page-loading-spinner
Home Search results for: canning
Image | Food Storage Packing: Facts and Myths
Food Storage Packing: Facts and Myths
by Denis Korn
Know the facts about do-it-yourself packing

The purpose of this article is to present specific details and recommendations for packing your own shelf-stable foods for food storage. We will cover what works and what doesn’t in creating an oxygen-free atmosphere for long term food storage, and common misconceptions about how to do your own packing. While there are many different types of dried foods that can be stored for extended periods of time, most folks are interested in how best to store grain and bean products.

While I could write a book on every specific detail of every packing option and all of the technical specifications of all available packing containers, that is not the purpose of this article.  I will cover important highlights, facts, insights, and information gained from over 37 years in the preparedness and outdoor recreation industry.  It is important to keep in mind that I have not only been a retailer of preparedness and outdoor foods, I have also been a manufacturer, developer of hundreds of recipes, packaging and product  innovator, and researcher of shelf-stable foods.

Some of the material presented here will contradict and challenge information available on the Web or in some do-it-yourself circles.  Many people assume preparedness information to be accurate without careful consideration of the source's expertise or the validity of the facts.  I encourage you to research on your own any of the information presented in this article – or in any article, for that matter – and to use basic critical thinking skills to evaluate the evidence and data you are offered.  A little common sense goes a long way in assessing many of the claims being made about shelf life and do-it-yourself issues. 
Food Storage Packing: Facts and Myths
 by Denis Korn
Know the facts about do-it-yourself packing

The purpose of this article is to present specific details and recommendations for packing your own shelf-stable foods for food storage. We will cover what works and what doesn’t in creating an oxygen-free atmosphere for long term food storage, and common misconceptions about how to do your own packing. While there are many different types of dried foods that can be stored for extended periods of time, most folks are interested in how best to store grain and bean products.

While I could write a book on every specific detail of every packing option and all of the technical specifications of all available packing containers, that is not the purpose of this article.  I will cover important highlights, facts, insights, and information gained from over 37 years in the preparedness and outdoor recreation industry.  It is important to keep in mind that I have not only been a retailer of preparedness and outdoor foods, I have also been a manufacturer, developer of hundreds of recipes, packaging and product  innovator, and researcher of shelf-stable foods.

Some of the material presented here will contradict and challenge information available on the Web or in some do-it-yourself circles.  Many people assume preparedness information to be accurate without careful consideration of the source's expertise or the validity of the facts.  I encourage you to research on your own any of the information presented in this article – or in any article, for that matter – and to use basic critical thinking skills to evaluate the evidence and data you are offered.  A little common sense goes a long way in assessing many of the claims being made about shelf life and do-it-yourself issues. 
Image | Practical Survival Skills 101 – Understanding Emergencies (Updated)
Practical Survival Skills 101 – Understanding Emergencies (Updated)
by Aaron M

[Note: This WSID Article is an updated version of an article Aaron previously submitted in March 2011 (see original). There will be additional follow-on articles that will compliment this one on Understanding Emergencies. This article still complements Aaron's earlier "Practical Survival Skills 101" posts on fire, water, and shelter.]

Preface: What is an emergency? 

src=There is an awful lot of academic banter in which we try to “identify” emergencies before they happen. Pedantic issues are categorized and specifics are assigned to them as potential resolutions. This is not a “flawed” approach, but it’s endemic in the American mindset, which is obsessed with micromanagement.

In order to distance ourselves from the details, which are too stochastic and specific, we can generally state that an emergency is a shortage of resources.

Resources can be defined as:

Practical Survival Skills 101 – Understanding Emergencies (Updated)
 by Aaron M

[Note: This WSID Article is an updated version of an article Aaron previously submitted in March 2011 (see original). There will be additional follow-on articles that will compliment this one on Understanding Emergencies. This article still complements Aaron's earlier "Practical Survival Skills 101" posts on fire, water, and shelter.]

Preface: What is an emergency? 

src=There is an awful lot of academic banter in which we try to “identify” emergencies before they happen. Pedantic issues are categorized and specifics are assigned to them as potential resolutions. This is not a “flawed” approach, but it’s endemic in the American mindset, which is obsessed with micromanagement.

In order to distance ourselves from the details, which are too stochastic and specific, we can generally state that an emergency is a shortage of resources.

Resources can be defined as:

Image | Using & About Oxygen Absorbers
Using & About Oxygen Absorbers
by Denis Korn

align=While owner of AlpineAire Foods in the early 1990’s, I conducted significant research and study into the excellent and very effective technology of oxygen absorbers. Developed in Japan, oxygen absorbers insure a very low residual oxygen level in appropriate storage containers. Through this research and the development at AlpineAire foods, I brought the large scale use of oxygen absorbers into the emergency food and outdoor recreational foods industries.

