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The Process and Enemies of Food Storage

January 16, 2011 by

The Process and Enemies of Food Storage

In this section I’ll explain the enemies of food storage and how to mitigate them. I’ll also cover how to properly store food for LTS (Long Term Storage).

The five dangers of food storage are; heat, light, oxygen, moisture and pests. Minimizing the effects of these things will greatly increase the storage life of food.
 
 

Heat

Temperatures between 40 degrees and 72 degree Fahrenheit are ideal for food storage. For every 18 degrees above 72, the food loses up to half its nutritional value. If the food is exposed to temperatures over 72 degrees for an extended amount of time it can lose its color, texture and taste.
 
 

Light

Keep things in a dark space if at all possible, light can affect the appearance and taste of food. Mylar bags and food grade buckets will also help here.
 
 

Oxygen

When fats oxidize they turn rancid. Keeping your food in an oxygen free environment will prevent this, as well as kill pests that may be in the food. You can remove oxygen with oxygen absorbers in an airtight bag. I’ll cover how to know how many to use below.
 
 

Moisture

Moisture can take the form of humidity, condensation or even a water pipe breakage. To mitigate this I keep much of my preps in Mylar bags and then I put the Mylar bag in a food grade bucket. You can also add a desiccant to the inside of the Mylar for added moisture removal. I try not to have any food with cardboard packaging out in the open, as it is susceptible to accidents involving liquids, such as broken pickle jars, broken pipes or the “Not Me Ghost”, you know, children.
 
 

Pests

Pests range from larvae in bulk food to mice in your food storage area. There are a few ways to deal with each. For larvae you can stick that bag of rice, beans or whatever in your freezer for a couple of days. This will kill any bugs, larvae or eggs. I used to do that, but it’s time consuming, my freezer isn’t that big and it’s usually full. I found, on a forum, that the simple act of removing the oxygen would kill any pests in the food. This made sense and they were steps we were already doing. We have not had any problem with pests in any of the food we have stored this way. If you want to make sure, feel free to do both. I have also read that Bay Leaves will keep pests away and some people add them to the inside of the Mylar bag as well as the inside of the food grade bucket.
 
 

Mice

We keep a very clean house but the little buggers always seem to come in, especially in the fall when it starts to get cold. There are a few ways to deal with them but I prefer traps. With poison there’s a possibility they’ll make it to a spot that you can’t find before they die, which could cause a smell. Glue traps are about as inhumane as anything I can imagine. I prefer spring traps. I used to use the old fashioned ones, but they’re so touchy and can be a pain to set. I started using JAWZ Mouse Trap and I really like them. They are incredibly easy to set, still go off when “visited” and mouse extraction is quick and easy.
 
 

The “How To” of Storing Your Own Bulk Food.

This process seemed a little daunting when I began to research it. In truth it was a bit frustrating the first few times we put up some bulk food. The reason it was frustrating had to do with the process we were using. I had seen a video about using a household vacuum and a household iron to seal the bag. It worked but was an exercise in frustration. After the food and oxygen absorbers were added, the bag was heat sealed, save a section about an inch long. One end of a tube was inserted into the remaining hole, while the other end was connected to the vacuum. My wife was at the ready with the iron. I would turn the vacuum on, removing the air. I would remove the tube and my wife would seal the remaining hole. It was effective, but as said, it got frustrating. It was definitely a team building exercise!

The process we use now is much better, we purchased a heat impulse sealer,this makes things easier, but it would still work with an iron. We got rid of the vacuum completely. We achieve the airtight seal by adding more than enough oxygen absorbers for the size of the container. I’ll explain the process below.

You might be thinking why not use a vacuum sealer? The bags that come with vacuum sealers are clear. That makes the food susceptible to light. They are also not as heavy duty as Mylar and I also don’t think that they are an oxygen barrier, whereas Mylar is. So why not use Mylar bags with a vacuum sealer? We tried, the vacuum sealer wouldn’t work on Mylar. I could get the vacuum to engage but it couldn’t form a seal to remove the oxygen. I did some research on-line and found that you can make a “sleeve” out of the clear plastic bag and slide it over the Mylar. Remember me saying that the first few times were frustrating? The vacuum sealers might be fantastic for use with the bags made for them, which are frequently used in freezing, but for long-term storage I highly recommend Mylar and the process I’ll explain below.
 
 

Let me cover the needed components first;

Mylar Bags

Mylar is a clear material made from polyester resin. The balloons you see at grocery stores or party stores are made of Mylar. The Mylar bags used for food storage have a layer of foil on them. They come in varying levels of thickness. I have seen 3.5 mil – 7 mil. I have seen the recommendation to use thicker Mylar bags for things like pasta because the pasta can puncture the bag when the oxygen is absorbed and the bag tightens around it.
 
 

Oxygen Absorbers

Oxygen absorbers are made of iron oxide. When oxygen is present the iron oxide rusts as it absorbs the oxygen. When all of the oxygen has been absorbed the rusting stops. Every time I have purchased oxygen absorbers, they have come in a 50 pack, in sealed plastic packaging. I always have a canning jar on hand to put them in. I put the jar lid on as soon as I take them out of the packaging. I remove the lid as needed. This will keep the absorbers from absorbing too much oxygen. When I am done putting food up I can just leave the absorbers in the jar.

Sorbent Systems recommends that if you are filling a:

5 or 6-gallon bag, that you use 1500cc-2000cc oxygen absorber.
3-gallon bag should use 1000cc
1-gallon bag or #10 can should have 300cc.

You can mix sizes to get to the recommended amount of absorption. Use 1 1000cc or 4 300cc. It’s a bit of overkill but it’s better to go a little overboard than to not have enough.

Keep in mind that since we’re not using a vacuum, the package will not be “solid” right away. Once the oxygen absorbers have had some time to work the effect is as good as using a vacuum and a lot less frustrating.
 
 

Heat Source

As I mentioned, we now use an impulse sealer, but you can do this with an iron as we have in the past.
 
 

Food Grade Buckets

Here is an article that explains what food grade plastic is. Most food grade buckets have a “2” in the recycle symbol. You can purchase brand new food grade buckets on-line. The prices often range from $7-$10 (depending on size) with the lid included. However, you can often get them locally cheaper or even completely free.

I purchased the bulk of mine from a bakery for $2.00 (including the lid). I also got some free from the bakeries in the local grocery store, Sam’s and Costco. I had to endure a few odd looks but for the $10 I saved, I’ll deal with it. We washed these buckets thoroughly with hot water and dish soap.

Keep in mind that there is a chance that whatever was in the bucket may leave it’s scent on whatever you put in the bucket. If you get a bucket that smells like pickles, there isn’t much you’re going to be able to do to get the smell out. You may be able to purchase something to wash it with, but once you factor in the cost of that product and the time, you would probably save money by buying a new bucket.
 

Do you have to use food grade buckets, or will any 5 gallon bucket suffice?

If you’re storing the food in Mylar than the food will only come in contact with the Mylar bag, which is food grade.  If you’re going to have the food loose in the bucket then yes, you should use a food grade bucket.
 
 

Gamma Seal Lids

As you’ll soon discover, taking the lids off of these buckets can take a toll on your fingernails and knuckles. Gamma seal lids go on like a normal lid but they also have an inner lid that screws off, leaving the outer sections attached to the bucket.

I didn’t go the gamma seal route. Instead, I have a Bucket Wrench. I didn’t use one at first but after I had a few fingernails bent back I ordered one.

Another possible storage option:

Something that I learned about from Jack on The Survival Podcast is Paint Style Cans w/ Gold Phenolic Lining; these are FDA approved and are evidently great for storage. You can put the food right in the can, add an oxygen absorber and put the lid on.
 
 

The process of storing food in Mylar:

Step One: Get all of the needed items in one place:
-Item to be stored.
-Mylar bags.
-Oxygen absorbers.
-Heat Sealer.
-Permanent Marker or labels and pen.
-Scoop (in this case it was a large plastic cup.)
-Food Grade bucket.

Step Two: Add an oxygen absorber and start adding food to the Mylar bag. I usually add an oxygen absorber at the bottom of the bag, the middle and near the top. Remember that the amount of oxygen absorbers you’ll need to add are dependent on the size of the bag you are using.

