survival stockpiling

7/30/2019 Survival Stockpiling

1/30

1

A St ay Al ive Bl uepr int


2/30

2

Table of Contents

WhenDisasterStrikes.................................................................................................... 3

StrategicPlanning.......................................................................................................... 4

AlwaysMessingThingsUp ............................................................................................ 5

AndThenMoreIntervention......................................................................................... 6

WhatstheShelfLife?.................................................................................................... 7

CanIt .............................................................................................................................9

OtherPantryItems ......................................................................................................10

ShouldYouBuyinBulk? .............................................................................................. 11

SurvivalistLiving .......................................................................................................... 11

YourOwnGarden ........................................................................................................12

HuntingforFood .........................................................................................................12

CanYouEatYourDogsFood?.....................................................................................13

SpecialtyFoodsforSurvival......................................................................................... 14

FoodforBarter ............................................................................................................ 15

LowPricedFoods.........................................................................................................16

SurvivalThroughtheAges........................................................................................... 16

MoretoEatThanWheat............................................................................................. 17StoreIt ......................................................................................................................... 18

BuyingLocally .............................................................................................................. 19

BuyingGrainsOnline ...................................................................................................21

WhattodowithUnprocessedFoods ..........................................................................21

AFineGrind ................................................................................................................. 22

Sprouting ..................................................................................................................... 22

ItsNevertooLatetoStart .......................................................................................... 24

FamilyNeeds ............................................................................................................... 24

LongerShelfLife .......................................................................................................... 25QuantitiesHowMuch?............................................................................................. 25

WheretoBuyUnprocessedFoods ..............................................................................26

AlternativeCookingMethods...................................................................................... 27

ImportanceofWater...................................................................................................28

DontWaitAnyLonger ................................................................................................ 28

StockpileChecklist .......................................................................................................30


3/30

3

When Disaster Strikes

Itdoesnttakelongfortheshelvesatthegrocerystoretobecomeemptysoon

afteradisaster.Orevenbefore,iftheresenoughofawarning.Withinhours,basic

itemslikewater,bread,ormilkcanliterallydisappear.Thinkabouthowspoiledwe

are as Americans. A typical run to the supermarket and we come home with just

aboutanythingandeverythingwecouldwant.Regardlessofwhattheseasonis,we

canhavefreshstrawberries,oranges,peppersagain,justaboutanythingallyear

round!

Nowthinkaboutitalittlemore.HowisitpossiblethatsomeoneinIllinoiscanenjoy strawberries in the winter? And a family in Alabama can bake delicious

homemade bread with wheat from out west? Rarely, do we think about the

transportationanddeliverysystemsthatmakesuchthingspossible.Wehavegotten

so used to having an enormous variety of food at our fingertips that its hard to

imagine anything less. But what if, for some reason, those delivery trucks never

madeittoourstores?

HaveyoueverbeentothestorethenightbeforeThanksgiving?Therearecertain

things that you just cant buy because theyre simply not there! Not even one!Everyonewentshoppingforthesameingredientsforthesamefavoritedish.Evena

dayortwoaftertheholidaytheinventoryisntreplenished.Doyouknowwhy?

Because the typical grocery store has only a three day supply of food. That

meansthatifsomethingdelayedthedeliverytruckfrombringinginanewsupply,the

store would only have enough inventory in stock for three days. And its very

possiblethatitcouldbeevenlessthanthat!Especiallyifeveryoneisinpanicmode!

Therehaverecentlybeenmentionsofapossiblefoodshortagerighthereinthe

goodol USA! How longwill itbebefore the averageAmericanconsumerstarts to

thinkmoreaboutthis?Isitpossiblethatpeoplewillstartpanickingandhoarding

basic grocery items? Without strategic planning, we could very well see food

suppliesdisappearwithinhoursifthereeverwasapanic.


4/30

4

Put this book down for a moment. Go take a peek in your cupboards or your

pantry. So? Iftoday broughtfoodshortages.andyoucouldntgetto the grocery

store.wouldyoubeabletogetby?Forafewdays?Forafewweeks?Whatabout

evenlongeramonthortwo?Again,wetendtotakeforgrantedbeingabletorun

uptothestoretogetafewthingswhenweneedthem.Butwhatifwecouldntdo

thatbecause,whatweneededwasntthere?

Nowimaginewhatwouldhappenifgrocerystoreshelveswereemptyacrossthe

nation.Theaveragefamilyprobablydoesnthaveenoughfoodonhandtolastmore

thanaweek.Ifyouliveinanareawherehurricanesarecommon,youmighthave

alreadylearnedhow topreparefor scenarios thatwouldcause ashortageof food.Andyouveprobablyseenhowcertainitemstendtovanishquicklywhenpeopleare

worried.

Ifsuchafoodcrisisweretooccur,wouldyoubepreparedtofeedyourfamilyfor

howeverlongittookbeforetheproblemswereresolved?Whatifitlastedlonger

thana fewweeks? Dontthinksucha thingcould happen? Well,wearecurrently

facing the biggest economic disaster our country has ever seen. Anything seems

possibleatthispoint.

With that being said, the ball is in your court. Its up to you to take the

responsibilitytokeepyourfamilyfedifsuchasituationdoesarise.

Strategic Planning

Dontlosehope!Thepurposeofthishandbookistohelpyouplanforsuchan

occasion. You can take the advice in these pages, act upon them, and keep your

familysafeandfed!Andyoumightevenhaveenoughtosharewithothersinyourneighborhood.Anddontworryitdoesnthavetoemptyyourbankaccount!Youll

be surprised at how far you can stretch your dollars (even in a time of economic

disaster)!

The time to start planning is NOW! The secret to successful preparation is

stocking your pantry while the stores are plentifully supplied. Its important to

purchasetheitemsyoullneedbeforepanicsetsin.Otherwiseitstoolate.Youllbe

inthesameboataseveryoneelserushingtogetwhateveryoucan.


5/30

5

Itwouldalsobewisetohaveanawarenessofhoworwheretogetadditionalfood

just in case the problems arent fixed after a few days. You can imagine the

widespreadpanicthatwouldoccurifgrocerystoresthroughoutAmericawereunable

toprovideeventhemostbasicoffoodstohundredsofthousandsofpeople.

