Storing wheat
Here are general rules for food storage:
1. Store in proper containers
2. Protect from insects and rodents
3. Keep cool (40° to 70°F, but the cooler the better)
4. Keep dry
5. Food in clear containers should also be protected from light
5. Rotate food, consuming oldest items first
You’ll be happy (?) to know that wheat will store indefinitely if proper techniques are followed, which leads to -- figuring out how much to store. The following chart gives a basic guideline for the amount of wheat per month. If you store a variety of other grains, these amounts would, of course, decrease.
CHILDREN TEEN Girls TEEN Boys ADULT Women ADULT Men
1-3 4-9 10-12 13-18 13-18
6 lbs 10 lbs 17 lbs 18 lbs 26 lbs 17 lbs 25 lbs
Or, to keep it simpler, providentliving.org just suggests 25 lbs of grain per adult per month.
Here is some additional storage information for wheat:
1. Plastic buckets, PETE bottles, #10 cans, glass bottles, and foil pouches are all appropriate containers. (I also read that grains can be stored in sacks hung from the ceiling, but then it seems to me that providing a barrier against pests becomes an issue.)
2. If possible, use round containers. This keeps air circulation around the cans or buckets and prevents containers from “sweating”.
3. Don’t store more than 120 pounds of wheat in a single container.
4. If using plastic buckets be sure they are food-grade and have not previously been used for non-food items.
5. Do not place containers directly on cement floors. Place them on wood strips to allow air circulation and prevent the wheat from drawing moisture from cement surfaces.
6. Containers should be commercially sealed or treated with dry ice until ready to use (See providentliving.org for instructions on how to treat grains and dry beans stored in buckets.)
You can purchase a case of six #10 cans of hard red winter wheat (33 lbs. total net weight) for $30.50 at lds.org or at Distribution Centers or the Sandy Cannery. Maceys has 45 lb pails of hard red or white wheat for $21.99 through Aug 19 (along with a sale on 5-gallon plastic buckets, water containers, and #10 cans of a variety of emergency storage items – Steve recommends reading the ingredients of the “milk drink” just for fun, then buy milk).
Coming "soon": part 3: Problems with storing wheat!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
55 gallon water containers
I was at Macey's today and saw that they have their 55 gallon containers on sale. They will be on sale for two weeks and the price is 39.99. I thought that was a little steep since I think we got ours years ago for much less, but after checking some other online prices this seems to be a fantastic price. The online places I looked were priced anywhere from $50.00 - $88.00. Some of the sites were completely sold out of the 55 gallon size. If you need to get some this is probably a good time.
I am also checking out prices on the pumps that attach to it.
If you already have your containers, take the time this month to change out the water.
By the way, their 25 lb. bags of sugar were on sale for $8.88.
How Much Water do I Need? (From FEMA)
You should have at least a three-day supply of water and you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon of water daily just for drinking.
Additionally, in determining adequate quantities, take the following into account:
Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate.
Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more water.
Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed.
A medical emergency might require additional water.
Emergency Outdoor Water Sources (From the Red Cross)
If you need to find water outside your home, you can use these sources. Be sure to treat the water according to the instructions on page 3 before drinking it.
Rainwater
Streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water
Ponds and lakes
Natural springs
Avoid water with floating material, an odor or dark color. Use saltwater only if you distill it first. You should not drink flood water.
Hidden Water Sources in Your Home (From Red Cross)
If a disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use the water in your hot-water tank, pipes and ice cubes. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl).
Do you know the location of your incoming water valve? You'll need to shut it off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.
To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your house at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the house.
To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.
Three Ways to Treat Water (From Red Cross)
In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms that cause diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis. You should treat all water of uncertain purity before using it for drinking, food preparation or hygiene.
There are many ways to treat water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.
Two easy treatment methods are outlined below. These measures will kill most microbes but will not remove other contaminants such as heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals. Before treating, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom, or strain them through layers of paper towel or clean cloth.
Boiling: Boiling is the safest method of treating water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking.
Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This will also improve the taste of stored water.
Disinfection: You can use household liquid bleach to kill microorganisms. Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, colorsafe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners.
Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes.
The only agent used to treat water should be household liquid bleach. Other chemicals, such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, are not recommended and should not be used.
