Off the grid

    Food storage is one that has been on my mind and I have been gathering ball jars for canning and learning about dried meats and vacuum sealing. Once you have food you need to be able to store it with and without refrigeration.

    That's our next project to tackle once I get home.


    We have already been looking into canning/jarring systems as well as smokers and dehydrators. We have a few books on the subject and been doing some research. Now it's time to actually start doing it and getting some first hand experience.


    I have several different mindsets on food storage for emergency rations:


    1. Immediate consumption 1-7 days. Canned or packaged items that do not require any cooking, heating or adding water. Small enough to be carried in a pack if you need to travel or leave your home. MREs are perfect for this.


    2. 1-4 weeks. Large quantity canned items that can be stored on shelves. Non-perishable food items that need to be cooked or have water added; I feel that within this time frame some kind of water and heating sources can be established. At this point in time, a garden will have been started and sources of game can be located if in an unfamiliar area.


    3 1-6 months. Fruits and vegetables should be harvestable. Canned food items can be utilized to supplement if sources of game have become scarce or crops are net yet producing or planting times are over (winter). Long shelf life food items such as freeze dried foods are a good item to consider to supplement food shortages during this time as well. Some of these food items have 20-25 year shelf lives. These can be used at any time but the downside is that they take time to prepare and require boiling water to reconstitute.

    Excellent topic. I have interest in this subject and have actually attended several Preppers meetings where I live. Some of which are held sometimes at the nearest Gander Mountain. After growing up and living in a large urban area, I can say without hesitation that I will never live in one again or at least I prefer not to. I think you can't really do many or all the things mentioned here while in a large metropolitan community and if or when the preverbial fecal matter hits the fan blades, it will start as urban unrest.


    I live in a much smaller community now only about 20 miles from obtaining all types of wildlife. We have a well, but not drinking quality. My wife has one year left for her nursing degree and I'm also in the healthcare field. I'm trying to convince her that our next property purchase be in a home with large acreage and quality soil. We already have several land options in mind to do many of the things mentioned here in earnest.


    One aspect not mentioned is to accumlutate an ample supply of medical supplies. Materials for stiching, starting an IV, etc...There is also ability to install large gasoline storing units, propane tanks, etc. Gold and silver as well.

    Be prepared be prepared, this lesson must be shared :)


    The Real Be Prepared - YouTube


    I think in the event of a zombie apocalypse, the most important supply you'll be in need of is friends you can trust to fight with you. So I'll leave the stocking up/self reliance stuff up to you, just give me a heads up before the fecal matter hits the fan, because you know I don't watch the news, and I'll be over in a jiffy. Not to be confused with the story of the grasshopper and the ants :)


    Pardon the derail.

    Quote from Rolo

    One aspect not mentioned is to accumlutate an ample supply of medical supplies. Materials for stiching, starting an IV, etc...There is also ability to install large gasoline storing units, propane tanks, etc. Gold and silver as well.


    Great point. Along with that should be some emergency medical training:toast:


    I have been trained in basic first-aid and CPR since I was about 15 years old. I would really be interested in taking some "combat medic" courses for more serious injuries that basic First Aid doesn't usually cover, like stitches (sutures), bone setting, administering morphine etc.

    Quote from Dan

    I think in the event of a zombie apocalypse, the most important supply you'll be in need of is friends you can trust to fight with you. So I'll leave the stocking up/self reliance stuff up to you, just give me a heads up before the fecal matter hits the fan, because you know I don't watch the news, and I'll be over in a jiffy. Not to be confused with the story of the grasshopper and the ant :)


    Pardon the derail.


    That reminds me of an old joke:


    What does a Catholic's disaster plan consist of? A shotgun and a Mormon's address <img src= " class="smiley" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x" height="23" width="23" loading="eager" data-tooltip="biggrin" aria-label="biggrin">

    ~~ No derail, my take on this is similar, there are lots of guns around, I have a 'couple' of fire arms
    however, the world's water bodies hold the best promise for the longest lasting meat source.
    And this begs the question, which is better, guns or gold? You can't have one without the other I suppose.

    Gold will be good up to a point. Of what use was all Thurston Howell III's cash money on Gilligan's Island?


    There's a common phrase where I live that is often used when one gets questioned about how many points a shot deer had. "there ain't no recipes for horns"

    I always say you can't eat the horns. California deer are some of the smallest and hardest to hunt in my opinion but fresh venison is great!


    Another method of preservation that has been around for centuries is salting. I have a little bag of sodium nitrate curing salts which kill bacteria and most importantly botulism. If you look at prociutto and other large cured hams. The method to cure is 1st cool temperatures, no sun, salt, lard, and pepper. Salt kills the bacteria and prevents it from growing, lard coats the meat and the pepper bound to the meat by the lard keeps bugs away. Cool temperature allows for even drying.

    Quote from Hookinfish

    I always say you can't eat the horns. California deer are some of the smallest and hardest to hunt in my opinion but fresh venison is great!


    Indeed it is. And that being my point; isn't the meat the real item of value? Just as one can't eat horns, one cannot eat gold. Of course I am taking this to an extreme, but I am one to think things through to the bitter end.

    Well the wife has been pretty busy at home continuing our efforts to be as self reliant as possible:)


    She made her first attempt at canning and put some of our home-grown crops in jars. She was pretty proud of herself, as am I. She has a cousin that helped her through the process with the necessary supplies and know how. Of course she went out and got herself a new pressure cooker this weekend...^^


    Here's a pic of the goods. Various peppers including Serrano, Jalepeno, Cayanne and Tabasco

    Great job on the canning. Another option you can look into is pickling. You would be surprised how long chile peppers will last in 5% acidity vinegar. I pickle the peppers I grow and then you can blend them for hot sauce later too.

    They are jarred in vinegar. I really need to start doing some homework on the subject. I only have the briefest of introductions into the process from reading a few pages from the Ball book on canning.


    I would really like to start smoking the fish I shoot at home and jarring them for long-term storage.

    That photo just motivated me to get of the computer and make breakfast <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x">

    Be safe ... Happy hunting .

    Quote from Aaron Proffitt

    Very nice , John, and Im sure you guys have read through the recipe book that came with the pressure cooker that shows you can do meats, poultry and fish. Canned venison is the tits.


    Definitely up for making venison stew. I make a pretty mean one, if I do say so myself^^


    I have read some of the Ball "Blue Book" so I have some basics on the differences between canning meats and produce. Meats require higher temperatures and cook times, hence the need for a pressure cooker.


    It will be nice to get back home and do all this stuff with the family:(

    Quote from tufual

    Hey John found this product online taught you would like it


    Off the Grid: Step Charged Laptop - YouTube


    Pretty cool. Those are the kind of things I am looking for. Funny thing though...I read through the comments below the video and it seems the product has all but disappeared?( Either it was a complete piece of crap ( I would have liked to have actually seen it power the lap-top up) or somebody had too much too lose and bought the patent;)

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