Another disadvantage when disaster is on the horizon, and after it strikes, is a

significant increase in price. Even in the absence of a crisis, with huge financial

bailoutsbeingshoveddownourthroats,inflationbringsaboutrisingcostsallonits

own.So,youwanttostockupbeforepricesskyrocket.

Always Messing Things Up

Youhavetoadmit,whether itsrespondingtohurricane damage ortrying tofix

our economy, the government is always messing things up. Yet, regardless of

previousfailures,theycantresistanopportunitytotrytosaveus.Thoseeliteand

elected(andappointed)fewknowwhatsgoodfortherestofus!Trustus,theysay,

wereactinginyourbestinterest(astheycontinuetopourbucketsofwateroverour

drowningnation).

Seriously though, we need only take a look at Hurricane Katrina. It was an

embarrassingreminderofwhatswrongwiththegovernmentassaviormentality.

Itseemsasiftheonlypeopletheyareinterestedinsavingarethemselves(alongwith

thosewhopaytoplay.)Theyareslowandinefficient.Doyouhonestlythinkthatif

ourcountryexperiencedafoodcrisisthatgovernmentinterventionwouldresultina

speedyrecovery?

Whatif,inapossiblecrisis,thegovernmentactuallymakesthesituationworse?

You mightbethinkingYeah,I agreewiththeirbumblinginabilitytohelpwhen itsneededthemost,buttoactuallyworsenthings?Howcanthatbe?Withmoreand

moreattentiondrawntocorruptgovernmentofficials,wouldntitbeverypossible

forthemtotakewhattheywantedandinturngiveitthosewhoneedit.Orwhatif

theydecidetowarehousesuppliesagain,actinginthebestinterestofthepeople?

LookatwhathappenedduringtheGreatDepression.Theywerekillinglivestock

and destroying crops while people were STARVING! What madness! Thats

governmentinterventionforyou.


6/30

6

Andtheresnoreasontobelievethatifsomethinghappenedrightnowitwouldbe

anybetter.

Stillnotconvinced?TakealookatPresidentialExecutiveOrders.Regardlessofthe

factthatitsunconstitutional,whatdosuchorderslooklikeatatimeofcrisis?The

government can confiscate any excess and surplus real and personal property.

Personalproperty?Anythingofyourscouldbelegallytaken:food,gold,guns,and

ammo(andwhateverelsewouldbenefitthoseinauthority).

Ofcourse,wehopeitdoesntcometothis.Butitdoesnthurttohavethesekinds

ofpossibilitiesinthebackofyourmind.Youhavetobeabletoprotectyourfamilyfromofficialswho,unconstitutionally,makelawsthatdomoreharmthangood.You

donthavetooutrightdisobeybutyoucanplaysmart.

And Then More Intervention

Just when you think the government cant mess things up anymore than they

alreadyhavetheysomehowmanagetodojustthat.Theycanthelpit;itslikethe

touchofMidas;butinsteadofgoldwegetruin.So,whatdoesmoreinterventionlooklikeintheeventofafoodcrisis?Well,heretheycometosavethedaywithan

attemptatcontrollingwhatsmadeavailableandatwhatprice.

Withagovernmentthatisbecomingmoreandmorecontrolling,itwouldntbe

surprising to have homes searched and excess food (or whatever else they think

wouldbeforthegreatergood)confiscated.Youneedtobepreparedforthistypeof

situation.

Dontadvertisetothoseinyourneighborhoodwhatyouredoingorabouttodo.Its better to later share than have someone steal or alert authorities to your

stockpile. Plan where you can store things (possibly out of sight in case home

inspectionsbecomethenorm).Itsalwaysbettertopreparefortheworstthantobe

unprepared.(Needsomeextraideasonsecretstorage?Therearebooksavailable

oncreatingandusinghidingplacesthroughoutyourhome.)


7/30

7

Whats the Shelf Life?

When people are thinking, forthe first time,of stockpiling,they usually wonder

aboutshelflifehowlongfooditemswilllastintheirpantry.Noteverythinglasts

forever.Somepeoplearentphasedbytheexpirationdateprovidedtherearent

livingthingscrawlingaround(andImsuretherearepeopleouttherewhowouldnt

bebotheredbythateither!)butitsimportanttorememberthattheoldersomething

ismeansthatthenutritionalvaluemightnotbeasgreatasitusedtobe.

Rotatingyourstockpileofpantrygoods(thosewithlessshelflife)isagoodhabit

togetinto.Thatwayyoureplacetheitemsthathavebeensittingtherethelongestwithneweritemsandthereslessthrowingawayfoodthatsgonebad.However,

youmaydecidetoinvestinfoodsthathavelongershelflifesothatyoudonthaveto

worrysomuchaboutperiodicrotating.(Onesuggestion,forrotating,istowritethe

purchasedatesomewhereonthecanorboxsoyouknowwhenitstimetorotate.)

The advantage of longer shelf life items is that youll spend less time replacing

them.Youcanputthemontheshelfandnothavetoworryaboutthemuntilits

timetousethem!Fortunately,thefoodsthatlastlongercostless.Youdonthaveto

spendafortunetoestablishadecentsizedstockpile.Andyoucanprobablyaffordtospendalittlemorejustincaseyouhavetosharewithyourneighbors.


8/30

8

Herearesomecommonpantryitemsandtheirshelflife:

FoodItemBaking ShelfLife

Allpurposeflour 12monthsunopened,68monthsopened

WholeWheatflour 12monthsunopened,6monthsopened(ifrefrigerated)

Granulatedsugar 2yearsunopened,6monthsopened

Brownsugar 4monthsunopened,4monthsopened

Confectionerssugar 18monthsunopened

Solidshortening 8monthsunopened,3monthsopened

Cocoa 2yearsunopened,1yearopened

BakingSoda 18monthsunopened,6monthsopened

BakingPowder 6monthsunopened,3monthsopened

Cornstarch 18months

Spices

Wholespices 24years

Groundspices 23years

Paprika 23years(ifrefrigerated)

CayennePepper 23years(ifrefrigerated)

CannedGoods(loweracidfoodshavealongershelflife)Tomatoproducts 12yearsunopened

FruitJuices 12yearsunopened

Soups 35yearsunopened

Meats 24yearsunopened

Gravy 35yearsunopened

Vegetables 34yearsunopened

OtherItems

Pastadried(noeggs) 2yearsunopened,1yearopened

Pastadried(witheggs) 2yearsunopened,12monthsopened

SaladDressings 1yearunopened,3monthsopened(inrefrigerator)

Honey 1year

GroundCoffee 1yearunopened,2weeksopened(inrefrigerator)

InstantCoffee 1yearunopened,3monthsopened

BottledWater 2yearsunopened,3monthsopened

JamsandJellies 1yearunopened,6monthsopened(inrefrigerator)

PeanutButter 69monthsunopened,23monthsopened


9/30

9

Remember,thesearesuggestedshelflives.Commonsense,andagoodnose,will

tellyouwhensomethingneedstobethrownout!

