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Farm Kitchen:  Stocking up?  |
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pamcook
True Blue Farmgirl
228 Posts
Pam
Chapel Hill
NC
USA
228 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 10:58:36 AM
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Not sure where to post this and couldn't find the answers anywhere else. DH & I are doing our best to stock up on staples for several reasons. I realize that having provisions on hand is mostly a personal preference type thing but I also realize there are a lot of basics we should have on hand. We'd like to have 6-12 months of supplies on hand. Does anyone know of a good reference out there? Do you have a large amount of food & supplies stocked up? What tips would you like to share? Is there a good reference for how long some items keep (flour, sugar, rice, beans...)?
Thanks in advance!
www.ikat.org
www.longaberger.com/pamcook |
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Catherine L
True Blue Farmgirl
408 Posts
Cathy
Newton
Texas
USA
408 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 11:32:53 AM
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There is a very good book and when I get home today I will look at the title and let you know. There is a website that sells a lot of things www.beprepared.com. This website also has articles and recipes.
~Catherine~
Farmgirl 2428 |
Edited by - Catherine L on Jan 18 2011 11:35:11 AM |
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pamcook
True Blue Farmgirl
228 Posts
Pam
Chapel Hill
NC
USA
228 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 11:37:55 AM
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Catherine - thank you SO much for the website. I know I'll spend hours surfing that site.
Looking forward to hearing from those who actually keep a large supply on hand. It all feels so overwhelming but looking ahead, I fear the worst! I could really use any and all practical advise.
www.ikat.org
www.longaberger.com/pamcook |
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Read2me
Farmgirl in Training
31 Posts
Jennifer
Cato
Wisconsin
USA
31 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 11:53:36 AM
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Nini - I totally agree with you about the frustration of money spent at the grocery store. I am, too, depleting my supplies and running out of garden produce - can't wait for fresh garden food!
Catherine - Thanks for the website. I will check that out, too. |
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woolgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
901 Posts
Elizabeth
Great Lakes
IL
USA
901 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 11:53:41 AM
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I wish this was something we did more of. We have a small suppy of MRE's, bottled water, and a big Rubbermaid box with a storm radio, flashlights, first aid supplies, and stuff like that. We have the problem of limited space to store a supply.
Farmgirl #1947 |
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pamcook
True Blue Farmgirl
228 Posts
Pam
Chapel Hill
NC
USA
228 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 12:35:22 PM
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I can think of places to store food but I wouldn't want it to be so difficult to get to that we wouldn't use it (rotating stock). I even know women who use big trash cans as end tables (cover them with a tablecloth and no one would ever guess). I can easily purge a closet to make space and have even thought of having DH build a trap door in a closet so we could more easily access our crawl space. But - I'm such an "out of sight, out of mind person". We've been so spoiled with being able to get great quality fresh produce year-round. I think I need a chart with recipes to use our staples so we don't end up with a bunch of outdated, spoiled food.
www.ikat.org
www.longaberger.com/pamcook |
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Bellepepper
True Blue Farmgirl
1207 Posts
Belle
Coffeyville
KS
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 12:58:56 PM
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I have found that my Food Saver Vacuum sealer is the best investment there is. Our store (we have one) has had sugar on sale a lot lately. I keep buying it. I then vacuum seal it. I have a big rubbermaid tub in my closet that is full of stuff. I keep my stock of flour in the shop fridge. Also have 2 freezers and a celler. Everything is full. I read somewhere that if you are going to store flour, you should freeze it first. It helps kill the bugs that comes in the bag anyway. It is a big job to keep the food rotated but when and if things really, I mean REALLY gets bad, I'll be ahead of most.
Belle |
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earthmamaT
True Blue Farmgirl
96 Posts
Tammy
portola
California
96 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 1:32:14 PM
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As the value of the dollare decrease and energy prices increase food cost will continue to rise. Food cost, in addition to the fact we have been through a few natural disasters that kept us from the store for 10 days are more, have been factors in my family storing up food.
Shelf life really is not an issue with canned or packaged items if you are buying things you will normally cook with. For items like rice & beans I use a permanant market to write purchase dates on them and rotate them out. For flour, sugar, cornmeal, ect I use FDA approved 5 gallon containers from our local hardware store. They have lids that fit on them. I fill the containers up first and then additional packages of flour, sugar, are labled with purchase dates. Once I use up what is in the container I refill them with the "oldest" dated packages.
