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Posted: 10/22/2020 8:50:37 AM EDT
[#1]
as of today I'm down 27 pounds! got up to averaging 4+ miles a day hiking, too. My goal was originally to lose the weight of my plates and carrier. My new goal is to continue and lose the weight of all my "battle rattle" gear, which is 5 pounds away. After that I'll just keep at it.
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Posted: 10/22/2020 2:26:43 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By steviesterno16: as of today I'm down 27 pounds! got up to averaging 4+ miles a day hiking, too. My goal was originally to lose the weight of my plates and carrier. My new goal is to continue and lose the weight of all my "battle rattle" gear, which is 5 pounds away. After that I'll just keep at it. Great Job Brother!! I'm down to 228 after weighing 284 pounds. I ruck 2 miles a day with a 40 pound pack. I think most people overlook their Health when it comes to SHTF. It's probably the most important thing. Keep on sweating and losing those pounds. |
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Posted: 10/27/2020 11:57:18 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Chris_in_TX]
[#3]
I was down over 30 by rucking. I was up to 5 miles/35lbs in about an hour. 4 times a week. Until about 2 weeks ago, now my knee is tweaked out. Went to the doc, got an xray and she want me to go to physical therapy. Maybe and MRI down the road.
On the prepping side, I picked up 5 gallons of kerosene for the space heater, refilled my propane bottles, and a set of FoodSaver mason jar vacuum sealer things to jar up dry goods. Update: Radiologist says the xray looks like it could be osteo-oarthritis. PT scheduled, maybe a shot of cortizone later. Food Saver machine is crap for vacuum sealing regular mouth jars. Got a brake bleeder and it works great. Sucks the jar down to about 20lbs of vacuum. |
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NY, USA
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Posted: 10/27/2020 12:50:24 PM EDT
[Last Edit: bill3rail]
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Chris_in_TX: I was down over 30 by rucking. I was up to 5 miles/35lbs in about an hour. 4 times a week. Until about 2 weeks ago, now my knee is tweaked out. Went to the doc, got an xray and she want me to go to physical therapy. Maybe and MRI down the road. Try a bicycle, less impact on the joints, yet you still get cardio. You will save the knees for when you need to hike somewhere. Bill |
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NY, USA
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Posted: 10/27/2020 12:52:20 PM EDT
[Last Edit: bill3rail]
[#5]
I have filled most of my gas cans, I have about another 10 gallon in empties. Those will be topped off shortly.
Also planning a trip to restaurant depot this week to top off the freezer. Bill |
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Posted: 10/27/2020 4:44:58 PM EDT
[Last Edit: PA-Minuteman]
[#6]
Filled one of my new Valpro cans, also got my shelving up temporary. Now I can see what I still need to stock up on.
One thing is bottled water, and 1 gal water jugs. I need more of them 
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NY, USA
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Posted: 10/27/2020 7:17:38 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PA-Minuteman: Filled one of my new Valpro cans, What is the cost on Valpro cans? Almost all of my cans were free. Two Jerry Cans, a couple 5 Gal. Eagle round cans and a crapload of 1, 2 and 2.5 Gallon plastic cans. Bill |
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USA
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Posted: 10/27/2020 7:39:51 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By bill3rail: What is the cost on Valpro cans? Almost all of my cans were free. Two Jerry Cans, a couple 5 Gal. Eagle round cans and a crapload of 1, 2 and 2.5 Gallon plastic cans. Bill I got 2 Valpro cans delivered to my house for around $118 a couple months ago. Great cans. |
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Posted: 10/28/2020 1:31:33 AM EDT
[#9]
filled up gas cans tonight, made a sizeable grocery run, and added oiled up the Dietz
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Posted: 10/28/2020 7:37:42 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Vaquero]
[#10]
Bravo to everyone working out and losing weight. It’s not glamorous. It doesn’t have to cost money. No packages coming on the big brown truck. But it’s vital.
