Prep Genrl 2nd Weekly Prep Thread for October 6 ~ October 12, 2019

[nomifyle]

To keep from having withdrawal from no current prep thread, I'm starting a new one.

Making more headway in my pantry and the room its in. A little work here and there adds up. I found two 5 gallon buckets that I had just stashed stuff in and emptyed them and somewhat properly stored the contents in an organized tote that I can see through.

These two buckets will be filled with the gazillion bags of lentils and yellow split peas I have stacked up. The easy and quicker way will be to put the beans in a 5 gallon mylar with 02 and heat seal. I really think the better way would be to have much smaller mylar bags in the bucket but I'm desperate to get my food organized and put away.

As the weather is cooling off (thank you Jesus) I will be moving my big stash LTF storage from the crappy leaky shed to my "she shed" but some of the cans will come in the house pantry for use. I have many cases of meal ingredients that I doubt DH would touch, so I need to try some of them to see what he might eat.

I have two crappy leaky sheds, my camper and my school bus to get cleaned out this winter.

Judy

 

[Dinghy]

That’s what I need to do too Judy. My stuff needs gone through and re-organized really bad. That’s on my winter project list. Yesterday I got the second 4 cans of Keystone roast beef in the mail, and made room in the pantry cupboard for them.

Last week I drove over an hour away to buy Concord grapes. I made 30 quarts of juice, and yesterday I taught my youngest daughter how to make it. That was her birthday gift. She loves the juice, so I bought the grapes and passed on the skill.

Two of my other daughters went in on buying 6 huge heads of cabbage for me to make kraut for all of us. I’ll be canning it this week, and then taking it to them next week when I go down for the one daughters birthday.

I picked most of my jalapeños yesterday, and will have to can those too. I finally got a decent amount this year, and I’m planning to double the amount I plant next year.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

To keep from having withdrawal from no current prep thread, I'm starting a new one.

Thanks, Judy. It kinda knocked the breath out of me when I realized the whole thread was gone. I can't even remember what all I said in the other thread.

 

[20Gauge]

I didn't know it was lost!

We added about a dozen cans of Keystone meat to the pantry.
Travels to Florida to add more to the pantry. Things we can't get where we are at. This is part of our diversity plan
Power washed about 1/3 of the house.
Replaced all of the smoke alarms.
We made another 6 quarts of salsa.
Still picking from the garden.

 

[nomifyle]

Thanks, Judy. It kinda knocked the breath out of me when I realized the whole thread was gone. I can't even remember what all I said in the other thread.

I can't remember what I posted either, but I think the thread had several responses. I just remembered I'd commented on my pantry clean up and its an ongoing job.

My four cans of beef came yesterday from Amazon, that makes 28 cans, I think I'll give that ordering a rest. DH swears we'll never eat it all, we'll see.

We got a 16' row of garlic planted yesterday, each pod about 3 inches apart. We'll see how that works out, first thing we've planted in our new raised beds.

Judy

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I can't remember what I posted either, but I think the thread had several responses. I just remembered I'd commented on my pantry clean up and its an ongoing job.

My four cans of beef came yesterday from Amazon, that makes 28 cans, I think I'll give that ordering a rest. DH swears we'll never eat it all, we'll see.

We got a 16' row of garlic planted yesterday, each pod about 3 inches apart. We'll see how that works out, first thing we've planted in our new raised beds.

Judy

IIRC, I said that I added more sugar, tea, canned BBQ pulled pork, and corn meal to my pantry when I made my trip into town for our bi/monthly shopping spree. I want to order some Keystone ground beef, but am waiting to see if prices go down a bit. I hope there is a sale on it soon. We eat a lot of ground beef, and it will make a great addition to all the other canned meats I have in storage.

BTW, it's on 64 degrees out side right now at 1:24 pm! I'm cold.....We finally got rain, too, but not enough to break our drought.

PS. We never have to plant garlic. We made a row a few years back, and it comes back year after year. Multiplies like crazy, too.

 

[20Gauge]

IIRC, I said that I added more sugar, tea, canned BBQ pulled pork, and corn meal to my pantry when I made my trip into town for our bi/monthly shopping spree. I want to order some Keystone ground beef, but am waiting to see if prices go down a bit. I hope there is a sale on it soon. We eat a lot of ground beef, and it will make a great addition to all the other canned meats I have in storage.

