Britesea
Sustainability Master
I've heard it said that bread was invented when someone burned the beer, lol
Best foodstuff to stockpile?
- Thread starter sumi
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Mini Horses
Sustainability Master
Well, I don't think I stockpile....at least not in the since of "forever" issues. Personally, I just feel that's the reason for becoming "self-sufficient" as much as any other. There is almost always enough of most healthful needs to carry me through about 6 mos to a yr of necessities at my house, including bullets to defend it.
As much as stockpiling, I feel that knowing how to produce, preserve, butcher, provide is essential. It's one of the reasons I work at adjusting the growing/storing of animal feeds as I am now trying. Suppose I was not able to buy the hay? See? Now, water is an issue and I do have a generator that would run the house electric as long as I had gasoline! OK, now there's an issue for long term. LOL I generally keep 5-7 days worth & could go 10-14 days by limiting run times.
I do live within 2 miles of a river, could use horses & harness to take tank and haul -- but, THAT would be a job! Do have a good old well at lower end of property and a hand pump that I could connect ... better option! (It's an old dug & stone walled one). Chickens, eggs, goats, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, garden....plenty of seeds, can hunt, it's just hard to project when, what and WHY we would have the needs.
Living within 60 miles of one of largest naval facilities on the East Coast, I know the most elaborate defense system is in place. So it's either live or die, literally. With that being so, I guess I'm on a "1 yr plan".....so long as I can make it 1 yr I'll be ok. Sustainable living is important and that incorporates the ability to live without these modern conveniences we currently enjoy. I can do that -- working on some solar for ability to enjoy some of the "luxury" items, if any are still there should a war strike occur. Otherwise I have washboards, clotheslines, canning equipment & canned goods, solar oven plans, can build a fire, cut wood, survive many extremes. There are those who would not know what to do without McDonalds!
Guess I work at "survival" issues more than true stockpiling. But I do keep more than most locals in my pantries & closets. & know alternatives for many needs
CHOCOLATE is a necessity! FOR SURE ---
As much as stockpiling, I feel that knowing how to produce, preserve, butcher, provide is essential. It's one of the reasons I work at adjusting the growing/storing of animal feeds as I am now trying. Suppose I was not able to buy the hay? See? Now, water is an issue and I do have a generator that would run the house electric as long as I had gasoline! OK, now there's an issue for long term. LOL I generally keep 5-7 days worth & could go 10-14 days by limiting run times.
I do live within 2 miles of a river, could use horses & harness to take tank and haul -- but, THAT would be a job! Do have a good old well at lower end of property and a hand pump that I could connect ... better option! (It's an old dug & stone walled one). Chickens, eggs, goats, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, garden....plenty of seeds, can hunt, it's just hard to project when, what and WHY we would have the needs.
Living within 60 miles of one of largest naval facilities on the East Coast, I know the most elaborate defense system is in place. So it's either live or die, literally. With that being so, I guess I'm on a "1 yr plan".....so long as I can make it 1 yr I'll be ok. Sustainable living is important and that incorporates the ability to live without these modern conveniences we currently enjoy. I can do that -- working on some solar for ability to enjoy some of the "luxury" items, if any are still there should a war strike occur. Otherwise I have washboards, clotheslines, canning equipment & canned goods, solar oven plans, can build a fire, cut wood, survive many extremes. There are those who would not know what to do without McDonalds!
Guess I work at "survival" issues more than true stockpiling. But I do keep more than most locals in my pantries & closets. & know alternatives for many needs
CHOCOLATE is a necessity! FOR SURE ---
wyoDreamer
Super Self-Sufficient
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I would love to peek into Grandma's Binders! I do appreciate everything that you share her on SS, @Marianne !
I have started my own kitchen binder collection. I have a couple of cookbooks on cooking with freeze-dried and dehydrated stuff. I made some "biscquick" mixes and vacuum sealed them for taking camping or hunting. I want to get some other "instant meals" set up for quick suppers and travel.
The only thing I don't like about the pellet stove that we have for supplemental heat is that we can't cook on it if needed. In Wyoming, I could make soups and stews on the woodstoves if the power went out. My sister showed me how to make baking powder biscuits on the woodstove once.
I have started my own kitchen binder collection. I have a couple of cookbooks on cooking with freeze-dried and dehydrated stuff. I made some "biscquick" mixes and vacuum sealed them for taking camping or hunting. I want to get some other "instant meals" set up for quick suppers and travel.