Do not forget sesonings and condiments. Also I would recommend putting together a notebook of easy recipes that incorporates your supplies.
Tammy ~
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Gandhi |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 4:04:35 PM
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If you are putting by for a potential disaster, be sure to also stock-pile salt. Salt is great for food preservation. Be sure to get canning salt.
Blessings, Sheri
"Work is Love made visible" -Kahlil Gibran |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2902 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2902 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 4:55:37 PM
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| Check out LDS.org. The Mormons are the foremost experts in food storage.. |
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Catherine L
True Blue Farmgirl
408 Posts
Cathy
Newton
Texas
USA
408 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 5:30:46 PM
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The name of the book is "Making the Best of Basics" Family Preparedness Handbook. The book has checklists,suggestions, recipes, and how-to.
~Catherine~
Farmgirl 2428 |
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pamcook
True Blue Farmgirl
228 Posts
Pam
Chapel Hill
NC
USA
228 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 09:17:12 AM
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Thanks for all the great suggestions - keep 'em coming. I think that having a well-stocked pantry is almost a lost art. I have several great grocery stores and many farmers markets close by - but if they don't get their stock in...
Yes, I do believe that food prices aren't anywhere near as bad as they're going to be this year. Not trying to be an alarmist - just looking at what is happening all around us.
Thanks for the reminder about salt!!
www.ikat.org
www.longaberger.com/pamcook |
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montanafarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
45 Posts
Vickie Harrell
Bigfork
Montana
USA
45 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 10:58:36 AM
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Hello Pam,
there are also some books on CD which I bought on e-bay that you can also print the seller goes under the name indefenseofliberty . But you can look it up on e-bay with this title...24books Home Canning Self-Sufficiency Recipes Backwoods.
Farmgirl Blessings
Farmgirl # 2554
Vickie |
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Annie S
True Blue Farmgirl
756 Posts
Annie
Custer
S.D.
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 12:08:39 PM
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| I too do the stocking up of staples. DH built shelves for the mud room in the back of the house. That's where I keep everything in Rubbermaid containers. When there's a sale on anything we use I stock up. I believe in being prepared for anything - especially this time of year when the weather can turn on a dime and you can't get into town. Living in the country has it's advantages, but when you have a blizzard and get a foot of snow you feel quite cut off from civilazation and on your own for a few days. So having a well stocked pantry is essential. |
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Nanniekim
True Blue Farmgirl
206 Posts
Kim
Arizona
206 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 2:20:29 PM
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I have stored food since I got married. My mother-in-law had always stored food and not just for natural disasters but for anything that may come along. My husband remembers eating only from stored foods when his dad (a construction worker) had pneumonia and couldn't work for a while. We have had many times where after bills are paid there is very little money left and we have had to rely on the food we had on hand.
It helps if you have meat in your freezer. It is also important to store what you eat and eat what you store. Don't store things you don't like thinking if you get hungry enough you will eat it. Don't put it in a place that it is too hard to get to or you will find it is easier to run to the grocery store than to find a package of rice. I store wheat, rice, oatmeal, beans, salt, honey, sugar, powdered milk but this is stuff I actually use. Canned goods are usually good for a year or 2. If you are storing dried foods then it is a good idea to store water also. I do that by washing out juice or soft drink bottles then filling with water and then stick it in the basement. Don't forget to rotate that about every 6 months too. Just use it in cooking or to water your plants then refill the bottle and put it away again. I don't add bleach or anything to the water and have not had it go bad when I rotate it as I said.
One great book that has helped me is "A Family Raised On Sunshine" by Beverly Nye. It is out of print but I was able to find her website a few years ago and order a few copies directly from her. Just google it. She has great tips on how and what to buy, how to store it and how to use it. She makes it simple.
When money was tight my mother-in-law still added to her storage when doing weekly shopping by buying for eight days instead of seven. It actually added up rather quickly. In our last house we had a cold storage under the front prch but now I am finding it a challenge to find a place to put things. Almost every closet has a box or two of food in it. It helps to store like things together. For example I have all my jars of jam in an upstairs closet and my closet has rice and oatmeal.
All of this came in handy about a year ago when my husband was out of work. By storing what we normally eat, we really didn't miss much of anything. (Except fresh milk which didn't bother my husband since he doesn't like milk!) I think you will enjoy the peace of mind you feel by knowing you can feed your family.
