# Short Term Prepping for Singles



## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Ebola has me thinking I probably should be a little better prepared than I am. Without getting too paranoid, I'm thinking that I need to worry not just about food and water for 4-6 months, but also be prepared for the grid to go down - either or both. If there is any type of outbreak - flu, Ebola, etc, I think one place I don't want to go is the grocery store.

I have my little trailer, so I have a propane stove, refrigerator, and heat if I need it. I have 200 watts of solar power on the trailer so I have lights and enough power to keep all my gadgets and computer charged. So as long as I have enough propane, I'm good.

Where I am weak is I depend largely on perishable food. If I lose power, my little propane refrigerator would only hold 3 or 4 days of food. So I am looking for ideas on storable foods I can substitute for perishables.

The types of things I am looking for are storable forms of eggs, cheese, butter, and cream. Also freeze dried meals. I'm looking for items that can be part of my usual diet and not things that sit on the shelf for 25 years. I'm leaning more toward camping food than disaster prep foods.

This is one item I was thinking about. I believe it is equivalent of 4 dozen eggs. Expensive, but doesn't take up much space. They also make the equivalent for butter, milk, cheese, etc.
















Ideas and thoughts?


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I'm not much of a milk drinker but do use it in cooking. Parmalat has shelf stable liquid milk products or you can go with powdered depending on your needs. I use 1/2 and 1/2 in my coffee and just picked up a box of Land O Lakes Mini Moos to keep in the cupboard for power outages and the occasional "crap I forgot to get cream for my coffee" days.

Never tried any of the powdered egg products but I would think they're like those scrambled eggs you get on hotel buffet breakfasts.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

It's always good to have a cupboard that can support you in case of any type disaster, be it Ebola or tornadoes or a massive winter storm. I've probably got enough provisions in the house for six months, even more if I forage just a little in the surrounding woods (nine deer eating on the cow pea cover crop a few nights ago). 

As for additions, you might consider bulk wheat. You can make a lot of bread with one five gallon pail of wheat kernels (need some kind of grinder though...available on Amazon). You should consider your meds and how to provide for those in a pinch also.

As for Ebola in particular, I'm not as worried about that as I would be about a new strain of bird flu. The last epidemic that caused tens of millions of deaths was the flu at the end of WWI/Great War. A bird flu would be hard to stop via quarantine. Silly birds do not recognize nor respect national boundaries.

Good luck with your preps.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

This is why y'all haven't seen me much on the forum lately. Been very busy rounding out my preps. They have diagnosed a 2nd health care worker as positive for ebola and are monitoring the boyfriend of the 1st nurse.

I went and bought chickens yesterday. It is easy to store chicken food in metal trash cans and to grow food for them, so I don't bother storing eggs. 

Water is a big concern. You can live on beans and rice which are easy to store, but you can't live long without water. I'm working on learning to make flat breads since I don't have an oven and if I end up with no power for some reason I can make flat breads over an open fire.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

get ready...times wasting


the best powdered milk is neido in mexican section...its whole milk if you want to go that route.


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

Keeping staples rather than prepared foods is cheaper and gives some flexibility for those that are decent cooks. Keeping at least two weeks on hand is good, a month to two months is better. Don't forget soap, TP, paper towels, paper plates, etc. Having basic camp gear can help get through power outages. Having some Coleman gas or propane on hand shouldn't need mentioning. I'm more of a fan of Coleman gas appliances, they are cheaper in the long run, and most can run on unleaded gas if need be. I have a lantern as well as a stove.

Cooler weather helps with food preservation if the power goes out, food can be kept outside, but guard it in a cooler and where dogs, birds or other critters cant get to it. Coolers can be left open in the cold part of the night then closed in the day to help keep them cold. Coolers can also help keep stuff from freezing overnight when it gets that cold.

Eggs aren't as problematical as most think. They last quite a long time with any effort, and can last a couple months even at room temp. Store bought don't last as long as home grown and UNWASHED eggs. Washing removes the protective bloom that helps them resist bacteria and decay. The texture and taste can begin to be lost over long term, but they will be safe to eat for quite a while. Heres a test that was done with various methods. Some traditional methods were OK, some were worse than room temp and doing nothing.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-store-fresh-eggs-zmaz77ndzgoe.aspx#axzz3GE1iYH8M

I'm not as concerned about simply going to town and the store. There are things that you can do to reduce the possibility of contracting anything. Pay with credit card that YOU swipe, use the self checkout if possible (less of someone with public exposure touching all your food, card and receipt, or handing dirty money back to you), disinfecting all your stuff when you get home, using copious amounts of hand cleaner when touching things out in public, including before touching your keys and steering wheel, after loading groceries, after touching groceries when getting home, and simply time. After a couple days, the Ebola and most bugs don't survive. I keep several small bottles of hand sanitizers around so I can always find them. I keep a bottle in my pocket at all times in cold and flu season, more in the truck, and a large bottle at home to refill the small ones. The tiny bottles haven't been around for several years, they were very easy to have along without being a nuisance.

