So, how should we respond? Do we plan? Or do we ignore it? And should our lives look different in any particular way given the economic and political forecast on the horizon? If you haven't read my series on Prepping Basics, please carve out some time to do so. Although I haven't finished this series I'll probably do so soon since it seems so timely. (You may want to bookmark the index page for later reference and to see when I've added posts.)
Another article I'd like to encourage you to read is David Barton's post Preparing For The Unknown at The Blaze. (Thanks to Megan at A Blossoming Homestead for sharing this link!) Please take a few minutes and read Barton's article; it's exactly what I'd like to say to everyone I know! As a historian, he has a keen eye for using the past to help anticipate some of what we can expect in the near future.
Twenty 5 Gallon Mylar Bags!
These bags are definitely a prepping basic! I just spent some of my grocery money this month to restock rice, beans, and grains for my pantry. And I used mylar bags from USA Emergency Supply to repackage the rice for long term storage. I'll be getting to the beans soon, too. Seems like we go through the grain so fast (baking all our own bread), that I haven't been able to buy enough to package some for long term, but I hope to get around to it as soon as possible.
These bags are tough and work well to seal food from insects and oxidation. Be sure to use some oxygen absorbers along with the items your packing. For a demonstration, view my link How To Use Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers.
Enter The Give-Away!
1. Visit USA Emergency Supply and read one of the posts under Packing Your Own food Storage.
2. Come back here and leave a comment about a tip or fact that you learned which will help you in your own food storage. (Please leave an email if you don't have a blog!)
3. Blog, FB, or Tweet this post with a link back to Homestead Revival™ and you can leave a second comment for a second entry.
This give-away ends Friday, March 11 at 11:59 pm PST.
"Oxygen absorbers remove oxygen more effectively than vacuum packaging."
ReplyDeleteWell, I learned oxygen absorbers are better than vacume sealing...which I didn't know.
ReplyDeleteI read that dry ice can be used when storing grains to prevent insect damage. Thanks for the givaway. mstdonnel@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI shared your link on facebook :)
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! What a great giveaway!!!
ReplyDeleteI found the article on oxygen absorbers very interesting. I thought using a vaccuum was good enough...but maybe not.
And here's a post about your giveaway.....
ReplyDeletehttp://chicky-bit-run.blogspot.com/2011/03/giveaway.html
Thank you for sharing this information! I am currently building food storage for our growing family. Recently we were given some cases of rice wheat and beans from someone who wasn't going to be able to use all the food they have been storing/collecting over the past 30+ years. We opened a #10 can of the rice and it has been wonderful, just as fresh as the rice I was buying at the store. I was wondering how long I have to eat this now opened can of rice, thanks to the article "Storing Then Opening Your Food" I know I have a year in my dry cupboard. Also the Oxygyen Absorbers article is great had no idea they work just like vacuum packing! Thanks so much, I really enjoy your blog!
ReplyDeleteShared this link with all my facebook friends, thanks for being a great source of information.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this giveaway. I've just gotten some food grade plastic buckets and we are working on stocking up on wheat (75 extra pounds so far) but I know I need to get things like this to help it last longer...this would be a real blessing!
ReplyDeleteI learned that the buckets I've got are the right kind and that to seal them air tight I need to use a 2x4 and a hammer. I wondered as they were so, so tight to get one. And getting off, yikes!
Heather
Wow! Thanks for the link to such a great website! I bookmarked it so I can reference it often. I started on the insect control introduction. I didn't know dry ice could be used for fumigation.
ReplyDeleteI was learning about seed vitality....there is a lot of information about storing seed... I will have to go back and read the rest of the information!
ReplyDeleteAmy - I tweeted about your give-away! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI did not know anything about Oxygen absorbers or that site. Thank you for sharing. This is a wealth of information to go through.
ReplyDeleteI'm still reading thru the posts because there is a lot of good info there. The one that I found most valuable (so far:) is the chart on how much food fits into different size containers. Seems I always have a bit more 'stuff' than buckets and I'm going to print out this chart for handy reference. Thanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteI finally learned how to seal those big mylar bags. I couldn't figure out to heat-seal them. Sometimes things are so obvious they are elusive! LOL
ReplyDeleteI was looking into storage buckets a while back...who knew how specific it needs to be for food storage. Thank goodness I read that... Also the moisture info...very informative. Thank you for sharing...you are so good at passing on valuable info to us!
ReplyDeleteThe 2 on the bottom of plastic buckets does not indicate that it is a food grade bucket. The 2 merely indicated the type of material the bucket is made from.