BTW, it's on 64 degrees out side right now at 1:24 pm! I'm cold.....We finally got rain, too, but not enough to break our drought.

PS. We never have to plant garlic. We made a row a few years back, and it comes back year after year. Multiplies like crazy, too.

Garlic.... really. Is that normal? If so, I may just plant some wild garlic. I have been thinking of doing the same with horseradish. Just let it go wild and harvest as needed. We really don't use much of either, but would like to have the option.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Garlic.... really. Is that normal? If so, I may just plant some wild garlic. I have been thinking of doing the same with horseradish. Just let it go wild and harvest as needed. We really don't use much of either, but would like to have the option.

I don't know if it's normal or not, but what we planted years ago is still growing and multiplying like crazy. We have to dig some up and get rid of it every year, because it grows out into my yard. I use a lot of garlic, but I just dig it as I need it. I dig some to over winter in the kitchen, too.

 

[nomifyle]

We've planted garlic before and it did nothing, we are hoping the raised beds might help, we also did not fertilize.

Judy

 

[20Gauge]

I don't know if it's normal or not, but what we planted years ago is still growing and multiplying like crazy. We have to dig some up and get rid of it every year, because it grows out into my yard. I use a lot of garlic, but I just dig it as I need it. I dig some to over winter in the kitchen, too.

I am looking to grow it in the back near the forest edge. We have very poor soil and hard to grow conditions in the front. As the cost for some is minimal, it may be worth the effort to try.

 

[1911user]

IIRC, I said that I added more sugar, tea, canned BBQ pulled pork, and corn meal to my pantry when I made my trip into town for our bi/monthly shopping spree. I want to order some Keystone ground beef, but am waiting to see if prices go down a bit. I hope there is a sale on it soon. We eat a lot of ground beef, and it will make a great addition to all the other canned meats I have in storage.
(snip)

I've been watching Keystone meat pricing for the last 2-3 years. This current sale on the canned beef is rare . That's why I made a big deal of it and stocked up heavily. I assume that I won't see this pricing again.
I'm surprised it is still going, but amazon has a reason for the sales price. My guess is to get people to setup monthly subscription orders and hope they may not notice when the price returns to normal.
Walmart.com only lowered their price after amazon started the sale. They follow amazon pricing on things like this including Augason Farms #10 cans of different storage food.

If you like the canned beef, I'd get as much as you can afford/store now. In my experience, a sale on Keystone canned meat is not common.

Also, on the ground beef, remember it is cooked in the can. The amount of cooked hamburger meat vs. cooked out fat and liquid is a big issue with some of the reviews on it. You're buying 28 ounces (1.75 pounds) of raw hamburger meat and they cook it for you. On the canned beef, almost all of the fat is removed before it is cubed and packed/cooked in the can so there is less fat and liquid inside.

 

[Illini Warrior]

I can't remember what I posted either, but I think the thread had several responses. I just remembered I'd commented on my pantry clean up and its an ongoing job.

My four cans of beef came yesterday from Amazon, that makes 28 cans, I think I'll give that ordering a rest. DH swears we'll never eat it all, we'll see.

We got a 16' row of garlic planted yesterday, each pod about 3 inches apart. We'll see how that works out, first thing we've planted in our new raised beds.

Judy

"pod" ??? - did you split the garlic head apart and plant the separate cloves? >>> that's the best way to get a bed started - keep doing that until your bed is full - you garden garlic alot like green onions

 

[nomifyle]

"pod" ??? - did you split the garlic head apart and plant the separate cloves? >>> that's the best way to get a bed started - keep doing that until your bed is full - you garden garlic alot like green onions

Yes, we pulled apart the cloves. Hope it does well this time. Thanks for the info.

Judy

 

[SAPPHIRE]

THANKS JUDY...…….I haven't checked recently...didn't know it vanished...…….or is the Mandela effect????????

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I've been watching Keystone meat pricing for the last 2-3 years. This current sale on the canned beef is rare . That's why I made a big deal of it and stocked up heavily. I assume that I won't see this pricing again.
I'm surprised it is still going, but amazon has a reason for the sales price. My guess is to get people to setup monthly subscription orders and hope they may not notice when the price returns to normal.
Walmart.com only lowered their price after amazon started the sale. They follow amazon pricing on things like this including Augason Farms #10 cans of different storage food.