Touching your face is a no-no when out. Pretty much everyone does it subconsciously, but you need to make it a habit of NOT doing it. One time of rubbing your nose, eyes or face can make all the other preparations pretty well nul and void, a waste of time. Be self aware at all times in public if infection is a concern.

If we're talking a serious flu season or spread of Ebola cases, having a mask with you (on your body, not in the car), ready to use, gloves ready (there are belt carriers for first responders that have them instantly ready to pull out and use), and the willingness to look goofy wearing the stuff if it seems like the smart thing to do at the time. Being very aware of your hands is one of the main things though, and where I think most infections will occur.

Texmex, I found a used oven from a camper for a reasonable price. It has a three burner stove top, and a small oven. I had a stand made that put it at the right height and has storage below. It runs on propane, which is simple with a 5 gal bottle and regulator. A regular stove works fine too if set up for propane. Apartment sizes are nice, they aren't as wide if space is a consideration.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

> the best powdered milk is neido in mexican section...its whole milk if you want to go that route.


:awh: I'm in an ethnic food paradise and none of the dozen grocery stores around me carry Nido. I've been wanting to try it since everyone raves about it.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I favor canned roast beef in gravy myself, and bags of rice. 

Garden vegetables can be stir-fried and flavored with soy and served over rice, and the beef in gravy is good on rice also. 

And, spagetti noodles store very well in small spaces. They stack very nicely.

OH! And Bear Creek dried soup mix is excellent! They have bean soup mix and minestroni soup mixes that I like particularly well! I get it in my local grocery store.


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## doingitmyself (Jul 30, 2013)

It always has and will always make good sense to have a well stocked pantry at all times. I have been picking up 1/2 priced outdated flash frozen meats, I have a sort of "arrangement" with a local grocery store owner. I prefer to go for the chuck roasts, but will buy any 1/2 price roasts honestly. This weekend i plan to be canning 19 pounds of chuck roasts i picked up yesterday. :rock: I would like to get a couple of chickens.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

If those powdered eggs are what they fed me in the rehab hospital when i broke my legs, chunk em, I couldn't eat eggs for over 6 months after i got out of there. NASTY. 

Beans and rice is good, but you need a variety of spices, oils, and salsa type goodies to improve nutrition and flavor.

I used to be able to go down in pasture and catch some fish, can't now as the tank done gone dry again. Fish fed the hogs and not me. Now I would have to hunt the hogs. doable.

I have to make a doc run in to Dallas this week. After that I plan to stay out of there for a good while. Only go every three months for blood work at oncologists anyway. Hate Dallas.

Don't forget the blackeyed peas either, hoppin john and all.

Ed


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

Tommyice said:


> :awh: I'm in an ethnic food paradise and none of the dozen grocery stores around me carry Nido. I've been wanting to try it since everyone raves about it.



sorry to say this...walmart


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

Tommyice said:


> :awh: I'm in an ethnic food paradise and none of the dozen grocery stores around me carry Nido. I've been wanting to try it since everyone raves about it.


 I've seen it in most Wal marts I've been in.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I live in a Walmart-free Zone too. LOL


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

from what i have read...hand sanitizing doesnt kill this stuff...has to be bleach.


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

whiterock said:


> *Beans and rice is good, but you need a variety of spices, oils, and salsa type goodies to improve nutrition and flavor.
> *
> 
> Don't forget the blackeyed peas either, hoppin john and all.
> ...


I confess to liking the dry packages of red beans and rice, Zatarains and Mahatma both make them and both are good. I most often make them up then roll them in a tortilla with some cheese, sour cream, hot sauce and maybe some hot peppers. Tomatoes and other garden things also go along well. They reheat easily for several meals off one package for a single person. Canned refried beans are also simple and good, if you find a brand you like. I tend towards Rosarita, and once in a while Taco Bell. Their hot sauce is also pretty good.

Refried beans go well with eggs and rolled up in tortillas.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

Tommyice said:


> I live in a Walmart-free Zone too. LOL



UPS....or FEDEX if you wanna feel trashy...lol.....:gaptooth:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nestle-nido-fortificada-with-Iron-3.52-Lb/14869811

free shipping on orders over $50


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

elkhound said:


> UPS....or FEDEX if you wanna feel trashy...lol.....:gaptooth:
> 
> http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nestle-nido-fortificada-with-Iron-3.52-Lb/14869811
> 
> free shipping on orders over $50


But what will the neighbors think? I'll be ruined in the community. LMAO


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

elkhound said:


> from what i have read...hand sanitizing doesnt kill this stuff...has to be bleach.


