# Bulk salt?



## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

Any good sources for bulk salt? Can I use livestock salt, just smash it finer? Of do I just have to buy a case of those little round boxes?

Kathie


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I recommend Redmond brand.
It comes in 50# bags for around 8-10 bucks.... is high in trace minerals, including natural iodine, as it is mined from an ancient sea bed well below the earth's surface. 
Comes from Redmond, Utah.


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## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

I buy 25# bags of granulated salt for about $5. Costco or LDS.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

What stores sell those? I don't have credit cards to order via internet and would like to check those items out locally.

How do you store those for long-time keep?


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## Just Cliff (Nov 27, 2008)

motdaugrnds said:


> What stores sell those? I don't have credit cards to order via internet and would like to check those items out locally.
> 
> How do you store those for long-time keep?


Not sure where in Va. you live. A store in South Boston (Supply Line)carries the large bags. Even some Food Lions carry them. 
You can keep it in buckets. It wont go bad, it will get hard or clumped if it gets too much moisture.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Do you have a Costco near you? 25# bags are about $4. Or check out a restaurant supply store - they sell to the public and should carry bags of salt.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I just keep the bulk livestock salt on hand. If it gets clumpy, I'd either smash it, or put it in a pepper grinder that'll also grind salt.

Can't think of a more important prep item with the least cost today, that might be priceless in a long term system down scenario. For the cost of taking the family out to eat, one could have a lifetime supply of salt on hand... and enough to trade later on...


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## NewGround (Dec 19, 2010)

I've got a 50 lb bag in my basement my brother picked up for me at the feed store... Don't recall the cost but you are right I need way more...


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

I like to use Redmond brand Real Salt for our house salt and I use Redmond brand Animal salt for my livestock. It is coarser so I bought a salt mill so as to be able to use it in the house if needed too. Plus, the animal salt is REALLY cheap in comparison to the table variety.


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

We use to buy the one pound bags of Redmond Real Salt for about $7, then my husband discovered that the livestock salt was made by Redmond. I called the company and had a nice chat with a gentleman there and he would not confirm my suspicions, but did not deny them either. When I would ask a question wanting him to confirm what I thought, he would say that he could not tell me it was ok to eat it. I asked him if the only difference in the Real Salt and the livestock salt was the anti-caking agent and he didn't say anything. It was an interesting conversation actually. So, we buy the livestock salt for $5.29 for 50# from the feedstore for US as well as the cows!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I am wondering about the iodine. Maybe iodine is not in the animal salt.

Thanks for the info. I'm going to check those stores out around here next week and put some up. I suspect Texican is right about it's winding up to be one of the most valuable prep items we could put up.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

At Winco they have sea salt in the bins for 21 cents a pound. I don't know if they give a discount for buying a bag though.
When you store your salt don't put it in jars with metal lids. The salt corodes them. I know most people would know that, but just in case.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

YOur grocery should be able to get the larger bags in for you also. I'd store in it jars or sealed bags rather than the containers it comes in.


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## Del Gue (Apr 5, 2010)

You can buy 50# sacks of Morton table salt at the feed mill.
It's food grade salt. It's cheap.


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

I will have my hubby look at the bag and see what it says about iodine.


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## Del Gue (Apr 5, 2010)

At agway when I got mine (for salting hay bales) they had both types, with or without iodide.


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## DryHeat (Nov 11, 2010)

About a year ago, the 99c-Only chain had a week of odd specials at a grand opening of a new store location here. One of the odd things I'd never seen before, or since, was a pallet stacked with 25# bags of "Pocahontas" brand (iodized table) salt, $1 a bag for as many as you wanted. I bought a couple, went home and thought about it and went back the next day so I had 250# total, now stashed away in a nice dry lower garage cabinet. Not enough to set me up in business after a TEOTWAWKI development like the folks in Jericho, KS, but I figured a harmless indulgence at worst at that price.