Notice the headroom left at the top, you’ll need to leave room so when you lay it flat, the contents don’t spill.

Step Three: Seal the bag. The left picture is of an impulse seal. The right is of a household iron seal. The picture below them is a side-by-side comparison of the two. Leaving the iron on the bag for more then a second or two can cause the bag to melt on the seal line, leaving a hole.

Step Four: Label the Mylar bag with content and date stored. Writing on the bag is fine; the labels are just easier to read.

Step Five: Put the filled Mylar bag in the bucket. I usually leave the lid off so that I can check to make sure the oxygen has been removed from every bag. We will occasionally get one that has to be repacked with a new bag and oxygen absorbers.

Here are before and after pictures, the left (or top, depending on your monitor resolution) one is right after sealing, before the oxygen absorbers have done their work. The right one is 12 or so hours later, notice how the bag is dimpled, that is the easiest indication that the oxygen is removed.

Once you’re sure the oxygen has been removed from all bags, you can put the lid on. I can get three, one gallon bags in the 3-4 gallon buckets.

One of the mistakes we made in the beginning was using Mylar bags that were large enough to fill the entire bucket. The problem with this is that once you open the large bag, all of the contents then have to be used, or you have to reseal them. We now use smaller one-gallon bags and put three in the bucket.

Here are some resources for purchasing food storage supplies. Interteck Packaging and Sorbent Systems carry mainly Mylar, oxygen absorbers and the like, while Emergency Essentials carries a wide variety of preparedness supplies.

2-14-11 Update
I am in need of more oxygen absorbers so; I went to the three sites I have listed and, well lets just say I found a much cheaper source. Honeyville Grain at the bottom of the page. Nearly half of one of the sites listed. I’m going to leave the others, as they are a good source for other things.


Here are the links to the other food storage articles.
Food Storage Part One: Why Store Food And The Rules For It.
Food Storage Part Two: The Kind Of Foods That You Can Store
Food Storage Part Three: Shelf Life of Staples.
Food Storage Part Four: The Process and Enemies of Food Storage.
Food Storage Part Five: How much food should you store and where should you put it all?
Food Storage Part Six: Tips On Stocking Up and Affording it all.
Food Storage Part Seven: Food Boredom to Survival Cooking .

 
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Shelf Life of Staples

January 9, 2011 by

Shelf Life of Staples

What are food staples?

Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation of what staple foods are. In short it says a staple is a food that is “eaten regularly and in such quantities as to constitute the dominant part of the diet and supply a major proportion of energy and nutrient needs.”

What are some staples that can be stored long term? – Note, in many of these explanations I say, “When stored correctly”, I’ll cover this in greater detail in the next article. For now just know that in general this means dry, cool, dark, oxygen free and secure from pests.

This is not an exhaustive list of staples. If you notice one that is missing and feel it should be added, please let me know. A quick disclaimer; the information here has been gathered over many resources and should be viewed as “best practices”. I have not stored any of these items for 30 years to see if they’re still edible.
 

Grains

Grains store very well because the hard outer shell is protecting the inner seed. When stored correctly, they have a shelf life of 30+ years. One of the most popular types of grains to store is wheat. Different types of wheat are better for different things. Wikipedia has a good description and explanation of different kinds of wheat. In the section “Major Cultivated Species of Wheat”

-Note; if you store grains, you will need a mill to grind them.

Some examples of hard grains are: Buckwheat, Kamut, Millet, Durum wheat, hard red wheat, hard white wheat and Spelt.

Some examples of soft grains are: Barley, Oats, Quinoa and Rye.
 

Flour

After the shell is broken and can no longer protect the seed, the nutrients begin to degrade. Wheat is then ground into flour. Don’t try to store flour for more than a year. I have read that flour stored correctly can be stored for five years.

Types of flour: All Purpose Flour, Bakers Flour, Unbleached Flour, White
Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Cornmeal.
 

Rice

Brown rice has the shell containing fatty acids attached. These acids go rancid after six months or so.

White rice has had the outer shell removed. Because of this, it has less nutrients but will store much longer; as long as 30 years if stored correctly.

Rice that has a very long storage life: White, Wild, Jasmine, Arborio and Basmati.
 

Beans

The magical fruit if stored correctly can have a shelf life of 30+ years. Aged toots.

Some types of beans: Kidney, Garbanzo, Great Northern, Lentils, Lima, Pinto and Soy.
 

Beans and Rice

I have heard that beans and rice are a complete protein, I’ve also heard they are not. So I did my own research and the following is what I found. A complete protein contains all essential amino acids. Animal based protein such as meat, milk, eggs are good sources of complete proteins, whereas most plant based proteins are not. A combination of grains, legumes or vegetables can be made to create a complete protein; one of which is beans and rice.

The reason that beans and rice are a popular choice for preppers is that you can put up a large amount fairly inexpensively. I caution you against making this the bulk of your stored food. As I mention in part two, diversity is important. One of the reasons it is important is food boredom. Beans and rice every day would wear thin quickly but they could be mixed in now and then to stretch your other food supply. A side note; unless beans are a part of your normal diet, they can do a number on your digestive system. I have read that over time your body will adjust and the gas will lesson. You can also mitigate this and other digestive problems with other preps. I’ll cover those at another time.

Here are some of the articles that explain how beans and rice make a complete protein.

Laissez “Fare” Nutrition: Protein

Incomplete vs. Complete Proteins

What’s a Complete Protein? Inquiring Vegetarians Want to Know.
 

Pasta

Pasta will store longer then flour but probably not as long as un-cracked wheat. I got a really good tip from a friend that I haven’t tried yet; you can cook pasta and then dehydrate it. The benefit of this is that it is already cooked and can be reconstituted and eaten.
 

Dehydrated Dairy Products

If a dehydrated product has fat in it, the shelf life is probably about 5 years. If it is fat free then the shelf life is 20 years. Some of these things don’t taste very good on their own, but if used for baking taste just fine.

Types of Dehydrated Dairy Products: Dehydrated Milk, cheese powder, cocoa powder, powdered eggs, butter or margarine powder.
 

Honey

There are three types of honey. Pure honey won’t go bad. It can crystallize but it turns back into liquid if warmed. (Avoid boiling, as that will kill nutrients.) The other two types are adulterated and artificial. Adulterated honey is real honey with another ingredient added. Artificial honey is, well, artificial. The honey found as condiments at restaurants is most often adulterated or artificial. Here is an article that explains How to Distinguish Natural Honey and Artificial Honey.
 

Salt and Sugar

If salt and sugar are kept dry they should store for a very, very long time. Sugar has a tendency to harden. It can be broken back into granules. These are two items I recommend storing a fair amount of. They are used in a lot of things and chances are you can’t reproduce them. Most of the uses for sugar are related to food but here are Sixty Uses For Table Salt

Keep in mind there are many kinds of salt. Here is an article called Beyond Table Salt — A Guide To Different Types Of Salt.
 

Yeast

Yeast, if kept in its foil container, should have a storage life of at least one year.
 

Cornmeal

As I mention in the section on flour, cornmeal has a pretty limited shelf life. However, you can make cornmeal out of popcorn seeds and popcorn seeds have a much longer shelf life. You’ll need a grinder for this as well.
 

Baking Soda

Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is another one of the staples that has many uses. It acts to neutralize acids and break down proteins. This makes it useful as a tenderizer and a leaven. It has a neutralizing effect on acidic scent that makes it an effective deodorizer. Added to the water when doing laundry, it stabilizes the pH level, enhancing the detergent’s effectiveness. If kept in the cardboard box the storage life is probably around a year. If kept oxygen free and moisture free it should store indefinitely.
 

Herbs And Spices

The shelf life of spices and herbs varies greatly so I’ll just give some general rules. Whole spices have a longer shelf life and often have a better taste and smell when freshly ground. Herbs lose their flavor faster then spices. If they have little to no smell when crumpled in the palm of your hand they should be replaced. The same rules apply for storage of spices, which means that keeping them above the oven, as is very common, probably isn’t the best place to store them. We have some individual spices, but also stock some of the mixes. Herbs and spices are one way to combat food boredom.