I haven't heard that, do you have a reference with more info?

It cant hurt in any event, it is likely tougher in direct blood contact, but on environmental surfaces with casual contact I don't believe its as tough as direct blood/body fluid contact.

Flu still is a more likely bug to catch, and has offed far more people than Ebola has so far.

Yes, Ebola is a very nasty bug, but, keep in mind its taken many months to get to the point is at in Africa. It's likely to increase by leaps and bounds from here on, but this hasn't happened overnight, even in profoundly poor conditions of sanitation, general understanding of disease, and poor health care.


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

Tommyice said:


> :awh: I'm in an ethnic food paradise and none of the dozen grocery stores around me carry Nido. I've been wanting to try it since everyone raves about it.


 Look here,

https://www.google.com/#q=nido+milk&tbm=shop


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

something overlooked sometimes, bones, cookem up and make stock/broth to use when cooking the beans and rice. local store had buy one get one for a penny sale last week, two pkgs of porkchops, meat to eat, bones to cook, chop up the meat and put in beans and rice, or hoppin john. yep. good stuff


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

Malamute said:


> I haven't heard that, do you have a reference with more info?
> 
> It cant hurt in any event, it is likely tougher in direct blood contact, but on environmental surfaces with casual contact I don't believe its as tough as direct blood/body fluid contact.
> 
> ...



theres a giant ebola thread in current events....its in that mess somewhere.

apparently they have been having disagreements if its airborne too...if its being caught so easy...i say yes...but i am a dummy what do i know...but i am treating as its airborne myself too.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

Tommyice said:


> But what will the neighbors think? I'll be ruined in the community. LMAO




roflmao....tell them you are practicing being a simple peasant....:gaptooth:


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

+100% to Nido milk powder. It is the best tasting brand I have ever tried. 



Ramblin Wreck said:


> ... you might consider bulk wheat. You can make a lot of bread with one five gallon pail of wheat kernels (need some kind of grinder though...available on Amazon).



Did you know that you can bake things like bread and biscuits on a stovetop or over a campfire? Ovens eat fuel like nobody's business, so learning how to bake bread in a cast iron dutch oven pot over an open fire is a plus. Biscuits cooked that way was a favorite of cowboys and camp cooks on the old-time cattle drive trails. Remember how Lonesome Dove romanticized those biscuits? After all, thousands of cowboys couldn't have been wrong. :cowboy:

Cooking and baking over an open fire an art form that can easily be mastered. Look for cookbooks like this title: _Dutch Oven: Cast-Iron Cooking over an Open Fire_ It's available at amazon.com . It can be bought used for around $5 and up; brand new will cost $21 or so. http://www.amazon.com/Dutch-Oven-Cast-Iron-Cooking-over/dp/0764342185 Also, there should be tons of free info on the internet.

Bulgur wheat is a wonder! It's perfect for when fuel may need to be rationed. It is wheat that has been steamed, dried and cracked. Although it can be cooked along with your favorite dish, it does not require cooking to be edible. It only needs to be reconstituted with liquid to soften. There's a gazillion things you can do with it. It can be added to just about anything, from chili, spaghetti, to soups, stews, casseroles, and even sweet dishes. 

It can be used as a rice substitute. I've also used it as a meat extender or as a substitute for ground meat in chili and spaghetti sauce. A little goes a long way.

I love to make a Mediterranean Tabouli Salad with it. There are many ways to make Tabouli, but this link also provides nutritional info:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=recipe&dbid=220

Bulgur wheat can also be purchased in bulk just like whole wheat berries.



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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

look at this malamute

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sp...nt-events/526397-ebola-transmittable-air.html


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

Something not mentioned in most discussions, survivors aren't supposed to be contagious, but its been discovered that their semen still contains virus for up to 90 days.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

I don't like walzmart. At all... but I can still get my Nido fix here:

http://www.amazon.com/Nestle-Nido-Instant-Whole-12-6oz/dp/B00032B982

And lookee here... Nido full cream milk powder! I have not yet tried this, but certainly will! http://www.amazon.com/NIDO-Instant-Full-Cream-Powder/dp/B0013HCP4I

.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Elk that article states "it *MAY *have the *POTENTIAL *to be airborne."


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## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

just a little idea,,,if you get the sick, i always keep seven up, or coke on hand for upset stomach, seems that is all i can keep down...also pedalite would be good to have hand


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Like a man i used to work with said, "The latest ain't out yet!"


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Tommyice said:


> Never tried any of the powdered egg products but I would think they're like those scrambled eggs you get on hotel buffet breakfasts.


