car, and had no needs unfulfilled.

All because I had a stockpile.

So, you’re doing everything right. Stop worrying. Often, when SHTF hits you, all of your utilities work just fine. Not always, of course. But that’s the most common scene.

About prioritization.

Eating the things that are going to go bad first is ideal, not a cop-out. In a real emergency, you should prioritize what you eat by how quickly it will spoil. This way, there is less waste.

So:

• Fresh food


• Frozen food


• Canned food and regular, not-repackaged dry goods


• Freeze-dried food

Those of you who ate like you usually do this week did everything right.

People who had to purchase something felt like they had failed.

Not one single person has “FAILED” at the Stockpile Challenge.

I’ve seen a few people say this in comments or the challenge thread but it’s totally wrong, and here’s why.

— Did you have to buy something? Then you learned about a hole in your preps. You can now take steps to fill that hole.

— Did you run out of something that is essential? Now you know that you haven’t put back enough of it.

— Was there a supply you never even thought about stocking up on until you realized you didn’t have it? You wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t started out on this challenge.

We’re all at different places on this journey.

Sure, there are some folks who are going to sail through this month without even breaking a sweat and I commend them all.

But I bet even they will learn of a few things that would make life more pleasant after a period of time.

There are people who thought they’d be fine but ended up going to the store right in the first week. I’m one of those people and I’m running the darned challenge. I started coming down with a kidney infection on the second day and decided to go buy some pure cranberry juice so that I didn’t end up having to go to the doctor and get on antibiotics. And you know what? I grabbed 8 bottles of it while I was there because obviously, this is something I want to have on hand.

Every challenge we run into teaches us if we’re willing to learn from it. And that is the point of this exercise.

If you don’t make it completely on your stockpile, don’t worry one little bit. This isn’t failure. It’s education.

You are learning things you would never have if you hadn’t embarked on this challenge. We are ALL learning from one another.

Some are worried that they’re depleting their inventory and something bad is going to happen.

There is absolutely no rule against replenishing your stockpile as you use it up. I personally just placed a big freeze-dried fruit and veggie order because I realized I didn’t have as much on hand as I wanted. Just tuck away the new items you buy and you’re still adhering to the challenge.

Here’s what people are learning

When I asked folks in the Prep Club group what they had learned, here are a few of the lessons they’ve picked up – and we’re just on Week 1 of the challenge!

• I learned I wasn’t stocked enough on protein. Due to my husband’s health, he no longer eats pork or beef/venison. This killed my stock. I was able to bless a needy family with a freezer full of meat. It wasn’t payday so had to wait and purchase the protein during the week. Otherwise, we are good. January is always a tight month for us anyway. This December my husband didn’t work, so no paycheck for him. Hence the reason I waited till I was paid. After the challenge, I will build a new stock of chicken, turkey and such. This is making me much more aware of spending habits too. Using the extra time to repair a couple of t-shirts.


• I basically had no real stockpile when I started. I had canned and frozen veggies and stuff in the freezer but not a real stockpile. This challenge is forcing me to do things I wouldn’t normally do, cook things I wouldn’t normally cook, and basically just take a look at the way I’ve been living lately. Lazily. That’s how I’ve been living. And, I’ve noticed that I’m not snacking as much and when I do snack, it’s on almonds and dried fruit I have on hand instead of going to the store and buying chips and dip. I’ve lost close to 10 pounds and adding up what I normally spend just on soda each day, saved almost $20 bucks! I know I won’t make the whole month without spending but I’m going to get close, and it’s giving me an idea of what things I need to stock up on in the future.


• We eat pizza at least twice a month, and we use a pre-made pizza crust. While I’ve stockpiled all the ingredients to make pizza from scratch, I just realized I’ve no idea how to make a crust from scratch! That went on the to-do list. Also, I don’t have nearly enough fruits and veggies stored. Just placed an order from Emergency Essentials for those, as well as canned bacon!


• What did I learn? I learned that the fridge may decide to freeze half of my tender vegetables but I can still salvage enough to feed company that we were blessed to have over last night. That even small tiny hurdles can happen. This challenge has helped me in looking at the big picture and to slow down in how I think of feeding my family. But most importantly it has helped me in realizing to take stock in more than just supplies. It is helping me to take another look at filling my store box of positive thinking, overcoming roadblocks with solutions instead of always replacing. This applies to food, supplies, etc. I feel this challenge will teach me much more than being prepared with food and supplies.