Can It

Cannedfoods,asyouveprobablyguessed,areperfectforstockpiling.Thestudies

doneoncannedfoodarereallyquiteremarkable.Forinstance,inastudyarticledby

the FDAoncannedfoodsfoundfrom100yearsago,despitethe lackof freshsmell

and appearance,the chemistsdeterminedthat therewas nomicrobialgrowth and

thecontentsweresafetoeat.

Fruits and vegetables are filled with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are

essentialtoourwellbeing.Youwouldthinkthatfreshproducewouldwin,hands

down,againstcannedfoodwhenitcomestothenutritionalvalue.However,canned

goodscomeprettydarnclosecomparedtofresh.OtherthansomelossofVitaminC,

duetoheatprocessing,studieshaveshownstablelevelsofthenutrientsfoundin

cannedfoods.

Surprised?Whatdoweknowaboutcanning?Well,itsoneofthesafestwaysto

preservefood.Thehighheatprocesskillsthemicroorganismsthatareresponsible

forfoodborneillnesses.Andtherearenopreservatives.Thesuggestedshelflifeofa

cannedgoodistwoyears.Youcaneitherloaduponcannedgoodsfromthestore

oryoucanlearntocanyourownproducegrownfromyourowngarden.Dontknow

howtocan?Itseasytolearn!ThereareDVDsthatcanteachyouthislonglostskill

youllbecanninglikeaproinnotime.(Checkoutwww.foodshortageusa.com)

The only disadvantage to canned food, whether its your own or bought, is theheavinessofthecontaineranddifficultythatcomeswhenrotatingyoursupply.You

alsoneedquite abitof storagespacetostockpileenoughjarsorcanstofeedyour

family (and dont forget a little extra just in case you need to share with your

neighbors). There is also the possibility that, after a crisis, if authorities were

confiscatingsupplies,thecannedfoodwouldbethefirsttogosimplybecausethey

wouldbethehardesttohide.


10/30

10

Other Pantry Items

Thereareplentyofotheritemsthatcanbestoredinyourpantryandusedinan

emergency. While suggested shelf life for some of these products was given

previously, its important to remember, when it comes to your pantry items, the

properenvironmentandstorageneededfora longershelflife: Acooltemperature,

outoflight,andtightlysealed. Letstakealookat someof theotherpantryitems

youshouldconsiderhavingonhand.

PowderedmilkBouilloncubesCerealsNutsDriedfruits/jerkyVegetableoilsLard/CriscoSeasonings/spicesFlourSugar/whiteandbrown

Dontforgetpastaproducts.Abasicpastadishcanbewhippedupinnotimeand

withfewingredients.Spaghetti,macaroni,rotini;theseareinexpensivewaystofeed

your family. Plus, as mentioned earlier, they have a shelf life for up to two years

whenunopened.

Itwouldbegoodtonote;withallofyouritems,regardlessofshelflife,thatyou

getinthehabitofwritingthedateofwhenyoupurchasedthefooditemsomewhere

onthecontainer.Thiscanreallyhelpwhenrotatingyoursupplyandhelpyouuseup

theolderitemsfirst.


11/30

11

Should You Buy in Bulk?

Warehousestores,likeSamsorCostcos,aregreatplacestobuyitemslikebeans,

rice,flour,etc.Whenyoupurchasebulkitemsyouusuallygetmoreforyourmoney.

Youmightwanttoconsiderpurchasinglargeamountsoffoodfromastorethatyou

arent a frequent visitor to. Or you might want to accumulate items for your

stockpilegraduallyoveraperiodoftimeratherthanallatonce.

Keepingalowprofilecouldbethedifferencetokeepingyourfoodorbeingforced

to share with the local authorities. Remember, stores can track your purchases

whenyouuseacreditcard.Itmaybeyourbestbettopayincashwhenmakingpurchasesforyourstockpile.Trytostayofftheradar.

Survivalist Living

HaveyoueverwatchedanepisodeofManvs.Wild?Youknow,wheretheydrop

off the guy somewhere by helicopter and leave him (well, except for the camera

crew). Throughout the episode, he explains survivalist tips and techniques as he

treksacrossadesert ortries tocross snowladenterritories. Heeatsbugs, lizards,snakes,buildsshelterswithwhateverhecanfindandalwaysstressestheimportance

offindingawatersource;typicalsurvivalguystuff.

So,whilewatchinganepisodelikethatfromthecomfortofmyownhomeisafun

waytopass30minutes,itsnotanythingIdliketotryanytimesoon.Imsureafew

daysofitwouldntbesobadbutitwouldquicklyloseitsappeal.Unlessyouconsider

yourselfasurvivalistandreallyknowhowtoliveofftheland,itsprobablynotthe

bestroutetogounlessyouabsolutelyhaveto.Itsmucheasiertoprepareaheadof

timebycreatingastockpileandgrowingyourownfoods.


12/30

12

Your Own Garden

The best, and most practical, way to live off of the land is to have your own

garden. If youre already an avid gardener, this is no big deal. But for those who

donthaveaclueaboutgrowingtheirownproduce,itcanbealittleoverwhelming.

Take a look around your yard and think about where the best place to grow food

wouldbe.Choosetheareathatgetsthemostsun.

Onethingtoconsider,ifyoureturningapartofyouryardintoagardenforthe

firsttime,istheamountofchemicalsyouarecurrentlyusinginthatarea.Youmight

want to stop applying herbicides or insecticides. Sometimes these chemicals canmakefordifficultgrowing.Anotheroption,ifyoudontwanttodigupyouryard,is

touseraisedbeds.Andforevenmorevariety,youcouldalwaysplantberrybushes

orfruittreesonyourproperty.

