Food Dehydration

Food Dehydration

Dried fruits and vegetables, jerky, fruit or vegetable leather, dried spices, dried herbs, and even dried flowers. Dehydrating has been a process used for hundreds of years. Today there are Modern Electric Dehydrators, back before the dawn of electricity man used various non electric methods to dry their harvests, from hanging food over a fire, to basking food in the hot sun on a breezy day. All these methods are available to us today.

What is Dehydration?

Dehydration is simply a process for removing the majority of water from a food or flower so that bacteria, yeast and mold can not survive, while leaving behind the enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Since the temperatures required to dry food in this manner does not reach very high, dried foods are still considered healthy raw foods. Water is removed, intense flavor is left behind.

What can be dehydrated?

Dehydration can be used year round to make use of your seasonal harvests. Dehydrate your extra vegetables and fruit, make jerky from that deer you bagged this season, dehydrate pineapples and strawberries in the Summer so you can have them all Winter long. The possibilities are endless.

What do you dehydrate? Comment below and let us know!

How hard is it to dehydrate?

Dehydration is one of the fastest and easiest methods of long term food storage. When compared to Canning; Having to wash and sterilize the jars, lids, and utensils, boil water, prepare the food and undergo the canning process itself. Dehydrating food is a fairly quick and easy process.

1. Slice fresh foods in to appropriate sized pieces
2. Blanch if necessary
3. Arrange on tray
4. Set the machine or set out in the sun
5. Wait

How well does dehydrated food store?

Dehydration removes the water and with the water goes much of the weight of the food. Dehydrated foods take up less space and if stored properly can be kept for years; Making dehydration a simple and inexpensive way to preserve food at home.

How do you reconstitute dehydrated foods?

Reconstitution of dehydrated food is easy as well. There are four basic methods.

1. Boil: add fruit or veggies to boiling water and simmer till plump
2. Cook: add approximately 1 cup of water for every 1 cup of dried fruit or vegetable
3. Soak: place dried food in a pan with water and allow to soak for 1 - 2 hours
4. Steam: place dehydrated food in the steamer basket, the dry food will plump as it absorbs the water from the steam

Want to learn more about Dehydration?

Like this article? Share it!

The Chainsaw

The Chainsaw

If you live in an area with trees, you need a Chainsaw. It happens year round, high winds, heavy snow, and drenching rain. No matter the cause, a downed tree or it's limbs can cause a lot of damage. They fall on sheds, fences, homes, power lines, and vehicles. They block roads, and clog up streams.

Are you prepared for storm damage?

Make sure you are prepared for storm damage by having and knowing how to safely use a chainsaw.   Having a tool to quickly deal with problem trees can prove very useful and time saving. 

Clearing problem trees can be back breaking work, but there is a bright side, firewood. Even better, with some forethought and a little effort you might even be able to prevent tree problems from the start. By maintaining your property you can reduce the probability of weak or sick trees from coming down in a storm. 

Once you are confident in your chainsaw skills, you can even turn a buck, or quickly build your firewood pile, by helping neighbors take care of their fallen trees after a storm.

Like this article? Share it!

Preppers 5 Gallon Friend

A Prepper's 5 Gallon Friend!

When it comes to overall utility, the 5 gallon bucket is hard to beat. Airtight, watertight, stack-able, easy to carry, and in a variety of colors. The 5 gallon bucket is a true workhorse. 

Here are just a few popular uses.
1. Water storage
2. Food storage
3. Portable potty
4. Seat
5. Water filtration unit
6. Saw horses
7. Post base
8. Concrete form
9. Side table
10. Shelf supports
11. Tool storage
12. Plant cover
13. Scoop

What do you use these plastic powerhouses for? 

Comment below and let us know.

Emergency Water Basics

Emergency Water Basics

Water is arguably the most valuable item you should have stored in case of emergency. Having enough safe drinking water to last you through an emergency is crucial to your survival. Depending on the type of emergency you may find yourself in, your water preparations will vary. Experts agree, having a stockpile of 1 gallon per day, per person for a minimum of 3 days is a good place to start. When in doubt, More is Better.

Water Storage Containers

Here are 6 ideas on containers for water storage.
1. New, unopened bottled water.
2. Refilled water bottles.
3. Spigot style water jugs.
4. 5 gallon buckets with lids.
5. Large food safe drums.
6. Large underground holding tanks.

If you have a interesting way of storing your water, comment below and let us know.

Long Term Storage Rules

When storing water for extended periods of time, there are 4 rules you must keep in mind.

1. Store water in a closed container.

Water stored uncovered is left susceptible to evaporation and contamination. The majority of the water stored uncovered will normally evaporate in to the air, what remains collects and grows bacteria and algae from the air in the environment. 

2. Store water in a cool dark place.

Water stored at high temperatures can cause chemicals to leech from the containers they are stored in. Water stored in cold temperatures can freeze and cause damage to the storage container. water exposed to the light can allow algae to grow and taint your supply.

3. Rotate your stock when possible.

While water does not go bad, water stored for an extended period of time can go stagnant. Rotate your stock when possible to avoid stagnation. It is recommended to swap out your supply every 6 months or so. However there is a way to store water indefinitely, see rule 4 to find out how.

4. Treat - Store - Retreat 

The best practice for storing water long term is to Treat - Store - Retreat. To store tap water that you have obtained either from well or city municipal supply you need only Treat the water by Boiling, Filtering, or Chemically Treating. After treatment, bottle the treated water and seal it up tightly. When using water from tanks stored for extended periods of time, treat the water again by either Boiling, Filtering, or Chemically Treating before using. 

Professionally bottled water is treated at the factory and bottled under clean conditions. When kept properly, water from new unopened water bottles will keep almost indefinitely. Although water properly stored long term can be treated to make it safe again, it may not taste all that fresh. This can be remedied by aerating the water after it has been opened. Pouring the water back and fourth between two cups several times over will usually do the trick. 

Like this article? Share it!