At that time the goal to achieve for the canning of shelf-stable dried foods was a residual oxygen level of 2% or below.  This was the level required by military specifications for long term foods.  Oxidation and an atmosphere inhibiting microbial growth were significantly reduced at these low levels.  The military specified the #10 can for their long term storage of dried products.  By utilizing the appropriate size oxygen absorber, the residual oxygen levels could be reduced to 0.1% or less – a significant drop in oxygen levels.

The premier manufacturer of oxygen absorbers, and the one I use, is Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. which produces the “Ageless” brand oxygen absorber.  While there are numerous types of absorbers for varied packaging conditions, the appropriate “Ageless” absorber for use with dried foods is type Z.

It is important to note that oxygen absorber sachets were designed to be used by industrial manufacturers and packers of food products with the necessary expertise in working with the absorbers.  While simple to use, if not handled properly or sized correctly you have wasted your time and money and have not achieved the expected outcome.  I have seen and heard of numerous situations where individuals have inappropriately utilized oxygen absorbers and they will unfortunately not accomplish the results anticipated.  If you are going to use these devices, I recommend following the instructions in this article and talk to those who are educated in their proper use.

Using & About Oxygen Absorbers
 by Denis Korn

align=While owner of AlpineAire Foods in the early 1990’s, I conducted significant research and study into the excellent and very effective technology of oxygen absorbers. Developed in Japan, oxygen absorbers insure a very low residual oxygen level in appropriate storage containers. Through this research and the development at AlpineAire foods, I brought the large scale use of oxygen absorbers into the emergency food and outdoor recreational foods industries.

At that time the goal to achieve for the canning of shelf-stable dried foods was a residual oxygen level of 2% or below.  This was the level required by military specifications for long term foods.  Oxidation and an atmosphere inhibiting microbial growth were significantly reduced at these low levels.  The military specified the #10 can for their long term storage of dried products.  By utilizing the appropriate size oxygen absorber, the residual oxygen levels could be reduced to 0.1% or less – a significant drop in oxygen levels.

The premier manufacturer of oxygen absorbers, and the one I use, is Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. which produces the “Ageless” brand oxygen absorber.  While there are numerous types of absorbers for varied packaging conditions, the appropriate “Ageless” absorber for use with dried foods is type Z.

It is important to note that oxygen absorber sachets were designed to be used by industrial manufacturers and packers of food products with the necessary expertise in working with the absorbers.  While simple to use, if not handled properly or sized correctly you have wasted your time and money and have not achieved the expected outcome.  I have seen and heard of numerous situations where individuals have inappropriately utilized oxygen absorbers and they will unfortunately not accomplish the results anticipated.  If you are going to use these devices, I recommend following the instructions in this article and talk to those who are educated in their proper use.

Image | Whole Food Eating
Whole Food Eating
by Teresa Piro

align=Have we forgotten where our food comes from? The importance of a whole foods diet has become more and more vital to our overall health and well-being, because, well, we’ve strayed so far from food. Farmers’ markets bring honest food to us. However, I certainly get lost and frustrated while shopping for food at a grocery store because a) there are too many products on the shelves and b) the multitude of choices requires label-ready due-diligence.

I read a recent statistic that the average supermarket carries 48,750 items. Where have the days of the simple grocery list of eggs, apples, carrots, broccoli, fish, milk, and butter gone? Food today has been exploited and nutrient-rich foods exchanged for empty calories.

Now, more than ever, it’s time we get back to the basics; be resourceful, ask questions about where your food is coming from, shop farmers markets, know your grocery, plant a garden, buy bulk dry goods, prepare your food at home, and cook with fresh ingredients as much as possible. It will save you loads of stress, and if done right, money, too. 

As I share and encourage you to reconnect with your food, I hope you’ll explore new health-promoting hobbies, passions, and activities that can be enjoyed with family and friends.

Here are a few ideas and recipes to inspire you:

Whole Food Eating
 by Teresa Piro

align=Have we forgotten where our food comes from? The importance of a whole foods diet has become more and more vital to our overall health and well-being, because, well, we’ve strayed so far from food. Farmers’ markets bring honest food to us. However, I certainly get lost and frustrated while shopping for food at a grocery store because a) there are too many products on the shelves and b) the multitude of choices requires label-ready due-diligence.

I read a recent statistic that the average supermarket carries 48,750 items. Where have the days of the simple grocery list of eggs, apples, carrots, broccoli, fish, milk, and butter gone? Food today has been exploited and nutrient-rich foods exchanged for empty calories.

Now, more than ever, it’s time we get back to the basics; be resourceful, ask questions about where your food is coming from, shop farmers markets, know your grocery, plant a garden, buy bulk dry goods, prepare your food at home, and cook with fresh ingredients as much as possible. It will save you loads of stress, and if done right, money, too. 