ReplyDeletesaundersonm at gmail dot com
That info on food grade buckets is good to know....DH works at a bakery so we get the buckets they use for fruit filling but I didn't know that if they were dyed they are not food grade...
ReplyDeletePosted on my FB...I can't wait until I can actually put some supplies up. We seem to go through everything faster than I can keep up also...I would rather go through grains and beans and know that they are eating healthy than spend the same amount on junk that will hurt them.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a neat giveaway! I have never really heard about these type of bags. I am new to this idea1 Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI learned how important the oxygen absorbers are in dry food storage, not only to prevent spoilage, but also to prevent bugs! That's really helpful, especially in storing dry grain. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have been wondering if I needed mylar bags in conjunction with the buckets. Great info on their page! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteShared the link on Facebook. :-)
ReplyDeletethe oxygen absorbers work better than vacuum sealing...surprising.
ReplyDeletefeetofclay1678@hotmail.com
I tweeted this article. Thanks for the opportunity,
ReplyDeleteI am learning about the major mistakes made when storing food.
ReplyDeleteLots of great info at the link. Thanks.
What a great give away. I use dry ice to put up wheat in 5 gal buckets. One thing I have learned is to not seal your buckets completely until you don't feel the cold when you touch the side of the bucket. We didn't do this and got a great surprise when the the lids on our buckets explosively popped off the buckets.
ReplyDeleteDonna B.
dzookeeper@aol.com
Amy!
ReplyDeleteI am going to check out every link here! Thank you so much!
Amitiés,
Angela
ParisienneFarmgirl.com
I was just wondering the answer to this today...so the tip I learned was that about 29 lbs of wheat berries fits in a 5 gallon bucket.
ReplyDeleteHere is my tiny blog's mention of this great chance. I am new to food storage...thank you for all the great info you have compiled and shared! I would love to win ;-)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the oxygen absorbers articles. I didn't know there are 2 different kinds: "B" and "D" styles. This is a great giveaway- we are currently working on beefing up our food storage and I have yet to try any mylar bags. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSince, I learned that brown rice can go rancid (not a problem if you use wite rice) in the cupboard, I measure it out in the amounts I would use for recipes and seal in my food saver bags and stack in the freezer. I am still learning about other ways of long term storage methos that will work for our family. Thankfully, we have plenty of storage space in our basement.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't realized the life of moisture absorbers....I have some, but just hadn't looked into it closely enough. This is a great company, haven't purchased Mylar bags, but would love to win some and give them a try. I have a couple of containers with those wonderful lids that you suggested, and will be getting a few more. I have been storing flour and sugar in the containers, in the original bags, with some moisture absorbers. This is a really great company ~ thanks for suggesting it.
ReplyDeleteI read that you can use a 2x4 and a hammer to help seal your bucket in a snap! I have just started a food storage closet and I haven't yet tried sealing any bags & buckets. I'm eager to try! Thanks for the giveaway and the information.
ReplyDeleteI have packed wheat several times. I guess I am a "belt and suspenders" kind of guy in that I use both CO2 and O2 absorbers. In the past, I have always used dry ice, but I was recently given a CO2 tank and a low pressure regulator. I plan to use this next time I pack wheat so that I don't have to deal with dry ice. By the way, here in Florida, Publix grocery stores carry dry ice.
ReplyDeleteNow, for purposes of the drawing, the USA Emergency Supply site has an interesting method to measure the O2 absorption capacity of the packets. I've never seen that before.
Stephen Clay McGehee
SouthernAgrarian.com
Looks like a real nice and practical giveaway contest. I learned that 36 lbs of white rice will fit in a 5 gallon bucket.fatebekind@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteGreat information about the oxygen absorbers. I've used them, just didn't know what made them work until now :)
ReplyDeleteI blogged about it here: http://breezieacres.blogspot.com/2011/03/mylar-bag-giveaway-at-homestead-revival.html
ReplyDeleteI always thought vacuum sealing was "as good as it gets". Thanks for the great resource of very valuable information. This topic keeps coming up among my family and friends . . .
ReplyDeleteI also shared it on Facebook!
ReplyDeleteI learned that recycled HDPE buckets are not food grade... and more great info on using plastic bucket for storage.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win this awesome giveaway! I NEED 5 gallon mylar bags! {I have O2 absorbers waiting to be used, and grain ready for storage!)
Tweeted! http://twitter.com/#!/dlhomeschool/status/45653850035732481
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy!
I learned that you can seal a mylar bag using a clothes iron. What a great tip1 I thought you needed a special tool.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Michelle
I just posted about you wonderful giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Michelle
http://outofthebox-hsmom.blogspot.com/
I didn't know there were different kind of oxygen absorbers. And that they do better than vacuum sealing! Thanks for the entry!