The powdered eggs are supposed to be good for baking. I usually eat scrambled eggs for breakfast, so if they aren't great alone, I would try mixing the powdered with real eggs.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

The microdroplets that are forcefully expelled by sneezes and coughing certainly become "airborne" enough to be problematic, and can drift in air currents for a good distance. There are web sites out there that demonstrate just how far and wide... ulp

Another thought: Flushing a toilet expels microdroplets far and wide as well. Even if the toilet _looks_ sparkling clean, it ain't, where microbes are concerned. 

Even if no one is ill in the house, I keep the lid down when flushing. Who wants micro-areosolized crap and pee everywhere? 


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

TxMex said:


> I'm working on learning to make flat breads since I don't have an oven and if I end up with no power for some reason I can make flat breads over an open fire.


Homemade tortillas are the bomb!!!!! It is easy to make without special equipment...it takes just a little bit of practice. Second time around, I felt like an old pro! Made-from-scratch tortillas are so good, that I prefer them over store-bought.


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

puddlejumper007 said:


> just a little idea,,,if you get the sick, i always keep seven up, or coke on hand for upset stomach, seems that is all i can keep down...also pedalite would be good to have hand


 I keep Gatorade powder on hand. Besides for use in the summer when working in the heat, it helps replenish electrolytes and rehydrate when vomiting and from diarrhea. I for one, will drink more when it has some flavor rather than plain water. I drink both, but take in more fluid when doing juice and Gatorade along with plain water.


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

CajunSunshine said:


> The microdroplets that are forcefully expelled by sneezes and coughing certainly become "airborne" enough to be problematic, and can drift in air currents for a good distance. There are web sites out there that demonstrate just how far and wide... ulp
> .


 I may be getting the terms wrong, but theres a difference between airborne (like breath) and aerosolized particles, which come from sneezes and coughs, blood splatter, etc.

I believe many infectious agents can become aerosolized particulates, and not be airborne. There is a difference.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

Yes, that's why I put the lil quotation marks around "airborne"--as in not in the strict sense of the word airborne--but because viruses can ride pretty far in the air on those micro-droplets. It's enough to become a problem for anyone in the vicinity. 

Coughing and sneezing and Ebola is not a good mix: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/u...ebola-and-what-direct-contact-means.html?_r=0

Maybe that's why Dr. Frieden said "Being within three feet of a patient for a prolonged time, without wearing protective gear, is considered direct contact." (I forget when he said this, but I think he was talking about plane and bus transportation at the time.)



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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

TxMex said:


> I went and bought chickens yesterday. It is easy to store chicken food in metal trash cans and to grow food for them, so I don't bother storing eggs.


Are you planning on taking them to Mexico with you?


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

i wish everyone best of luck on this thing and its up to each to put in practice what precautions they see fit......but it has me worried on many levels.

lots of folks on here saying no more eating out,no public toilets etc etc. you couldnt make me use a public restroom right now....lol...my bladder can just scream wee weee wee all the way home....roflmao


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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

Malamute said:


> I keep Gatorade powder on hand. Besides for use in the summer when working in the heat, it helps replenish electrolytes and rehydrate when vomiting and from diarrhea. I for one, will drink more when it has some flavor rather than plain water. I drink both, but take in more fluid when doing juice and Gatorade along with plain water.



There is a recipe over in S&ep for a homemade version of this made with stuff you would have on hand and it doesn't have the artificial stuff that in Gatorade. When I get back to my laptop, I'll post the recipe


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

Oh boy, speaking of sneezes and such...here's an eye opener (bolded, below):

Excerpted from an article dated Wed, 09 Apr 2014 about a MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) study, link follows.

Sneezing.... starts at the back of the throat and produces even more droplets -- as many as 40,000 -- some of which rocket out at speeds greater than 200 miles per hour. The vast majority of the droplets are less than 100 microns across -- the width of a human hair. _Many of them are so tiny that they cannot be seen with the naked eye._

>snipped<


*....The smaller and lighter particles (those that are five microns or less across) are less affected by gravity and can stay airborne almost indefinitely as they are caught up in and dispersed by the room's airflow.* 



Spreading Up To 200 Times Further Than Previously Assumed

Indeed, the study finds, the smaller droplets that emerge in a cough or sneeze may travel five to 200 times further than they would if those droplets simply moved as groups of unconnected particles -- which is what previous estimates had assumed. _*The tendency of these droplets to stay airborne, resuspended by gas clouds, means that ventilation systems may be more prone to transmitting potentially infectious particles than had been suspected.*_ 

With this in mind, architects and engineers may want to re-examine the design of workplaces and hospitals, or air circulation on airplanes, to reduce the chances of airborne pathogens being transmitted among people.

"You can have ventilation contamination in a much more direct way than we would have expected originally," says Lydia Bourouiba, an assistant professor in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and another co-author of the study. 

