"Preppers"? are you one?

With every passing week, that link becomes more and more relevant.

 

why are mylar bags the norm?? cant you vacuum seal with an oxygen absorber?

 

The metalized mylar does a superior job of blocking moisture and air transference compared to plastic. How vastly different I don't know but it is significant enough that prepackaged longterm foods are in mylar so the expense must be worth it.

 

Plastic is porous.

If you are plactic vacu-sealing and then freezing, it will last longer.

Only mylar is good for LTS, keeping light, moisture, and odors out.
O2 absorbers keep things from oxidizing, and dessicants will cut down on moisture....
If packaged food is kept in a place where there are radical temperature swings, whatever moisture is in the bag, WILL condense on the inside of the bag, and comence rotting the product.

There some foods NOT to use absorbers with....i.e. would be very dangerous to use with. (Raisins come to mind....some bacterias thrive in a moist oxygen free environment).

How you package your food for long term storage, depends on when you think you'll use it. If its a few years out there might be other options. Stuff in buckets w/Mylar and 02 absorbers, should last 30 years.

Sca

 

Being the "grey man" is about this.
Not living, acting, appearing that you are well, fed, etc, when everyone else is very not the same. How we dress, smell, look, talk, our presence (or not) at food lines, the type of gear we have (ditch the tacticool if you're staying in society/not bugging out), generators buzzing away weeks after everyone else has run outta gas, house intact, and tidy, lawn cut, you shaved and clean.
Sca

 

5G buckets are good for a larger group that will be on hand, either at your place, or wherever you plan to go (you're pre positioning stuff there right?).
#10 cans work well for a smaller group.

Store what you eat, eat what you store (in a crisis is not the time for diet change, allergies can present with new foods=medical issues and no food to eat, and rotating stock is critical).

If people are coming to you:
A list of stuff not to show up without might be a good idea.
A discussed list of folks you will allow in, dissallow to come over, or whom you will shoot on sight (zero questions asked) would be good. When it gets exciting is NOT the time to argue with family about "this person but not that person" can come over.
Having a rough plan of when they show up (as far as external trigger events) might be useful. The same if you are planning to leave.
Sca

 

And once again, don't get so over wrapped up with food storage that water is forgotten about. You will need water way before food.

 

Ammo

 

My thoughts exactly.....

 

Ok. Point.
Water storage ideas beyond temporary types (water bob)?
Sca

 

You can not store enough water, you must have a source. Rain catchment, well, brook, etc.

 

I have in my area mentally noted locations of several natural springs. I am fortunate to also know of a couple old wells. Having the skill set and parts needed to create a sand/charcoal filtration set up. Rain catchment system. Or even have purification tabs, bleach, or ability to boil is better than taking your chances sipping out of a stock pond surrounded by cow pies in shear desperation. At some point I would like to get a sand point and pitcher pump.

 

So having water within reach, a way to move it, a good filtration system, and a way to store whatever one can store?

I kinda favor onsite collection, storage, filtration due to risks of "going out". We have city water and filter the heck out of that any way. We have some water sources here, but not walking distance, and some of it is pretty contaminated....I'm not sure where there is clean-ish water here. We have 1 federal and 3 state superfund sites in this town.
Sca

 

Our current level of deer rabbit fish wouldn’t support half state population for a winter. Remember It’s still easier to grow it then catch it. This is leads to chickens, rabbits etc.

 

Radiation. Worth having a Geiger counter, or electronic dosimeter with an alarm, just in case.

https://a.fastcompany.net/upload/radiation_chart_3.jpg

 

We collect rain water to do the garden and flowers. This could also flush toilets, wash dishes if needed. We also have a lot of bottled water stockpiled. I realize this isn't foolproof or a long term solution but its a start.

 

Necessary medicine

 

Guess I'm lucky on the water part. The river is only a five-minute walk from the house (one of the reasons I bought it).

 

Toilets: composting, humanure, outhouse, water the trees. Lots can be done with grey water runnoff.
Not sure what we'll do, but tossing fresh water down the drain for an ounce or two of waste .....
It would be fun to build a hand powered laundry machine. I think we'd learn how much laundry needs to be done pretty quick.
So if water can be collected for a garden, it can be further filtered and stored. Thats cool.