Level One Preparedness - An Easy Approach

[Vika]

Level One Preparedness - An Easy Approach

Of course we don’t all agree on the potential future scenarios that might see us needing to be prepared for some period of self-sufficiency. Will it be a natural disaster? Economic collapse? Devastating disease? Asteroid impact? Will the time of chaos last for 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, or 2 decades? I have my own prediction, but that wouldn’t carry much weight with anyone else, since opinions are free and plentiful, and there is little hard evidence to support any contention. What I propose here are some self-sufficiency preparations that might make sense no matter what your set of beliefs.

My idea is that everyone interested enough in this topic to be reading this forum would be well served to store as much of a one year supply of provisions as your budget and storage space allows, by focusing on those items you will use up in one to two years anyway, and then rotate through those supplies for your daily needs. Here is a list of some items you might consider:

Flour
Sugar
Salt
Rice
Dried Beans
Pasta
Yeast
Hot cereals, such as oatmeal
Peanut butter
Canned Evaporated milk
Canned vegetables
Canned fruit
Canned spaghetti and pizza sauce
Canned refried beans
Canned salsa
Spices
Coffee
Cooking oil
Soap
Spare reading glasses
Toiler paper

Even if you think it a silly idea that we might face a one-year period of chaos, what is the harm in buying ahead (if you can afford it and have space to store it) those items that you use and like to eat anyway? Everything on this list will keep on your shelf for two years. The only ones that might not keep easily are the peanut butter and the rice. The rice will probably keep for two years if you buy in bulk 25 pounds bags and first put each bag in your freezer for a week to kill and mealworm eggs that might be present. Buy what you use, rotate it, and nothing is more than one or two years old. Jut buy a little less peanut butter.

Of course, if you eat out six meals a week, that will stretch out the age of your supply.

If there is only a two or three week need for self-sufficiency, and if you have a two-year supply of food on hand, you could be a lifesaver for neighbors who haven’t prepared.

With the world facing a likely food and energy shortage, if you buy in bulk, in advance, and on sale as the opportunity permits, and if the food isn’t needed for a time of food scarcity, the only thing that will happen is that you’ll save a lot of money.

Sorry if this post has bored you old timers, since there is nothing new in any of this, but the problem with this approach is that it doesn’t provide anything to address your need for water, shelter, or security. If anyone is interested, in another post I will tell you my ideas regarding Level Two Preparedness.

[Rick]

Vika - I commend your foresight. I don't finding it boring at all. Your approach is also to be commended. You are right. It does not matter what you believe may happen, preparation is still a requirement.

I don't stock a years worth of supplies and here's why. If I have to bug in for ANY reason then a year's worth of supplies makes perfect sense. I can't argue with it at all. What happens if I'm forced to bug out? What if I find out my place is another Times Beach, Missouri? What do I do with my reserves if wild fire threatens? How will I salvage my food if my home is vaporized by a tornado?

I'm trying to find that happy medium between what I can keep on hand to keep me and my family alive and what I can move in a short amount of time if I have to. I don't have the magic formula. I just do the best I can. It's one of the reasons I work so hard in identifying different wild edibles. I KNOW I will have to supplement my food stores and might even have to rely on Mother Nature.

I don't criticize you at all. If I had some place below ground that I knew my food would be safe then I'd be a lot more comfortable about stocking much more.

[crashdive123]

Vika - Not boring at all. I do admire your approach and attitude.

[Teotwawki]

Something not on your list: provisions for water.

Lots of people will have no water if the power goes out. Cities maintain about a 3 day supply of chemicals for water treatment - so a loss of potable water may be caused for some by interruption in transport and probably a number of other circumstances.

Provisions could be lots of bottled water, a well with manual pump (got the well and have ordered a manual pump), natural body of water and means of treating (bleach) or boiling. Thirst will get ya before hunger does. We got all three going pending arrival and installation of the pump.