The paper, "Violent expiratory events: on coughing and sneezing," was published in the-Journal of Fluid Mechanics. It is co-written by Bourouiba, Bush, and Eline Dehandschoewercker, a graduate student at ESPCI ParisTech, a French technical university, who previously was a visiting summer student at MIT, supported by the MIT-France program. 



http://www.sott.net/article/277306-...neezes-travel-further-than-previously-thought


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

no crowds for me....lol...hermitizim is looking better and better each day....lol


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## doingitmyself (Jul 30, 2013)

Shank, neck bones used to be nearly free for the asking. Mom used to get one for the dog every other week when i was a kid. Then they went up to very little money, now... OMG .. nearly as expensive as meat! I'm serious i swear I seen $2.99 a pound for bones! ... WT... when did that happen?? I need shank bones to roast in the oven to make my beef broth. They wreck everything........ I save the T bones from the few T-Bone steaks I eat of course but I need more bones than that.


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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

Litlbits said:


> Used for rehydrating people who are vomiting or have diarrhea. Can be made at home.
> 
> 6 level teaspoons of sugar
> 
> ...


Here's the thread if you're interested:

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sp...redness/526367-oral-rehydration-solution.html


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

As I started using powdered eggs and powdered and canned milk when I got divorced to avoid spoilage and always keep plenty of spam , canned hams and jerky put back in addition to whatever deer I take on my place and beef in the freezer along with a year or two of canned and dehydrated vegetables, my short term preps are just part of my normal preps.


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## homefire2007 (Sep 21, 2007)

Frankly, I put very little faith in what the authorities are telling us about much of anything at this point...but I digress. I've ordered 25 lbs each of rice and beans. I did this as more of an economy than anything else. I do have 50lbs of flour and 30 lbs of oatmeal. Something I've always had on hand is brewers yeast for B vitamins and other nutrients. I don't mind the taste and sprinkle it on my oatmeal and mix with a glass of milk. You're going to need your energy! I am way under prepared but have a few staples to start with

Condiments....a boon to all mankind, they will add interest to a bland diet. I stopped at the scratch and dent store and bought every jar of hot salsa they had. :gaptooth:


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

CajunSunshine said:


> Did you know that you can bake things like bread and biscuits on a stovetop or over a campfire? Ovens eat fuel like nobody's business, so learning how to bake bread in a cast iron dutch oven pot over an open fire is a plus. Biscuits cooked that way was a favorite of cowboys and camp cooks on the old-time cattle drive trails. Remember how Lonesome Dove romanticized those biscuits?


Thanks CajunSunshine. The other day there was a post on HT about ovens that sit on top of your stove. Someone recommended a Coleman unit, and after checking it out, I bought one on Amazon (not delivered yet). It looked simple/light and probably would not hold up to years of constant use. But it might help in a pinch.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I was out all morning loading up again. haven't heard of anything here yet . the 2 that I heard about tested negative. I got many bottles of bleach today and whatnot. I only drink canned milk(brought up on that stuff )so I have several cases under one of the sofas. already have oil lamps. 2 coleman stoves. wind up radios and flashlights, sleeping bags etc. if nothing in the way of flu and whatnot materializes it will still come in handy. I live in snow country after all. 

I was interested in something MM mentioned in his thread about the stove in the camper. I have 2. one in my motor home. I don't use it anymore (the motor home) and the stove has an oven. I think I will try to get that out. I never once thought of it. if the power should go out for any length of time I don't have an oven. ~Georgia.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

Ramblin'...what I was talking about is much cheaper, and works very, very well: a Dutch Oven which looks like an ordinary big round cookpot... It's the kind that will last for generations of rough use. Not a bad back-up for your back-up plans, lol.

I've cooked with 'em on top of the stove and over campfires for many years. Can bake breads, even cakes in them! Cook gumbos, jambalayas, soups, stews, casseroles, beans, fried foods, anything...

Here are a bunch of different kinds: http://www.amazon.com/dutch-ovens/b?ie=UTF8&node=289818

This is the setup I've used for years over campfires. It works well hanging as shown, or sitting directly in the coals, along with a few coals on top of the lid for more even baking temps. It can be purchased at Amazon through the above link.












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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

The only thing I'd add is recipes! Try them out now and print off the good ones to keep with your supplies. After living out of preps for a year, I learned it can take a bit of creativity and planning to make decent food out of dry goods. Make sure to include basics like noodles and tortillas and that you are working on your weightlifting routine for when you have to use that cheapo grain mill and then knead.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Thanks CajunSunshine. I did realize you were talking about the Dutch oven over a fire/coals. My thought on the little Coleman oven was that in the Winter I have the wood stove going to keep the house warm anyway, so could I make it do double duty by baking as well (and save some propane)? 

I like the Dutch oven/tripod though, and just the other day I was admiring one sustainabilly has at his firepit. May have to see if the budget can afford one more Amazon purchase this month. Are you working on commission or something?