If you like the canned beef, I'd get as much as you can afford/store now. In my experience, a sale on Keystone canned meat is not common.

Also, on the ground beef, remember it is cooked in the can. The amount of cooked hamburger meat vs. cooked out fat and liquid is a big issue with some of the reviews on it. You're buying 28 ounces (1.75 pounds) of raw hamburger meat and they cook it for you. On the canned beef, almost all of the fat is removed before it is cubed and packed/cooked in the can so there is less fat and liquid inside.

Thanks for the info! I'm gonna go ahead and order a couple of cans of the ground beef to see how I like it. I'd rather test it, before I jump all in with a larger order. With limited funds available, I will only be ordering one or two cans as I go, even if I like the product. I think it was Judy who said that she had tried it, and loved it. I could be wrong, though.

 

[nomifyle]

Thanks for the info! I'm gonna go ahead and order a couple of cans of the ground beef to see how I like it. I'd rather test it, before I jump all in with a larger order. With limited funds available, I will only be ordering one or two cans as I go, even if I like the product. I think it was Judy who said that she had tried it, and loved it. I could be wrong, though.

I have the smaller cans of ground beef, I think its enough for two people, some may not agree. I think it tastes fine. I may need to order more.

Judy

 

[20Gauge]

Thanks for the info! I'm gonna go ahead and order a couple of cans of the ground beef to see how I like it. I'd rather test it, before I jump all in with a larger order. With limited funds available, I will only be ordering one or two cans as I go, even if I like the product. I think it was Judy who said that she had tried it, and loved it. I could be wrong, though.

We just tried the ground beef. Yes, it had a bit of fat, but overall was excellent. It is now part of our preps. A can of ground beef that lasts 5+ years and we can use to supplement almost any meal is a great addition. It also solved our spaghetti sauce issue. I make our own, but don't add meat as I like more and the wife less. So we can now add what we want and I can still can the sauce as a common ingredient to a meal.

This applies even at the $3 per pound cost. Excellent meat with minimal effort and cost effective compared to what we would spend to can it ourselves.

 

[20Gauge]

I have the smaller cans of ground beef, I think its enough for two people, some may not agree. I think it tastes fine. I may need to order more.

Judy

I looked at the smaller cans, but it seemed to cost too much per pound. I found the larger cans a better solution and we can put the balance in the fridge for a day or three until we use it. Though the cats did love it also. That was an unintended solution, but they were quick to point out that they did like it and wanted more....lol

 

[nomifyle]

I looked at the smaller cans, but it seemed to cost too much per pound. I found the larger cans a better solution and we can put the balance in the fridge for a day or three until we use it. Though the cats did love it also. That was an unintended solution, but they were quick to point out that they did like it and wanted more....lol

I went with the smaller cans because I always look at what would I do if there was no power for an extended period of time and we ran out of fuel for the generators. I'm beginning to think that is not likely at my age, but I still plan for it. I would have preferred the smaller cans of the beef, but the prices for the larger can were just to good to pass up.

Judy

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Ok, I'm convinced that I won't go wrong by ordering the ground beef! LOL! Still, I can only order a couple of cans at a time, so will take me awhile to get stocked up on it. A lot of my storage menu meals call for ground beef. All I have is what's in my freezers, and I don't want to depend on the freezers.

 

[20Gauge]

I went with the smaller cans because I always look at what would I do if there was no power for an extended period of time and we ran out of fuel for the generators. I'm beginning to think that is not likely at my age, but I still plan for it. I would have preferred the smaller cans of the beef, but the prices for the larger can were just to good to pass up.

Judy

That does make sense. I guess this is why the cats were so helpful in finishing off the ground beef..... they really loved it.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I have a large chest in my pantry room that is filled with personal hygiene products like toothpaste, medicated soaps, mouthwash, and creams. I haven't gone through this chest in a while, and am making this my prepping project today. I have a question, though. Does toothpaste go bad? I have some that is years old, and am thinking of throwing it out. Maybe, I just need to empty everything out, and start over?