[dragonjimm]

nice post.. i would like to add canned meat and soup starters to the list as well as instant potatoes. you should also keep in mind if you do any sort of canning or freeze you're own vegetables. My mom freezes everything so i use to worry about keeping the freezer cold.

@Teotwawki...I have a small pur water filter and a few spare cartridges to help with the drinking water

[LindyLu]

Just thought I would hop in here. I am still on a steep learning curve as to the safe storage of food. Rather than order expensive, food safe plastic buckets, I have found that delis will give their used ones away or sell them to you very cheap. After some research, I have learned you can order oxygen absorbing packets to put in the filled bucket before sealing and this will enable you to store food for 10-15 years. Grains, flour, cornmeal and rice should be deep frozen for 2 weeks and then should be good to go. I don't have a basement - really dumb decision - but do have a good dry crawl space and am considering storing some of the buckets down there. Problem being...rodents. Living on a mountain in a forest makes for frequent mice invasions. I think they can chew through plastic so I would need to put the plastic bucket ito a metal one. Any other ideas?

[crashdive123]

LindyLu - Where rodents are concerned, and if you are storing your pails in an area where they can get to them (yes they can chew through plastic and their sense of smell is about 200 times more sensitive than ours) you can rodent proof your crawl space using 1/4 inch hardware cloth (be careful when working with it - sharp edges when you cut it).

[Chicago Dan]

Good post vika and I also commend your approach.

I like Rick and some others am riding the fence. I store some food/supplies for a shorter period of time. Look at my username and you can see in my local that long term storage may not be the best use of my funds. In all likelihood if something catastrophic happens I would have to leave for my “other” local(no I am not able to store there). Anyway I also don’t think taking it on the lamb from the big windy would be in a situation where I could load up the van with 2,000LBs worth of food.

Soooo, I agree if it is feasible(cost,space,your location,etc.) then yes you are defiantly on the right track and sadly far too few are preparing as well as you under those circumstances but it my situation it just doesn’t work out so cleanly and I and other may need other contingencies( I guess that‘s why were here).

P.S. One thing that may be just unstated but just as important to the items you listed is the skills to use them. I have yet to meet a man who knew how to properly utilize dry yeast(proofing, etc.) Just one more of those skills our parents and/or grandparents knew that is vanishing.

Anyhoo, good post. Keep it up!

[Vika]

Thanks for all of the comments. You make many good points. Yes, Teotwawki, as much bottled water (or even tap water) as you can store will be a big help in many scenarios. But beyond the few days/weeks that you can stretch your water stocks, if there is no electricity, and the city resevoir is empty, the seriousness escalates a lot.

And yes, Dragonjim, many other kinds of food are candidate for inclusion, from Mac and Cheese, to canned tuna, to jam, to Fig Newtons, and lots else. The point here is to consider all of the stuff that you buy and use anyway, but that doesn't need to be refrigerated or frozen. But buy more of it so that you aren't one of the typical U.S. citizens that will be in dire straights once the grocery stores shelves are empty on the morning of day three.

This level of preparedness could make many situations much more comfortable/survivable, but there are serious limitations, and you already recognize many of them.

[Sam Reeves]

Something not on your list: provisions for water.

Lots of people will have no water if the power goes out. Cities maintain about a 3 day supply of chemicals for water treatment - so a loss of potable water may be caused for some by interruption in transport and probably a number of other circumstances.

Provisions could be lots of bottled water, a well with manual pump (got the well and have ordered a manual pump), natural body of water and means of treating (bleach) or boiling. Thirst will get ya before hunger does. We got all three going pending arrival and installation of the pump.

Preparing for a water shortage is something that hardly nobody does. Wells go dry. God only knows what can happen to rivers and creeks. City water can only last for so long.
Your average family consumes at least two gallons of milk a day. If folks would only refill the milk jugs with tap water in just one years time they would have over 100 gallons of water.