Fitness over firearms |
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Posted: 10/28/2020 2:58:31 PM EDT
[#11]
I'm using the election as a deadline to get my preps in order. Not much to do though, and I don't expect anything to occur, I just tend to not procrastinate, when I give myself an artificial deadline. Otherwise it will never get done.
Over the past two weeks, I've topped off and treated all my fuel, currently at 55 treated gallons. Bought another 20lb propane tank and some charcoal that was on sale. Bought a pallet of water earlier in the year, got a few more cases for the hell of it. Finally made it to the range to BZ my new Hogster on one of my rifles, which was another purchase I just made. Now in addition to my RNVGs, I added the Hogster. Cant believe I waited this long to get into thermal. I highly recommend it. |
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Posted: 10/28/2020 4:12:06 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Vaquero: Bravo to everyone working out and loosing weight. It’s not glamorous. It doesn’t have to cost money. No packages coming on the big brown truck. But it’s vital. Fitness over firearms Amen Brother! I'm 63 years old and rucking a 40 pound ALICE pack 2 miles a day to try to have some fitness. I have lost over 50 pounds because I knew if anything happened I would be dead soon after the SHTF. Still have 28 lbs to go to reach my goal of 200 pounds. My knees have arthritis and I have half a meniscus in the right one. Not gonna quit...I'm an old 11b and recon scout. ALLONS  |
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Posted: 10/28/2020 5:34:01 PM EDT
[#13]
Originally Posted By bill3rail: What is the cost on Valpro cans? Almost all of my cans were free. Two Jerry Cans, a couple 5 Gal. Eagle round cans and a crapload of 1, 2 and 2.5 Gallon plastic cans. Bill Originally Posted By ColtRifle: I got 2 Valpro cans delivered to my house for around $118 a couple months ago. Great cans. |
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Posted: 10/30/2020 9:23:02 PM EDT
[#14]
We ordered another freezer and I’m building a bigger pantry.
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Posted: 10/31/2020 9:19:39 AM EDT
[#15]
After digging up the potatoes from the garden, I washed them, using the garden sink I had built for my wife.
 Then I sliced them using a food processor.  Attached FileNext they were blanched in boiling water for a minute. This prevents them from turning black when they are drying.  Next, I dehydrated them for 48 hours.  Attached FileLast, they were put in cans with oxygen absorbers, and sealed up.  Attached File  Attached File |
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NJ, USA
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Posted: 10/31/2020 10:12:20 AM EDT
[#16]
With chaos around the corner (11-03-20) I put away thirty gallons of gasoline.
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USA
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Posted: 10/31/2020 1:10:17 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By resteva: With chaos around the corner (11-03-20) I put away thirty gallons of gasoline. Hmmm, good thinking. I better fill all the vehicles and gas cans up Sunday. I did finish paying off a little Beretta 81 .32 auto that should be ideal for the Mrs. for HD. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 10/31/2020 9:30:43 PM EDT
[#19]
Just exchanged the empty propane tanks for full ones. Bought another Big Buddy heater. Got a light coming for the AR. Had a couple tourniquets come in that I'd ordered. Last weekend I took a trauma and critical care first aid class from Field Craft Survival. Great class.