• The biggest thing I have learned is I really need to have an inventory check list and check it monthly. I use a lot of kosher salt in my cooking and it is going to be a squeak to make it. Also, I need to remember my pets and keep a way to make sure they survive without giving them people preps. And those lessons are just week 1!


•  I learned that I need to store some actual food at work. Right now I only have snacks (fruit, nuts, rice cake, bouillon, etc.) but no canned soups or meal type items. Spending the night at the hospital Thursday (due to snow storm and being *essential*) I was forced to use the cafe (but did not have to use any money as I had two gift cards given to me as thank you gifts from various bosses). I am also upping the quality of my sleeping quarters by bringing in a cot and sleeping bag for next time. And learning by reading everyone else’s posts of course.


• Prior to the challenge I went to the store and got fresh veggies and an extra gallon of milk. At first, it felt like a cheat, but what I learned is that maybe I should start each month with the thought “what if I can’t get back to the store this month?” What would I want a little extra of? While perishables go quickly it makes the first week or two a little nicer having extra on hand. I also have a bad habit of letting produce go to waste…Not this month! Meals are getting planned around what needs to be used first to get the most out of what we have!


• I learned to think differently about leftovers. Normally I might give a large amount to our pets, but not this time. Used leftover pork roast 3 different ways and they all tasted different so it didn’t feel too redundant. I need to rotate my stock better. I had some older-than-I-would-like pancake mix but made it anyway. I’m loving the challenge.


• My husband and I have a small farm with pigs, goats, rabbits, chickens, and ducks. Stocking food for them for more than a week or two ahead would be impossible for us. We might make it another week or two with our hay supply. Long range “doomsday” plans include butchering what I can possibly can and preserve, and letting the others go to fend for themselves. Some of them would stick around and eat what’s available for a while, giving me longer to work on things. I know I have plenty of canning supplies, and I have practiced using a canner outside on a wood fire [hope that won’t be necessary — big pain in the wazoo]. I just hope things never get that bad. But I accept that they might.


•  I need to do better at rotation/inventory. Also, I work at a grocery store so I have had to muster up all the strength I have to not buy anything at the end of my day for meals. One day I really wanted to buy just a couple carrots but did not do so. Went without.


•  just joined yesterday, so not really in the loop yet, but I did learn something this week. My elderly Basset is on the vets prescription w/d dry and canned food. I had a case of cans but was low on the dry, figured I’d pick some up after work on Tuesday. They were out and wouldn’t get a shipment until Friday. We limped along only crumbs left Friday I bought the giant bag and another case of canned. It was the first time since I started doing this a year ago that I let it get so low before refilling.


• I just realized a big hole in my preps: canned pumpkin/sweet potatoes. Both of my dogs woke up with diarrhea and will be eating boiled chicken and rice for a couple days at least. Which is fine but in a true SHTF situation we wouldn’t want them eating our food if we had other options. So canned pumpkin and sweet potatoes are being added to the “must have” list.


• We have changed how we eat. Not just food but meal timing. No more “free range” eating.


• Years ago I used to shop only once a month due to finances. I did fresh, frozen, canned in that order. I have become lazy and spend way too much money going to the store for every little thing. I go for three things and end up with a basketful-sales. I often have a houseful of food but nothing to eat. I am using this challenge to get back to being more efficient. Doesn’t help to have bags and bags of beans if you do not have the ingredients to make a dish!

Most people are running out of the same things.

The most common items mentioned are:

• Fresh produce


• Milk


• Pet supplies


• Cheese


• Sour cream


• Eggs

Solutions for these are:

• Freeze-dried, canned and frozen produce


• Growing sprouts and greens


• Dry milk and canned condensed milk


• Stocking up on pet food, making pet food from supplies you keep on hand


• Freeze dried cheese and sour cream powders


• Freeze-dried eggs


• Egg substitutes for baking (like flax seed eggs or applesauce)

Did you participate in the Stockpile Challenge?

Let us know in the comments what you learned. If you have run into any stumbling blocks, share those and maybe we can make suggestions to help you.

If you’re on Facebook and haven’t joined Prep Club, go here. Be sure to answer the questions so that we let you in!

The post Stockpile Challenge 2018: Week 1 Check-in appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

How to Build a Low-Carb Prepper Stockpile

Does your health require a diet that is low in sugar and carbohydrates but high in protein? If that’s the case, you may have found that building a low-carb prepper stockpile is pretty difficult. After all, “beans and rice” is the prepper standby. And those buckets of food? Forget it if you’re watching carbs. The meals are all based on rice, pasta, and potatoes.