[crashdive123]

A word of caution. You should NEVER use milk containers to store anything. No matter how well you clean them, some of the dairy product will remain and cause whatever else you store to go bad.

[Sam Reeves]

A word of caution. You should NEVER use milk containers to store anything. No matter how well you clean them, some of the dairy product will remain and cause whatever else you store to go bad.

I see what you are saying but wouldn't you need to purify it anyway if it sit stagnant for a year?

[crashdive123]

If You are Preparing Your Own Containers of Water
It is recommended you purchase food-grade water storage containers from surplus or camping supplies stores to use for water storage. Before filling with water, thoroughly clean the containers with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Follow directions below on filling the container with water.
If you choose to use your own storage containers, choose two-liter plastic soft drink bottles – not plastic jugs or cardboard containers that have had milk or fruit juice in them. Milk protein and fruit sugars cannot be adequately removed from these containers and provide an environment for bacterial growth when water is stored in them. Cardboard containers also leak easily and are not designed for long-term storage of liquids. Also, do not use glass containers, because they can break and are heavy.
If storing water in plastic soda bottles, follow these steps
Thoroughly clean the bottles with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap.Sanitize the bottles by adding a solution of 1 teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water. Swish the sanitizing solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. After sanitizing the bottle, thoroughly rinse out the sanitizing solution with clean water
Source: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/water.shtm

[Sam Reeves]

– not plastic jugs or cardboard containers that have had milk or fruit juice in them. Milk protein and fruit sugars cannot be adequately removed from these containers and provide an environment for bacterial growth when water is stored in them
I've used them several times when I go on extended camping trips. I don't expect everybody to as tough as an ole redneck, though.

Anyway, that is good advice and I stand corrected.

[Riverrat]

Good post Vika, We do alot of our own canning and freezing, we just put up 15 bottles of fiddleheads, and froze another 15. I am preparing to bug-in, so I try to put up as much as we safely can. I do have a slight advantage, in the area where I live, most people have been "putting up" thier own food for quite awhile now, so I get advice from the local old timers. I look forward to reading your "level two". Thanks

LindyLu, as Crash says, mesh wire works great at keeping out mice. I worked at sporting camps and this is how we kept our food supplies safe and rodent free. We did the inside walls, floor and celing of a small buliding and kept our stores there. Get the finest mesh as you can, and make sure it is a wire as mice can get through very small holes.

[Rick]

Re: Water Storage.

Remember that your water heater is a also a water reservoir. If things go bad, make sure you shut off the primary valve so water can't be siphoned out of the tank. Shut off the electricity or gas valve, open the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank so air can enter and use the drain valve at the bottom to draw water from the tank.

Each of your toilets also has a reservoir of water. If you don't use toilet bowl cleansers in them then the water is still potable.

You can purchase water storage buckets and/or cans just about anywhere.

I have a 50 gal. electric hot water heater, two 5 gallon water cans, and an MSR Sweetwater water filter system with extra filter.

[Arkansas_Ranger]

Level One Preparedness - An Easy Approach

Of course we don’t all agree on the potential future scenarios that might see us needing to be prepared for some period of self-sufficiency. Will it be a natural disaster? Economic collapse? Devastating disease? Asteroid impact? Will the time of chaos last for 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, or 2 decades? I have my own prediction, but that wouldn’t carry much weight with anyone else, since opinions are free and plentiful, and there is little hard evidence to support any contention. What I propose here are some self-sufficiency preparations that might make sense no matter what your set of beliefs.