Itmightnothurttoreaduponwhichwildplantscanbeeaten(justincase).This

couldbeafunfamilyactivity,learningtoidentifyedibleweeds.Ifyoureallywantto

beprepared,youcouldstudyuponthemedicinalpurposesofherbsandotherplants

andgrowthemaswell.

Therearelotsofbooksavailableonthesubjectofplantingyourowngardenand

usingherbs.Infact,thereisaSurvivalSeedBankthatcanbepurchased.Itsareally

neat concept, for those who do garden and those who dont. There are enough

seeds to plant a full acre! Plus, they are heirloom seeds which means you can

harvesttheseedsfromthisyearscroptousefornextyear!Formoreinformationon

howyoucanorderoneofthesecrisisfoodbanks,gotowww.survivalseedbank.com.

Youdontwanttobeforcedtolearnaboutthesethingsbecauseofacrisis.Learn

aboutthembeforemakeitpartofyoureverydaylife.

Hunting for Food

Unlessyouhuntasapastime,thisisnotaneasywayofacquiringfood.Anddont

forget the cleaningand preparationpart. For thosenotaccustomedtodoingsuch

tasks,itmighttakesomepracticeandanunsettledstomach!


13/30

13

If the times call for hunting for your own source of meat, this will depend on

whereyouliveandwhatyouhaveaccessto. Youmightwanttotakeadvantageof

thenexthuntingseasonbyfindingsomeonewhoknowswhattheyredoingandhave

themteachyouthebasics.

Herearesomebasictipsforbeginnerhunters:

1. Youneedtohaveafirearm.Ifyoudontalreadyhaveone,nowsthetime.2. Ifyourenotusedtofiringagun,takeagunsafetycourse.3. Makesureyouuseafirearmthatisappropriateforwhatyourehunting.(You

dontwanttoblowuptherabbit)4. Practiceshooting.Gotoyourlocalshootingrangeandhittargetaftertarget.5. Dont forget other necessary tools a knife is used to field dress the game.

Game cleaning kits are available online or at most stores that carry hunting

items.

6. Readabookortwoabouthuntingandfielddressing.Searchonlinetherearetonsofmaterialsoutthere.

Justlikealloftheotherthingstalkedaboutinthishandbook,youshouldprepare

nowandgetsomeexperienceunderyourbelt.Youdontwanttohaveyourfamilyssurvivaldependentonhowquicklyyoucanpickupanewskillduringacrisis

Can You Eat Your Dogs Food?

Sureyourdoggetsanoccasionalscraportwofromyourtable,butwhatabout

sharingwhatsathistable?Youwouldneverevenconsidereatingyourdogsfood

onanormalday,butwhatifthatsalltherewas?Dogfoodisprettycheap.Butisit

safe?

Youd have to take a look at the products label. Remember, that an animals

digestivesystemisdifferentthanahumans.Someofthethingstheycanconsume

wouldmakeussick.Andifthelabelsaysmeatproductstheresnotellingwhat

thatmeans.ImnotsureIwanttoknow.


14/30

14

Maybeyoushouldstartpurchasingamoregrainbaseddogfoodjustincaseyou

shouldhavetoshareamealwithyouranimalfriend!Seriously,dontforgetyourpet

whenyourestockpiling.Havesomeextrabagsinstorage.

Specialty Foods for Survival

Youcanpurchasesurvivalkitswhicharespecificallydesignedforemergencies.

Theycontainlongshelflifefoodsandarepackedtolastforuptoamonth(different

brandsmayvary).Thereareseveralwebsitesthatsellfoodsurvivalkitskeepin

mind,prices mightstart rising asmorepeople become concerned abouta possible

foodcrisissoifyoureinterested,youdbetteractnow.

Whatcanyouexpectfromthemoreexpensivealreadypreparedsurvivalfoods?

Mostofthefoodsarefreezedriedallyouhavetodoisaddwater. Theycomein

cansandcanhavea30yearshelflife!Ifmoneyisntanoptionforyou,youcanget

gourmetmeals(forbreakfast,lunch,anddinner)forawholeyearforaround$3,000.

Otherfoodsaredehydrated.Somewouldsaytheadvantageoffreezedriedfoods

isthattheyretainthetexture,freshness,andnutrients,resultinginabetteroveralltaste. However,youll have to take into consideration the amount of wateryoull

needtopreparethese meals. Makesureyou storeadditionalwater for yourmeal

preparation.

AnotheroptionwouldbeMREs(MealsReadytoEat).Theseweredevelopedfor

theUSArmy.Youcaneatthemealsrightoutofthepackage.MREscanbepurchased

atcampingstoresandmilitarysurplusstores.MakesuretheMREsyoupurchaseare

legitimatecivilianproductsandnotstolenmilitarymeals!Youmightgetintrouble

forthatifyourhomeevergetsinspected.

OnedisadvantageaboutMREs;becausetheyarepackedinwater(oroil)theyare

aheavierproduct.Plus,theyarenotverycostefficient.Youcouldfeedmorepeople

for your money using unprocessed foods. And remember, these meals followthe

same rules as other pantry items when it comes to storage conditions, cooler

temperaturesandkeepoutoflight.


15/30

15

Food for Barter

Letstakealookatsomeotherfoodproductsthatcanbepurchasedforuseduring

an emergency. They are fairly inexpensive and can be stored for a long period of

time.Sincetheseitemscouldbehardertoacquireduringacrisis,theycouldbeused

asbarteringitems.

Candy(almost100%sugar)CocoaCoffeeGrain

HoneySaltSpicesSugarTeaTobacco

These sorts of itemscould become very valuable during a time of emergency

whenthesupplyrunsreallylow.Oneofthebestthingsaboutstockinguponthe

aboveitemsisthatifyoudontusethemforbarteryoucanusethemyourself!

Dontforgettheimportanceofsaltasastockpileitem!Especiallywhenyoustart

to prepare unprocessed foods for your meals, youll appreciate having some salt

around!Salthasalongshelflifejustkeepitdry!