As I share and encourage you to reconnect with your food, I hope you’ll explore new health-promoting hobbies, passions, and activities that can be enjoyed with family and friends.

Here are a few ideas and recipes to inspire you:

Image | Fukushima Update: A Very Bad Situation
Fukushima Update: A Very Bad Situation
by Chris Martenson

width=Well, it now turns out that many of my worst fears about Fukushima have been confirmed with the news that TEPCO has finally admitted that Reactor #1 has experienced a meltdown event that may have breached the primary containment vessel. Further, truly alarming levels of radiation are now being reported in and around Tokyo.

The prospects for containing the situation at Reactor #1 are now much dimmer than previously admitted. A melted core is far more difficult to cool because the geometry of the slag heap at the bottom is not nearly as favorable as long thin tubes around which water can be relatively easily circulated.

Worse, if the slag has either melted through the primary containment vessel or somehow leaked out through a fitting that has failed, then the ability to circulate water is even more compromised.

Fukushima Update: A Very Bad Situation
 by Chris Martenson

width=Well, it now turns out that many of my worst fears about Fukushima have been confirmed with the news that TEPCO has finally admitted that Reactor #1 has experienced a meltdown event that may have breached the primary containment vessel. Further, truly alarming levels of radiation are now being reported in and around Tokyo.

The prospects for containing the situation at Reactor #1 are now much dimmer than previously admitted. A melted core is far more difficult to cool because the geometry of the slag heap at the bottom is not nearly as favorable as long thin tubes around which water can be relatively easily circulated.

Worse, if the slag has either melted through the primary containment vessel or somehow leaked out through a fitting that has failed, then the ability to circulate water is even more compromised.

Image | Food Storage Made Easy
Food Storage Made Easy
by Adam Taggart

The events in Japan – stripping grocery shelves and leaving thousands of families without food, water, electricity, or sanitation – provide us with grim motivation to assess our own levels of personal resilience. How prepared are you if a similar disaster (natural or man-made) were to suddently strike where you live?

I, for one, still have more gaps than I would like. Like many folks, I've been genuinely intending to get around to filling them soon, but noble plans have little value the moment after the unexpected occurs. As Chris often says, it's immeasurably better to be a year early with your preps than a day late.

 
Food Storage Made Easy
 by Adam Taggart

The events in Japan – stripping grocery shelves and leaving thousands of families without food, water, electricity, or sanitation – provide us with grim motivation to assess our own levels of personal resilience. How prepared are you if a similar disaster (natural or man-made) were to suddently strike where you live?

I, for one, still have more gaps than I would like. Like many folks, I've been genuinely intending to get around to filling them soon, but noble plans have little value the moment after the unexpected occurs. As Chris often says, it's immeasurably better to be a year early with your preps than a day late.

 
Image | Extending the Harvest in Your Home Garden
Extending the Harvest in Your Home Garden
by Tom Page

One way to improve resiliency as well as quality of life is to grow your own vegetables locally. However, gardeners in northern climates are especially challenged by limited growing seasons. In this brief article I will show examples of how to easily extend and preserve the harvest and have fun doing it.

Why Extend Your Harvest?

Presently we can drive to the supermarket to get nearly anything we want even in winter. The fresh fruits and vegetables we see have often been grown thousands of miles away in a tropical climate and flown in using a lot of energy may not be so cheap or plentiful in the future. As well as potentially reducing dependence on energy, extending the harvest of your own foods has advantages including:

  • Less work and simpler than preserving by canning or freezing
  • Fresher, higher quality than canned
  • Less expensive than supermarket
  • Increased resiliency with the option to of a local food source
  • Controlling your own food sources is more pleasurable and rewarding

 
Extending the Harvest in Your Home Garden
 by Tom Page

One way to improve resiliency as well as quality of life is to grow your own vegetables locally. However, gardeners in northern climates are especially challenged by limited growing seasons. In this brief article I will show examples of how to easily extend and preserve the harvest and have fun doing it.

Why Extend Your Harvest?

Presently we can drive to the supermarket to get nearly anything we want even in winter. The fresh fruits and vegetables we see have often been grown thousands of miles away in a tropical climate and flown in using a lot of energy may not be so cheap or plentiful in the future. As well as potentially reducing dependence on energy, extending the harvest of your own foods has advantages including:

  • Less work and simpler than preserving by canning or freezing
  • Fresher, higher quality than canned
  • Less expensive than supermarket
  • Increased resiliency with the option to of a local food source
  • Controlling your own food sources is more pleasurable and rewarding

 
Image | Prepping on a Shoestring
Prepping on a Shoestring
by Amanda Witman

 

If you are short on time and want a quick list of tips, click here for Ten Free Things You Can Do Right Now. Otherwise, read on:

How to Prepare When Times Are Already Tight

Here at PeakProsperity.com, I manage correspondence and respond to most incoming email from users, among other things. We sometimes hear from people who complain that our site is not relevant to their situation because they have no extra funds to invest or put toward preparedness.