Here is an article from the Mother Earth Network called Forever foods: 10 cooking staples that can outlast you.
 

Cooking With Staples

For those of us that don’t have a lot of experience cooking with staples, here are a few resources.

The Food Network offers 100 Wheat Recipes.

Chef Keith Snow created a website called Harvest Eating. On it, he shows people how to cook with locally grown foods, with techniques people of any skill level can use. I have heard him interviewed on a couple of different Podcasts and was impressed with his approach. I think his site is a fantastic idea.

Here are two books that I own;

The Amazing Wheat Book

Making the most of basics
I can’t recommend this book enough. It not only has information on cooking with staples, but a wealth of information on basic skills that not many in our culture retain.

Lastly I want to give you a few sources for finding staples, both on-line and locally.

Here are some links to help you find sources locally to you that you can
purchase staples in bulk.

Local Harvest
Coop Directory
Sustainable Table
FoodRoutes.org
Eat Well Guide

Here are some links to help you find sources on-line that you can purchase staples in bulk. I would recommend checking a few of them before placing an order. Prices and shipping prices will vary.

Wholesale Bulk Foods.com
Pleasant Hill Grain
WHEAT MONTANA FARMS & BAKERY
Honeyville Grain
Organic Wheat Products
Barry Farm Foods
Bob’s Red Mill
King Arthur Flour Company
War Eagle Mill
USA Emergency Supply
Dutch Valley Food


Here are the links to the other food storage articles.
Food Storage Part One: Why Store Food And The Rules For It.
Food Storage Part Two: The Kind Of Foods That You Can Store
Food Storage Part Three: Shelf Life of Staples.
Food Storage Part Four: The Process and Enemies of Food Storage.
Food Storage Part Five: How much food should you store and where should you put it all?
Food Storage Part Six: Tips On Stocking Up and Affording it all.
Food Storage Part Seven: Food Boredom to Survival Cooking .

 
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The Kind Of Foods That You Can Store

January 2, 2011 by

The Kind Of Foods That You Can Store

In this section I’ll cover some of the kind of foods available to store. By this I mean things like: canned foods, dehydrated foods, freeze-dried foods, MRE’s and some others.

What kind of foods should you store?

 

“Eat what you store, store what you eat” foods.

Even if, as I mentioned in “Food Storage Part One”, it is not feasible to store a sizable amount of food that you eat normally, this is where you should start. The reason this is the best place to start is because these are the foods that will get consumed first and most often.

There are a couple of reasons why you should have some variety in your food storage. Sure, it is all food, but different types of food storage can fill different roles. I can put some Mountain House pouches or MRE’s in a backpack and feed myself for a few days. Feeding myself for the same amount of time with “eat what you store, store what you eat” food might be too bulky and heavy.

 

Freeze dried and dehydrated foods

These foods can have a shelf life of almost thirty years. This is food that you can buy for a rainy day and not have to worry about again for a very long time.

Also, unless your diet solely consists of staples you probably won’t be able to store more then a few month’s worth of “eat what you store” food; that is where the other types of foods come in.

 

Freeze dried:

Freeze dried foods range from single items, such as mashed potatoes, to an entire entree, such as beef stew. As I mentioned earlier, one of the pluses of freeze-dried foods is that they have a 27-30 year shelf life if stored correctly and the can remains closed. Once opened they need to be consumed fairly quickly. These are not foods that you would buy and eat on a normal basis even though you could if you wanted to. They fit nicely as a long-term storage food.

Most freeze dried foods come in #10 cans and have 16-20 servings. The prices will vary depending on the entree.

Mountain House sells a variety of pouches that serve 1-4 and have a shelf life of seven years. These pouches would go well in a BOB. The real value is that they are much cheaper than a #10 can and give you an opportunity to see if you like the food before buying a #10 can or a case of #10 cans.

(Update 5/27/11 Gander Mountain also carries a brand of food in puches called Backpakers Pantry)

We have purchased eight or so. I didn’t mind the taste of any of them and some were actually quite good but not everyone in the family liked all of them. My wife and kids had some texture issues with some of them so not all of them were a go. We did find a few things that everyone liked. This was a convenient and cheap way to try freeze-dried foods. I’m glad it was an option. I would have been bummed to spend $30 to find out that no one but me liked it and have another 12 servings to eat or that go to waste.

Here are names of some of the freeze-dried food companies; Mountain House, Provident Pantry, Thrive, Alpine Aire, Gourmet Reserves, Wise Foods and Food Insurance.

 

Dehydrated foods:

While there are only commercially freeze-dried foods available, dehydrating food is something that anyone can do. There are so many things that can be dehydrated, everything from fruit for a snack to multiple items to make a soup. There’s always jerky! Foods that you dehydrate on your own, if stored correctly, can last at least a year.

I was listening to the Bob Mayne’s “Today’s Survival Show: Episode 93”. In it, Bob was interviewing the President of All In One Preparedness, a company that commercially dehydrates food. When they package the food they replace oxygen with nitrogen. This and some other packaging techniques cause their dehydrated food to have a shelf life on par with freeze-dried food.

I’m only aware of two companies that sell commercially dehydrated food, All In One Preparedness and Wise Food (Wise Food has booth Freeze Dried and Dehydrated).

The dehydrator I own is the Excalibur 9 Tray Dehydrator. I absolutely love it. I looked at a few at an outdoor sports chain and didn’t care for the styles they had. The tray systems always seemed a little clumsy to me with one tray supporting the one on top of it. The Excalibur may be a bit more expensive but I think it’s a much higher quality product.

I am fairly new to dehydrating my own food and I am still learning. Here are some very informative resources that I have found. One tip that I am not sure is mentioned is to be aware that when you’re dehydrating foods, your house will most likely smell like what you’re dehydrating, so doing it in the garage or other area might be a good idea.

Here is a link that will teach you how to build your own Solar Dehydrator.

Here are three sites that have a wealth of information on dehydrating food.

The Dry Store

The Backpacking Chef

Dehydrate 2 store has many helpful and informative videos on the site and they also have their own youtube channel.

 

Canned Foods

Commercial canned foods

Food Reference.com puts this very well, so I’ll just quote them.

Many canned products now have a “for best quality use by” date stamped on the top or bottom of the can. “Expiration” dates are rarely found on canned food.

Canned food has a shelf life of at least two years from the date of processing. Canned food retains its safety and nutritional value well beyond two years, but it may have some variation in quality, such as a change of color and texture. Canning is a high-heat process that renders the food commercially sterile. Food safety is not an issue in products kept on the shelf or in the pantry for long periods of time. In fact, canned food has an almost indefinite shelf life at moderate temperatures (75° F and below). Canned food as old as 100 years has been found in sunken ships and it is still microbiologically safe! We don’t recommend keeping canned food for 100 years, but if the can is intact, not dented or bulging, it is edible.
 

Home canned foods

This is something that my wife and I did for the first time last season. Our garden didn’t produce enough to can our own, so we purchased some produce at a farmers market. This is a skill that you will want to know how to do, before you need to. I may cover canning in more detail later (hopefully with a guest writer who knows more then I).

According to the Ball jar companies Frequently Asked Questions Fresh Preserving & Canning Questions

How long can home canned food be stored?

“Food that has been properly canned using an up-to-date tested recipe and that has a vacuum seal will keep indefinitely; however, over an extended period of time changes do occur. These changes may affect the flavor, color, texture and nutritional value of the product. For the highest quality, use home canned food within one year.”
 

How do I know if a jar of home canned food is spoiled?

“When up-to-date guidelines, such as those outlined on this site, are followed exactly, there should be little concern about the quality and safety of your home canned foods. As with commercial packaged foods, it is always wise to examine any food before using it. When you take it from the shelf, check each jar to see that it has retained a vacuum seal and that no visible changes have taken place during storage.”

You can also can entire meals, then just reheat and eat. Dinner Is In The Jar is a book that has 30 recipes for meals cooked in a jar.

Canning Recipes.com has a huge amount of canning recipes.
 

MRE’s

MRE stands for Meal Ready to Eat, a complete meal or at least an attempt to be that is packed air tight for long-term storage. They were a part of my diet when I was in the Navy; I actually liked a couple of them. They come with a water activated heating element so you can have a hot meal with little preparation. I think MRE’s are a great item for BOB’s or a hunter’s day kit. There are many civilian varieties available, often you can choose your entree, most have a shelf life of 3-5 years.
 