So how do you create pantry full of freeze-dried food for a low-carb prepper?

Why people are eating lower carbohydrate diets

There are many health concerns that require a diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. To name a few:

• Diabetes


• Arthritis


• Cardiovascular disease


• Metabolic Syndrome


• Obesity


• Colitis/Irritable bowel syndrome

The list goes on and on. Some folks simply feel better when they lower their starch and sugar intake.

Regardless of the reason that you’ve chosen a low-carb lifestyle, going off it abruptly could result in gastrointestinal distress, a recurrence of symptoms, bloating, sluggishness, and joint pain. An emergency would be the worst possible time to deal with that.

Here’s how to build your own low-carb prepper food supply.

At this point, there aren’t really any buckets of food that will meet your needs, so you’ll have to choose an “ala carte” style supply by ordering specific freeze dried foods. A diet of protein, vegetables, and fruit is ideal.

Protein:

Vegetables:

Fruits:

Some people on lower carb diets restrict fruits, while others consider them “good” carbs. Here are some freeze-dried fruit options.

What would a low-carb prepper menu look like?

Using the foods above to create meals during an emergency might look something like this:

Breakfast:

• Scrambled eggs


• Fruit salad

or

• Frittata made with eggs, broccoli, and onion

Lunch/Dinner meals:

Storing tasty spices and seasonings will be the key to making delicious meals.

• Chicken, pineapple, and broccoli stir-fry with Chinese seasonings


• Soup made with beef, tomato powder, green beans, carrots, and onion with Italian seasonings


• Beef and asparagus with savory seasonings


• Beef with marinara sauce (made from tomato powder and Italian seasonings) over a bed of your favorite veggies


• Chicken, carrots, and green beans in a creamy curry sauce made with milk powder

As we get new meats and veggies in, I’ll add ideas to the list. The key is to creatively mix the items you have access to in order to closely mirror the way you normally eat.

If the rest of your family eats carbs, potatoes, rice, and pasta can be added to the meals above to keep everyone well-nourished.

Do you have any other low carb meal ideas using the foods above?

Share them in the comments section. Also, what do you store for your low-carb preps?

The Natural Pantry: A Long-Term Storage Guide For Honey

Raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized honey has been a pantry staple for centuries. In the far stretches of human history, honey was stored for food, making wine and used for medicinal purposes. Theystored raw, unfiltered honey in porous, sealed jars and stacked them in cold caves. In fact, recently, scientists examined five-millennia-plus-old jars of honey unearthed in Georgia and declared that the artifacts contain the world’s oldest honey. This only proves that honey can stand the test of time – but there is no guarantee it will. If improperly stored, honey can crystallize or ferment. This article will explain the what, when and why’s of how to perfectly store your honey for long-term use, as well as explain what mistakes to avoid.

There are more than 300 different types of honey in the United States, each with a unique flavor and color depending on the blossoms visited by the honey bees. In fact, the coloring of honey is largely dependent on which flower pollen it collects. For instance, honey is a darker color when nectar is collected from blossoms of avocado and buckwheat, while nectar collected from blueberries, alfalfa, clover and sage are lighter in color.  In general, the lighter the color of honey, the milder the flavor.

Shades of honey

Where to Find Bulk Honey

Buying honey at the store can be expensive, especially in bulk quantities. For years, my husband and I were purchasing five pound containers of honey for over $20, when we could have purchased it for much cheaper from local distributors. I was lucky to find a local honey supplier in my area that sells us 20 pounds of honey at a time for a better deal. This is enough for a year supply of honey for my family. We usually end up purchasing one to use for the year and another for long-term storage. As well, farmers markets are great for finding local produce, meat and honey. I have also found locals selling honey through Craigslist. If you plan on purchasing honey from a local supplier, make sure they can answer these questions:

1. What are the kinds of flowers the bees have been foraging on?


2. Is it organic honey?


3. Do they mix the honey with any additives?


4. Has the honey been filtered to remove pollen?

Read more about the importance of buying raw, unfiltered honey and where to find it.

Properly Storing Honey

As dependable as honey is in a crisis, it can be finicky if not stored properly. Where and how you store honey makes a huge difference. If honey is stored in the wrong place, it’s viscosity, color, texture, aroma and flavor can change.

Like most of your pantry items, honey should be stored in a cool, dry area avoiding sunlight. The best storage temperature for honey is between 70-80°F, and is best if kept at a constant temperature with minimal fluctuations. Therefore, try to avoid storing honey near “hot or cold spots” in the home or by air conditioning or heating areas. If the temperature drops below 65°F, honey will begin to crystallize.