 

[20Gauge]

I have a large chest in my pantry room that is filled with personal hygiene products like toothpaste, medicated soaps, mouthwash, and creams. I haven't gone through this chest in a while, and am making this my prepping project today. I have a question, though. Does toothpaste go bad? I have some that is years old, and am thinking of throwing it out. Maybe, I just need to empty everything out, and start over?

Not that I know of. I find the containers go bad first. That surprised me.

 

[summerthyme]

I've found that some hand creams, and hair conditioners get funky after several years. (I'm talking 7-10, not 2-3). I suspect most of them contain some oils... the bad ones looked almost "curdled". Never saw toothpaste go bad. We're using stick deoderant from 2005... no obvious changes in appearance, texture or effectiveness that we can see.

Mouthwash is generally alcohol based... probably will last longer than you will <g>.

I'd open one container of anything you are concerned about... sniff it first. If it smells ok/normal, then take a bit out and evaluate texture, color, etc. Most of this stuff is loaded with preservatives (because they expect people to contaminate it after opening, and need it to stay fresh for the typical expected life after opening). If it seems fine, put that container in the bathroom for immediate use, and stash the rest again.

If it seems funky in any way...toss that batch and start over.

Summerthyme

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I've found that some hand creams, and hair conditioners get funky after several years. (I'm talking 7-10, not 2-3). I suspect most of them contain some oils... the bad ones looked almost "curdled". Never saw toothpaste go bad. We're using stick deoderant from 2005... no obvious changes in appearance, texture or effectiveness that we can see.

Mouthwash is generally alcohol based... probably will last longer than you will <g>.

I'd open one container of anything you are concerned about... sniff it first. If it smells ok/normal, then take a bit out and evaluate texture, color, etc. Most of this stuff is loaded with preservatives (because they expect people to contaminate it after opening, and need it to stay fresh for the typical expected life after opening). If it seems fine, put that container in the bathroom for immediate use, and stash the rest again.

If it seems funky in any way...toss that batch and start over.

Summerthyme

Thanks, Summerthyme. None of my stuff is over 3 yrs old, so I guess I'll be keeping most of it. Will save me a ton of money trying to replace it all. I still need to get the chest more organized, though.

 

[prudentwatcher]

I had posted on the vanished thread that I had purchased about $100 of canned goods for prep storage in the last week or so. Added a few more cans of Chefboyardee yesterday--was still BOGO at Publix, so something like 63 cents a can. Tonight I bagged up 30 packets of oatmeal in a mylar bag and 4.5 lbs of elbow mac in another. I'm going to have to order some more bags and oxy absorbers soon, as I try to put up that amount plus about 15 lbs of rice (2 mylar bags) every month. I have plenty of buckets of wheat so I am just trying to round things out a bit.

Really don't need much else to round things out, just bulking up the carbs a bit more. I keep an eye on the sales to keep piling it deep, but there aren't many good sales lately. Hopefully the holiday sales will be good this year.

 

[ReneeT]

Oh wow - the thread disappeared! Guess maybe I need to get in here to read more often lol!

Don't recall at all what I said previously, so I'm just going to post what I'm going to do. We took older grandson to his Jr Rifle Club meeting tonight; really impressed with the coaches!! Grandson had a little trouble tonight; they started out prone but then moved to kneeling - he had a pretty spectacular bike wreck that left him with some knee pain (x rays didn't show a fracture), so he was a little wobbly but was game to keep trying; so proud of him!

Split chicken breast went on sale today for 97 cents/lb, so I'm going to start picking up some every day that I'm in that store's town; will have Hubby and my Buddy pick up some for me as well and stick it in the freezer until next week - hoping to get 50# (sometimes they limit purchases). I am off on vacation after Sunday, so will start canning it then. I cut the meat from the bones, tossing the skins and bones in a canner as I go. I store the meat in the fridge as I bone it; then add a couple of gallons or so of water to the skin 'n bones in a canner, using it like a pressure cooker to make broth from the skin/bones. That it what I use for liquid in the bottom of the jars when I start canning the meat - about an inch of broth, then add in the meat, wipe rims, put on lids and pressure can as usual. It doesn't take all the broth to can the meat, so I can what is left after the meat is done.

