WHY do you prepare? Why whole wheat?

[Beekissed]

Yep, way ahead of you, Pat! The last tin will be the last tin and will be saved for posterity, as it is sealed for a 50 year seige, supposedly.

I finally decided that we were wasting so much of our good bread when we don't use it fast enough and it molds. My bread is very moist and tender when made, so it seems to mold quicker than other breads. So, we make a batch, bake one panful and freeze the second half of the dough. This makes it easier to make the second batch, makes the first batch go alot easier and now we don't have to throw any good whole wheat out to the pups and chickens. It even seems to be better after having been frozen, if that makes any sense!

 

[DuppyDo]

I prepare, because its clear to me the world has arrived at a new place.My motto these days are " pray for the best, prepare for the worst"
I mean, do people really believe we can't have
" The Great Depression #2 " I believe we can, i sure hope i'm wrong. I've always enjoyed growing a large garden, as my dad and granddad did. Not because we couldn't afford to buy food, or thier were shortages, it was satisfying t grow your own stuff to eat.I'm not a farmer, I've spent most of my life as a commercial fisherman.
I like security, i hate being totally dependent on supermarkets.I like having a large stash of food goods, and alway take advantage of sales.
Nearly 40 yrs ago, when fishermen were catching tuna like crazy, before the Japenese came and bought fresh tuna dockside for air freight to Tokoyo for sushi, you couldn't give it away.Me, i was canning tuna in qt jars with virgin olive oil....yummie. I've always been this way,and i'm gratiful i can grow veggies, raie hens, tend my honeybees..
Yep, i think were in trouble.I've made a connection at a local whole foods co-op..I trade my eggs for brown rice and other stores.Hard red wheat berries are next. I've been gathering food grade white buckets at local bakeries and other stores. Gamma seal lids are on order, as well asCO2 packets and mylar bags.I'm researching a affordable hand grain mill.I am preparing for the worse..Wheat stored properly will last a long time.As mentioned wheat is a good foundation for alot of meals once milled to flour.Beans are very useful to store. Canning stuff, i recently canned over a hundred qts of chicken.
Some view this behavior as dome and gloom.Some may say, well,Kevin must have been a good boy scout...whats thier motto.? Be prepared...
To each his own, i just feel better that in these days of uncertainy, i'm able to prepare some what.I really don't believe in much of what the goverment tells the people, and i'm not a very religious man, although i have my own beliefs in a higher power.
It just comes natural to me to do these things, not much of a flash, on the social scene kinda guy.I like getting my hands dirty and thinking/planning ahead a bit.
I like stocking up, i'm a Taurus, we Taurus like security.. at least to the degree we can best prepare...

 

[freemotion]

A hundred quarts of chicken! How many chickens is that?

 

[TanksHill]

Hey Dupy, (Or anyone else who may know)

Do you plan to use the oxygen absorbers as well as the mylar bags? I was filling two 5 gal buckets today and I use the mylar as well. I realized I don't have the oxygen things. Do I need them? How long will the wheat last with and without? Do you know?

I also picked up a 50lb bag of oats, do you know of any containers that hold more?
Larger than the 5 -6 gallon buckets? 50 lbs of oats turned out to be a bit more than I anticipated.

 

[DuppyDo]

TanksHill...i do plan on using the oxygen absorbers with the mylar bags.I honestly can't tell you if it has to be done this way for longer term storage. I'm following some of the advice from others here, in others related threads here..I also ordered some food grade DE to mix with my grain for weevils before i seal containers.
I've been gathering food grade white container locally from bakeries,etc. mostly 3-5 gal.
I can't tell you if they make them bigger than 6 gal. I've never seen bigger than 6 gal. I'm sure no expert on this topic, i only know what i've been reading myself.. and just getting started with bulk storage..

Freemotion, i honestly don't know how many chickens make a 100 qts..I bought a bunch of large packages of thighs on sale and started canning.It's my understanding from a gentleman in this group, in another thread that he's eaten his own canned chicken two yrs later and it was fine...i also canned a bunch of chicken soup..

 

[freemotion]

Do I understand correctly from other posts, maybe other threads, that I can freeze the grain for a few days to take care of bugs? Instead of DE? Who knows this? We have some really cold temps here, and my goal of emptying my freezer has made enough room for one 50# bag if it gets warm suddenly. That was my plan. You got me obsessing again!

 

[dacjohns]

Packing your wheat with dry ice might also work. The CO2 will replace the oxygen in the container and kill any critters. (In theory)

 

[FarmerChick]

I like your post Duppy.
You are right. Times are getting worse and it is smart to KNOW how to do these things, like can chicken and make flour. Cause if push comes to shove we can only rely on ourselves. You are smart!!

Your post wasn't doom and gloom. Preparing for hard times coming, (and I think they are going to get way worse too) is just sensible. Without going overboard, learning old ways of surviving is smart and not to rely on the govt. or supermarkets is just the right thing to do. I am doing it also. Making sure I have adequate skills to get me thru.

Commercial fishing...wow...I bet you sure have seen changes in that industry like crazy!!!!

 

[Homesteadmom]

For those who are preparing might I suggest stocking up on canning lids & rings too, as they might be hard to come by in bad times too. I have decided everytime I go do our shopping(every 2 wks) I will pick up a pack of lids as I have a lot of rings but I might get a few extra boxes of those too, just to be safe.

 

[DuppyDo]

Thanks Karen...it's what i feel in my gut and heart.I think that saying.." By the time you relize whats going on, its already to late" is very true for many things in life. It won't help for people reading here to panic and get all excited. I just think everyone should take a good look around them and access everything.
Prepare as you see fit, some may not feel a need to do anything, i'm not one of that mind.
Yes, the fishing industry is in hard times like most ways of making a living are today.Fuel prices, gov't regulations,huge boat payments/insurance, reduced fish stocks have all but crippled the industry.Their are some niche spots where guys putting in their time are making money fishing, but most are hurting.I gave up fishing a few yrs ago, now doing whatever i can to pay the bills and survive.Fishing is a tough racket, very hard physical work, i'm 55yr old,no spring chicken...lol Fishing for those stronger, younger bucks, who can handle the long cold hrs..
Hey, i loved fishing when i was younger, i jumped on the boats when i got out of high school and never looked back. It was fun, dangerous, i made really good money, lost a bunch of friends at sea, i'd do it all over again if i could..
Enough rambling down... Memory Lane..
I dunno, the future looks kinda scary..but its the only game in town. Teach you children how to grow food, join or form bulk buying food co-ops..
I prepare best i can, but i really fear for the future of children growing up today.Will be taught the needed skills to survive? I'm not talking college education.
I've read of planned communities, there big on the west cost.Groups of people of like mind, working together for a common cause,kinda like what the Amish do.I think thats a wise way to go,can we really afford to be so independent, as to feel we can do this all alone...? Will communal groups fare well in tougher times..?
Theres really alot to think about theses days, isn't there...?