Interestingly, did you know that honey can be frozen? Liquid high-glucose honey that is frozen, will never crystallize and never lose vital nutrients. Although most preppers prefer not to concentrate their preparedness stores in the freezer, it can be used.

The main two points to keep in mind:

• Honey should stay at a constant temperature with minimal fluctuations. Erratic temperature fluctuations can quickly cause the honey to stay in a perpetual state of crystallizing or liquefying. According to a Master Beekeeping Program hosted at Cornell University, if honey is stored at 77°F for 40 days, it will incur as much damage as honey heated to 145 °F for 60 minutes. The constant cool temperatures of root cellars (55°F) are perfect for storing creamed honey and will minimally affect the viscosity and texture.


• Moisture can also greatly affect honey. Too much moisture, and it begins to ferment. If you see clear liquid floating on top a more solid brown honey mass, then the honey has started the fermentation process. While fermentation does not necessarily pose any health risk (mead by the way is fermented honey), it could destroy the integrity of the honey. As well, because honey absorbs moisture, it should be kept it in a tightly lidded container.

Best Containers for Re-Packing Honey:

• Plastic food grade buckets – I have my long-term honey stored in 2-gallon containers. I avoid storing honey in 5-gallon containers for long-term storage because of the possibility of crystallization and fermentation. I’d rather lose a jar of honey than a pail of honey. Make sure that your containers are BPA free and food grade.


• Glass canning jars – My short-term pantry is stocked with honey filled quart-sized (wide mouth) canning jars. These also make great gifts!


• Plastic containers – Plastic containers and jars that once held honey are great for short-term storage, as well. However, if honey ferments, the pressure could pop the top off and cause a big mess.


• Repurposed glass jars –  Glass jars can also be reused for other purposes. Make sure that the jars are thoroughly washed before reusing. If you do not have any jars to repurpose, these make excellent honey containers.

Keep in mind that because crystallization can easily occur, many suggest that if you purchase large quantities of honey for long-term storage, you should distribute it into smaller, more usable quantities to minimize any issues that may occur. That way, if it does solidify or crystallize, you can scoop out honey in smaller containers easier than the larger 5-gallon pails.

A Word on Crystallization

As much as we try to prevent crystallization in honey, it is a natural process. The higher the glucose/fructose level in your honey the faster it happens; as well, temperature fluctuations can also increase crystallization.

If your honey crystallizes, it is still edible – just not in the way you were expecting. Many suggest adding the crystallized honey to a double boiler and heating it up. While you can do this, it will destroy any health benefits honey offers. Crystallized honey is delicious in tea, on yogurt, on a toasted bagel, and on oatmeal. It can also be used as a glaze for cooking meat or vegetables. Moreover, you can make granulated or creamed honey by mixing one part of crystallized honey with 9 parts of liquid honey. Store it at 55 degrees°F until it becomes firm.

To conclude, those who are making attempts at storing natural foods in their pantry can do no wrong by storing honey. It is one of the most versatile preps you can have on hand and a viable investment in long-term preparedness planning. Use the above listed storage tips to make the most of your investment so you can enjoy this liquid sweetener for years to come.

Additional Resources:

‘Honeytime, Anytime’ booklet

USDA Honey Labeling

National Honey Board

A Primer on Oxygen Absorbers for food storage

A Primer on Oxygen Absorbers…

Use oxygen absorbers, not handwarmers, for food storage

Made of iron powder, oxygen absorbers are harmless packets
used for long-term food storage to keep food fresh and free
from oxygen. They are encased in food safe, BPA-free pouches
and are non-toxic.

The active ingredient of oxygen absorbers is iron. When this
charcoal gray iron powder does its job, it rusts. This rusting
creates an iron-oxide compound, which is simply a combination
of iron and oxygen. The oxygen clings to the iron, leaving the
rest of the container with nitrogen, which doesn’t have an effect
on your food. (Air is a combination of 21% oxygen and the rest
is mostly nitrogen.)

There is no “dirty little secret” about oxygen absorbers.
Oxygen absorbers are not made the same as handwarmers! It’s
true that handwarmers, have an iron powder in them, along with
activated charcoal and sodium chloride, but handwarmers also
include an inedible substance: vermiculite, which may be
harmful. 

Not only do handwarmers have vermiculite, which shouldn’t be
around your food, but the packets themselves are not
considered food-safe.