Emergency Ration Bars

These are usually smaller bars, each usually containing a few hundred calories, then combined into a larger bar equaling 2400-3600 calories. There are a few varieties available, of which I have only tried one. It wasn’t very good, but it is called an emergency ration and in an emergency I would imagine I could choke down just about anything.
 
 
Comfort foods

When things get rough, a sweet treat can do wonders to improve ones mood. There are many types of goodies that store well long term; some that we have are cocoa mix, plain Hershey’s chocolate bars, some plain chocolate chips and some hard candy. Candy bars that have nuts or other things in them can go rancid. Plain chocolate might turn a bit tan or white, this is called blooming.

Here is what Hershey’s has to say about blooming.

Q. My chocolate sometimes turns tan or white. What causes this?

A. Chocolate contains cocoa butter, a vegetable fat that is sensitive to heat and humidity. Temperatures above 75°F will cause chocolate to melt. The cocoa butter can rise to the surface and form a discoloration called “cocoa butter bloom.” Condensation on milk or semi-sweet chocolate may cause the sugar to dissolve and rise to the surface as “sugar bloom.” Chocolate that has “bloomed” is certainly safe to use, but flavor loss and texture changes may be noticed.

Here is what Hershey’s has to say about how to store chocolate.

Q. How should I store chocolate?

A. Solid chocolate products will maintain their quality if well wrapped and stored in a cool, dry place (55-60°F). While refrigerated chocolate is certainly safe to use, we don’t recommend it. Chocolate kept in the refrigerator may “sweat” when brought to room temperature and may not melt properly. Cocoa is considered a non-perishable item which should maintain quality if stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container.

Even if the taste or texture changes some, it could be used for baking.
 
 
Big Box Store purchased “Emergency Food”

Costco sells a 5-gallon bucket of Emergency Food, they claim it is 275 servings of vegetarian food for around $90. Costco was sued in 2006, you can read the details of the suit here. In short it claimed that Costco was claiming the food was a 3-month supply of food for one person, yet the caloric intake was 455 calories. The average adult should consume roughly 2000 calories per day. I recently checked their website and Costco still sells this product, but the explanation of it and marketing is different.

I’m not saying that this product is bad or should even be avoided. I am saying that it should be supplemental and not the main part of your food storage.

There is one more type of food that you can make part of your long-term storage and that is staples, things like wheat, salt, sugar and others.

This article is already a bit long and that topic is going to be quite lengthy, so I’ll cover it separately.
 

Here are the links to the other food storage articles.
Food Storage Part One: Why Store Food And The Rules For It.
Food Storage Part Two: The Kind Of Foods That You Can Store
Food Storage Part Three: Shelf Life of Staples.
Food Storage Part Four: The Process and Enemies of Food Storage.
Food Storage Part Five: How much food should you store and where should you put it all?
Food Storage Part Six: Tips On Stocking Up and Affording it all.
Food Storage Part Seven: Food Boredom to Survival Cooking .

 
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Why Store Food And The Rules For It

December 24, 2010 by

Why Store Food And The Rules For It

Water might be the most important part of a preparedness plan but food storage is the most complex. With water, once you know where to find it, how to purify and store it you pretty much have it nailed. Because food storage is so involved I am going to break it up into manageable segments.

First I’ll cover why you should store food and food storage rules and principals.
 
 
Why store food?

As I wrote in “Should You Prepare? Part One and Part Two. Most of us carry multiple types of insurance incase we get an in accident, or become ill. Do you plan on getting in a car accident? Or how about getting sick enough to need to see a doctor? Nope, me either, yet we pay for this insurance every month just in case.

Now how many times is your family going to eat this week? A family of four eating three times a day will eat 84 meals, that’s not counting snacks. Yet the average family has less than a weeks worth of food stored. To me its just prudent to have an insurance policy that will guarantee my family will be able to continue doing something we do multiple times a day?

We have become a society dependant on a grocery store that uses “just in time” delivery system. The process of getting food from harvest (from places all around the world) to your table is very complex. The more complex something is, the more susceptible it is to failure. Failures caused by things such as not enough rain, wildfires, blight, price of oil and many more.

Another reason to store food now is that the price of it is going up now as shown in this Secret Wal-Mart Survey Shows Inflation Already Here, and many are expecting hyperinflation. Even if we only experience normal inflation, the prices today are probably still going to be lower than they will in a few months. Since much of the food you store will be eaten anyway, this is a way to save money. It has not happened in America to any large extent, but there have been many countries suffering from food shortages. Just search for “Global food shortage” in your favorite search engine, the amount of sites is staggering. Some of the information may be a year or two old, but things are getting worse, not better. Here are just two stories from mainstream sites; one from the Financial Post that says Forget oil, the new global crisis is food And another from the Washington Post that states Global Food Crisis: The new world of soaring food prices.
 
 
Food Storage Rules:

What makes a food “shelf stable”?
A shelf stable food is one that will not spoil for at least six months without refrigeration, when packaged and stored correctly. Some examples are canned vegetables, canned meats, white rice, dried beans, pasta and sugar.

FIFO: First in, first out.
This just means when you buy new food put it behind the old food to ensure the older food gets consumed first.

Store what you eat and eat what you store.

This is one of the core tenants of preparedness, or the golden rule of prepping. How do you put this into practice? Grab your prepping notebook and every time anyone uses a shelf stable food write it down, do this for two weeks. These are the foods that you should store and rotate.

This can work with frozen food as well, but if the power goes out, you have a limited amount of time before the food spoils. That is unless you have a generator to keep the fridge and freezer running.

There is caveat with “store what you eat, eat what you store”, I may catch some flak for saying this, but it doesn’t work for everyone. By that I mean, that it is not feasible to store the kinds of food they consume on a daily basis.

Many years ago, people cooked much of their food from scratch. Today, many meals are eaten out, or something that is precooked is thrown in the oven to reheat. I know many different kinds of people fall into this category, everyone from single parents, to folks with busy schedules. I’m not saying its right or wrong, heck my family falls into this category for a few different reasons.

How should people in this category prep? I can only tell you what we have done, which one of the things we have done is store some staples such as beans, rice, wheat berries, salt, sugar and other staples, stored in Mylar bags, with oxygen absorbers. Stored this way and kept in a cool dark room the shelf life is very long. I’ll cover this process soon.

Critics of storing foods that are not a part of our normal diet will say that eating foods that we don’t normally eat, like red beans and rice, will be a shock to our systems. While this may be true, it’s less of a shock then starving. I can also mitigate the shock with some over the counter medicines.

Is this the ideal way to stock up? Nope. Will we have wasted some money and have to give away or throw some of the food we have stored? Possibly, but I look at it like this. I spent roughly $100 on car insurance for my family last month. None of us got in an accident; do I think the money was wasted? Heck no, my peace of mind is worth that and more.

My wife and I have also purchased some books like “The Amazing Wheat Book“and “ Making the most of basics”. Make a point of learning to cook with basics, even if it’s just an occasional meal. Cooking with basics is like any other skill in prepping, it’s better to own the skill, before you need to rely on the skill.
 
 

Here are the links to the other food storage articles.
Food Storage Part One: Why Store Food And The Rules For It.
Food Storage Part Two: The Kind Of Foods That You Can Store
Food Storage Part Three: Shelf Life of Staples.
Food Storage Part Four: The Process and Enemies of Food Storage.
Food Storage Part Five: How much food should you store and where should you put it all?
Food Storage Part Six: Tips On Stocking Up and Affording it all.
Food Storage Part Seven: Food Boredom to Survival Cooking .

 
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The Storage, Filtration And Purification Of Water.

December 10, 2010 by

The Storage, Filtration And Purification Of Water

Aside from oxygen, water is the one thing we cannot live without for very long. In fact the rule of three’s states the average human can only go three days without water, but don’t kid yourself, those last two wouldn’t be pleasant. I think that water filtration/purification and storage should be near the top of most preparedness plans.