Sugarandspiceswillcomeinhandy,too!Driedspicesdontspoil,buttheydo

diminishinstrength.Ifkeptinairtightcontainers;wholespicescanlastupto4years

andgroundspicesfor2to3years.Leafyherbscanlastbetween1and3years.

Ifthereisnosmelltossit.Abitoffragranceleftandyoucanstilluseit,justuse

moreofitthancalledforintherecipe.Abidebygoodstorage(cool,dry,anddark)

andyourspicesandherbswilllastforquitesometime.


16/30

16

Ifyoudontmakeyourownbread,youprobablydontkeepalotofdryyeaston

hand.Thisisanotheritemthatcouldbeagreatbarteringtool.Youcanbuypackets

or jars (the jars should be refrigerated, though, after opening). Who knows, you

mightstartproducingloavesoffreshbreadforyourneighborhood!

Low Priced Foods

Whenfooditems,suchasgrainsandbeans,arenotgroundorcrackedtheyhave

analmostunlimitedshelf life. Like somanyothergoods, the proper dry storageis

needed.Buyinggrainsorbeansbythebucket(6gallonorless)isareallyinexpensive

wayofstockinguponusefulfood.Thinkaboutit.Thereslittleworkthatgoesinto

it.thegrainsareharvested,dried,putincontainers,andprettymucharereadyto

selljustlikethat.Thatexplainswhytheyaresoinexpensive.

Thosewhoareinthehabitofbakingtheirownbreadbuygrainsbythebucketand

milltheamountneededwhenneeded.Itsagreatwaytohaveonhandenoughto

feedalargeamountofpeopleforminimumexpense.

Letssayyoubuya6gallonbucketofwheat.Youcandecidehowyouwanttouseit.Wantsomecereal?Crackit.Wantbread?Grinditintoflourtomakebreads,

cakes,orpastas.Theresnothingquitelikefreshbreadespecially,whentheflour

hasjustbeenground.Andifyoudontknowhow,thismightbeagreattimetostart

learning!

Survival Through the Ages

Isnt it amazing how unprocessed foods, such as grain, can last for such a longtime?RememberthefaminethousandsofyearsagoinEgypt?HowdidJosephsave

EgyptBystorehousingenormousamountsofgrain!Didyouknowthatafteryears

ofstorage,youcansproutwheatkernelsorevenplantthem?Whatincrediblefood

wheatis!

While meat can be a great source of protein, its not the only way to get life

sustainingamounts.Infact,wheatcontainstheeightessentialaminoacidsrequired

tosynthesizecompleteproteins.Sure,thelevelsarelowerinwheat(thaninmeat)

butthefactis,theyarestillthere.


17/30

17

Theidealsituationwouldallowforacombinationofgrainandmeat.But,ifyou

hadtogoafewdays,maybeweeks,withoutmeatyoucouldsurviveongrainsand

legumes. Unfortunately, grain doesnt have as much of the vitamin or mineral

contentthatyourbodyneeds.Becauseofthis,itwouldbewisetomakesureyou

stockuponthevitaminandmineralsupplementsthatyoucurrentlytake.

(Thisisnotintendedtobeanutritionalhandbook,soforfurtherinformationyoull

havetodomoreindepthresearch)

More to Eat Than WheatDontthinkyourelimitedtowheatinanemergencysituation.Thereareseveral

otherunprocessed foodsthatofferthe samebenefits. Here are the more popular

ones:

BarleyCornDriedBeansOats

Soybeans

Thesefoodscanlastandlastaslongastheyarestoredproperly(coolanddry).

Dontforgetthatthesearealsoyummyforpests.Taketheextraefforttokeep

these foods from being ruined by insects or mice (or even larger vermin). Plastic

containers are difficult for furry friends topenetrate; however,the key to keepinginsectsoutistokeepoxygenoutofthecontainers.


18/30

18

Store It

Itsnotashardtobuildupagrain/legumesupplyasyoumightthink.Theonly

concernabouthavinglargecontainersandplentyofsuppliesonhandwouldbe,and

we hope this will never happen, government confiscation during an emergency

situation.Remember,creditcardpurchasescanbesearchedbyauthorities.Ifyou

arebuyinglargerthannormalquantities,youmightwanttoconsiderpayingincash.

Ifyoureallywanttostayundertheradar,youmightwanttogetananimalortwo

aslivestock.Thatwayyourgrainpurchasescouldbeusedprimarilyforfeedingyour

animalswhilesimultaneouslyaddingtoyourstockpile.

Purchasing grains locally can be cheaper but that means the packing would

probably be up to you. You would need containers that are designed for food

storageaswellasmoistureproof.Theallaroundbestcontainerwouldbea6gallon

bucket.Youcanbuythesebucketsatyourlocalhardwareorpaintstore.

Where do you plan on storing your grains? An ideal temperature would be

somewherebetween45and65degreesFahrenheit.Also,keepyourcontainersoff

oftheconcretefloororground(ifyourestoringtheminyourgarageorshed).Laysome boards down to stack the containers upon. Another tip when storing large

quantitiesofgrainistomarkthecontainerwiththedatewhenyoufillit.Rotateyour

containers, using the oldest grains first. And dont stack the containers to closely

togetheryoudontwantthemtosweat.

Pests were mentioned earlier as a threat to your supply. The easiest way to

combatthisproblem:

Dryicefrozencarbondioxidegas.Thisisdeadlytopestsbecauseitprevents

theanimalfromgettingoxygenaveryeffectivemethod.Becautiouswhen

handlingdryiceitllfreezeyourskinuponcontact.(Ifyoureunsureabout

where to buy dry ice, you can search online or in the phone book. Check

weldingsupplystoresoricecreamparlors.)

Dryicecomesbytheblockorinpellets.Youmightfindthatpelletsareeasier

to work with. Make sure you use heavy gloves and the proper tools when

handlingdryice.


19/30

19

Onceyouhaveyour6galloncontainerfilledwithgrain,layofapoundofdry

iceontop.Presstheliddowngentlyenoughsothatsomeoftheairisallowed

toescape.Afterthedryicehasevaporated(thiscanbeanywherefrom25

hours)sealthecontainer.

Youllwanttokeepacloseeyeontheprocessbecauseyoudontwantanyair

togetbackintothecontainerbeforeitssealed.Ifyousealitprematurely,the

bucketcansplitorthelidpopoff.Anyadultsorlarvalinsectsinthecontainer

willdiefromthelackofoxygen. Itmaytakealongerperiodoftimeforeggs

andpupaetodie.