Are handwarmers the same stuff as oxygen absorbers?
Now you know: they are made similarly, but they are not the
same. You should never use handwarmers in place of oxygen
absorbers, since they perform different functions. Because
vermiculite sometimes can become contaminated with asbestos,
it’s not suitable for food use.

Why risk your health and why risk your valuable food storage by
being cheap on your oxygen absorbers? Don’t skimp! Oxygen
absorbers are food-safe, vermiculite free, and ideal for food
storage. These hard working little oxygen absorber packets keep
oxygen in check to lock-in freshness and lock-out
microorganisms, insects and even moisture.

Oxygen absorbers safely:

• Prevent mold and growth of aerobic pathogens on grains.
  


• Keep Vitamin A, C, and E fresh.
  


• Delay browning in fruits as of much needed oxygen
  


• Inhibits oxidation of oleoresins present in spices for fresh
  flavor
  


• Deprive pests of oxygen (so the eggs, larva
  

Oxygen absorbers defend our food against three major
spoilers:
It’s the oxygen in the air that causes food to spoil. Oxygen
absorbers extend the life of your food storage in three ways.

• Microorganisms. With oxygen absorbers in check, you
  won’t have to worry about microorganisms destroying your
  food. Without them, oxygen surrounds your food and
  microorganisms can flourish, including some kinds of
  bacteria, as well as mold and yeast, which can make you
  sick if ingested. Oxygen is life to these little destroyers of
  your food and they also enlist the help of enzymes.
  (Enzymes in food also react with oxygen to speed up the
  spoilage process). While some kinds of bacteria can thrive
  without oxygen, most can not. Thankfully, oxygen
  absorbers keep microorganisms and enzymes at bay, so
  your food can stay fresh.
  

• Insects. When you use oxygen absorbers effectively, you’ll
  never notice a little bonus of protein buried with the grain.
  You see, your grain may look weevil free, but weevils in
  particular burrow eggs into the grain and sometimes
  survive the packaging process only to hatch and maybe
  even thrive in your food storage. Beetles, weevils and
  moths need oxygen just like humans. Without oxygen,
  these little critters thankfully won’t survive and they also
  won’t multiply. Insects love your flour and whole grains,
  beans, pasta, dried fruits and vegetables, nuts, bird seed
  and pet foods — and you can help protect these foodstuffs
  with oxygen absorbers to keep insects under control.

• Moisture. A big secret of oxygen absorbers is that they
  also keep moisture under control! Moisture is present in all
  foods (even dried beans and rice). Oxygen absorbers
  oxidize, which means they cause the iron oxide to rust.
  This process absorbs the moisture. Along with the iron
  powder, oxygen absorbers include sodium and activated
  carbon (charcoal). Sodium is the activator, which causes
  iron particles to rust, and this helps the absorption
  process.  The bigger the oxygen absorber in terms of cubic
  centimeters, the more it can absorb moisture. The
  activated carbon adsorbs (not absorbs) gases and organic
  molecules.

Now that you know some benefits of oxygen absorbers, and you
know that handwarmers are not the same as oxygen absorbers,
you might want to start using oxygen absorbers right away in
your food storage. It’s tempting, but before you get started
with oxygen absorbers, get all your food storage ready and
follow the steps below.

How to use Oxygen Absorbers for food storage

Before you open the package of oxygen absorbers, get ready,
because there are three important steps to using them properly.

Three basic steps to using oxygen absorbers

Before you open the package of oxygen absorbers:

1. Set aside a canning jar for storage of absorbers.
Have a canning jar ready which will fit the entire package of
oxygen absorbers. The canning jar must have a tight, sealable
lid, so you can immediately place the absorbers you are not
using in it. Set aside this reserved jar, ensuring it is dry and
ready to go.

2. Prepare your food.
Have your dry canning ingredients and their containers clean
and ready before opening the package of absorbers. This means
you must fill all your canning jars or mylar bags with food and
have the lids ready or the sealing equipment at your side. This
ensures you’re prepared to plop in the oxygen absorber packets
immediately after opening the package and seal the food
immediately to take on the full power of the absorbers.

Foods that benefit most from oxygen absorbers include:

• Coffee, tea and spices
  


• Dried fruits
  


• Dried vegetables (beans, peas, and legumes)
  


• Dry dog and cat food, bird seeds
  


• Grain (wheat, corn, barley rye, rice)
  


• Flour and pastas
  

3. Know exactly how many absorbers you’ll need.
Make sure you know how many oxygen absorber packets you’ll
need for the task at hand.