How much water a person uses per day varies based on the climate, level of activity and other factors. According to The Mayo Clinic The average person should drink 8 – 8 ounce glasses of water a day (64 ounces of water is ½ gallon). If temperatures are warm, or activity is high water intake will be higher.

In an emergency situation clean water may not be available. Look at the problems with Cholera in Haiti going on right now, or what happened in India after the Tsunami. There are two ways to mitigate this, one is by having water stored ahead of time and the second is by having a means to treat the water after.

In a survival situation the research I have done shows that an average person will use around two gallons of water per day, this includes drinking, for food preparation, and hygiene. I have seen recommendations that say from one liter to one gallon are enough. Here is a great place for “I would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it”.
 
 
Storage:

As mentioned above, store two gallons of water per person per day. I recommend having a minimum of at least one week worth of water stored for each person and pet in your family. This can be done with cases of water bottles, individual gallons or with multiple gallon containers like a 5, 15 or 55-gallon drum. For animals the amount of water needed is going to depend on the size, I would think a liter or so a day would be more then enough for most.

Water in bottles or single gallon containers will most likely have an expiration date. It’s not that the water goes bad, but the plastic can leech into it. For this reason, all water stored in plastic containers of any size, should be rotated every six months. If you want to just empty the container and refill that, I would think that should be just fine as any leeched chemicals will go out with the old water.

As I mentioned, water stored for any length if time won’t go bad (aside from leeching), but it could taste “flat”. To remedy this you can aerate the water by pouring it from one container into another and back a few times.

If you want to use recycled containers such as milk jugs, 2-liter or 5 gallon to55 gallon barrels, here are a few things to keep in mind. If the container is recycled then I would suggest first making sure the recycled container was food grade, look for recycle triangle (usually found on the bottom). Here is a website that explains what the different numbers inside of the triangle mean, anything with a 1 or 2 is good.

Be aware that the water can retain the smell and taste of what was originally stored in it. If you cannot tell what was stored in it, it might be best to buy new. It might cost a bit more, but at least your water won’t smell like pickles or something worse.

This is a barrel very similar to mine, but a bit cheaper. At the time I am posting this Amazon has a shipping option that is free, I do not know if this expires after Christmas or not. If it does not expire, then this is a very good price.

For the barrel to be usable, you will also need a bung wrench and a pump. The first pump listed is the one I have, I’m most likely going to upgrade to the second one, because the quality is just much higher.

If you choose a 55-gallon barrel keep in mind the weight when full. Answers.com says that “A gallon of water weighs approximately 8.34 pounds, 55 gallons weigh 55 x 8.34 = 458.7 pounds”

If you want to be able to move the barrel, then you’ll need to use a dolly. There are some made to fit a 55 gallon drum, like the first dolly listed. Or you can do what I did and save $30 and buy a furniture dolly with a high weight limit, either will support the weight of a full 55 gallon barrel.


 
 
Water Collection

Unless there is access to a well, no one can store enough water to last them indefinitely. As a result, water collection is something you should give some thought now. What natural or man-made bodies of water are near you? Lakes, rivers streams, ponds, swamps, swimming pools, hot tub, hot water heaters have depending on size, 40 gallons, the tank on the back of a toilet is another source. Not all of this water is fit to drink, but it could be used for other things such as hygiene, watering plants or a garden.

Another source of water, if you have the system in place ahead of time is rain catchment. Believe it or not, for every inch of rain that falls on a catchment area of 1,000 square feet, you can expect to collect approximately 600 gallons of rainwater. Ten inches of rain falling on a 1,000 square foot catchment area will generate about 6,000 gallons of rainwater! The supplies consist of a barrel, gutters a downspout and possibly an attachment for the downspout.

How much rain water can you collect in a storm?

Here are rain barrels similar to the ones that I use. The reason that I like these is that near the top there is an overflow opening that you can attach a hose to and connect it to another barrel. I paid less then half the price for mine, which I purchased at a farmers market. If you want to be able to have more then one barrel connected to the same down spout, then I recommend looking for one with a similar design. Here also is the rain diverter that I have.


 
 
Water Treatment

Purify and filter; are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. Both will remove bacteria (Campylobacter Jejuni) and protozoan cysts (Giardia Lamblia, Cryptosporidium) from contaminated water. Only a purifier will remove viruses (hepatitis A, meningitis) from contaminated water.
 
 
Filtration:
There are many types of water filters from personal bottle filtration units to large family size, multiple filter units. As mentioned above a filter will not kill viruses, after filtering water, it can be boiled to kill viruses.

You can also find instructions on how to make your own. I would only recommend this if you do not have any filtration system in a survival situation, you should also boil the water to kill any virus that it may contain. Here are instructions to make a home made filter.
 
 
Purification:

Boiling:
According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water temperatures above 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185° F (85° C) within a few minutes. So in the time it takes for the water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) from 160° F (70° C), all pathogens will be killed, even at high altitude.

Bleach:
Use bleach that has no added scent. Here are guidelines from the CDC on using bleach to make water safe.

If tap water is clear:
1. Use bleach that does not have an added scent (like lemon).
2. Add 1/8 teaspoon (8 drops or about 0.75 milliliters) of household liquid bleach to 1 gallon (16 cups) of water.
3. Mix well and wait 30 minutes or more before drinking.

If tap water is cloudy:
1. Use bleach that does not have an added scent (like lemon).
2. Add 1/4 teaspoon (16 drops or 1.5 milliliters) of household liquid bleach to 1 gallon (16 cups) of water.
3. Mix well and wait 30 minutes or more before drinking.

If you store water that you are adding water to the container from the tap. If you add the recommended amount of bleach for clear water, it will kill any pathogens that might sneak in, this is more of a concern if you have a well.

Iodine:
Iodine tablets are effective at killing many things except Cryptosporidium. Some people are allergic to iodine and cannot use it for water purification. Iodine tablets will also leave a chemical after taste and should be a short-term solution. With the drawbacks of iodine tablets, they’re not my first pick; if it’s a good fit for you then they might be a good addition to your BOB.

Chlorine:
Chlorine is one of the most common ways that water is purified, this is done by many municipalities. Chloramine or chlorine dioxides are some of the compounds that are used in water purification tablets.

Water purification tablets:
The active ingredient is often chlorine dioxide these are effective against bacteria, viruses and cysts, such as Cryptosporidium. Depending on brand, one or two tablets treat one quart of water, these also leave no after taste. These should be a short-term solution; this would be a good addition to a BOB.

Here are the Military Water Purification Tablets that I have.


 
 
Water Filters/Purifiers
There are a large number of products to treat your water, they range from sport water bottles with built in filters to large home systems.

Here is a water filter comparison chart . This shows a comparison of cost, cost of replacement filter, things that are filtered, price per gallon.

I don’t know what will work the best for you; all I can tell you is what I found in my research and what I chose to do.

We have a Berkey system at home, the gallons filtered per hour, the price per gallon and the fact that Berkey products are a purifier and not just a filter, make this an easy decision for me.

For our BOB’s I chose water purification tablets and the Berkey sport, but Katadyn has some nice filters to fit this need. The reason I went with Berkey is that it acts as a container and a purifier, not just a purifier.

SteriPEN is a technology that is new to me, here is what the manufacturer claims about it “SteriPEN products use ultraviolet (UV) light technology to purify water, destroying more than 99.9 percent of bacteria, viruses and protozoan cysts such as giardia and cryptosporidia.” I might look into getting one of these as well, it would be nice when needing to purify a lot of water quickly.
 
 
Random water information:

Well water:
Many people have a well as their primary source of drinking water. Well water is not necessarily safe, and should be filtered. Here is a good page from the CDC that explores wells and the concerns associated with them.

City water:
Here is an explanation on how many cities treat their water.
However, just because your water comes from the city, it does not mean it is always safe. There are many people that believe that fluoride is a poison in large amounts and that it should not be added to the water. I’ll let you do your own research, but I will say that Berkey makes a filter that will remove it if you want it out of your water.

Here is a recent report that shows that test’s in New York City recently showed elevated lead levels

City Officials: Tap Water Shows Elevated Lead Levels

Recycling water:
Water can often be recycled and used again.

Greywater is water that can be recycled from activities like bathing, laundry or food preparation and can be used for things like watering the garden.

