Thread: TIME TO START LEARNING HOW TO SURVIVE

Originally Posted by cayla99

Originally Posted by nntrixie

We have been living like that for a very long time. When my pantry gets low, I'm uncomfortable.

We usually try to keep enough food for at least 6 months, longer if we stretch it. We don't really do this conscciously, that's just the way it works out.

Some of that just comes from being raised on a farm, when you always had food canned or salted down. Then we raised our kids with our own homegrown food - so it's just a natural thing.

Also, we've never been truly down and out, but we've been in very tight spots before, and food, and other necessities, put back is a very nice feeling.

OK, true confession time, I'm an accumulator. I have enough fabric, thread, buttons, zippers, etc., to clothe a small town for a year.

OK folks, here is the plan, when all goes to hell in a handbasket, we all move in with nntrixie

SicNTiredInSoCal

Yes, a canner is a bit of an investment. My new one cost $90 and they have raised the price of new jars out of sight.

If you aren't familiar with pressure canners, I wouldn't suggest buying a used one, but I buy most of my canning jars at garage sales. Some of the old mayonaise jars are just fine for canning, but I don' t use them in the canner, just for things like tomatoes, etc., but lids don't fit the new mayonaise jars. I've complained to Kraft, etc., but they don't even respond.

When you see jars at a garage sale, just run the hand around the top to be sure there are no chips before buying. I always wash the jars good by hand, run them through the dishwasher, with a little bleach added to the dishwasher and boil them just before using.


vortex
The egg thing is a new one on me. I have never tried to preserve eggs, but I have heard you can beat them and freeze them.

But I am going to look into the boiling. How long do they last that way?

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Will only be allowed a pillow case of stuff at nntrixie. Now you do provide water?

Cayla and April

Come on down. We'll do some canning, can you sew? I only have one treadle machine, though.

vmonkey I didn't understand, about the pillowcase.

Now water might be a problem, if the city can't provide it, but we are seriously working on getting a well. This is the first time in decades we haven't had a well, though - and I confess to feeling vulnerable.


There's a creek nearby.

You are not allowed to kill any squirrels, unless it really gets bad and no, not, never the wild rabbit that lives under the storage building.

Lots of doves, though.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

Cayla and April

Come on down. We'll do some canning, can you sew? I only have one treadle machine, though.

vmonkey I didn't understand, about the pillowcase.

Now water might be a problem, if the city can't provide it, but we are seriously working on getting a well. This is the first time in decades we haven't had a well, though - and I confess to feeling vulnerable.


There's a creek nearby.

You are not allowed to kill any squirrels, unless it really gets bad and no, not, never the wild rabbit that lives under the storage building.

Lots of doves, though.

YOU ROCK nntrixie, I am sure with you, we would be great survivors!

You're nice - thanks.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

You're nice - thanks.

You're welcome, just being honest!

Yes, this year ws our first year doing a big garden, It was great.

We have many frozen veggies, and we canned apples, pickles, beans, tomatoes, made our own pasta and tomato suace, which is much better than store bought, and other stuff. My wife said her grandmother used to can meat and we are thinking of doing that next year as her brother dear hunts alot and we can get meat from him.

I don't really care for venison but I figured I'd can it and then marinate it for a few days when planning to eat it, and then cook it. Although, strangley enough being out in the country here, where a good bit of farms are, meat is still pretty cheap, even steaks, we buy from a small local farm/butcher, sure beats that pre-processed stuff.

My wifes brother bought some chickens for a girl he was dating and she called it quits before he gave her the chickens so he kept them and we get some really good brown eggs from them.

After we started eating the garden veggies this year and buying our other food from the local butchers, we started feeling better, having more energy. I used to get bad heartburn like every night but now I rarely get it and it seems like it doesn't take as much food to fill us up either. Also the butcher throws in 2 lbs of spicey home made sausage if you buy $30 or more in food. Every bit helps.

We also bought a whole house water filter and attached it to our well house, this way we don't have to buy jugs of water, this saves us about $32 a month, the water is really clean and taste good. Plus it doesn't have the flouride and other harmful chemicals that the city water has. We also dropped the sodas, and we make iced tea, now as well.

We love it and will continue doing this every year.

b]chexfive[/b]

I enjoyed reading that.

A friend gave us two deer this year. I had never cooked venison before except some sausage we were given.

This deer came just field dressed and we did the rest. The cuts are absolutely unrecognizeable, but we got it in the freezer.

Deer meat makes the best chili. We just ground the meat and used bought chile mix.

It also make great sausage. Most people add a little pork to the sausage, we didn't and it was very lean. Since we didn't season the sausage too much, we used some of it to make hamburgers. It was really good. But if you want a more juicy sausage, I'd say add a little pork.

I did barbeque some ribs and tenderized some for chicken fry and I marinated it overnight in just plain milk. The results were good for us.

We canned chickens a lot when we raised our own, but never beef. I did try my hand at some beef this year. I canned it just in cubes, but haven't used any yet.

On the Backwood Home Magazine site, there is a lady named Jackie Clay that does a column and she gives some really good instructions for canning game. You might check that out.

Absolutely you will feel better getting food as fresh as possible and as free of hormones, etc.

Luggage will be too heavy to carry.