ReplyDeleteI have had a nightmare with Indian Meal Moths (Pantry moths) before, and apparently exposing them to pure carbon dioxide kills 100% of the larvae (which are the most damaging stage of those moths). Not only that, it drives them out of the food before death, so they aren't in there rotting. Sweet! (...now, how to blast CO2 on my grains...?)
ReplyDeletehttp://swaggerihardlyknewher.blogspot.com/
I did not know you needed something to remove oxygen to extend the shelf life.....Thanks www.motherhoodextended.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteReading about oxygen absorbers was good. You always seem to pick up something else when you read other's posts. For instance, I didn't realize that you had to move quickly to put up absorbers that you are not going to use. I need to be ready to store my absorbers my first time around...I'm about to do my first mylar bag/food storage run. ;-)
ReplyDeleteTweeted the post @tsepulveda
ReplyDeleteAdded a link to this post on my Facebook account...
ReplyDeleteStephen Clay McGehee
SouthernAgrarian.com
When storing additional oxygen absorbers, "If you really want to cut down on the extra air inside you can fill the empty space with white rice"
ReplyDeleteOxygen absorbers increase the storage life of foods and make it a lot easier to store food. This tip is helpful because I have some food store, but now I am going to do more with oxygen absorbers.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to learn the how-to's of packing with dry ice. Great article!
ReplyDeleteim just starting food storage so the article on oxygen absorbers helped me a lot!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this timely post, the link to David Barton, and the give-a-way! I found the info on determining if plastic storage buckets are safe for food storage to be particularly useful as we have several waiting to be filled. In addition, they listed sources for finding free buckets and how to obtain lids if your lids have been mangled (which happens often). Blessings, Lisa@HappyinDoleValley
ReplyDeleteMylar bags are on my list of purchases to make!
ReplyDeleteThe article on oxygen absorbers and how to store the unused portion of a bag was most informative to me.
This is a GREAT giveaway!!!
ReplyDeleteI read the article about the Plastic buckets because I use them for food storage. One tip I learned is that the plastic is porus and if you use a food grade bucket for something other then food then you shouldnt use it for food any longer. Great article.
Good info at USA Emergency Supply about food grade buckets! I've been wondering how to figure out which ones were food grade or not.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway! The thing that I learned from the website is that dry ice can be used. I had recently found out about the oxygen absorbers but this was news to me! So much to learn!
ReplyDeleteShalom,
Dawn
My husband and I just started doing research about Emergency Preparedness. I’m glad I came across this post with all the added resources. Since it is just the two of us, we don’t go through a big gallon of food that fast. So I was glad to read in the website that if our dry beans lose too much oil, then we can grind them up.
ReplyDeleteAdded a link to this post on my Facebook account...
ReplyDelete-Moriah
I didn't know dry ice could be used for long term food storage. And I would love to try Mylar bags!
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog and how fun that this is thefirst post I saw. The hammer and 2x4 tip is one of those "why didn't I think of that!" Thrilled that I found your blog and can't wait to dig into it!
ReplyDeleteI learned that mylar bags are strong enough to stand on, but a pin will go through them with no trouble at all.
ReplyDeleteI loved all the tips! I am new to storing food and I feel like a sponge absorbing all I can!
ReplyDeleteI liked the information about oxygen absorbers and the details on the plastic buckets.....Thanks for a GREAT giveaway!!!
ReplyDeletejen_photography@sbcglobal.net
I must be a real newbie because I didn't know you could use an iron to seal the bags. I thought you had too have a special sealing tool which is why I haven't ventured down this road yet. Good to know this now so I can get started. kmimming@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThe best solution for long-term food storage is to go with an oxygen-free environment. I purchase my food grade buckets through my local bakery.
ReplyDeletePosted on Facebook about the giveaway! (and it worked this time:)
ReplyDeleteThanks to Maureen for posting this!
ReplyDeleteI thought it took longer than four hours to absorb the oxygen. I have been using Hot Hands packets to absorb oxygen. They are a lot cheaper and more powerful.
Posted on Facebook!
ReplyDeleteThe small moisture absorbing packets will not absorb enough moisture in your buckets.
ReplyDeletegingeroo616 at aol dot com
tweeted!
ReplyDelete@searching4
gingeroo616 at aol dot com
shared on fb
ReplyDeleteoursafehaven
gingeroo616 at aol dot com
I just started reading and researching about mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, etc. These would come in handy with my new adventure of food storage.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Diane
The mylar bags are meant to be used in buckets, and bucket storage is improved by mylar bags!
ReplyDelete