foodstorage | Being prepared today

November 2, 2021

How to prepare for the looming supply chain crisis

Empty store shelves, Worker shortages, lack of truck drivers and mountainous unemployment rates are all symptoms and causes of a supply chain crisis.

We’ve all seen some things become scarce in the past few weeks. Being prepared for a supply chain crisis doesn’t have to be the end of the world.

I know that a food storage will be a good start and help many people come out on the other side of the situation in decent shape. However, there are other things to take into consideration for you and your family as well .

We will be covering areas of concern so to best prepare for a supply chain crisis.

Causes of a supply chain crisis

At the present time the covid-19 pandemic caused disruptive shut downs of businesses and stores as well as the trucking and transport industries but coupled with a boom in demand and overregulation as we reopen, it is causing a huge bottleneck in the supply chain. Low labor participation and clogged ports are also to blame.

An article from Nationalreview.com gives, in depth, some facts about the crunch we may all be experiencing soon.

An extremely high unemployment rate mean less workers, in other words a worker shortage. If you don’t have enough workers to stock shelves or fill orders then you will wind up with bare shelves at the grocery store.

Factories will have a hard time producing their product. Even the medical field will be shorthanded which means they will end up over-capacity or lacking proper PPE.

It is said that if the trucking industry were to come to a complete stop for just 24 hours, It would take two months to get back on track. Essentials like bottled water and canned as well as fresh goods disappear fast. ATM’s run out of cash. Banks unable to process transactions.

Service stations will completely run out of fuel and garbage will pile up in urban and suburban areas.

Ports of entry on the coast are being over regulated due to quarantine requirements and so it is causing a major slow down of distribution.

Thinking ahead of a supply chain crisis

Be up to date on current events and economics. You should be able to make your own educated assumptions. By doing so you are being well prepared for a crunch on the economy. Government policies and banking policies will play a part in economic performance.

Figure out what essentials might disappear from the shelves first. Buy a few extra items when you shop and store them away with your food storage.

If you have the skills and are already fairly self sufficient it will be a huge determining factor on how bad a financial or supply crisis will hurt you.

Adapting to an ever changing world may mean that we need to return in part to old world skills like gardening and canning. These skills will not only save you money but generate the peace of mind and comfort of knowing you have a backup plan.

Our dependency on the system and how to minimize it

The world as a whole is evolving into a society that depends almost wholly on technology. It seems that a major part of the world doesn’t know how to do or make a lot of things for themselves and so a majority of us are vastly dependent on just in time delivery and social media.

Old world skills like making clothing as well as other skills that provide independence are being forgotten. They are known as The Lost Ways because we are forgetting these skills and also not teaching them to our children.

Simple solutions call for us to Learn some of these skills. Produce some of your own goods or skills and learn to trade with our neighbors for example. Do it yourselfers not only have but also teach some of these skills and also are learning new skills everyday. YouTube has some really good channels that have do it yourself videos.’

Resulting economic damage

The result has created shortages of key manufacturing components, order backlogs, delivery delays and a spike in transportation costs and consumer prices. Unless the situation is resolved soon, the consequences for the global

economy may be dire.

Inflation of a different sorts is taking place where too many dollars are chasing too few goods. The US GDP is down to scary levels of 2.0 in the second and third quarter of 2021 and is also dropping rapidly.

This supply chain crisis is effecting not just the US but also the rest of the world. Many will either adapt to the changes or find alternatives in their lifestyles, for example, changing the way they budget or conserving energy at a higher rate. Many will possibly just go without certain items or learn to ration as we fight against our country descending into the third world.

Our government needs to relax restrictions and regulations. It’s killing the trucking and transport industries which is ultimately leading to this dire situation. Our government is treating American businesses and the American worker like an enemy of the state. It is suppressing the ability of small businesses and independent contractors.

Hope for any relief only comes from the people and the drive to keep going! Here in America is the pride of hard work and the joy of success so we should not settle for anything less.

I hope this article is helpful and informative. If you have any questions, comments or input please feel free to do so in the box below.

Thanks

October 18, 2021

The art of water glassing for storage

So you ask what is water glassing??

Well, water glassing is a way to preserve and store your fresh eggs for a year or longer! Some people say that you can keep them up to 2 years under the correct conditions.

These eggs need to be fresh from the chicken within the day. You cannot preserve store bought eggs as the bloom (the membrane coating that protects the eggs) is rinsed off.

Just prior to laying an egg, a hen’s body will deposit a protein-like mucous coating on the outside of an egg. This protective coating is called the bloom or cuticle. This protective coating seals the pores of the eggshell, thereby prohibiting the transfer of bacteria from the exterior to the interior of the egg.