(NOTE: Do not let children or pets near dry ice and never use in a closed

room.)

You dont want moisture getting into any of your containers of food. So youll

need to be aware of the conditions and provide the driest environment possible.

Whenyoupurchaseyourgrainmakesurethatitsbeendriedcompletely.Ifyoubuy

gainshortlyafteritsbeenharvested,youllhavetobesuretodryitbeforestoringit.

Alwayssmellthegrainbeforebuying,orusing,tomakesureithasntgonebad.

If you do have a supply of grain that needs moisture to be drawn out, you can

consider using silica gel packs. You can try to buy these at local supply stores or

hardware stores. If you are unable to find them, check out Desiccare, Inc.

(www.desiccare.com) They are a manufacturing company of moisture control

products. Theyhavea largerangeofproducts;withsomeinnovativeitems for the

home.Theydontlisttheirpricesonlinesoyoullhavetogivethemacalltoplacean

orderwiththem.

Buying Locally

Youmighttrytopurchaseyourgrainsfromalocalcoop.Thiscanbeagreatplace

ifyoureinterestedinbuyingthingslocallygrownaswellasothersuppliesthatcould

beusedforfarmrelatedissues(animalsandcrops).Itmightbeinyourbestinterest

tonotletonthatyourestorehousingforacrisisorthattheanimalfeedyoure

buyingmightbeusedforhumanconsumptioninanemergency.


20/30

20

Weallknowhowthesethingsendup.Whenthegovernmentfindsoutthatmore

andmorepeoplearebuyinggrain,theyllbesuretoimposeahighersalestaxorput

alimitonhowmuchyoucanbuy.Plus,federalagenciesmightstartpayingcloser

attentiontothehumanuseofproductsthatareintendedforanimals.

Itmightbehardertoacquiregrainsthroughafeedstoresimplybecauseproducts

arepackagedandmarketedtowardsspecificanimalsratherthanageneralmixture.

Also,someplacesaddsupplementstothefeedsothattheanimalsarentlackingin

essentials.Suspicionmightbearousedwhenyourebuyinglargequantitiesofgrain

butnotoptingfortheadditionalsupplements.Ifyoucanfindafeedstoreorcoop

thatdoesntaskmanyquestions,takeyourbusinessthere.

Or you could just act like you dont know any better pretend youre a hobby

farmertryingtogoallnaturalforyouranimals. Inthiscase,itwontbesobadif

theytrytotakeadvantageofyoubylettingyoubuytoomuch.Themoregrain

youreintentonpurchasingtheharderitwillbetohidewhatyouretryingtodo.

Youcanloadthegrainsin thebackof apickup truck(they canbebaggedfirstif

youdlike)andonceyougethomeyoullhavetotakethenecessarystepsforstoring

them properly. If you dont have the privacy of living in the country, you shouldprobablypullintoyourgaragetounload.Youdontwantnoseyneighborstryingto

figureoutwhatyouredoing.

Takecaretocleanupthedustafteritsettles.Nottoomanypeopleareawarethat

flour dust can be explosive meaning, you would want to be extra careful that a

sparkdoesntignitethe dust. Especiallyaftergrinding yourown wheat, besureto

cleanupallofthedustafterwards.

Ifyoudontfeelcomfortablevisitingthelocalcooporfeedstore,becomefriends

with a farmer. They probably wouldnt mind selling you a load or two from their

harvest. Plus, this is a relationship that could really come in handy if they have

livestockthattheybutcher,youmightbeabletopurchasesomeofthatmeatandfill

yourfreezer.


21/30

21

Buying Grains Online

Therearenumerouswebsitesthatsellgrainsorlegumes(orjustaboutanything

elsethatyouwanttostore).Theadvantageofpurchasingonlineisthatallofthe

hardworkisalreadydone.Yousimplypickoutwhatandhowmuch.Ifyouchoose

larger quantities, they come in 5 or 6 gallon pails and most ofthem are already

oxygenfree.Soyoudonthavetoworryabouthandlingdryiceorothermethodsof

pestcontrol.

Thisalsogivesyouthefreedomtobuyinsmallerquantitiesfirstandthenyoucan

determinewhatyoureallywanttostoremoreofinlargeramounts.Buyingonlineisalso great for the unprocessed food beginner. There are some really great

websites that have nice pictures and descriptions of all their products as well as

usefulinformationsuchaspreparationandrecipes.

What to do with Unprocessed Foods

Oneof the bestthings abouthavingunprocessedfoods instorage, like grains or

legumesforexample,isthatyoucanchoosehowyouwanttoprocessitandwhatyou want to use it for. Add a little meat and make a protein bulked soup with

legumes;putinalittlewheatorriceanditturnsintoanevenmorenutritiousmeal

Youcantakesomewheatandboilittouseforabreakfastcerealoruseitinadish

asasubstituteforrice.Ifyousproutlegumesorwheatyoucanusethemforasalad

(alongwithsomeofyourhomegrownveggies).Soybeanscanbeusedtomakeyour

ownsoymilk.Andhowaboutfreshbreadmadewithfreshlygroundflour?Yum!

Purchasing grainin bulk requiresa mill toprocessit. Theseitems can beprettypriceybutwellworththeinvestment.Youllhavetodecidewhichproductisbest

suitedforyourneedsaswellasyourbudget.Considerwhatyouplanongrindingand

whenyouplanonusingit.

An electricmillmakes grindinggrain soeasy theyare popularbecauseoftheir

speedandefficiency!Ifyoureconcernedaboutemergencyuse,likeincasesofno

power,youllwanttomakesureyouhaveageneratoravailablesothatyoucanstill

useit.(Asolargeneratorwouldbeperfectforsomethinglikethis.)


22/30

22

A good electric mill starts around $200.00. Other disadvantages about electric

mills:theyareloudcomparedtoahandmillandtheyproduceflourdust.Ahand

crankedmillcanbelessexpensive;youcanfindabasiconefora littleunder$100.

However,therearehandmillsthatarejustasexpensiveas,ifnotmore,electricmills.