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Posted: 11/1/2020 12:42:30 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PA-Minuteman: Details on the canning process? The potatoes are already dehydrated, so there's no pressure canning or anything involved. I just put the dehydrated potatoes in the can with a couple O2 absorbers, put a lid on it, put it in the can sealer, and it's done. I put some stuff in the 7.5mil mylar bags, and some in the #10 cans. I view the canned stuff as my longer term preps, where I tend to use the stuff in the mylar sooner. Did that cover it? Happy to share more if there are specific questions I might be able to answer. |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 6:45:34 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AGreyMan: The potatoes are already dehydrated, so there's no pressure canning or anything involved. I just put the dehydrated potatoes in the can with a couple O2 absorbers, put a lid on it, put it in the can sealer, and it's done. I put some stuff in the 7.5mil mylar bags, and some in the #10 cans. I view the canned stuff as my longer term preps, where I tend to use the stuff in the mylar sooner. Did that cover it? Happy to share more if there are specific questions I might be able to answer. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AGreyMan: Originally Posted By PA-Minuteman: Details on the canning process? The potatoes are already dehydrated, so there's no pressure canning or anything involved. I just put the dehydrated potatoes in the can with a couple O2 absorbers, put a lid on it, put it in the can sealer, and it's done. I put some stuff in the 7.5mil mylar bags, and some in the #10 cans. I view the canned stuff as my longer term preps, where I tend to use the stuff in the mylar sooner. Did that cover it? Happy to share more if there are specific questions I might be able to answer. I like your canning setup, any specs on that? |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 8:43:00 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AGreyMan: The potatoes are already dehydrated, so there's no pressure canning or anything involved. I just put the dehydrated potatoes in the can with a couple O2 absorbers, put a lid on it, put it in the can sealer, and it's done. I put some stuff in the 7.5mil mylar bags, and some in the #10 cans. I view the canned stuff as my longer term preps, where I tend to use the stuff in the mylar sooner. Did that cover it? Happy to share more if there are specific questions I might be able to answer. how long will the potatoes last in the can ? |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 9:24:24 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mbty22: how long will the potatoes last in the can ? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mbty22: Originally Posted By AGreyMan: The potatoes are already dehydrated, so there's no pressure canning or anything involved. I just put the dehydrated potatoes in the can with a couple O2 absorbers, put a lid on it, put it in the can sealer, and it's done. I put some stuff in the 7.5mil mylar bags, and some in the #10 cans. I view the canned stuff as my longer term preps, where I tend to use the stuff in the mylar sooner. Did that cover it? Happy to share more if there are specific questions I might be able to answer. how long will the potatoes last in the can ? Probably longer than bags. Those dried potatoes have sharp edges that will cut through a lot of materials on compression. I have a bunch of potatoes I blanched and froze this year after cubing. Planning to make stews and stuff this winter with them. |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 9:58:19 AM EDT
[Last Edit: AGreyMan]
[#24]
Originally Posted By PointBlank82: I like your canning setup, any specs on that? Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of info about that particular can sealer. It was an eBay find, but it seems to be functionally equivalent to the Gering & Son can sealer that is/was used by a lot of the LDS canneries. Some more info about a similar sealer from the LDS Prepper Store. Another option for a #10/603can sealer is an All American Senior 1502. The problem is that #10 cans are both more expensive than glass canning jars, and are expensive to ship. House of Cans is where I got my cans. Originally Posted By mbty22: how long will the potatoes last in the can ? The reading/research that I have done indicates that dehydrated potato slices in a lightproof, oxygen-free environment, stored at room temps should last between 10 and 25 years. I’ll add that I have some commercially packed #10 cans of dehydrated food leftover from Y2K that we’re still eating, and we’ve found nothing inedible, or even unappetizing. Except for TVP, but that sucked the day it was canned. Even the cans of white flour are...OK. If you make bread, it doesn’t rise very well, but we just use it for egg noodles and dumplings. That’s probably more than you wanted to know, sorry for the ramble... |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 10:45:30 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AGreyMan: Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of info about that particular can sealer. It was an eBay find, but it seems to be functionally equivalent to the Gering & Son can sealer that is/was used by a lot of the LDS canneries. Some more info about a similar sealer from the LDS Prepper Store. Another option for a #10/603can sealer is an All American Senior 1502. The problem is that #10 cans are both more expensive than glass canning jars, and are expensive to ship. House of Cans is where I got my cans. I started with a smaller-sized can sealer that was built in the 1940s. That smaller canner has a provision to remove the old seam from a used can and put a new flange on it, so all you need to do is buy a new lid. The can is 1/16" (?) shorter each time you reflange it, but you can reuse the cans a number of times. I am a little handy in the shop, and have a lathe, mill, welders, etc., so I am trying to build a #10 can reflanger. That would open up an avenue to free cans: My kid's school goes through a half-dozen a day that they throw out. The reading/research that I have done indicates that dehydrated potato slices in a lightproof, oxygen-free environment, stored at room temps should last between 10 and 25 years. I'll add that I have some commercially packed #10 cans of dehydrated food leftover from Y2K that we're still eating, and we've found nothing inedible, or even unappetizing. Except for TVP, but that sucked the day it was canned. Even the cans of white flour are...OK. If you make bread, it doesn't rise very well, but we just use it for egg noodles and dumplings. That's probably more than you wanted to know, sorry for the ramble... Thanks for the info, this is what I was asking about. I wonder if it would be cheaper in the long run to make dehydrated meals and get a canner like that then to buy Mountain House #10 cans |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 1:18:36 PM EDT
[#26]
You’re welcome. That’s why were all here, isn’t it? To help each other out?