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## wottahuzzee (Jul 7, 2006)

Check and see if you have a GFS (Gordon Food Services, IIRC, a restaurant supply company) in your area. I have bought the 25-lb bags of iodized table salt there.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

Regular table salt Diamond Crystal (salt, silicon dioxide, tricalcium phosphate, dextrose sodium bicarbonate and potassium iodide) has 103 teaspoons per pound


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## chickenman (May 13, 2002)

Forerunner said:


> I recommend Redmond brand.
> It comes in 50# bags for around 8-10 bucks.... is high in trace minerals, including natural iodine, as it is mined from an ancient sea bed well below the earth's surface.
> Comes from Redmond, Utah.




Forerunner, 

Is this the salt that Redmond sells as 'agricultural salt'? I've checked around for Real Salt in the 50lb bag and some places are charging as much as $80 a bag for it.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

I cant find the Redmond salt at either of our feed stores. 
I travel alot for work, so if anyone knows where I can get it within 2 hrs of the Scranton PA area (including NY and NJ) Id appreciate it


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Redmond does offer both, RealSalt&#8482;, and ag salt. I buy the ag in the 50#.
Occasionally, I buy the real salt in a twenty-five pound box that contains two bags, last was a dollar a pound. The real difference is the occasional grit of mineral that you get at the bottom of a bowl of soup with the ag salt. We have put that in the blender with good results. I don't know what they do to the table service grade to remove the grit.
Either will work fine for long term, storage, barterable, preservative, etc.
It all depends on your wallet and your preference.

Here's a leg up, maybe.....

http://www.redmondnatural.com/


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## chickenman (May 13, 2002)

Well if the difference between $8 and $80 is just a little grit, then I'll go with the agricultural salt. 

I've seen the Redmond ag salt here at our Tractor Supply Co. (southwest Pa)


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

They also sell a Redmondâ¢ _Conditioner_, which is the mineral rich overburden from atop the salt deposits. Same basic price per 50 pounds.
They sell it as a livestock feed mineral enhancement.
I may be nuts (lately to be considered a drug by the FDA) but I buy the stuff to sprinkle around my garden plants before I mulch. Minerals is minerals......and my understanding is that there has been a depletion....:shrug:


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

Thanks for the suggestions! I do buy redmond's for my use from the Amish bulk store but it is like $7/pound. Cheap enough by use but pricey for a stockpile! Do see that the Amish feedmill has it. Will stop by the next time I am up there.

Thanks!

Kathie


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

I get mine from Azure Standard out of Oregon www.azurestandard.com and their current prices are
25 lbs $49.40 for Redmond Real Salt 
$7.80 for 50 lbs of Redmond Animal salt

You can see why I bought a salt mill. I do have at least 1 25lb bag of Real Salt on hand, but I keep more animal salt around...in fact I plan to order several bags again next month. Would be lovely to fill a 55 gallon barrel (or 2) with bags of animal salt.


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## EarthSheltered (May 9, 2008)

This is why I love this Forum :dance:

Just yesterday I had the 'we need salt' conversation with DH. I came on here too look at the TSC site, but decided to check here first. 

I guess great minds think alike.

I'm not sure anywhere sells it cheaper than my Amish Bulk Store, which is .25 a lb. They sell Sea Salt too, but that is .50 a lb. Baking Soda .55 a lb last time I got some.


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

SquashNut said:


> At Winco they have sea salt in the bins for 21 cents a pound. I don't know if they give a discount for buying a bag though.
> When you store your salt don't put it in jars with metal lids. The salt corodes them. I know most people would know that, but just in case.


Just got home from Winco. 50# bag of sea salt was 9.99. We usually just buy a bag out of the bin, but wanted to start stocking up on it.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

If you store your salt in barrels, use plastic barrels..... steel will corrode quickly with salt laying against it.

The only way around that is to leave the salt in the bag for storage, but even at that, any salt on the outside of the bag will corrode steel quickly.


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

my barrels are all plastic, but I would also leave the salt in the bags for easy removal to a more usable container (AKA 5 gallon buckets). That's what we do with most of our feedstuffs that we don't use LOTS of...have one barrel full and then fill 5 gallon buckets for everyday access. It's just easier that way.


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Local feed store sells ag salt for about $5/50 lb bag. If you need salt that bad or for trade, a few bags will do just fine.


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