Withahandmillyoucangrindanything!Theyevenallowyoutogrindgrainsthat

tendtobeoily(likeflaxseed).Anotheradvantageisthatyoucancrackthegrains;an

electricmillisunabletodothat.Theonlydownsidewiththehandmillisthatyou(or

anotherfamilymember)havetodothework.

A Fine Grind

Remember,thefineryougrindthegrain,thelessofalaxativeeffectithas.Assilly

asthatsounds,thereisareasonthisismentioned.Wearesousedtoeatinghighly

processed,refinedflourssowhenyouswitchtocoarserwholewheatflouryourbody

willneedtoadjust.Youcanbeginwithfinerflourandgraduallyswitchtoamore

courseflour.Ifyouarefeedingbabiesandyoungchildren,youllwanttomakesure

that they are consuming a finely ground flour to prevent any problems with

digestion.

SproutingAnotherwaytouseyourgrainsorlegumesistosproutthem.Herearesomeof

theseedsandbeansyoucansprout:

AlfalfaBarleyChickpeasCornFenugreekLentilsMungbeansPeasPumpkinWheat


23/30

23

Thehealthbenefitsthatcomefromeatingsproutsareamazing!Theyareayear

roundsourceofVitaminC,carotenoidA,aswellasBvitamins.Byconsumingthem,

youareconsistentlygettingahighvolumeofvitamins.Unlikevegetablesandfruits,

whichbegintolosetheirnutritionalvalueaftertheyrepicked,sproutsremainfullof

vitamincontentandevencontinueslowgrowthafterbeingharvested.

Howdoyougoaboutsprouting?Well,itsaloteasierthanyouthink!

Youllneedalargejar.Keepinmindthatsproutedseedshavealargervolume6

to8timesthandryseeds.(Youhavetoaccountforthatwhenyouconsiderthesize

of your jar.) Do not use seeds that are packaged for gardens. They might bechemically treatedand the germinationrate will beslower. Purchasegoodquality

seedsandgothroughandremoveanydamagedonesbeforeplacingtheminthejar.

Youcanmeasure,foraquartcontainer,about4tablespoonsofseeds.

Placetheseedsinthejar,fillwithwater,andsoak.(Cheeseclothworkswellasa

coveringforthejarsinceitallowsairflow.)Thesizeofseedwilldeterminehowlong

theyshouldsoak;smallerseedsfivehours,mediumsizedseedseighthours,and

grains and legumes10to 12hours. Afterthesoakingtimeiscompleted,drain the

waterandrinseofftheseeds.

Afterrinsing,placethejarinacool,darkplace.Rinseanddraintheseedstwice

everyday.Withintwodays,thesproutingshouldoccur.Dontletthesproutssitin

waterthiswillcausethemtorot.Whentherearetinygreenleavesatthetips,and

thesproutsareabouttwotothreeincheslong,thisisthebesttimeforflavorand

nutritional value to eat them. Refrigerate them to retain freshness and nutritional

valueandtheyshouldbeeatenwithinafewdays.

Sproutsareanexcellentandinexpensivewaytoacquireahighconcentrationof

vitamins,minerals,andenzymes.Youcantosstheminasalad,makethemintoa

bread (cakelike), add them to soup; regardless of how you choose to use them

youllbenefitgreatlyhealthwiseanditllevenbefunforthekids!


24/30

24

Its Never too Late to Start

Dontworryifyouveneverstoredyourownwheatorlegumesbefore. Itsnever

too late to learn how to properly store, process, and cook with your unprocessed

foods. In fact, it can become a fun family activity. There are tons of resources

availabletoguideyou.Experimentwithrecipes,learnhowtogrindyourownwheat,

teachthekiddoshowtosproutif youstarttomakeitapartofyoureveryday(or

weekend) life then when a time of crisis comes youll be prepared because its

becomeyourwayoflife.

Remembertokeeponhandvariousseasonings,spices,oilsalloftheextrasthataddtheoomphinmakingadeliciousmeal.Stockupontheitemsyouusethemost

orlearnhowtogrowandmakeyourown.

Family Needs

Whendeterminingwhatyoushouldbeaddingtoyourstockpile,yourfirstpriority

shouldbewhatwillyourfamilyneed. Takeintoconsiderationthingslike;formula

ordiapers(ifyouhaveaninfant),diabeticneeds,lowsodiumfoods,anythingthatisaspecialneed.

Itsimportant,infamilieswithchildren,tostockuponfooditemstheylikeand

needfornutritionalvalue.Amilksubstitutewouldcomeinhandy.Powderedmilk

has a shorter shelf life once opened while cans of evaporated milk last longer.

Peanutbutterandjellyarealwaysgoodthingstostockupon,too.

Again,ifyoustartadjustingyoureatinghabitsnow,therewillbelesstogetused

tolateriftherecomesatimewhenyoucantjustrunuptothestoreandgrabwhatyouneed.

Dontforget the needsof yourpets! Stockup onbagsoffood,treats and chew

toys.Anymedicinestheyneedorfleatreatmentswouldalsobegoodtohaveon

hand.Besuretokeepupontheirvaccinationsandrabiesshots.


25/30


26/30

26

When determining how much food per person, some suggest one six gallon

containerperpersonforonemonth.So,ifyouhaveafamilyoffour,youwouldwant

foursixgalloncontainersofwheatforonemonth.Thereisawebsitedesignedto

calculate the amount of food for you. All you have to do is enter the number of

adults and children keep in mind, their calculations are for 12 months. That

websiteiswww.thefoodguys.com/foodcalc.html.

Ifyoufigurearatioofgraintolegumesat4to1,thiswouldbeagoodballpark

figure for how many containers of legumes you should store. So, for every one

containerofbeansyoushouldhavefourcontainersofgrain.

Where to Buy Unprocessed Foods

There are several choices on where you can purchase large amounts of

unprocessedfoods.Yourdecisionwillbemadeonwhatsimportanttoyou;maybe

itsbuyinglocally,maybeitsfindingthelowestprice,ormaybeyoujustwantagood

productwiththeleastamountofworkonyourend.