My idea is that everyone interested enough in this topic to be reading this forum would be well served to store as much of a one year supply of provisions as your budget and storage space allows, by focusing on those items you will use up in one to two years anyway, and then rotate through those supplies for your daily needs. Here is a list of some items you might consider:

Flour
Sugar
Salt
Rice
Dried Beans
Pasta
Yeast
Hot cereals, such as oatmeal
Peanut butter
Canned Evaporated milk
Canned vegetables
Canned fruit
Canned spaghetti and pizza sauce
Canned refried beans
Canned salsa
Spices
Coffee
Cooking oil
Soap
Spare reading glasses
Toiler paper

Even if you think it a silly idea that we might face a one-year period of chaos, what is the harm in buying ahead (if you can afford it and have space to store it) those items that you use and like to eat anyway? Everything on this list will keep on your shelf for two years. The only ones that might not keep easily are the peanut butter and the rice. The rice will probably keep for two years if you buy in bulk 25 pounds bags and first put each bag in your freezer for a week to kill and mealworm eggs that might be present. Buy what you use, rotate it, and nothing is more than one or two years old. Jut buy a little less peanut butter.

Of course, if you eat out six meals a week, that will stretch out the age of your supply.

If there is only a two or three week need for self-sufficiency, and if you have a two-year supply of food on hand, you could be a lifesaver for neighbors who haven’t prepared.

With the world facing a likely food and energy shortage, if you buy in bulk, in advance, and on sale as the opportunity permits, and if the food isn’t needed for a time of food scarcity, the only thing that will happen is that you’ll save a lot of money.

Sorry if this post has bored you old timers, since there is nothing new in any of this, but the problem with this approach is that it doesn’t provide anything to address your need for water, shelter, or security. If anyone is interested, in another post I will tell you my ideas regarding Level Two Preparedness.


Please add toothpaste and toothbrushes.

[Rick]

I would second the tooth care.

You might also consider powder milk and powdered eggs. I can drink powdered milk but I can't do the canned stuff.

[Madrox]

Reviving an old thread: So bulk rice should be frozen for 2 weeks? If so can it be ziplock bagged then stored or should one use a "seal a meal" device?

Just bought bulk rice\grain\etc and this is very valuable info. I've read up on storing bulk and this is the first time I've read to freeze rice.

[crashdive123]

Madrox - my reason for freezing rice would be to kill any rice weevils or other pantry pests that may be present. (I don't think two weeks is necessary). I have then put my rice in double zip locks. The white rice will store for many years. I don't keep more than 6 months or so of brown rice on hand (rotating stores) as the oil in it does not allow storage for as long.

[Madrox]

Thanks for the clarification Crash, I appreciate it :)

[crashdive123]

Some people may have different thoughts on it. I know that some just fill their food grade buckets directly and use O2 absorbers. Mine are the 5 gallon big box store variety with resealable lids.

[Rick]

Out of curiosity, where do you folks store these supplies? That's a lot of rice, etc. to keep in the house.

[crashdive123]

For me, I've got my supplies in a few different locations. In the house, in two different storage sheds and in my workshop. As far a dry food, I've got about 15 of the 5 gallon buckets (white rice, brown rice, large variety of beans and peas, ramen noodles, MRE's). If it's a bug out due to evacuation (hurricane or whatever) the buckets only take a few minutes to load up.

[LudwigVan]

If You are Preparing Your Own Containers of Water
It is recommended you purchase food-grade water storage containers from surplus or camping supplies stores to use for water storage. Before filling with water, thoroughly clean the containers with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Follow directions below on filling the container with water.
If you choose to use your own storage containers, choose two-liter plastic soft drink bottles – not plastic jugs or cardboard containers that have had milk or fruit juice in them. Milk protein and fruit sugars cannot be adequately removed from these containers and provide an environment for bacterial growth when water is stored in them. Cardboard containers also leak easily and are not designed for long-term storage of liquids. Also, do not use glass containers, because they can break and are heavy.
If storing water in plastic soda bottles, follow these steps
Thoroughly clean the bottles with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap.Sanitize the bottles by adding a solution of 1 teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water. Swish the sanitizing solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. After sanitizing the bottle, thoroughly rinse out the sanitizing solution with clean water
Source: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/water.shtm

Just a side note that plastic soda bottles are photodegradable. If you're planning to store them for a long time, my suggestion would be to put a dark blanket or tablecloth over them. I also have seen people put a bunch of 3 liter soda bottles in one of those big stackable rubbermaid containers. I have been told that you should put a drop of bleach in if it's going to sit for a long time.