I also need to pick up at least one more bushel of apples to can into applesauce; and I'd like to put at least 4 par-baked apples pies in the freezer as well; plus bake a pie or some apple dumplings to eat fresh.

I have 4 corned beef briskets in the freezer that I picked up on clearance after St. Patrick's day, so will pull them out to can. I let them thaw, make a broth from the seasoning packet in the wrappers, then chunk the meat, add the broth and can. It's great for making corned beef hash, or the chunks of meat can be used in corned beef and cabbage or shredded Reuben sandwiches.

Unless I want to risk another broken leg, I have a ton of black walnuts I need to pick up in the side yard; I'll lay them out in an area where I don't plan to plant anything for a few years as the jugalone in the husks is pretty toxic to a lot of plants; then what the squirrels don't steal, I'll husk and crack this winter and pick the nut meats out to use in divinity or persimmon cookies.

I probably need to check out the CVS and Walgreens ads before Sunday to make sure I don't miss any major bargains - pretty sure I have some Extra Care Bucks from CVS that I need to use or lose here soon.

Well, it's getting late; better get ready to head to bed soon - planning to hit the pool around noon tomorrow, then see if I can load up the cooler with chicken before I head in to work the 4 hour shift I got guilted in to on Tuesday...

Take care all; have a great rest of the week!

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I got my storage chest cleaned out and reorganized, yesterday. The only items that I got rid of were 10 bars of medicated soap I had stored for skin problems I once had. There wasn't a need for them any longer, so I tossed them out. Everything else seemed to still be in good shape.

Next project will be to tackle two large plastic storage tubs!

 

[20Gauge]

Ok, I'm convinced that I won't go wrong by ordering the ground beef! LOL! Still, I can only order a couple of cans at a time, so will take me awhile to get stocked up on it. A lot of my storage menu meals call for ground beef. All I have is what's in my freezers, and I don't want to depend on the freezers.

We are trying to get away from the dependency of freezers also.

 

[20Gauge]

We are working to paint the back columns and patio doors as well as they side door. After power washing them, there was some spots that needed to be touched up after 14 years. So we are just going to paint them again.

I am ever so glad we stuccoed the entire house. All I have to do is power wash it once every few years. Though I still have 2 1/2 sides of house to power wash.

This week's garden haul.

 

[nomifyle]

We are trying to get away from the dependency of freezers also.

I shudder to think about all the food we have in four freezers that would just be gone. This is why I am stocking up on canned meat.

I'm lousy at pressure canning and just the thought of it makes me tired, so the option of this is not really for me.

Judy

 

[Freeholder]

I only have one small chest freezer, so I've always kept some canned meat stocked up. I'm working on increasing that, especially since once the electrical work starts, the freezer won't be running for a few days. So I'm trying to get it emptied out.

I saw that canned meat at Walmart this morning -- we saved over two bucks per can on the sale.

Kathleen

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I shudder to think about all the food we have in four freezers that would just be gone. This is why I am stocking up on canned meat.

I'm lousy at pressure canning and just the thought of it makes me tired, so the option of this is not really for me.

Judy

Absolutely, Judy! Instead of possibly loosing all the meat in my two freezers, I'm in the process of emptying one out. I feel pretty confident that I have enough canned meat, stored already, to last a year with only having meat once a day. The ground beef is going to be what I will concentrate on now.

With my new stove, I can't use a pressure canner on it. I would have to do it outside using a turkey fryer set up. It's been just too hot for that. Plus, I know that what I buy in cans will last. I'm afraid to rely on my non skills to do any pressure canning. Loosing a large batch of meat, because I did something wrong just isn't an option.

 

[20Gauge]

I shudder to think about all the food we have in four freezers that would just be gone. This is why I am stocking up on canned meat.

I'm lousy at pressure canning and just the thought of it makes me tired, so the option of this is not really for me.

Judy

Imagine if you lived in the "black out" areas of California.

 

[1911user]

I only have one small chest freezer, so I've always kept some canned meat stocked up. I'm working on increasing that, especially since once the electrical work starts, the freezer won't be running for a few days. So I'm trying to get it emptied out.

I saw that canned meat at Walmart this morning -- we saved over two bucks per can on the sale.

Kathleen

Did you get it at the local store at the sale price? If so, how? That could prevent shipping damage.