I think it depends on what you are putting in the cans. I also invested in a freeze dryer, and I am mostly putting away a lot of ground beef and chicken. It is cheaper than buying Mountain House, especially when I buy half a cow at a time from a local farmer/processor. For things like wheat berries, I don’t think it is very cost-effective, compared to thick mylar bags inside 5 gallon pails. I really haven’t put anything besides components into the cans. For instance, I have not freeze dried a bunch of chicken soup, or beef stew, or chicken à la King, or whatever and canned it. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 11/1/2020 4:09:45 PM EDT
[#27]
Made a grocery run yesterday.
Made a Sams Club run this morning to tops off dry goods and spices and weirdly I was low on olive oil. Just picked up 1800 300 BO, 1000 LC 308 and 600 7.62x39 brass and scored 1k primers at a local store. I am in the middle of a month long project to reinventory and resort how all my food peeps are stored. I now have it all on specific pallets (rice and beans, veggies, prepared meals like mountain house, breakfast stuff like oats and stuff, and proteins) each on their own pallet. I am checking to make sure each box is clearly labeled, has an expiration date and is inventoried. This is a long ongoing project that I work on a few times a week and it is finally nearing the end. I had my weight loss done for me (thanks Covid) and am working to get back to where I can run and ride a bike again. I may add rucking to this. |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 4:54:44 PM EDT
[#28]
The various kinds of emergency food kits (buckets, etc) are beginning to go out of stock again.
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Posted: 11/1/2020 5:22:43 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By RockMech: The various kinds of emergency food kits (buckets, etc) are beginning to go out of stock again. People are getting ready for the Covid 19 lockdowns that are coming this fall and winter. |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 6:48:47 PM EDT
[#30]
This pic is from a couple weeks ago but we just finished filling our wood shed. Two years worth of average winter heat if we are conservative with it:
 Attached FileHad our first fire … house temp is now 80 time to let it go back out and for a couple weeks:  Attached FileGas stores are all topped off, got my battery supplies topped off, and going to think about grabbing a few extra muzzle loading supplies tomorrow. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 11/1/2020 7:17:22 PM EDT
[#31]
As long as the weather holds you still have time to keep adding to that wood pile.
I will be topping off the gas tomorrow and exchanging 1 empty propane tank so my fuels and lubricants are pretty much sorted. I. We’d to check how much chain and bar oil I have. |
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Posted: 11/1/2020 7:52:55 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Hasher1: As long as the weather holds you still have time to keep adding to that wood pile. I will be topping off the gas tomorrow and exchanging 1 empty propane tank so my fuels and lubricants are pretty much sorted. I. We’d to check how much chain and bar oil I have. I had to weld on my old ATV cart a bit yesterday to get it through another year or two, didn't go as well as planned but its better than it it was. My hope is to get a little bit more done b4 snow fly's for good. With that it is hunting season here in NY so I am taking 4 day weekends in attempt to add to the freezer. I have a couple gallons of bar & chain oil put back. I doubt I go through a full gallon per year. Plus any time I have less than a quart of oil left in any jug I add it to the jug of bar & chain oil I am using. I also have other various oils stashed in my work shop that could work should SHTF. |
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UT, USA
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Posted: 11/5/2020 11:03:05 AM EDT
[#33]
We bought three 5 gallon metal cans of kerosene and 3 more wicks for our Robeson kerosene heater.