Why should I water glass?

Water glassing would be done if you desire to keep eggs fresh for as long as possible. Usually around 18 months.

It will keep them as if they were laid that same day.

The only reason for water glassing eggs is if you intend to sell them or keep them for a food storage or a root cellar.

Hens will lay eggs all year long if allowed to molt roughly every 2 weeks and fed properly. They are born with the capacity for thousands of eggs so they really only stop laying eggs from old age.

Ingredients used are quite simple

Water and two other types of material can be used to water glass eggs: sodium silicate or lime (calcium hydroxide). The type of lime to use is known as pickling lime, , and slaked lime.

Calcium hydroxide is a white chemical powder used in older pickling recipes to add a crispness to the finished product. It works by adding calcium into the pectin of the food that is to be pickled.

Here is a link to get a 5 lb. bag of pickling lime.

Lime is also harvested from limestone by a specific heating process shown here.

The glassing process

Use a container with a lid. If you don’t have a lid, use olive oil to coat the top of the exposed water in the container. Be sure and cover with a cloth to keep pests out and prevent evaporation.

You will need approximately 1oz hydrated lime per 1 quart of water. In a 5 gallon bucket you should only need 8 quarts of water as the eggs will take up most of the rest of the space you will be using. The size of your container will depend on the amount of eggs you want to preserve.

Mix the specified amounts of lime to water with a whisk or spoon. It should be almost a milky white. Now you can add your eggs.

When you add your eggs be sure that the point is down. The reason we point eggs down is that there’s an air pocket in each egg, so if you have it going toward the largest size, it’s not touching as much of the egg white and you’ll end up with a better quality egg.

Enjoying your eggs months later

Because you worked hard to preserve your eggs for the winter when hens begin to slow down their egg production, you will be able to enjoy fresh eggs as if you collected them that morning! Be sure to let your hens lay as they please and don’t force them in the winter months. It’s just how their biological clock works and you will get better quality eggs as a result.

I hope this article was helpful and informative.
If you have any questions, comments or input please feel free to do so in the box below.

Thanks

June 27, 2021June 27, 2021

Important items for your Food Storage

Maintaining a Functioning Food Storage can be time-consuming and require effort, does it not? All the rotating, packaging and mindfulness of the expiry dates? Also, trying to think of what’s important to have in there. For a food storage to be proper it has to be in use at the same time. It should include: dry foods, canned foods, foods that are packaged by you in some instances and even boxed foods. Some foods keep longer while some foods are going to be more beneficial to you and your family.

Some families have an “Everyday use” pantry and a separate long term storage but here, I would like to suggest an easier style of food storage, discuss all these topics and give some suggestions of important items as well as the “why’s” and “how’s” to maintain your Food Storage safely and efficiently.

Food Storage ease of maintenance

Finding a system that works for you when it comes to maintaining your food storage is important. Cans are easy but tedious to rotate and watch expiry dates but, however have a long shelf life of almost 5 years. Knowing what to have and what conditions to store it in for maximum shelf life is pretty important. Items that don’t require frequent replacement is a good start. Even though you will be rotating and pulling from your food storage, I suggest items that will keep for long periods of time because of the “unknown” situations that may arise.

Having enough space is something to consider. You will need the space as you add items and come up with other ideas for that area. A cold storage or separate pantry room with shelving will probably serve best to observe and access your storage for rotation and replacement use.

Food Storage items that can last a long time

Having a moisture content of less than 10% and when properly stored in #10 cans, dry foods such as rice, beans, corn, potato flakes, most dehydrated fruits and even nuts will keep for around 30 years. I personally use a bucket system and a few bulk storage containers, that involves airtight lids and trash bag liners for storing and rotating my dry foods. They are labeled with the dates that I filled them, just to keep track.

Freeze dried or vacuum sealing is an amazing way to store foods! You can prepare your favorite meals and freeze dry them or in some cases vacuum seal them and they keep for around 15 or 20 years in a cool, dry and dark room. Personally I use …….. And it works great!

Pre canned foods are a good start as they are already canned and really convenient to just throw on the shelf and walk away for a while but you need to

consider the expiry dates. They can last up to 5 years depending on storage conditions and as you buy more canned foods from the store you should put the new cans behind the old cans for ease of use. Self-canning and Jarring are fun ways to discover your power to be self-sufficient by storing your own food choices or even seal away the top picks of your garden treasures. There are several recipes for several different styles of jarring so research what you might like best and have fun!