 

[nomifyle]

Imagine if you lived in the "black out" areas of California.

In 1975 I was planning on moving to San Francisco but at the last minute I crawfished and moved back to New Orleans (I had been living with my aunt in Little Rock for four months because of a potential problem in New Orleans because I saw and reported an expensive bicycle being stolen and testified in court).

I've never been sorry for not moving to California, I'm a Louisiana gal through and through.

I just placed an order for 24 cans of Simply One lentils from Vitacost for $1 a can. I love lentils and already have several cans so I know they are tasty. This is in addition to the dry lentils I have stored. I have decided I want to have at least 52 cans of canned food that I like.

Yesterday I went to Dollar Tree and was aggrivated that their shelves continue to be bare, although their storage room is buldging to the rafters with boxes. I was able to get 14 more cans of their Cridar white chicken breast which is tasty and 0 points on Weight Watchers. The store did not have any rolling baskets available so I had to limit my purchases to what I could carry in the hand basket. Also went to Sav A Lot and picked up more cans of vegetables at less that $1 a can.

Stopped at Walmart and walked the aisles. I saw no space for canned potatoes at all. The cooking oil shelves were about half filled, but everything else seemed fine. Sugar was 1.37 for a four pound bag, I got two, even though my DH told me not to buy anymore sugar, I pay for it so I buy what I want. I bought 6 five gallon buckets, but they only had one lid, so I'll have to get more lids next week. I added more water, but not as much as I wanted because I was so tired form trying to find things in the reorganized shelving in the store. It seems like nothing is where it was.

Judy

My DH asked me yesterday to please get the table cleared off of food before be get more commodities in about 10 days. I'm working on it.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I just want to jump in here and say this. Most people don't realize how much food will need to be stored just to last one year. In counting how much canned meat I need to store for one year, that comes out to a lot!

If I want to use tuna once a week for a year, I would need 52 cans of tuna. Same with chicken, Spam, canned smoked ham, beef, pork, or any soups and stews. That's 52 cans of each! That's not including the canned veggies and other dishes you might want to go with each meat.

Just wanted to put this here for a reminder.

 

[Freeholder]

Did you get it at the local store at the sale price? If so, how? That could prevent shipping damage.

No, I ordered it and it was delivered here to the house (well, they dumped the box on the ground out by the mailbox). Only one can was dented, though, and we ate that one a couple of days ago.

Kathleen

 

[Freeholder]

It does take a lot of space to store enough food for a whole year. Right now, I'm not trying to have a whole year's worth of food on hand; we have enough to last three or four months. Once the work on the house is finished, though, and we don't have to move things around anymore, I will work on getting a year or more of food stockpiled again.

I hadn't been in a dollar store for quite a while, but a few days ago went in one to get us something to drink, since it was right next door to where we were (an hour away from home to buy the travel trailer, so I didn't know where any other stores were). I was distinctly NOT impressed with their prices. Walmart has much better prices on the groceries that I saw while I was in the Dollar Tree store. I got another flat of cut green beans this morning for fifty cents a can, for example (at Walmart). So it's really important to check prices!

 

[nomifyle]

I just want to jump in here and say this. Most people don't realize how much food will need to be stored just to last one year. In counting how much canned meat I need to store for one year, that comes out to a lot!

If I want to use tuna once a week for a year, I would need 52 cans of tuna. Same with chicken, Spam, canned smoked ham, beef, pork, or any soups and stews. That's 52 cans of each! That's not including the canned veggies and other dishes you might want to go with each meat.

Just wanted to put this here for a reminder.

This is my goal and one of the the small cans of meat will not do for two people, so just as an example the small cans of chicken, tuna or ham. That would be one can each a week. Wow that's a lot of cans. My DH's oldest son is a prepper and he only stocks regular canned food, and he has a year covered. They do store what that eat and rotate.

So that 28 cans I have of the Keystone Beef is enough for 6 months for two people.

I made a pot of 4 different kinds of beans, garbonzo, black beans, lentils and corn, I added chicken boullion, one day I added a 5 oz. can of chicken, and another can the next day. I added some frozen broccoli and cauflower that I riced in my bullet. I could probably eat on that pot for another two days. Zero points on WW.

judy