The only thing I don't like about the pellet stove that we have for supplemental heat is that we can't cook on it if needed. In Wyoming, I could make soups and stews on the woodstoves if the power went out. My sister showed me how to make baking powder biscuits on the woodstove once.
creativetwinszoo
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Some things that I've had good thought on while on the long disappearance lol
While their not "foodstuff" right away it wouldn't hurt to have some packs of seeds in the storage areas, if it's a long haul situation having at least some would be good
Corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, cabbage. All good long storing food once grown (if properly put up)
Some quick seeds like lettuce, radish, kohlrabi while waiting for the longer griwing plants and kinda in betweeners like carrots, broccoli and greens for variety are all good too and most can be prepared for storage too
While their not "foodstuff" right away it wouldn't hurt to have some packs of seeds in the storage areas, if it's a long haul situation having at least some would be good
Corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, cabbage. All good long storing food once grown (if properly put up)
Some quick seeds like lettuce, radish, kohlrabi while waiting for the longer griwing plants and kinda in betweeners like carrots, broccoli and greens for variety are all good too and most can be prepared for storage too
creativetwinszoo
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Hi baymule!Where ya' been for so long?glad that you are back!
just kinda dropped off the face of the earth for a bit to deal with a bunch of stuff lol. Finally back to a point that I think I can be regularly back on 
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
t definitely did for a bit there,
Life IS a learning experience!
Hinotori
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I always have seeds from the previous years. Mom didn't even buy seeds this year. She planted some squash seeds that were 12 years old and at least half came up.
Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
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At first I thought you wanted us to seal our pets in watertight bins!
Britesea
Sustainability Master
Ooh, I forgot about salt. That's an absolute MUST HAVE for your health.
Yes, @chicken girl you can store dried goods in mason jars. It's best if you can seal them with a vacuum sealer, but not absolutely necessary.
by the way, I ran across this tutorial for making a NON ELECTRIC mason jar vacuum sealer http://www.tenthacrefarm.com/2014/06/non-electric-mason-jar-vacuum-sealer/
Yes, @chicken girl you can store dried goods in mason jars. It's best if you can seal them with a vacuum sealer, but not absolutely necessary.
by the way, I ran across this tutorial for making a NON ELECTRIC mason jar vacuum sealer http://www.tenthacrefarm.com/2014/06/non-electric-mason-jar-vacuum-sealer/
Britesea
Sustainability Master
@Mini Horses I agree that having the skills is way more important than having a stockpile. For instance, I could lose most of my stockpile if a wildfire came through and destroyed my property. But if I have the skills, I can rebuild, replant, buy new stock, etc.
There are some issues though, that are better addressed by stockpiles. Our property is about 100 yards from a river which is nice, but certain times of the year we get a toxic algae bloom that can't be taken care of by any means short of distillation (and I'm not even entirely sure about THAT).
If you don't have some sort of stockpile, your skills might not be enough to pull you through, depending on what time of year a disaster were to hit. Even radishes take 20 days to grow. Hunting and fishing are good skills to have, but you won't be the only one out there shooting rabbits. Foraging is great, but again, there's not that much that can be foraged with 3+ feet of snow on top of the (frozen) ground.
I also am trying to build up some extra in my stockpile so that I can help my neighbors as well. I would have problems with watching people I know and like slowly die; I also seriously doubt my family's ability to survive solo for the long term- we are getting older, with various health issues, and my son is autistic- so I need/want those neighbors to be around to help.
There are some issues though, that are better addressed by stockpiles. Our property is about 100 yards from a river which is nice, but certain times of the year we get a toxic algae bloom that can't be taken care of by any means short of distillation (and I'm not even entirely sure about THAT).
If you don't have some sort of stockpile, your skills might not be enough to pull you through, depending on what time of year a disaster were to hit. Even radishes take 20 days to grow. Hunting and fishing are good skills to have, but you won't be the only one out there shooting rabbits. Foraging is great, but again, there's not that much that can be foraged with 3+ feet of snow on top of the (frozen) ground.
I also am trying to build up some extra in my stockpile so that I can help my neighbors as well. I would have problems with watching people I know and like slowly die; I also seriously doubt my family's ability to survive solo for the long term- we are getting older, with various health issues, and my son is autistic- so I need/want those neighbors to be around to help.