Smoked meats can also last a while if stored properly in the freezer. Some sources say 3 months but I believe 6 months might be possible with proper wrapping and sealing procedures. Cured meats are close to the same but extended by about half again the time frame. For instance, if stored properly in the freezer it could last up to 18 months. Use a proper curing salt like Prague #2 or another salt that has needed levels of Sodium Nitrate as it will create inhospitable conditions for unwanted bacteria to grow.

Keep in mind calorie intake and nutrition! While some sources report differing totals, to be considered healthy an adult male will need around 2500 calories while an adult female will need 2000. Children will do good to get around 1500 making it a healthy total for proper growth. A 1-cup serving of cooked, long-grain brown rice contains 5 grams of protein, 45 carbohydrate grams, 2 grams of fat and 216 calories. The same serving size of cooked black beans without salt has approximately 15 grams of protein, which is 30 percent of the daily value set by the FDA based on a 2,000 calories per day diet, 41 grams of carbohydrate, less than 1 gram of fat and 227 calories.

Jarred and home made foods

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints has counciled it’s members on food storages and principles of provident living and charity. Many of the members enjoy aspects of these principles and lifestyle. The Church is a great resource to receive and learn from.

There are a lot of ideas for jarred foods that can be stored for long periods of time. Almost anything you can think of to seal in a jar, can be sealed in a jar. Some foods will naturally keep longer just because of the nature of the item or product. Vegetables grown in a garden and fruits from trees in your yard can be jarred and also jellied to sustain and provide for during the winter months and even save money throughout the year. Provident Living is a lifestyle more and more people are trying to acquaint themselves with as life and finances get tighter and tougher.

There are a lot of recipes for items that can keep for long periods of time after prepared such as Pemmican and some styles of breads. Shortbread cookies keep for a decent amount of time, between 4 to 8 weeks if kept in an airtight container and kept cool. Learning how to make bullion and bone broth cubes could also be beneficial as they will last indefinitely if made and stored properly.

Jarring fresh fruits and vegetables will provide for concentrated nutritional needs especially vitamin C, which an essential vitamin.

Miscellaneous items

Many people don’t think of water when they are considering items for their Food Storage. It’s actually quite important. Clean water sources may be abundant now but what if hard times come around like a drought? Believe it or not even a flood can wipe out clean water sources.

A non-food item that I believe is essential to any storage is toilet paper and feminine higene items. In and extended emergency situation they will not only provide an ample amount of comfort but also prove to be important to sanitary conditions and personal health.

Multi-vitamins provide a small portion of essential vitamins and minerals and although synthetic, they are beneficial in the sense that they can keep you from being nutrient deficient and they will keep for years unopened in a food storage setting.

Iodized salt is extremely important and I believe most people do not realize just how important it is. Food grade Iodine or rather potassium iodide, is an essential mineral that most vitamins do not offer unfortunately. It is also very scarce in the food we eat because it is mostly removed during processing. Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to produce hormones essential for the body and brain to function properly, including hormones related to growth and development.

Baking soda and cooking oils like vegetable oil and coconut oil are items I also highly recommended. Baking soda not only goes into baking goods like breads, cookies and pie but also removes odors by absorbing them without effect on itself. Vegetable oils and Coconut oil are a necessity for baking. A bonus is that coconut oil is very tasty when used as a substitute for vegetable oil and Coconut oil is also very healthy!

Tailoring your own food storage to your families needs

While not everyone has the same diet or digestive needs, most items in your storage room can be made into quite creative inventions. A food storage plan built around you and your family’s diet is definitely something to closely consider. If you are going to be using an active rotating food storage (this is just what I am calling it) then you will obviously not have too much of a problem keeping items common to you and your families dietary usuals. A drastic change in food items or in the nutrients that your family takes in wouldn’t be a matter of life or death but might cause some complaining and resistance.

While using an active rotating food storage is a good way to keep up on expiry dates and such things, if an emergency does arise you will have plenty of food, water and other essentials to keep you for a good while.

I hope this article was informative and helpful. If you have any questions, comments or other input you can do so in the comments below as it will help me to bring increasingly better information to you!

Thanks

Sources:

ChurchOfJesusChrist.org

Ready.gov

Theprovidentprepper.org

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Tag: foodstorage

How to prepare for the looming supply chain crisis

The art of water glassing for storage

Important items for your Food Storage

Food Storage ease of maintenance

Food Storage items that can last a long time

Jarred and home made foods

Miscellaneous items

Tailoring your own food storage to your families needs

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