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Posted: 11/5/2020 3:00:38 PM EDT
[Last Edit: lumper]
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AGreyMan: The potatoes are already dehydrated, so there's no pressure canning or anything involved. I just put the dehydrated potatoes in the can with a couple O2 absorbers, put a lid on it, put it in the can sealer, and it's done. I put some stuff in the 7.5mil mylar bags, and some in the #10 cans. I view the canned stuff as my longer term preps, where I tend to use the stuff in the mylar sooner. Did that cover it? Happy to share more if there are specific questions I might be able to answer. In your opinion would dicing or shredding the potatoes reduce the puncture threat? Do you have any other ideas on how to reduce that problem? Looking at you photo, I wonder if the storage density per can would be increased if the potatoes were reduced in size more. If there a reason you prefer sliced potatoes over processing them any other way? Would you be able to give an estimate of the time involved, as well as the final cost per can (excluding the cost of the canning machine). I am interested in the idea of the can, I have never packaged anything in them. We do a lot of canning in glass, and some storage in Mylar, but I like the idea of long term rodent proof storage. We have a chamber vacuum sealer, and are able to vacuum seal glass jars in it. We have had success with grains, rice, etc. Less success with fine flour products, I believe because of possible flour contamination in the lid flat rubber seal occorring during the air extraction during the vacuuming process. Grain storage over longer terms has help up well, any rust issues can be cured by dipping the lid flat (remove the ring first) in canning wax since the jar is glass. Breakage is always an issue but that is not that common. How do the cans hold up in a damp area? Have you seen any rusting issues, or any other things that concern you? Thank you for your post and sharing your knowledge. |
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Posted: 11/5/2020 4:43:32 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By lumper: In your opinion would dicing or shredding the potatoes reduce the puncture threat? Do you have any other ideas on how to reduce that problem? Looking at you photo, I wonder if the storage density per can would be increased if the potatoes were reduced in size more. If there a reason you prefer sliced potatoes over processing them any other way? Would you be able to give an estimate of the time involved, as well as the final cost per can (excluding the cost of the canning machine). I am interested in the idea of the can, I have never packaged anything in them. We do a lot of canning in glass, and some storage in Mylar, but I like the idea of long term rodent proof storage. We have a chamber vacuum sealer, and are able to vacuum seal glass jars in it. We have had success with grains, rice, etc. Less success with fine flour products, I believe because of possible flour contamination in the lid flat rubber seal occorring during the air extraction during the vacuuming process. Grain storage over longer terms has help up well, any rust issues can be cured by dipping the lid flat (remove the ring first) in canning wax since the jar is glass. Breakage is always an issue but that is not that common. How do the cans hold up in a damp area? Have you seen any rusting issues, or any other things that concern you? Thank you for your post and sharing your knowledge. I was thinking the same thing with the potatoes being smashed up more fine. You could probably get more into it. Instant mashed potatoes are already freeze dried and smashed and sealed. Would it be cheaper to just buy that? I see them for $1 or less a package. The same thing with instant scallop potatoes. They are sliced and freeze dried from what I can tell |
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Posted: 11/5/2020 6:58:43 PM EDT
[#36]
I do like the idea that he is able to process his home grown potatoes. My concern was the cost per pound and calories per given area of the finished product. We store for several families, and consolidation of space is extremely important to us, as is the cost and durability of the storage containers.