[Rick]

Almost all plastic is photodegradable. Some just breaks down much sooner than others.

[LudwigVan]

Almost all plastic is photodegradable. Some just breaks down much sooner than others.

Well plastic used in soda bottles breaks down fairly fast compared to most other things. Whenever I pick up a plastic bottle on the side of the road that's been sitting in the sun for a few weeks it's usually very brittle. It's probably nothing to worry about if it's being stored inside, but I personally prefer to take the extra consideration seeing as you might be living off of that water someday, and it would suck if you lost it because the bottle cracked and spilled when you need it most.

Like the old proverb goes, better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[Rick]

You bet. Couldn't agree more. An ounce of prevention and all that.

[LudwigVan]

This guy on youtube has a set of videos on how to do 5 gallon bucket storage, he uses mylar bags though:

http://www.youtube.com/user/delta69alpha

[Madrox]

awesome link LudwigVan... there goes several hours to watch those videos :)

[LudwigVan]

I don't know if anyone is familiar with these but they seem ideal for food prep:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=266012

You could do the mylar thing and screw on one of these, the idea being that when you open the bag after 6 or 7 years or more you can still keep it well sealed.

[crashdive123]

Good stuff guys.

[Rick]

If you are looking for food grade buckets, try your local grocery store's bakery department. Their icing comes in food grade buckets that most of them throw away. You can usually get them for free. I asked at Kroger's and they said I could have all I wanted. The buckets smell sweet from the icing but they clean up okay.

Here is a key to the recycle info on the bottom:

1 PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) some waterproof packaging
2 HDPE (high density polyethylene) Milk, detergent and oil bottles, toys and plastic bags
3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) Food wrap, vegetable oil bottles, bubble wrap
4 LDPE (low density polyethylene) Many plastic bags, shrink wrap, garment bags
5 PP (polypropylene) Refrigerated containers, some bags, most bottle tops, some carpets, some food wrap
6 PS (polystyrene) Throwaway utensils, meat packaging, protective packaging
7 Other (mixed plastics) No recycling potential - must be landfilled.
(Society of the Plastics Industry - SDI)

[Madrox]

So if i don't have mylar and a sealer could I use the 2.5 gallon Ziploc and just press the air out of them and put a few of them into a paint bucket? I'm planning to get food grade but if i have to use the other method I'm curious if it would work ok.

[Rick]

I think one of the videos LudwigVan posted said odors can migrate through plastic bags especially if it's stored near petroleum products.

[Dave Johns]

Excellent thread - I am glad I didn't have to be the gravedig on it, too!


I am slowly building up my food inventory; each trip to the grocery store, I try to buy $10-$20 more than I need for the next week: getting easy to prepare, but long shelf life foods like canned meats, soups, pasta and rice. I have enough now to last my immediate family for about 4 weeks, so now I think I am going to start in on the long-term storage of staples like grains, beans, and rice. Good info on the 5gal buckets. Anyone recommend a good supplier of the O2 absorbers?

Also, has anyone had any luck with direct-burial of foodstuffs in these containers? (I would imagine needing to wrap them in something, just not sure the best method to safely store over a longer period)

Thanks
Dave

[crashdive123]

You can find some here Dave http://www.survivalunlimited.com/buckets.htm

Note: I have not purchased anything from this site.

[Dave Johns]

Thanks CD, I will check them out.

[Dave Johns]

So, has anyone had any luck with direct-burial of the 5 gallon drums? I wonder how many layers of protective material i need to add?

[Dave Johns]

I presume that is a "no".

[tonester]

very good post vika. your post is actually very helpful to me as i am new to food storing.

[crashdive123]

Dave - it's not that I haven't had any luck with it.....I haven't had any experience with it.