Good luck!
Kim |
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mywunderfullife
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Amanda
Douglas
WY
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 2:46:23 PM
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There is a website that takes you through "baby steps" of food storage. It is called Food Storage Made Easy. I get updates from them every week. Honestly I haven't looked through them and followed them yet as I am not sure where I am going to put everything at the moment. I have big plans for our new house and storage though!!
"don't outsmart your common sense and never let your praying knees get lazy"
Farmgirl #2424!! |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 3:59:01 PM
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My dear husband pointed something out to me the other night when I was trying to decide whether to use a little extra money that had come in to pay extra on a bill that wasn't a biggy or to purchase food to process. He said that since our local news had said that the expectations are that food prices will be up 10% by next month, buying food now would be like getting a 10% discount. Then, next month we can pay extra on the bill.
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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montanafarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
45 Posts
Vickie Harrell
Bigfork
Montana
USA
45 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2011 : 06:04:09 AM
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Thank you Kim...That was very helpful !
Farmgirl Blessings
Farmgirl # 2554
Vickie |
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happyhomesteader
Farmgirl at Heart
9 Posts
Erin
Hortonville
Wisconsin
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2011 : 06:21:23 AM
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Our family makes Homesteading for Beginners DVDs. These DVDs share the basics on all your food preparations and storage. We teach butchering and canning all the meat which is really handy. You never have to worry about food spoiling. We also show how can up potatoes, carrot, tomatoes, broth, sausage, and applesauce. Also storing up dried goods in plastic pails has worked well for us. We usually always have about 12 to 24 months worth of food stored up at all times. BTW the canned meat is so handy. I can fix a meal in about 10 minutes, no need to plan ahead, you just open a jar of meat, heat it up, add a can of your homemade spaghetti sauce, and you have homemade spaghetti fast and healthy.
www.homesteadcommunitypost.com |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2011 : 07:53:51 AM
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I have a funny. We have kept a stock since who knows when...have always canned, dried, etc. We are used to major catastrophies here with ice storms, tornadoes and prairie fires so we have just always been prepared. But lately, it just seems that specials at the stores have been unusually wonderful and so I have been buying large quantities of these things and canning, freezing or drying them. My favorite sausage went on sale, so I canned it. Cheese went on sale - an 8 oz block for $1!!! I bought boatloads and canned it. Cabbage went on sale again so last night I started a two gallon crock of sauerkraut that I will can. Rump roasts went on sale and so I am making jerky, canning beef stew and 1/2 roasts for bbq. But when I ended up with two humongous boxes of spinach because it was only $2.98 per box (how can you pass THAT up??), I had to scratch my head with what to do with it. I don't care that much for canned spinach - it's slimy - and I did freeze part of it on trays so that the leaves remain separated for tempura and various other dishes, but that was a lot of spinach. So I dried it. My hubby thought I was crazy, but this morning we got up to the prettiest batch of dried spinach you ever saw. Just packed it in jars and vacuum sealed and it is now ready to use in soups, to boil, for souffles and the like. "I yam what I yam. I'm Popeye the sailor man!!" Think I'll have to include that in my series on dehydrating on the blog!!!! :-)
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2011 : 08:19:46 AM
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Oh gosh. Just as I finished typing that, the lights started flickering. Ice must be on the lines. Filling the tubs and buckets with water just in case. But there's one thing for sure, we have dried spinach and cheese to eat! :-))
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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forgetmenot
True Blue Farmgirl
3602 Posts
Judith
Nora Springs
IA
USA
3602 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2011 : 08:22:28 AM
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I love dried spinach. The intensified flavor is wonderful! Also, dried mushrooms. How do you can cheese?
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the belief that something is more important than fear." Ambrose Red Moon |
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montanafarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
45 Posts
Vickie Harrell
Bigfork
Montana
USA
45 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2011 : 09:50:40 AM
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Erin...Please e-mail me I have questions about your site
Farmgirl Blessings
Farmgirl # 2554
Vickie |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2011 : 12:22:56 PM
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Judith, I'm glad to hear that! I can't wait to try my dried spinach. I will be putting a blog up with pictures about canning cheese next week. It is very easy. I did both hard and soft cheeses.
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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Farm Kitchen: Stocking up? |
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Stocking up?