The jars have worked well for us from a cost standpoint, as they are reusable, and the only real cost is the cost of the flats. As an additional benefit, both the jars, and often also the lids are reusable if removed carefully. Historically, we have considered the flats as a good value, and have always kept a reasonable supply on hand for our personal use, as well as use as a potential trade item. We have depleted our supply to the minimum we are comfortable with due to the current shortage, as we have traded some of them for other products recently. |
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Posted: 11/5/2020 7:18:47 PM EDT
[#37]
Bought 500 more rounds of 6.5 Grendel.
7 pmags Another 5.56 AR15. 500 rds of .223. $200+ of food. |
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Posted: 11/5/2020 11:49:30 PM EDT
[Last Edit: AGreyMan]
[#38]
Originally Posted By lumper: In your opinion would dicing or shredding the potatoes reduce the puncture threat? Do you have any other ideas on how to reduce that problem? Looking at you photo, I wonder if the storage density per can would be increased if the potatoes were reduced in size more. If there a reason you prefer sliced potatoes over processing them any other way? The mylar I use is 7.5 mil., so it is pretty darn thick. I am not certain that the puncture threat is exceedingly serious. I have never had anything actually puncture that thickness of mylar. I prefer the sliced potatoes, as they are the easiest to handle, plus one of the dishes I like to make with them is au gratin and cheesy potatoes. If I shredded them, it would have been a pain in the rear to blanch them without making some kind of potato soup! Would you be able to give an estimate of the time involved, as well as the final cost per can (excluding the cost of the canning machine). The cans with lids are $2.60 a piece. The oxygen absorbers are about $.25 a piece for the 300 cc size. You can use one per can, but I use two because I am a little paranoid. As to the time involved, most of it is taken up by actual preparation of the food. Washing the potatoes, peeling them, slicing them, blanching them, arranging them on the dehydrator trays, etc. The actual process of canning them is really very fast. I dumped as much potatoes as will fit into the cans, throw in a couple oxygen absorbers, put a lid on, put it into the canned sealer, and then I am done. It is faster than putting them in mylar. I have freeze dried some of my lovely wife’s mashed potatoes, and they reconstitute pretty well. I am interested in the idea of the can, I have never packaged anything in them. We do a lot of canning in glass, and some storage in Mylar, but I like the idea of long term rodent proof storage. We have a chamber vacuum sealer, and are able to vacuum seal glass jars in it. We have had success with grains, rice, etc. Less success with fine flour products, I believe because of possible flour contamination in the lid flat rubber seal occorring during the air extraction during the vacuuming process. Grain storage over longer terms has help up well, any rust issues can be cured by dipping the lid flat (remove the ring first) in canning wax since the jar is glass. Breakage is always an issue but that is not that common. Cool! A chamber vacuum sealer is on my Christmas list! I would like to play around with making retort pouches. How do the cans hold up in a damp area? Have you seen any rusting issues, or any other things that concern you? There has been some surface rust on our Y2K food cans, But none of them have yet rusted through. I would be fine with storing them anywhere indoors, or in a basement. I have read of some people who go hogwild, and dip the cans in wax, but I have not gone that far. Thank you for your post and sharing your knowledge. No problem at all! I learn a lot from the folks on here, and I’m happy to share what I know. Originally Posted By steviesterno16: I was thinking the same thing with the potatoes being smashed up more fine. You could probably get more into it. Instant mashed potatoes are already freeze dried and smashed and sealed. Would it be cheaper to just buy that? I see them for $1 or less a package. It might be an interesting experiment to see how many boxes of Betty Crocker au gratin potatoes from the boxes fit in a #10 can. You do get the cheese sauce mix, but I have a can or two of the Auguson Farms cheese powder. The same thing with instant scallop potatoes. They are sliced and freeze dried from what I can tell. I think they are dehydrated, versus being