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

lol, no commission from any commercial ventures ever. 

'tis just a natural mission to help others. And, I hate Walmart with a passion.

Because I have lived in the boonies for so long, Amazon is one of my favorite shopping places. It is also a handy dandy place to snag pictures for reference.

Btw, I have had my cooking irons long before Amazon dot com was ever born. :stirpot:


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

FYI CajunSunshine, I went on Craigslist (which is a great blessing or curse for me, not sure which yet) and found a guy who has a tripod/cauldron setup he wants to sell. Says he makes the tripods, and he modified the cauldron to make it more decorative. Anyway, I've asked him to price a tripod/chain/hooks separately. His setup looks a little more substantial than the one in the Amazon ad. Plus, he is somewhat local (actually a good ways South of me but not a bad drive).

Thanks for your help and suggestions...anytime.


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

RW, does the top of your wood stove get 375-400 degrees? The ones I saw after checking out Amazon sit on top of a two or three burner camp stove. I don't know much about wood stoves, so IDK how hot the top gets.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I had a large wood stove in my old mobile in the country . the top could lift up and I would cook on it when I lost power. also had a fan. that old thing could get so hot it would drive you out at times. gave it to my son when the place started falling down . he set it up in his basement where he has a workshop and whatnot. I wouldn't dare ask for it back. I want one with an oven though . ~Georgia


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Sustainabilly, the stove can get pretty darned hot, but it fluctuates during the burn cycle. Not sure how it would work for baking bread, but I thought it might be worth a try. If it fails on the wood stove, I could try the gas stove cooktop, which works even without electricity. The over requires power to operate. 

We had a wood cook stove (in our truck shelter turned canning center) growing up, and Mom was a maestro at using that thing. Cooking, especially baking, with wood requires some experience. That's why I like my crock pot. It's almost idiot proof. Almost.


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

I have printed lists that will prompt you to buy a certain something each week and at the end of the year you will have enough food on hand for one year. I have used that list before and really should be doing it again. I do prep but not nearly as much as I should need to be doing. This year I have backed off preps and have put money into my land and building fund. Also because at some point I will need to be packing it and moving my stuff across state. With that said... 

There might have been a case sale going on at the local store here in town and I might have come home with a few cases of food, (cough, cough). Also Walmart sells in bulk and I love the buckets they come in. Also if you want your own buckets, go into the paint section and they sell the white paint buckets there. I have bought those and filled them as well. Here is a link to the Walmart bulk goods.

http://www.walmart.com/search/?query=bulk foods&cat_id=976759_976794

http://www.walmart.com/search/?query=bulk foods&cat_id=976759_976794&facet=category:Canned Beans

I also have bought the clear plastic shoe tubs and have filled them with little soaps, shampoos, facial cleaning things, meds, bandage stuff etc. Also have shelves with household cleaning supplies etc. 

Okay, so I might have designed my kitchen around the size of gallon jars, and tubs etc but that is the entire reason to build. Even if it is a tiny home it needs to work for me and not the other way around.


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

Ramblin Wreck said:


> Sustainabilly, the stove can get pretty darned hot, but it fluctuates during the burn cycle. Not sure how it would work for baking bread, but I thought it might be worth a try. If it fails on the wood stove, I could try the gas stove cooktop, which works even without electricity. The over requires power to operate.
> 
> We had a wood cook stove (in our truck shelter turned canning center) growing up, and Mom was a maestro at using that thing. Cooking, especially baking, with wood requires some experience. That's why I like my crock pot. It's almost idiot proof. Almost.


Our oven is the same RW. I can light the burners with a match, but the oven controls are all digital and need electric. I have a CI stove top dutch oven (no legs and dome lid) that I've baked no knead bread in and biscuits too. But it gets real hot. Need a good diffuser with it.

I'll bet you'll find a lot of uses for it even if it doesn't bake. Like heating up a spiral cut ham, for one.


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

elkhound said:


> no crowds for me....lol...hermitizim is looking better and better each day....lol


Same here. Even at work I avoid lunchroom crowd and take
breaks odd times when everyone else clears out.
Having a past microbiology knowledge serves me we'll in
'Sanitizing' . One thing many don't realize is that the eye is
most vulnerable to first viral invasion. Don't, don't rub your 
eye after touching something touched by someone else.

As for some food prep ideas:
Jerky. Made from poultry, game ,even fish . High protein.
Dehydrated forage. Like mushrooms or veggies. Mushrooms
have magic earth ingredients not found in anything else,
micro element nutrients very healthy and aid immune system .
Eggs. From homestead poultry, be it duck, goose , chicken , 
quail etc. all good! You're be surprised how long eggs store
unrefrigerated. I wash, but don't rub the heck out of them with
chlorine, just clean off dirty stuff with dish soap , rinse hot water.
In emergency even sea gull eggs can be a lifesaver.