This will give you a general idea for your food storage project:

• Use at least one 100-cc oxygen absorber for a mason jar
  


• Use three 100–cc oxygen absorbers per #10 can
  


• Use 500 cc’s of oxygen absorbers for a five-gallon bucket
  

Seven Tips for working with oxygen absorbers:

• Tip #1: Buy only what you plan to use immediately.
  Estimate how many oxygen absorbers you need, then
  purchase oxygen absorbers in the smallest lot possible for
  the food storage prepping you’ve planned. Plan to use
  them immediately as oxygen absorbers start loosing
  effectiveness within three months of purchase. That’s
  because they are intended for long term storage in mason
  jars, Mylar bags, #10 cans, and food grade buckets.

• Tip #2: Discern whether the oxygen absorbers are
  fresh. Look for the pink pill on the bag, which provides a
  good indication of effectiveness in the packet. It doesn’t
  guarantee the oxygen packets are good; however, it does
  show the effectiveness of the absorbers in the packaging.
  Instead: pinch the bag and you will know it is almost
  certainly good. The goal of oxygen absorbers is to lowers
  oxygen levels to less than 0.01%. The pink pill indicates
  this. If it’s blue, you have an old bag.

• Tip #3: Transfer oxygen absorbers to an interim mason
  jar.  When you’re ready to begin working and after
  determining that they are worthy of use, open the package
  of oxygen absorbers and store them immediately in a glass
  mason jar (and not a zip lock plastic bag).  The oxygen
  absorbers should be air tight. The minute you open the
  manufacturer’s enclosure, or the minute there’s a puncture
  in the bag, your oxygen absorbers loose effectiveness,
  which is why you need to act quickly.

• Tip #4: Inspect the oxygen absorbers. As you transfer
  the oxygen absorbers into the mason jar, make sure each
  oxygen absorber is soft and powdery inside, not hard or
  chunky.
  

• Is it too hard? If you find an oxygen absorber that’s
  hard, then it’s old and useless and you should toss it.
  Your oxygen absorbers should feel as though they are
  powdery inside.

• Is it too hot? If you find an oxygen absorber thats too
  hot, it’s a good one! When exposed to oxygen, the
  absorbers can get uncomfortably hot to the touch, but
  if this happens know that it’s working (provided the
  contents are still powdery). Pinch the bag to see if it’s
  still good: if it’s HARD, then dump it.
  

 Now you’re ready to begin using your oxygen absorbers.

 Tip #5: Don’t use oxygen absorbers for some foods. 

• Do NOT use oxygen absorbers with leavening
  agents! Do not place absorbers with pancake mixes or
  other products with the leavening as the absorber
  reacts with the leavening rendering the product
  useless. Leavening agents to avoid include yeast,
  bakign soda, and baking powder.

• Do NOT use oxygen absorbers with salt or sugar
  either! You need to keep salt and sugar dry and pest
  free, but salt simply doesn’t need an absorber, and
  oxygen absorbers will harden the sugar (think sugar
  cubes). Don’t waste your money and time.

• Tip #6: Use oxygen absorbers with food safe, airtight
  containers. Select a long-term food storage container
  that’s a barrier to both oxygen and moisture. Use mason
  jars with metal lids that have gaskets, Mylar bags that you
  can heat seal, metal cans withe seamed lids (available for
  use at Mormon canneries), and Pete Plastic food buckets
  with air tight lids, such as gamma seal lids.

• Tip #7: Get the most use of the oxygen absorber. Go
  ahead and use a Foodsaver with your oxygen absorber.
  Your Foodsaver will get out the air, and the oxygen
  absorber will have to work less to get the remaining
  oxygen. Also, be sure to put the oxygen absorber on top,
  where oxygen collects, so it can do the job of getting to
  most of the oxygen.
  

Combine oxygen absorbers with mylar bags and food grade
buckets

Food will last upwards of 20-30 years in mylar bags, when
combined with oxygen absorbers and food grade buckets. Mylar
bags filter out the sunlight and provide an additional barrier for
oxygen and moisture. To seal mylar bags, just iron the opening
shut. It’s that simple to begin bagging your Costco and Sam’s
Club bulk purchases.

Tips for mylar bags

• Thicker is better. Long grain rice may easily poke through
  thin mylar. A good thickness is .05.
  
  

 

Tips for emergency food buckets

• Don’t run to Home Depot and get yourself a white bucket
  as it might not be food grade! Ordinary buckets will leach
  toxic chemicals during storage.