Blackwater is water containing human waste. Even if there are ways out there to treat it, I’ll pass.

Here are some links that have a lot of miscellaneous information relating to water.

Preventing Travelers’ Diarrhea: How to Make Drinking Water Safe.

Water-Related Emergencies and Outbreaks

This page has a lot of links with random subjects relating to water .  It has everything from how to build a rain catchment system to building a fountain to a well drilling tutorial.

 
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Developing A Preparedness Plan

December 2, 2010 by

Developing a preparedness plan

Now I want to cover where you should start, or what you should do next, for those who are not new to preparedness.

If you’re new, first things first, do not panic, you have time. If you concentrate on everything you are not prepared for, you may begin to feel overwhelmed. Take a deep breath and remember that God is in control. That might sound cliché but I mean it. He was in control before you decided to prepare, He is in control now, and will continue to be in control if you are prepared or not. Pray, ask Him for peace and to guide you.

I wish there was a ten-step plan that I could tell you to follow to becoming prepared. But the truth is your plan needs to be yours. I do not know your situation, your location, your budget, but what I can do is give you some guide lines and things to consider. Here are some philosophies that can help you come up with a preparedness plan.
 
 
Disaster Probability

Jack Spirko over at The Survival Podcast does a great job explaining disaster probability and impact in Episode 474.

Jack drops an S-bomb now and then, so if you’re easily offended be forewarned. For those that don’t have the time to listen I’ll try to do a quick recap. The events that have the highest probability of happening have the smallest area of damage. Events that affect the greatest number of people have the smallest chance of happening. As an example, you losing your job has a much higher chance of happening then an EMP that takes out the electric grid. Your job loss has an affect on your family, while the EMP would affect much of the nation.
 
 
Threat Assessment

If disaster probability says that the things most likely to happen will be acute in nature, threat assessment pinpoints what those are.

Let’s say I live in an area that has overhead power lines and is prone to ice storms every year or two that causes power outages of varying lengths. Disaster probability would say that an ice storm is a higher risk then a pandemic. Threat assessment says if there is an ice storm, the possible threats are:

-Loss of power; if there is no power then I have no means to keep food cold.
If my primary heat source uses electricity, I could be without heat.

-Loss of transportation, if the ice storm is bad enough, there may be no way for me to get to the grocery store.
 
 
Basic Human Needs

There are five basic requirements that every human needs; shelter, water, food, fire (energy) and security. At different times one need might be more critical then another, for now, apply them to the threats listed from the ice storm.

With a generator I can mitigate the loss of power and get the fridge and freezer running. If my primary source of heat needs electricity then I can mitigate that as well. However, the more load I put on the generator, the higher wattage it is going to need to put out, the more expensive the generator becomes, plus the more I run it, the more fuel needed to keep it running.

The fuller a fridge or freezer is, the less energy it takes to keep everything frozen. There are things I could do such as keep 2-liter containers filled with ice, in the bottom of the freezer to take up empty space. This will mean less energy to run the motor to keep things frozen and the ice will keep things frozen longer.

I could also only have the fridge and freezer connected to the generator and only run it an hour or so in the morning and evening, this should keep things frozen. I could get an indoor propane heater and a couple 20 Lbs propane tanks for my heat source.

The last threat I need to take care of is the possibility of not being able to get to the grocery store. For this I can make sure I have at least one week worth of food and water stored ahead of time. If you’re new to prepping, one week is an acceptable place to start, if you have been prepping for any length of time you should have considerably more.
 
 
Making a Plan

Now that I have covered the basics of finding your most likely threats, I’ll give some tips.

Get a notebook and dedicate it to prepping. Write down every need, want and idea. This doesn’t mean you need to get them now, but at least it is on your mind. I recently looked at the list I made when I started; I have most but not all of the items on it.

Start small, don’t try to fill every hole at once; that is a good way to burn out and spend a lot of money in a very short amount of time. However, action is better then inaction, pick a threat and work toward mitigating it.

Your plan needs to be flexible and so do you. The biggest threat to you may change suddenly; another key ability for preppers/survivalists is adaptability. Don’t get so focused on one thing that you lose sight of your overall preparedness.
 
 
Indecision

Some people freeze when faced with a blank slate, they have a hard time finding individual steps, let alone putting them in order. Others can figure out the steps, but have a hard time with the order. For those people I will give a very basic plan, once you get started I’m sure you’ll find your stride.

Start with three days of food and water for every member of your family. Don’t forget pets. Plan on two gallons of water per day per person, this will take care of drinking, food preparation and hygiene. Once you have three days, move to a week and then two weeks, set thirty days as a goal for now.

Get a secondary means to cook food and fuel for it; camp stove, outdoor grill, propane or charcoal. Also put up a thirty-day supply of toilet paper and other paper products you may need.

By becoming prepared for the things that are most likely to happen, you also become more prepared for the less possible, high impact things like a pandemic, another great depression and a zombie invasion.

If you want to bounce ideas off of someone or have a question, please feel free to e-mail me, I’ll do what I can to help.

http://www.ready.gov/ has some good basic info.

FEMA’s Are You Ready? has a lot of info.

 
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Acronyms, Mottos and Phrases

November 27, 2010 by

Acronyms, Mottos and Phrases

I thought I would write this to help explain some of the Acronyms, Mottos and Phrases used on this and other preparedness/survival related sites.
 
 

Acronyms

ELE: Extinction Level Event.
This is an event so large that it affects most life on the planet, such as Noah and the flood.

TEOTWAWKI:
The End Of The World As We Know It. (Please don’t sing it).
This is a large-scale event that changes life, as we know it, smaller then an ELE but larger then a SHTF event. An example could be an EMP that takes the grid down.

SHTF: Stink/Stuff/S**t Hitting The Fan.
The scale of this can vary from a single-family event to a nation wide like a stock market crash.

EMP: Electromagnetic Pulse
I’ll be covering this in more detail soon. A quick explanation is that an EMP is a high-altitude nuclear explosion that “fries” electronics with printed circuitry.

BO: Bug Out
Leaving your local area, generally heading for a BOL.

Bug In or Batten Down.
Staying put at your primary residence. For most people this will be the best option unless you have a BOL.

BOL: Bug Out Location
A place away from your primary residence, this could be a relatives house or a family cabin. If you live in hurricane country, this could also be a hotel inland.

BOB: Bug Out Bag, also called a 72-hour kit.
Generally, this a bag packed with three days food, water clothes and supplies. While I think everyone should have one, I also think in most circumstances it is a better idea to batten down.

BOV: Bug Out Vehicle
This is the vehicle used to bug out. Some people say that for a vehicle to be a true BOV, it must be 4×4 and hardened against EMP. Vehicles that are older then the early 80’s often do not have a computer and are often thought of as EMP proof.

INCH Bag: I’m Never Coming Home bag.
If there is a TEOTWAWKI event this is a bag that would have every thing in it you would need if you were never returning home from your BOL.

GHB: Get Home Bag.
This is a bag stored in a vehicle or office that you would use in the event you had to walk home; contents are similar to a BOB.

MSM: Mainstream media
The people that report on what they think is important for us to hear.

MAG: Mutual Aid Group.
This is like-minded people that form a group to share resources and responsibilities. When I think of a MAG I often think of the first church that is talked about in the book of Acts.

LBE, MOLLE, ALICE:
Load Bearing Equipment; MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment; All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment.
These are all systems to aid in carrying gear that is often connected via harness or pack.

MRE: Meal Ready to Eat.
A self-contained field ration for the United States Military. There are many civilian versions available.

JBT: Jack Booted Thug
A derogatory term used to describe an oppressive group that rules with violence or with the threat of it.

MZB: Mutant Zombie Biker
This is often a term used to describe the “bad guys”.

SAK: Swiss Army Knife

EDC: Every Day Carry
This is gear that you carry every day.
 
 

Mottos

“Store what you eat and eat what you store”.
This is the golden rule for prepping. Store the foods that you eat on a regular basis; this will keep your pantry stocked and rotated.

“Two is one, one is none.”
Redundancy – I like to have multiple ways to do things, such as starting a fire and purifying water. This phrase can also be used for gear. If you only have one of something and it breaks, you have nothing, always have a spare.