freeze dried. Originally Posted By lumper: I do like the idea that he is able to process his home grown potatoes. My concern was the cost per pound and calories per given area of the finished product. We store for several families, and consolidation of space is extremely important to us, as is the cost and durability of the storage containers. I agree. One of the reasons why I started dehydrating/freeze drying and putting the results in cans is so we could save what we have worked so hard over the summer to grow. It might be more inexpensive to simply purchase buckets from Auguson Farms, but we enjoy gardening and we are learning to be better at it every year. I think this has value. There is something to be said for the durability of metal cans. It is certainly less of an issue if you are hastily loading a truck to throw in cases of cans as opposed to flats of glass jars. In addition I believe there is some value in keeping out light to extend storage life. The jars have worked well for us from a cost standpoint, as they are reusable, and the only real cost is the cost of the flats. As an additional benefit, both the jars, and often also the lids are reusable if removed carefully. Historically, we have considered the flats as a good value, and have always kept a reasonable supply on hand for our personal use, as well as use as a potential trade item. We have depleted our supply to the minimum we are comfortable with due to the current shortage, as we have traded some of them for other products recently. I concur. Jars are very cost-effective. I don’t think it is an “either-or” argument. Just as it is better to have several tools in your toolbox rather than than just one tool, I believe utilizing metal cans makes sense in some situations. Given the storage volume per can, it might not be as cost prohibitive as it would seem at first blush. |
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Posted: 11/6/2020 10:36:12 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AGreyMan: Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AGreyMan: Originally Posted By steviesterno16: I was thinking the same thing with the potatoes being smashed up more fine. You could probably get more into it. Instant mashed potatoes are already freeze dried and smashed and sealed. Would it be cheaper to just buy that? I see them for $1 or less a package. It might be an interesting experiment to see how many boxes of Betty Crocker au gratin potatoes from the boxes fit in a #10 can. You do get the cheese sauce mix, but I have a can or two of the Auguson Farms cheese powder. The same thing with instant scallop potatoes. They are sliced and freeze dried from what I can tell. I think they are dehydrated, versus being freeze dried. not sure the quoting is going to work. But how is freeze dried different than dehydrated? Don't both methods remove water as a preservation method? |
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Posted: 11/6/2020 1:15:16 PM EDT
[#40]
Dehydrating is evaporating the water out of food. It leaves a moisture of 5%-20%. It also shrivels the food as the water evaporates.
In freeze drying, the food is frozen, placed in a vacuum chamber, and then gently heated. The ice is sublimated into a vapor, and does not pass through the liquid state. The food does not shrivel, and retains it's texture (mostly) when reconstituted. The moisture content is about 2%, well below what bacteria need to multiply. It also reconstitutes much, much faster.  
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Posted: 11/6/2020 9:17:16 PM EDT
[#41]
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I can see how the cans would definitely transport better, being lighter and with little chance of breakage. I had not considered that, as in our circumstance we are already rural, and have nowhere to move to on short notice anyways.
Thank you for the information on the freeze drying also, we have considered purchasing a machine, but did not think it would be used enough to justify it's cost in our situation. Have you ever tried freeze drying already frozen fruits or produce from a store? If so, did you see a difference in the quality of the final product over what you produced at home? |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 11/6/2020 10:59:14 PM EDT
[#42]
A grey man.
Are you the same guy who used to be on Frugals with that name ages ago? |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 11/6/2020 11:07:44 PM EDT
[#43]
Scored 1860 300 BO brass, 700 30/06 and 1000 7.62x39 brass all for $400.