Let me be the first to say that there is something here at PeakProsperity.com for everyone, and there absolutely are meaningful ways to improve your situation and outlook even if you don’t have “extra money.” The good news is that there is still time, and with a little creativity and awareness, you can also be among those who feel more securely prepared for the very different future that we are facing.

Prepping on a Shoestring
 by Amanda Witman

 

If you are short on time and want a quick list of tips, click here for Ten Free Things You Can Do Right Now. Otherwise, read on:

How to Prepare When Times Are Already Tight

Here at PeakProsperity.com, I manage correspondence and respond to most incoming email from users, among other things. We sometimes hear from people who complain that our site is not relevant to their situation because they have no extra funds to invest or put toward preparedness.

Let me be the first to say that there is something here at PeakProsperity.com for everyone, and there absolutely are meaningful ways to improve your situation and outlook even if you don’t have “extra money.” The good news is that there is still time, and with a little creativity and awareness, you can also be among those who feel more securely prepared for the very different future that we are facing.

Image | Making the Urban-to-Rural Transition
Making the Urban-to-Rural Transition
by joemanc

My transition began in the fall of 2008 during the financial crisis. I had watched the Crash Course earlier in the summer, and as the crisis unfolded, I began to take the initial steps, or Step Zero, as has been mentioned on the site before.

How I Got Here

In 2008, I was living in a condo in a city of about 50,000. I began to wonder whether living in a condo was the way to go, or to find a house and/or land. I knew the housing market was horrible and that it would get worse. Ultimately, I decided my best bet was to buy a house with land in a small town. The key was getting to that point.

Making the Urban-to-Rural Transition
 by joemanc

My transition began in the fall of 2008 during the financial crisis. I had watched the Crash Course earlier in the summer, and as the crisis unfolded, I began to take the initial steps, or Step Zero, as has been mentioned on the site before.

How I Got Here

In 2008, I was living in a condo in a city of about 50,000. I began to wonder whether living in a condo was the way to go, or to find a house and/or land. I knew the housing market was horrible and that it would get worse. Ultimately, I decided my best bet was to buy a house with land in a small town. The key was getting to that point.

Image | What Should I Do? The Basics of Resilience (Part 9 – Your Next Steps)
What Should I Do? The Basics of Resilience (Part 9 – Your Next Steps)
by Chris Martenson

Note:  This is the final article in our series on personal preparation to help you answer the question, “What should I do?”  Our goal is to provide a safe, rational, relatively comfortable experience for those who are just coming to the realization that it would be prudent to take precautionary steps against an uncertain future.  Those who have already taken these basic steps (and more) are invited to help us improve what is offered here by contributing comments, as this content is meant to be dynamic and improve over time.

Those who’ve read this full series know that six years ago my family lived in a big house by the sea, where we were completely dependent on outside systems to deliver to us our daily food, water, warmth, and electricity. Perhaps even more worryingly, we engaged with a relatively limited community, defined by the people with whom we worked or knew through our children’s lives and activities.

Today, in addition to running this website and working towards creating a tipping point of awareness around the three Es, we have a garden, chickens, food preservation skills, solar hot water and electricity, local food connections, and a steadily deepening network of relationships around each of these elements.  We did not do this all at once, but over a period of years.

What Should I Do? The Basics of Resilience (Part 9 – Your Next Steps)
 by Chris Martenson

Note:  This is the final article in our series on personal preparation to help you answer the question, “What should I do?”  Our goal is to provide a safe, rational, relatively comfortable experience for those who are just coming to the realization that it would be prudent to take precautionary steps against an uncertain future.  Those who have already taken these basic steps (and more) are invited to help us improve what is offered here by contributing comments, as this content is meant to be dynamic and improve over time.

Those who’ve read this full series know that six years ago my family lived in a big house by the sea, where we were completely dependent on outside systems to deliver to us our daily food, water, warmth, and electricity. Perhaps even more worryingly, we engaged with a relatively limited community, defined by the people with whom we worked or knew through our children’s lives and activities.

Today, in addition to running this website and working towards creating a tipping point of awareness around the three Es, we have a garden, chickens, food preservation skills, solar hot water and electricity, local food connections, and a steadily deepening network of relationships around each of these elements.  We did not do this all at once, but over a period of years.

Total 63 items

Community

Top Conversation

 "It's About Control": An Interview with David Icke
Just got my result that I’m C19 positive.
I work at a mining camp in northern BC where I shared a bathroom with a guy (double injected) that was coughing for days and then tested positive. They got me to do a rapid test which was negative but I was feeling OK at that time.
Got home and started feeling...
Image | blaggers by blaggers
57 253
View the conversation