• Never store foods in a used bucket as it may have
  contained toxic substances as well. How can you be sure
  that bucket you got at the bakery wasn’t also used to mop
  the floors. Don’t risk it.

• Remember a gamma seal lid and a bucket opener (pictured
  at the bottom of the page).
  

Oxygen absorbers, silica gel packets, deoxidizers

Do you know the difference between a desiccant, and an
oxygen absorber?
A desiccant removes the moisture and an oxygen absorbs
removes the oxygen! Use a desiccant for your firearms storage
(e.g. in a gun safe); and use an oxygen absorber for your food
storage. It’s that simple. Now you know.

What’s the difference between deoxidizers, oxygen absorbers,
silica gel packets and deoxidizers?

• Deoxidizers: The purpose of deoxidizers is to remove
  oxygen during manufacturing, but preppers often
  mistakenly believe they are for stabilization during
  storage. They are useless by the time you get them. Do
  not re-use.

• Oxygen absorbers: Non-toxic powdered iron in food-safe
  packets.

• Oxy-Sorb 100-Pack Oxygen Absorber (ideal for nuts,
  coffees and spices). Oxy-Sorb helps retain fresh-roasted
  flavor of coffee and nuts, as well as prevents oxidation of
  spice oleoresins present in spices themselves and in
  seasoned foods. Ideal for nuts because it prevents
  oxidation of vitamins a, c and e and significantly improves
  keeping qualities of polyunsaturated fats and oils. Use
  with gas flushing/vacuum packaging to absorb virtually all
  oxygen and absorb any oxygen that may permeate the
  package. When used with proper packaging and sealing,
  Oxy-Sorb reduces oxygen in the packaging to extend shelf
  life by preventing growth of aerobic pathogens and
  spoilage organisms, including molds.

• Silica gel packets: Silica gel has many prepper uses. Silica
  gel, clay, molecular sieve and activated carbon desiccants
  remove moisture of various products at manufacturing.
  They are useless by the time you get them. Do not re-use
  them unless you reheat them. (We suggest you just get
  new ones.) Yes, you can use silica gel packets for certain
  meats; however never re-use oxygen absorbers or silica gel
  packets for food. Oxygen absorbers have a limited shelf
  life, and silica gel packets are not free from contamination
  if they have been used previously. While it’s true you can
  re-use silica gel packets, please do not re-use them for
  food. Some silica gel packets are toxic, including the ones
  that start of blue and end up pinkish.
  

Is it okay to re-use Silica Gels?


No! Do not re-use Silica Gels because they break easily. Beware
of microscopic leaks or infusion as silica gels are toxic and
carcinogenic. Silica gels are not intended for food. Silica gel is
irritating to the respiratory tract and may cause irritation of the
digestive tract. Also, dust from the beads may cause irritation
to the skin and eyes. T

Finally, do not confuse oxygen absorber packets with silica gel
packets, though sometimes they may be used similarly.

No doubt oxygen absorbers are a prepper favorite; however, too
many prepper articles advise re-using the silica gel packets
enclosed with new merchandise. The first reason is they are
vastly different. Oxygen absorbers reduce oxygen and silica gel
packets remove moisture. Also, silica gel packets included with
shoes and other products were not created for  stabilization
during storage, but rather for moisture removal during
manufacture. By the time you get the merchandise, the silica
packet has long lost its effectiveness.

Why risk your valuable food storage by being cheap on your
oxygen absorbers? Don’t skimp!

Also remember, before you open the package of oxygen
absorbers:

1. Set aside a canning jar for storage of absorbers.
   


2. Prepare your food.
   


3. Know exactly how many absorbers you’ll need.
   

Happy endings…
Oxygen absorbers are incredibly important for preppers. While
they are not easy to find in your local stores, they are available
online. Now that you know how to use oxygen absorbers for
food storage, start using them! Be sure also to learn about
silica gel packs.

Related articles…

Another way to seal mylar food storage bags:

Five gallon food grade bucket with GAMMA seal:

Read more at happypreppers.com

Photos and pictured products from Amazon.com

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Winter Survival Skills That Kept The Pioneers Alive

If you live in certain parts of North America, then you know all too well how cold and long a winter can be. In bad years, they can last from November through April. When ice is several inches thick on ground that hasn’t been salted, when the wind whips so hard it pulls young trees out of the ground, and when you finally have to venture outside to go to the grocery store a few blocks away, it can seem like a dangerous trip.