Made 2 runs for sundries and spices (and cat litter) to Sams as well as a run to the almost barren Bishops Storehouse. Continued the long project of consolidation of ammo and getting it stored by caliber and building my reloading room. |
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Posted: 11/7/2020 1:06:48 AM EDT
[Last Edit: AGreyMan]
[#44]
Originally Posted By lumper: Thank you for taking the time to respond. I can see how the cans would definitely transport better, being lighter and with little chance of breakage. I had not considered that, as in our circumstance we are already rural, and have nowhere to move to on short notice anyways. Thank you for the information on the freeze drying also, we have considered purchasing a machine, but did not think it would be used enough to justify it's cost in our situation. Have you ever tried freeze drying already frozen fruits or produce from a store? If so, did you see a difference in the quality of the final product over what you produced at home? Very happy to share. We’re pretty rural too, but as Gandalf said, "even the very wise cannot see all ends." 75% of what I run through the freeze dryer is meat, primarily ground beef, diced chicken breast and pulled pork. I haven’t run the numbers on how much we have to do versus buying Mountain House to theoretically have it pay for itself. I think that calculus does not figure in some intangibles like self-reliance, sustainability, and the ability to preserve exactly what we want to eat. The Harvest Right freeze dryer is a bit bulky, but if you found somebody to split the cost with, you could probably freeze dry food until you were ready for a break, then swap it to the other guy until he needed a break, etc. As to processing store-bought frozen fruits/produce, we get 5# (I think that’s the weight) bags of diced strawberries from Sam’s Club and freeze dry them. I have also got good deals on #10 cans for fruit cocktail from a restaurant supply place, as they were close to their “best by” date. A trip through the freeze dryer and proper packaging and they’re good for another 25 years! The quality is somewhat worse using store-bought foods, simply because that stuff is done in a factory by machine or minimum wage worker who doesn’t have to eat the end product. We definitely choose the best stuff from our garden to freeze dry, wash it well, cut out bad parts, etc. However, using store-bought foods produces the same quality as any mass produced food, like Mountain House, in my experience. Originally Posted By Hasher1: A grey man. Are you the same guy who used to be on Frugals with that name ages ago? Yup, that’s me! I haven’t been on Frugal Squirrels in years, though. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 11/7/2020 2:18:52 AM EDT
[#45]
I’ll tell Desert Doc I ran into you. I used the same name there.
BTW I did some editing to help him finish that novel. Lol |
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Posted: 11/7/2020 9:37:33 AM EDT
[#46]
Bought a freezer at Home Depot. Haven’t seen any in stock for months. They were on pallets with a sign on them that said do not sell until Black Friday. I took the sign off the box, got a cart and slid one onto it and took it to the checkout and they didn’t question it.
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Posted: 11/7/2020 10:09:59 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Downeast_Pete: Bought a freezer at Home Depot. Haven't seen any in stock for months. They were on pallets with a sign on them that said do not sell until Black Friday. I took the sign off the box, got a cart and slid one onto it and took it to the checkout and they didn't question it.  Nice bro |
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Posted: 11/7/2020 12:04:42 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Downeast_Pete: Bought a freezer at Home Depot. Haven’t seen any in stock for months. They were on pallets with a sign on them that said do not sell until Black Friday. I took the sign off the box, got a cart and slid one onto it and took it to the checkout and they didn’t question it. Like it 
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USA
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Posted: 11/8/2020 3:48:24 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Downeast_Pete: Bought a freezer at Home Depot. Haven’t seen any in stock for months. They were on pallets with a sign on them that said do not sell until Black Friday. I took the sign off the box, got a cart and slid one onto it and took it to the checkout and they didn’t question it.  I'll have to poke around next time I'm over by a lowes or home depot. In the last week bought 4 more gas cans and filled them. Rotated the rest. Topped off both cars Emptied, cleaned, treated, and refilled all 5 gallon water cans and 55 gallon barrel Bought a large shelf unit to aid in the ever ongoing battle of keeping organized Finally scored a decent price on some fresnel lenses, 10 5x7 for 20 dollars. Now i have to decide if i should do a solar cooker or a hot water heater first Made a list of expired meds, replaced what was OTC as sams. Still looking for some of the harder to find stuff online Picked up another 3 months of general consumables at sams. Got about 40 more soups and 25 or so gravy / spice packets. Grabbed 5 4 packs of nuun (like gateraid but less sugar and vitamins) continued diet and exercise, lost 5 pounds in october and continued lifting. |
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Posted: 11/8/2020 5:13:48 PM EDT
[#50]
Made a Costco run and topped off some food preps. Started a more detailed list of things to increase on hand, as I suspect more covid lockdowns are coming. Took account of my fitness plan and made some adjustments.
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