Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 25

Thread: Are You Prepared?

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Lindaeverchanging View Post
    I need to work a garden my back yard...as for buying extras...I just barely cover each month bills etc. I grew up helping mom can. I did have a canning kettles tools, but since our area was hit with those who like to break into sheds and garages, I lost a lot of things, those being taken. So planning is something I really need to do.
    I really understand about the finances side of things. That's why I search the ads for the best deals. I've found if I spend even an extra dollar or two a week I can start to build up a reserve. It's been slow going but I keep plugging away and over time it gets done! Like the deal I got this week for cans of vegetables at 25 cents a can. I spent $2 and added 8 cans of food to my storage. As for canning supplies - I'm so sorry your things were stolen!! That would really have upset me!! I've bought a lot of jars at garage sales and had a lot of jars gifted to me by friends who no longer can or who have jars that were their mom's and they (the kids) aren't interested in canning. Often these jars are really dirty and I have to do some serious cleaning, but when they're cheep or free I'm ok with 'spending' some work to have clean the jars. I've also bought other canning supplies at garage sales - I bought a beautiful water bath canner and a huge cast iron dutch oven for $10 for the both of them. I looked up the canner on line and it was a professional grade canner that sold for well over $100!! I'm so thankful for every good deal I find that helps me to have a supply of emergency food for my family!
    Last edited by happysandyh; 10-18-2016 at 05:56 PM.

  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by krystian View Post
    Good post, thank you Sandy. I used to really enjoy your posts about growing your own food and then the show and tells about your canning it, maybe you could share more of your current ventures with us again.

    I have a nice sized pantry and could probably go a month if I had to but the thing that I was probably lax on was water. While I had bottled water for drinking I eventually realized as you pointed out that its needed for other things too including cooking so I started buying those big 3 liter bottles when I saw them on sale.

    An interesting thing I learned about bottled water is that even tho it has an expiration date, it doesn't actually expire:

    http://www.stilltasty.com/questions/index/26/page:1
    I've learned that same thing about water, Krys! I try to get a big bottle of water whenever I can - they cost a dollar a bottle here and sometimes they go on sale for 49 cents a bottle!
    I don't know about you but having a well stocked pantry gives me peace of mind!
    Last edited by happysandyh; 10-18-2016 at 05:57 PM.

  3. #13
    Resident Chocolate Monster Lista's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Welcome, NC USA
    Posts
    3,056
    Thanked: 1547
    I've been doing just the opposite...I've been trying to clean out my pantry. I find that I waste food if I stockpile. I suppose if I could work out a system where I remember to eat the older items, as I'm stocking the newer items I'd be ok, but right now, I just want to purge anything that is on the edge.

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to Lista For This Useful Post:

    FunFromOz (10-21-2016)

  5. #14
    We keep some emergency provisions, but not a huge amount.

    Has anyone had trouble with gallon size plastic water jugs leaking? Every once in a while, we find we have had a pinhole leak. By the time we notice it, it has evaporated.

  6. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Lista View Post
    I've been doing just the opposite...I've been trying to clean out my pantry. I find that I waste food if I stockpile. I suppose if I could work out a system where I remember to eat the older items, as I'm stocking the newer items I'd be ok, but right now, I just want to purge anything that is on the edge.
    Most of those dates are more like suggestions than hard dates. Canned goods (I'm talking canned things you buy at the grocery store) have a shelf life of years! The main problem to look for is if the can is rusty than you need to pitch it.... otherwise while they may lose some of their nutritional value after a few years they are still good. And home canned goods can last a very very long time (think years and years)!!

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to happysandyh For This Useful Post:

    Romans828 (10-23-2016)

  8. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by curly sue View Post
    We keep some emergency provisions, but not a huge amount.

    Has anyone had trouble with gallon size plastic water jugs leaking? Every once in a while, we find we have had a pinhole leak. By the time we notice it, it has evaporated.
    I haven't had this problem so far.

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to happysandyh For This Useful Post:

    curly sue (10-22-2016)

  10. #17
    Resident Chocolate Monster Lista's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Welcome, NC USA
    Posts
    3,056
    Thanked: 1547
    Quote Originally Posted by happysandyh View Post
    Most of those dates are more like suggestions than hard dates. Canned goods (I'm talking canned things you buy at the grocery store) have a shelf life of years! The main problem to look for is if the can is rusty than you need to pitch it.... otherwise while they may lose some of their nutritional value after a few years they are still good. And home canned goods can last a very very long time (think years and years)!!
    I usually try to get some canning done every year, but my little yard doesn't produce much, and I couldn't get a good deal at the farmer's market this year. My Mom did put up some tomatoes for me though.

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to Lista For This Useful Post:

    happysandyh (10-23-2016)

  12. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Lista View Post
    I usually try to get some canning done every year, but my little yard doesn't produce much, and I couldn't get a good deal at the farmer's market this year. My Mom did put up some tomatoes for me though.
    I remember you telling me about how you and your mom processed (I think freezing) hundreds of ears of corn one year!! I could barely fathom it at the time, but just so you know - you inspired me!!

  13. #19
    Resident Chocolate Monster Lista's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Welcome, NC USA
    Posts
    3,056
    Thanked: 1547
    Quote Originally Posted by happysandyh View Post
    I remember you telling me about how you and your mom processed (I think freezing) hundreds of ears of corn one year!! I could barely fathom it at the time, but just so you know - you inspired me!!
    yay! That makes me happy!! This past year was the first time that I can remember that we didn't freeze corn. The crop didn't produce as well as we had hoped, so the farmer wasn't able to give us as much, and we talked about it, and decided that paying for 400-700 ears of corn, and spending an entire day cutting it off the cob and freezing it, just wasn't worth it. Hopefully next year we can get our supply for free.

  14. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Lista View Post
    yay! That makes me happy!! This past year was the first time that I can remember that we didn't freeze corn. The crop didn't produce as well as we had hoped, so the farmer wasn't able to give us as much, and we talked about it, and decided that paying for 400-700 ears of corn, and spending an entire day cutting it off the cob and freezing it, just wasn't worth it. Hopefully next year we can get our supply for free.
    I love having fruits and vegetables 'gifted' to me!! What a blessing! I'll pray that you get a huge gift of corn next year!! In the words of my best friend, 'Free is better than cheap'

  15. The Following User Says Thank You to happysandyh For This Useful Post:

    Lista (10-26-2016)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Has your Chevy Impala extended warranty expired? Get a fast online quote from CarWarrantyUS today. Enjoy the open road and leave the repairs to us.