“I would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.”
I use this on things that I am on the fence about purchasing. If it could come in handy and won’t strain our finances, then this motto comes in to play. My wife likes to use it for buying purses.

“Plan your work, work your plan.”
Plan for different scenarios, this way when an event does happen, everyone knows what is expected of them. An example is a fire at your home. Know who is responsible for grabbing any pets and where everyone should meet; you could also plan different ways to escape your house depending on where the fire is.
 
 

Phrases:

Paracord/550 cord:
Parachute Cord has 7 separate strands, held together with a nylon outer layer. Each length can support 550 lbs. There are many knockoffs; if you buy some make sure it has the 7 separate strands

Rule of Three’s:
The rule of three’s is a survival rule that states the average human can go:
Three minutes without oxygen.
Three hours without shelter.
Three days without water.
Three weeks without food.

Prep, prepper, Prepping Preparedness.
The people who are preparing and the act of preparing. I have seen preppers referred to as, survivalists that don’t want to overthrow the government.

Shelf stable food:
A shelf stable food is one that will not spoil for at least six months without refrigeration, when packaged and stored correctly.  Some examples are canned vegetables, canned meats, white rice, dried beans, pasta and sugar.

False Flag: Definition from Wikipedia

Before I give it, let me say that I am not saying whether or not I believe in false flags. I am just explaining a phrase you might run into.

False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is, flying the flag of a country other than one’s own. False flag operations are not limited to war and counter-insurgency operations, and can be used in peace-time.

Balloon going up:
When the balloon goes up is a phrase used to imply impending trouble. This relates to the use of observation balloons in the First World War.

Being gray:
I wrote an article dedicated to the subject, found at the link above.

Cotton Kills:
This is reference to outdoor survival and how cotton is a poor choice when compared to wool when it is cold. Wool can be wet and still let you retain heat, the same isn’t true for cotton.

 
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Eschatology And The Modern Church In America

November 26, 2010 by

Eschatology

For those who do not know what eschatology is, here is a great explanation from Wikipedia. In short, Christian eschatology is the study of when Jesus comes again. It also involves the rapture of the saints.

This is one area that believers feel very strongly about. I ask that you read all of this section no matter your eschatology beliefs; you may be surprised what you find.

Most Christians have an opinion on whether they think Jesus will return pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation or post-tribulation. I have seen this subject come up in some Christian forums and some people get a bit testy with those that have opposing views. Eschatology is not a salvation issue, so for the purpose of this site, your eschatology doesn’t matter, neither does mine. The rapture has nothing to do with why we should prepare.

Jesus could very well come before the great tribulation, but between now and then, you could lose your job, the economy could collapse or there could be a true pandemic that makes H1N1 look like a picnic. We prepare to mitigate these things and be the hands and feet of our Lord during and after; to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of friends, family, believers and non-believers alike.

If you believe the rapture is pre-tribulation and decide to prepare, add some Bibles and some literature explaining what is about to come for whoever may find your preps. Let them know it’s not too late, that Jesus loves them enough to have given you the foresight to provide these supplies in their time of need.
 
 
Modern Day Christians In America

I say Modern Day Christians in America, because I know America.  If you are a believer in another country, this very well could apply to you also.

Many Christians in America seem to have a belief that no tribulation will come our way. I’m not talking about the great tribulation.  I’m talking about struggle, hard times, persecution etc.

I’m not sure where this belief comes from, maybe we have had so much prosperity since the great depression that we feel immune or maybe we have come so far technologically that people don’t remember what a life less “plugged in” was like. Whatever the reason, it’s foolish, if not dangerous, to think that hardship, persecution and suffering cannot or will not happen here.

Maybe we don’t realize that most of the world is already in tribulation. Why will America be spared? God let Israel, His chosen people, suffer greatly for turning their back on Him multiple times. Has America not done the same or worse? Remember that Christians are grafted into their tree, not the other way around, as Romans 11:18 states “But you must be careful not to brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. Remember, you are just a branch, not the root.” Now I am not saying that I think America will be punished or that we have been. What I am saying is: Why would God spare America?

Christians in America have been blessed with little persecution. Sure we’re made fun of by Hollywood but being teased in third grade got me ready for that.

It has been estimated that more Christians have been martyred in the last 50 years than in the church’s first 300 years. Today in many countries around the world our brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted and martyred for their faith. For more information see http://www.persecution.com/

Corrie Ten Boom was a Christian woman whose family helped hide Jews during WWII. They were caught and sent to a Nazi concentration camp. Corrie wrote a letter in 1974 where she gave some very good advice on preparing for tribulation and persecution.

“How can we get ready for the persecution? First we need to feed on the word of God, digest it, make it a part of our being. This will mean disciplined Bible study each day as we not only memorize long passages of scripture, but put the principles to work in our lives.

Next we need to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the Jesus of yesterday, the Jesus of History, but the life-changing Jesus of today who is still alive and sitting at the right hand of God.

We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no optional command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. Those earthly disciples could never have stood up under the persecution of the Jews and Romans had they not waited for Pentecost. Each of us needs our own personal Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We will never be able to stand in the tribulation without it.

In the coming persecution we must be ready to help each other and encourage each other. But we must not wait until the tribulation comes before starting. The fruit of the Spirit should be the dominant force of every Christian’s life.”

We believers need to start training our spirits for tribulation of all kinds, strengthening our faith now, so that when any kind of hard time comes, we can stand firm in our faith.

 
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Scripture Related To Preparedness

November 20, 2010 by

Scripture Related To Preparedness

In “Is Preparedness a Sin?” I have shared my opinion on questions that my wife and I, as well as some readers have come up with. I have also shared the answers that I have discerned after much thought, prayer and discussion.

Now though, we move into the scriptures that are related to preparedness. I’ll list the scripture and my interpretation of it, but it is what you think that matters. If you’re unsure about whether or not God wants you to prepare, read this section over and pray about it. Don’t just blindly take my word for it.

 

Genesis 6:21 (NIV)

“You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

God has just tasked Noah with building an arc big enough to fit two of every animal. Not only does Noah need to get the supplies to build the arc and then build it. He also has to get enough food for all of the animals and for his family.

This was a huge task in and of itself. Noah couldn’t run to Costco and buy a few bags of rice and some canned beans. He couldn’t order some freeze dried food from the net. He and his family had to grow, hunt, harvest and store all of this food.

Surly an all-powerful God could have just filled the arc with manna once it was built, but he specifically told Noah to plan ahead.

 

Genesis 41:1-32 (NIV)

…” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”…

The above is from Genesis 41:15. This is the story of Pharaoh having a dream that only Joseph is able to explain. Joseph is able to explain that there will be seven years of great abundance. From that abundance, they must store enough for the seven years of drought that will follow.

There are a couple points of interest to me here. First was; how God chose to reveal the need to store the excess. He gave a dream to Pharaoh, who had to seek counsel to find its meaning. I think that for some of us the decision to prepare isn’t a difficult one, yet for others it causes much stress. It caused stress for me, and I went looking for others who might have had some guidance and insight. This is also why I created PreparedChristian.net.

The second thing that stands out is the scope of what they were being asked to do. They had to store enough to feed an entire country including the livestock and they had seven years to do it.

I am willing to bet that there wasn’t celebrating during those seven years of surplus. I imagine they tightened some strings and cut back some, to make sure they met their goal. Sometimes living a preparedness lifestyle means we do have to cut back, even when things look like they might be okay. This is because you never know when the next drought or famine will be.

 

Exodus 12:35, 36 (NIV)

“The Israelite s did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing.”

“The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.”

Here is another example of where an all-powerful God could have just told the Jews to flee and He could have provided for every need. This time, however, He told them to only ask the Egyptians for gold, silver and clothing. He provided food and water each day.

On a related note, I have thought about why He would have them ask for precious metals. One possibility is so that the Jews would have something to build the calf into a false idol later on. It could also be the metals used to cover the Ark of the Covenant. Another possible option is trading.