But, My most essential food survival tool is firearm.
All else fails getting to the store , one can shot their
next meal on the stead. How about deep snow, post blizzard
shutdown? Easy. Have snowshoe, hit the trail. Harvest a
Hare or wild fowl.....have excellent dinner.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

MoonRiver said:


> Are you planning on taking them to Mexico with you?


With ebola and what's going on in the stock market.....I may just stay here this winter. Quite a few uncertain things going on. I may want to stay close to the farm and work on digging grass out of my garden area for next year. ......No....I don't really want to. .....Yes, I'd much rather spend the winter on a beach in Mexico. ....Yes, I am already planning on complaining about it if I end up staying here all winter 

On a positive note.....got 2 little light green eggs today! 

I do not have an oven because I don't want one. Heat is a much bigger problem in Texas than cold is. Since I live in such a small house an oven would heat up the whole thing in nothing flat. If I ever get a screened in porch added on I plan on having one out there. I do have a solar oven that I love to use. Have a parabolic cooker that is gnarly cool!


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

@ Mal. Good link from mother on storing eggs. Thanks
@ cindilu. It would be cool to compare my preps to those lists you have. Is there a link?

I've got a couple totes full of canned fruit and vegs, canned meats, salt, pepper, and beans under one bed. Home canned vegs. under another, plus what fits in my pantry cabinet. Plenty of pickles, salsas, and chutney too. I filled several 2 ltr bottles with rice, dry milk, and potato flakes. They seal up tight. I bought heavy until all was filled. Now I just buy normally and rotate by the dates. Bottled water for emergency use, plus a dozen milk gals refilled. I always grow lots of herbs and dry them, so by this time every year there's ~ 1 yrs supply of all I normally cook with. What I'm lacking is home canned meats and some more condiments. That's a medo for this winter.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Living in earthquake country with an imminent Big One has kept me prepared for a long time. Six months? Practically a yawn. That&#8217;s how long we&#8217;ve been told here in the PNW we should be ready to manage without any assistance if the Big One lets go. I always figured if I was prepared for that, I was prepared for most anything. I&#8217;m beyond prepared for that.

Personally, I&#8217;m not particularly worried about Ebola, just got off a commercial plane a week ago. Earthquakes, those I take very seriously. And I do agree with RW that an airborne flu that kills &#8220;only&#8221; 25% of its victims is a lot scarier to me than Ebola, which is not airborne and kills 70%. Ebola is a very scary disease because of how it kills you &#8211; but unless you are in regular contact and caring for an Ebola patient, your chances of getting this disease are comparatively low.

However, in your situation, MoonRiver, I would put my emphasis on decent canned goods such as tuna, sardines, tomatoes, soups (watch the sodium, with your blood pressure), etc. Invest in a good pressure COOKER for beans, and if you need one, a good rice cooker as well. You can then store these items in larger quantities. I would also put an emphasis on dehydrated foods. You can pick up a dehydrator at a garage sale or at Good Will, I imagine. With one of these, you can dehydrate pears, apples, cherries, strawberries, onions, tomatoes, celery, carrots, mushrooms, peppers and other vegetables and fruits, as well as make jerky. They will take up very little room. Keep a supply of oil, condiments, chocolate, alcohol (if desired), medical supplies and hygiene supplies.

These things will give you a measure of comfort, I expect. Best of luck.

I&#8217;ve been looking for that Parmalat for years, ever since I found it in Europe over a decade ago. Couldn't find it anywhere, stopped looking. THANK YOU, LESLIE!!! I ordered 2 cases today and will add to those stores over the next few months. I have powdered and evaporated milk, naturally, but I hate them. The Parmalat is so close to regular milk, I can hardly tell the difference &#8211; and it stores for nine months! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! :banana:


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

I have let my pantry dwindle to little/to nothing.
I was 'anticipating' a big move, and figured; hey, go ahead and eat thru it, and it will be less to move.
House hasn't even had a bite (on market since june) and now this.

I have had my head jammed up my John Brown Hind parts for the better part of 3 years, so I'm in a bit of a 'jam' (no pun intended....ok maybe a little 

I don't even know where to begin.
But I know I need......to begin.
Again.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Tommyice said:


> I use 1/2 and 1/2 in my coffee and just picked up a box of Land O Lakes Mini Moos to keep in the cupboard for power outages and the occasional "crap I forgot to get cream for my coffee" days.


Watch those. The last few boxes we got were already bad and they weren't at their expiration dates. We have kept them for years and it seems like that time is passed now since they are just not holding up the way they used to!