Ifyoudecidetobuylocally,youllwanttolocateacooporfindafarmerwhoswillingtosellsomeofhisharvest.Thismethodmightrequireeitherhavingorrenting

a truck or paying for delivery; it would depend on how much grain you are

purchasing.Plus,ifyoupurchaseatruckloadyouwouldneedthespacetostoreallof

it.Andthenyouwouldhavetoconsiderhowtoprotectthatsupplyfrompests.This

mightnotbetheeasiestrouteforsomeonewholivesinanurbanareaunless,you

arewillingtopackageitincontainersafteryoupurchaseit.

Byfar,theeasiestwaytopurchaseyourgrainsisonline.Theproductsyouorder

willcomeinpackagedcontainersandyousimplystorethemuntilyouneedthem.You also dont have to worry about pests because of the plastic and the lack of

oxygenwillkillanybugs.Mostwebsitessellnumeroustypesofgrain,aswellasany

otherunprocessedfoodsthatyouwouldwanttohaveinstorage.

Youcantakethetimetoresearchandfindthelowestpricessothatyoucansavea

fewdollarsoryoucanorderfromacompanythathasproductsinstockandcanship

rightaway.Sometimesyoujustwanttogetsomethingrightaway.


27/30

27

Alternative Cooking Methods

Anotheraspectthatrequiresconsiderationis,intheeventofacrisis,howwould

youcookyourmeals?Iftheutilitycompanieswereshutdownforafewdays(maybe

longer),whattypeoffuelwouldyouneedtocreatetheheatnecessarytohaveahot

mealortobakesomebread?Youneedtohaveamethodofemergencyheat.Keep

in mind its a good idea to be familiar with how to use (and cook) with this

alternativeheatsourcebeforeanemergencyoccurs.

Acampingstovecanbegoodforemergencies.Youllhavetodecidewhichtypeof

fuelyouwanttoworkwith.Somestovesrunonpropanetanks(similartoagasgrill)whichmeansyoullwanttohaveadditionaltanksinstorage.Otherstovesrunon

gasoline this option requirescareful care because youll have to store extra gas.

There are additional items that could come in handy, such as; Colemans propane

crockpotandpropaneoven.

Woodfueledstovescanbeusedjustanywhere.Youwantastovethatisdesigned

fordirectingtheheatupwardmakingitmoreefficientforcookingon.Thesetypesof

stoves arent limited to wood as its fuel source. You can use other flammable

materials;woodchips,paper,twigs,grass.

There is another cookstove available that allows you to use propane, wood,

charcoal whatever you have on hand. Its called the Crisis Cooker (

www.crisiscooker.com).Anunbelievablywellinsulatedunit,youcancookjustabout

anywhere,onanysurface,withoutanyworriesaboutcauseddamage.Itproducesa

remarkableamountofheatandwitha25lbbagofcharcoalyoucancooktwomeals

a day for up to 3 weeks (this might vary depending on how big ofa crowd youre

cookingfor).Thepointisthismightbethemosteconomicalandefficientwayto

cookinanemergency.

Alwaysremember when usingunitsdesigned for the outdoors that you keep

themoutdoors!


28/30

28

Importance of Water

Mostpeopleareoncitywater.Turningonyourfaucetforbathing,cooking,or

washing clothes or dishes is something we take for granted. But in a time of

emergency,orifthewaterplantinyourareagoesdown,whereareyougoingtoget

yourwater?Haveyouthoughtaboutthat?

Youmightwanttogetyourfamilyinthehabitofconservingwater.Maybehave

periodic days where everyone takes super short showers or bathing with minimal

water.Comingupwithashorttermplan,suchasusingpaperplates,canbehelpful

aswell.

Youshouldalsoconsiderdifferentwaystostorewater.Largecontainers,15,30or

55gallondrums,canbepurchased.Youwouldprobablyneedanemergencysiphon

togetthewateroutasyouneedit.Storedwaterneedstobekeptoutoflightand

necessary precautions should be made to keep harmful bacteria from growing.

Water filtration and purification kits can be purchased to ensure that your water

sourcesremainsafe.

Dont Wait Any Longer

Youwouldnthavereadthroughthisifyouwerentconcernedaboutapossible

crisis.Thetimetostartpreparingisnowdontwaitanylonger!Noharmcancome

frombeingprepared.Inthecaseofanemergency,youllbeready.

Dontprocrastinateanylonger.Withtheunstablenessofourcountryseconomy,

thedollaronthebrinkofcollapse,whoknowswhatthenextyearwillbring.Makea

listof itemsthat you needto startstockpiling. Prioritizethatlistaccordingto yourfamilysneedandgeographiclocationbuythemostimportantthingsfirst.

Anotherpieceofadvicedontleteveryoneknowwhatyouredoing.Unlessitsa

verytrustedfriendorfamilymember,keepyourgrowingstockpileasecret.Beginto

accumulatethoseitemsthathavelongshelflives.


29/30

29

Dontlookatitaswastedmoney.Thisisaninvestmentonethatcouldsavethe

livesofyourfamilyandpossiblyyourneighbors.Notonlywillyoubeabletoprovide

foodbutyoullhaveitemsthatcouldbebarteredifneeded.Nowisthetimetostart

planning!

Thishandbookwasdesigned,notasacomprehensiveguide,butasawaytoget

youthinkingmoreaboutwhatyoushoulddotoprepareforanemergency.Asteerin

therightdirection,ifyouwill.MostAmericansdontthinkenoughaboutWhatif.

Well,itstimetogoevenfurtherthanthinkingaboutititstimetoact.Goodluck!


30/30

Stockpile Checklist

Baking/CookingEssentials Seasonings/Spices

BakingPowder BakingSoda Yeast Salt Vinegar

Pepper ChiliPowder OnionFlakes Garlic BouillonCubes Cinnamon

Dairy Sugars DryMilk EvaporatedMilk

Honey WhiteSugar BrownSugar Jams/Jellies FlavoredGelatin Flavoredpowdereddrinks

FatsandOils Water

VegetableOil Shortening SaladDressing PeanutButter

Water Filter/PurificationKit StorageBarrel/othercontainers

Grains/Legumes AdditionalPantryItems

Barley HardWheat(whiteorred)

QuickRolledOats PintoBeans BrownRice GrainCereal SoyBeans Splitpeas DrySoupMix

Pastas TomatoSauce

Instantpotatoes #10sizecansofvariousfruitsand

vegetables

Bagsofdriedfruit Coffee/Tea Condiments Bleach

survival stockpiling

Documents