 

Proverbs 6:6 –11 (NLT)

“6:6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! 6:7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, 6:8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. 6:9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? 6:10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—6:11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”

This is one of those verses that is so cryptic, its meaning is lost on most of us. Yeah, not so much. This verse is the “kick in the pants” of the group. It says to watch the ants (that do nothing but prepare for the future) and learn from their ways and become wise; that we should prepare like the ants do, without being told, because it is in our best interest.

 
Proverbs 21:20

“The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.”

Another verse that sums things up nicely.

 
1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)

“If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

I have mentioned that there are five basic human needs. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, they have to be met and according to Timothy 5:8 it is my responsibility to meet them.

Notice that there are no exclusions. It doesn’t say that you can be excused in times of famine, if the economy takes a downturn or if there is a blizzard.

I take this verse seriously; it is my job to provide come what may. In order to provide for the above mentioned scenarios, one must use some forethought.

I guess one could run to the grocery store right before the blizzard hits but that sounds more like a grasshopper than an ant.

 

Proverbs 27:12

“A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”

This verse is my favorite and where I got the tagline of “Being Prudent in Today’s World”. I also think that it is the most important verse related to preparedness. My wife and I have used this verse to make some very big decisions.

It says that a smart person sees danger and takes precautions now and a fool ignores the danger and suffers for it. So, to be smart, we have to know what danger is and be on the lookout for it so that we can take precautions against it.

If you’re still reading this eBook, then this verse is talking about you. A person who doesn’t see trouble on the horizon won’t spend this much time reading an eBook about whether or not you should prepare. So, congratulations, my prudent compadre!

Here is one way to use this verse; I spend a fair amount of time thinking about “what if” scenarios. Some of this is to look for potential dangers to me and my family, but some is also to think up things to write on for the site.

One potential danger that I have covered on the site, which is a possible danger every winter, is an ice storm. While I have underground power lines and gas heat, they limit the dangers, but don’t eliminate them. As precautions for an ice storm, we have more than enough food to last us, we also have a camp stove to cook it on, should the need arise.

We also have a propane heater and a couple 20lbs propane tanks. If we lost heat and power, I have even thought of how we could insulate one room in the house and have everyone camp out in it.

I looked for the danger and took precautions and in doing this, I believe I have lived out Proverbs 27:12 and 1 Timothy 5:8. We’re more prepared for a potential ice storm and if there is one, I can provide for my family.

 
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Is Preparedness A Sin?

November 20, 2010 by

Is Preparedness a Sin Take one

As is the case with many things in life, preparedness could be a sin. It depends on why you do it and where your heart is. God is calling some believers to preparedness, while others may seek it out on their own. Both might be able to prepare with perfect submission, others might not be able to prepare without it soon taking over. At that point they are no longer being prudent, but are consumed with the “what if’s” and the “just in cases”, giving in to fear and letting the enemy take ground.

This is not solely about prepping. It’s about anything that we put between Jesus and ourselves. Any time there is something in our lives we refuse to lay down, to turn from if the Lord asks, or simply put as more important than Him, we now choose to walk in pride and in sin.

There have been times when I wasn’t sure if I was acting out of my own flesh. Psalm 139:23 comes to mind:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”

If you’re not sure if you’re being led by your flesh, ask for the Lord to search you. Be willing to hear the answer and be listening for it.

 

Self-Reliance

There have been times in my life when I’ve found myself in a bad place, spiritually. I was living in the flesh and didn’t want to listen to the still small voice, so I didn’t give it a chance to speak.

If you close yourself off and do not give God a chance to convict you, or you know you’ve been convicted and you choose to ignore it, this is when self-reliance becomes pride. To prevent this, make Him the center of it, ask and rely on Him for guidance. I pray often to make sure His will is done, not mine; that He blesses me with wisdom to know how to prepare and keep me from reacting out of fear.

In Mark 8:1 the disciples watch as Jesus breaks the seven loaves and few small fish and feeds four thousand people. Just fourteen short verses later the disciples realize they had only brought one loaf of bread with them in the boat. They take Christ’s warning to “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod” as a complaint that they had forgotten food. Jesus then reminds them that he had already fed five thousand and later fed four thousand; that He is fully capable of feeding them.

The reason I bring this up is that it is okay to be self-reliant and provide for your family (true self-reliance is all but a myth, but that’s another story). However, pushing God aside because you don’t need Him and will do it yourself is prideful and we all know how God feels about pride.

While I’m talking about this verse, there are also those who take the verse the other way. They say that God worked miracles and provided food for so many. Yes, yes He did and He could again at any time. But let me ask you this, how many meals did those people listening to Jesus preach that day miraculously get from God in their life? My point is, we should prepare, being wary of self-reliance and leaving room for miracles, but not counting on them.

 

The Gift and Curse of Fear

There are many modern believers who think it is a sin to have any fear, but I think they’re only half right. I believe that fear is a gift given from God to keep us safe. When we let fear rule our lives it becomes a curse and we enter into sin.

We should use fear to motivate us to take action when faced with danger. When I started preparing I did so because I was afraid that in my situation, if there was even a medium sized survival situation, I could not provide for my family for very long. I could have responded other ways. I could have let the fear shut me down or turn me into an Ostrich. I could have also let it take over, going into debt to purchase things I will never use or need but only gave me a false sense of control.

In short, don’t be afraid of fear. Use it and don’t let it use you.

 

“Does storing food, water or other supplies show a lack of faith?”

For the vast majority of human history, humans have had to store food in one fashion or another, to make it through a season. The grocery store and the refrigerator are more recent options for storing food.

If it is a sin for us, was it a sin for humans that lived before the modern age?

Another question; what amount of food being stored would be considered a sin? Many people have enough food to last one to two weeks. Is that a sin? The point that I am trying to make is; is there a line that needs to be drawn and, if so, where do you draw it?

I personally don’t think there needs to be one drawn. I thank God for the food I eat, every time I eat. What does it matter if I bought the food five minutes ago or five years ago? The point is my gratitude for it.

 

How do we know that this compulsion to prepare is from God and not from us, or from satan?

Here is an acid test that you can use on any topic that you have this question on.

 

Pray and ask for wisdom and guidance

Pray for His will to be done and that He give you the wisdom to see what that is. James 1:5, 6 (NIV)

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

 

Ask for confirmation

Ask, if it is God, that He keep pushing and not relent. If it is not Him, to please cast the concern far from you. Ask for confirmation from sources outside of yourself. This eBook could be one such source. On a related note, I have seen thousands of people come to PreparedChristian.net looking for answers to preparedness and faith. I know God is stirring people.

 

Who does it bring glory to? Mathew 12:25 – 28

25. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27. And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Does it bring anyone glory? If so, whom? When applying this question to preparedness, most Prepper’s prefer to keep things quiet. If no one knows you’re preparing it doesn’t bring you glory. By being prepared there is a chance you could use your preparations to bring God gory at a later date, by helping someone in need.

Satan won’t ask you to do things that bring God glory. If there is no glory involved or, it gives God glory or, there is potential to bring God glory, it is probably safe to move forward. If it only brings you glory or could bring God shame, I, personally, would not move forward.

I have Asperger Syndrome. This makes it hard for me to “hear” from God. I bring this up because, most of the time, I get no direct answer from God. With the above test, I think you can determine if moving forward on anything is a sin or not.

My rule of thumb is that if it brings God glory or has the potential to, I move forward. If it brings me glory, but God is still glorified, I still move forward. If it only brings me glory or brings God shame, I don’t move forward.

 

Aren’t we to look to God to provide?

This is one of my favorite questions because when I asked myself the following question, I could have hit myself on the forehead and said “duh!” That question was simply, “am I looking for God to provide now?”

I answered yes, but all of my food is purchased at a grocery store. My clothes wear out and new ones are purchased at a department store.

If God is keeping your clothes from wearing out or providing you manna everyday then praise Him and keep doing what you’re doing. However if you believe all of the money you earn is His and you use it to purchase your daily needs, then He is providing for you now. If you purchase supplies to prepare for the future, He is still providing for you. Just like He provided for Egypt with the seven years of stored grain during the famine that Pharaoh dreamed of and Joseph interpreted.

Here is a quote on the subject that I really like:

“If God gives you a watch, are you honoring Him more by asking Him what time it is or by simply consulting the watch?” A.W. Tozer

You can find Part Two here.

 
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