Have you ever stopped and wondered how the pioneers survived? There was no central heating, no supermarkets, no water heaters to help warm up frozen fingers.

Our ancestors were certainly tough, no doubt about it, but we would be wise to pay attention and learn a few of their survival skills. Here are a few:

Food Preparation And Storage

Knowing that winters could be long and harsh, pioneers spent a great deal of the summer months preparing. A lack of preparation usually meant death by starvation, so they took these chores seriously.

Almost all pioneers had what we call a cellar or a root cellar. This was a room dug underground that would protect their stored food from freezing and guard it from marauding animals.

Root vegetables were a favorite because they keep for a long period of time without spoiling and without any special preparation beforehand. This made things like carrots, beets, sweet potatoes,  parsnips, radishes, rutabagas, regular old potatoes and turnips valuable crops.

Other crops that keep well without canning are corn, onions, garlic, squash, cabbage, cauliflower, pears, oranges, cucumbers, pumpkins and apples. Some fruits and berries were dried, but others, like apples, keep remarkably well when placed in a cool, dark place.

Canning was an invaluable tool to store food for winter consumption. This was the common method of storing foods that went bad fairly quickly, such as berries, peaches, nectarines, tomatoes and artichokes.

Meat also was dried and salted to preserve it for the winter. A family could slaughter one of their livestock animals, eat what they could for a day, and then pack the remainder in large barrels, stacking it in layers and then covering them with salt and brown sugar, before sealing the barrel.

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Of course, meat killed during the winter simply could be kept frozen outside, as long as one was careful to keep it out of reach from the local wildlife.

Staying Warm

A full belly is great, but if you are stuck outside in subzero temps, it won’t be enough to keep you alive!

Most pioneers lived in cabins made from logs. These can be quite insulating when the holes and cracks are properly filled with mud, grass or cloth, but in sub-zero (Fahrenheit) weather, one will still need a good fire.

This means lots of back-breaking hours cutting and storing firewood. Imagine trying to guess how much wood you are going to need for one winter season? Of course, if you saw you were running low, you always could head out to the woods and start cutting, but in freezing temperatures, it would be hard and exhausting work! Better to stock up when the weather was good and the wood softer

During the winter months, fires were rarely allowed to die. However, if a warm spell was followed by a super cold snap, chances are you better be able to find your flint and steel to start another fire. Since matches were not even common until about 1900, if you were without flint and steel, you would have to hoof it to a neighbor’s house to “borrow” some hot coals.

Last, but not least, clothing. The early Americans wore clothes they had made themselves, usually from cotton they had raised or wool off of their sheep. A few men wore pants made of buckskin, but most wore outer clothes made from cotton. However, winter months required a bit of extra warmth, usually in the way of woolen (and scratchy) “long Johns.”

Trapping and hunting skills provided meat, so rifles or shotguns were very common. Some pioneers used simple traps to capture smaller game (rabbits or game birds).

However, for those who could manage it, livestock was invaluable. Pigs could be sold, traded or simply killed for meat. Cows also could provide both meat and milk. Goats were not as common, but in a pinch a goat will eat almost anything and it, too, provides milk and meat. Chickens have been kept for ages as a means of eggs and meat. Of course, these animals needed to be fed and protected, so during harsh winter months, if you couldn’t feed them, you ended up eating them.

First-Aid And Folk Remedies

Doctors also were few and far between. Many people learned common first-aid remedies and folk remedies, and they kept a variety of healing herbs on hand. Women, especially, shared this information with each other and often helped each other out during the difficulties of childbirth. If your child had a fever in a blizzard, you couldn’t call the doctor and you couldn’t just pop down to the local drug store. Pioneers relied on their own herbal remedies.

Since log cabins had few windows, lanterns and candles were the main source of light on dark days and long winter nights. Candles were commonly made from beeswax, with cotton wicks during the summer. Although kerosene could be bought for lamp fuel, its smoky blackness — and expense — made it unpopular. Many pioneers used fat from their animals for soap and for lamps.

How did pioneers prevent cabin fever after living for months in a 12X16 log cabin with who-knows-how-many people? Families would read out loud, make up stories, or recount family history. The sewing of clothes and the repair of farm tools would have taken some time, and games such as checkers helped to pass the time. With a bit of fortune, a family member even would have had a musical instrument to help fill the hours with a bit of song.

Although I really enjoy learning the old-fashioned ways of doing things, I’m not at all certain I could have survived during pioneer times. What about you? Do you think you could have survived during those times?

Share your thoughts and tips in the section below:

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