While the two methods described above will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove microbes that resist these methods, and heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals.
Distillation: Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot's lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.
I am also checking out prices on the pumps that attach to it.
If you already have your containers, take the time this month to change out the water.
By the way, their 25 lb. bags of sugar were on sale for $8.88.
How Much Water do I Need? (From FEMA)
You should have at least a three-day supply of water and you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon of water daily just for drinking.
Additionally, in determining adequate quantities, take the following into account:
Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate.
Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more water.
Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed.
A medical emergency might require additional water.
Emergency Outdoor Water Sources (From the Red Cross)
If you need to find water outside your home, you can use these sources. Be sure to treat the water according to the instructions on page 3 before drinking it.
Rainwater
Streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water
Ponds and lakes
Natural springs
Avoid water with floating material, an odor or dark color. Use saltwater only if you distill it first. You should not drink flood water.
Hidden Water Sources in Your Home (From Red Cross)
If a disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use the water in your hot-water tank, pipes and ice cubes. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl).
Do you know the location of your incoming water valve? You'll need to shut it off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.
To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your house at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the house.
To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.
Three Ways to Treat Water (From Red Cross)
In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms that cause diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis. You should treat all water of uncertain purity before using it for drinking, food preparation or hygiene.
There are many ways to treat water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.
Two easy treatment methods are outlined below. These measures will kill most microbes but will not remove other contaminants such as heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals. Before treating, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom, or strain them through layers of paper towel or clean cloth.
Boiling: Boiling is the safest method of treating water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking.
Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This will also improve the taste of stored water.
Disinfection: You can use household liquid bleach to kill microorganisms. Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, colorsafe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners.
Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes.
The only agent used to treat water should be household liquid bleach. Other chemicals, such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, are not recommended and should not be used.
While the two methods described above will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove microbes that resist these methods, and heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals.
Distillation: Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot's lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Wheat part 1
Although it is not September, I am taking advantage of a "calm" morning miracle to start sharing information on wheat -- in small pieces there is a chance I'll get info shared by the end of September!
Wheat is probably the #1 item you think of in food storage. It is certainly easy to store and has high nutritional value. (D&C 89 says all grains are for man and are the staff of life, but wheat is also singled out as being especially for man.) Wheat is an important source of protein, calcium, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin, so, better store some!
Choosing the wheat to store:
1. Of course make sure the grains you store are processed for human consumption. (This has a BIG effect on allowable "foreign matter". Use your imagination on that one.)
2. Protein should be 11.5% or higher. Hard Red Winter or Spring Wheat has the highest protein. Because it takes more processing and/or bleaching for commercial use, it is sometimes less expensive than white wheats. The Winter variety is supposed to have a more "mellow" flavor, but I've never paid attention for a taste difference. Hard White Wheat is a medium protein wheat. The color of flour made from white wheat will be slightly lighter that the flour made from red wheat. Soft White Wheat has very low protein and is the type of wheat used for pastry flour. It isn't recommended for home storage use.
2. Make sure the wheat has no more than 10% moisture content. This helps avoid insect and bacteria problems.
Coming soon: Storing your wheat -- sounds exciting, right?
Wheat is probably the #1 item you think of in food storage. It is certainly easy to store and has high nutritional value. (D&C 89 says all grains are for man and are the staff of life, but wheat is also singled out as being especially for man.) Wheat is an important source of protein, calcium, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin, so, better store some!
Choosing the wheat to store:
1. Of course make sure the grains you store are processed for human consumption. (This has a BIG effect on allowable "foreign matter". Use your imagination on that one.)
2. Protein should be 11.5% or higher. Hard Red Winter or Spring Wheat has the highest protein. Because it takes more processing and/or bleaching for commercial use, it is sometimes less expensive than white wheats. The Winter variety is supposed to have a more "mellow" flavor, but I've never paid attention for a taste difference. Hard White Wheat is a medium protein wheat. The color of flour made from white wheat will be slightly lighter that the flour made from red wheat. Soft White Wheat has very low protein and is the type of wheat used for pastry flour. It isn't recommended for home storage use.
2. Make sure the wheat has no more than 10% moisture content. This helps avoid insect and bacteria problems.
Coming soon: Storing your wheat -- sounds exciting, right?
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