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

sustainabilly said:


> @ Mal. Good link from mother on storing eggs. Thanks
> @ cindilu. It would be cool to compare my preps to those lists you have. Is there a link?
> 
> I've got a couple totes full of canned fruit and vegs, canned meats, salt, pepper, and beans under one bed. Home canned vegs. under another, plus what fits in my pantry cabinet. Plenty of pickles, salsas, and chutney too. I filled several 2 ltr bottles with rice, dry milk, and potato flakes. They seal up tight. I bought heavy until all was filled. Now I just buy normally and rotate by the dates. Bottled water for emergency use, plus a dozen milk gals refilled. I always grow lots of herbs and dry them, so by this time every year there's ~ 1 yrs supply of all I normally cook with. What I'm lacking is home canned meats and some more condiments. That's a medo for this winter.



I think I used this site as my base point and went from there. And I did start a binder of sorts... 

http://prepared-housewives.com/create-a-food-storage-binder/

Here is another site that can give you a base line... 

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/fn_500.pdf


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

I wish I knew a way to send you my lists, also I typed and put together lists of what I was looking for in property. An example was how far from a water supply, well, spring, river, lake etc. Do you have a means to heat or cool your location, ie, wood, propane, solar, geothermal etc. You get the point. There was a very good reason why I chose my new location. It is close to two rivers both going through the town, and the largest lake in Oregon which would provide duck hunting and of course fishing. From the next street over there is nothing, no house, no town, nothing until Nevada, so if I wanted to get lost, it would be pretty easy. You get the idea and you can go from there.


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## sdnapier (Aug 13, 2010)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> I have let my pantry dwindle to little/to nothing.
> I was 'anticipating' a big move, and figured; hey, go ahead and eat thru it, and it will be less to move.
> House hasn't even had a bite (on market since june) and now this.
> 
> ...


Hang in there Miss Laura and don't panic. The important part is to just start.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> I have let my pantry dwindle to little/to nothing.
> I was 'anticipating' a big move, and figured; hey, go ahead and eat thru it, and it will be less to move.
> House hasn't even had a bite (on market since june) and now this.
> 
> ...


Yep, just get started with the simple things for your pantry. As for the house sale, my SIL's sister (or my brother's SIL) finally sold her house after it was on the market for well over a year (nearly two years I think). So maybe things are starting to move. Her house, like yours, was on the big side with some acreage. There's a big family out there wanting some elbow room that will eventually find you.


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

Lots of good stuff can be canned during the winter months. Meat, dry beans, bone broth. Fruits like kiwi, pineapple, citris are in season. Stuff that's been in storage a while like potatoes and garlic are ready to be preserved. I've watched sales at the grocery store and even done up baby carrorts when they were half price. It's always a good time to refill the pantry 








r

You know you wanna.


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

Viggie, you are the queen of canning. I sure wish I lived closer to you, I would come over and have a canning party. '


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

I'm just now dipping into blueberries canned 2 years ago
and peaches in syrup, pickled beans, even pie filling
made from fresh fruit and canned for later easy use .
Pantry is getting lighter now. I may try canning some deer
meat. I hear that's an excellent way to preserve and 
delicious. Maybe even some canned suckers or pike . They
say better than store bought canned salmon.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Does anyone know the shelf life of Nido full cream milk powder?


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Gas is cheap right now so I am going to fill up all the cans in the garage


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## littlejoe (Jan 17, 2007)

As of yet, I've never had any problems with stored gasoline...stored for a few months. Also... As of last year I've started adding Stabil to gas to hopefully prevent problems.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

Speaking of storing fuel...

Once upon a time I used Stabil fuel stabilizer, until I met Pri-G. I've been using this stuff for over 15 years, and can personally vouch that there is nothing like it Out There. (Google it. Every word you read about it is true.)

I am a bit of a skeptic by nature and until I (or someone I trust) personally test something, I probably won't put much faith in it. I used to think that some of the Pri-G claims were seriously far-fetched: Restoring old gas/diesel to like new; keeping fuel fresh pretty much indefinitely (as long as you re-treat it every year); better fuel mileage; cleaner fuel injector systems, and better engine performance...for about 6 cents per gallon. Umm...no waaay.

Well, I (and more than a few others) have been putting it to some hard-core testing since the Y2K days and have been amazed. We are not alone. Now it is very popular among survivalists (and my Cajun-folk in deepest darkest Louisiana, too). 

Fresh fuel and good engine performance can be a matter of life or death in the swamps and marshes of South Louisiana. Old or poorly stored fuel can spell a really bad day when dealing with hurricanes, houseboats, airboats, shrimp boats and such. Sometimes all the fuel is not used up, and with Pri-G (or Pri-D for diesel), we can maintain freshness in stored fuel for seemingly forever (something that Stabil cannot do). 

Since I have moved away from home, I have bought it online, but whenever I go home to visit, I head to the nearest marina supply store down on the bayou to pick up my stash of Pri-G. 



.


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