Making Sauerkraut is So Easy . . .

Sauerkraut - either you love it or hate it, but either way, it is jam packed with probiotics, as are all fermented foods, and the news is full of reports on how good they are for us. Sauerkraut is also packed with Vitamin C. Here is an easy method to make it . . . No cooking is required . . . 

Here's what you need:
           Cabbage
           Salt - Kosher or Canning salt ONLY - do NOT use       
           table salt to can anything!
           Water


That's it . . . and some canning jars of course with new canning lids.


Wash jars thoroughly in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Start with fresh cabbage and shred it as you would for Cole slaw. 

Next, fill the jars with cabbage and pack it down tightly.

Add 1 level teaspoon of coarse Kosher or canning salt per quart or 1/2 level teaspoon for pint jars.

 

Fill the jar, leaving a little headspace, with hot tap water.

 

Using a dinner knife, release any air bubbles from the liquid in the jars by inserting them in various places around the jar. Add a little more water if needed to just cover the cabbage.


Wipe the top of the jars and top with a new lid and put on the ring. Put the ring on a little tight and then turn it back at least a half a turn. Place the jars OUTDOORS in a safe place on layers of newspapers. As the kraut begins to 'work', it will seep juice out of the jars. It does not smell very good during this fermenting stage so you do not want it to be inside your home. Leave it for two full weeks. Mark it on the calendar so that you don't forget it or try to seal it too soon.

When the two weeks are up, bring the jars inside, remove the rings and lids, wiping the top of the jar and rinsing the lids to make sure they have nothing on them that will prevent a good seal. Replace the lids and rings and tighten as tight as you can by hand. Date the top of the lids, store in a cool, dry place and enjoy for the next couple of years.

If any of you are fortunate enough to have old glass mayonnaise type jars, you can use them for this and save your good canning jars for processing in a canner.


My family has made sauerkraut using this method for many generations . . .

 

Are You Building a Raft? a Boat? or an Ark? - Part THREE

Here's the final part for your three part food storage plan:

   COMPLETE FOOD STORAGE PLAN

Once you have obtained a year’s supply of Basic and Expanded Basic Storage items, continue to build your storage considering the following:

An extensive First Aid Kit

Cleaning & laundry supplies including bleach

Paper & Plastic Products:

                Paper Towel, toilet tissue, paper plates,

                Foil, plastic wrap and food storage bags,

                Trash bags, etc.

Personal Supplies:

                Soap, toiletries, shampoo

                Feminine hygiene products

Water tanks (for more than 2 week supply)

Fuel & Light (for heating as well as cooking)

                Propane, Kerosene, wood or coal

                Matches, candles, Oil lamps,

                Flashlights & batteries, paper logs

                A Camp stove or other method to cook

Pet Foods & Supplies

Canning, Preserving & Freezing Supplies

Equipment:  Tools, mechanical & garden, sewing machine,  radio, etc.

Bedding:    Sleeping bags, pillows

Financial:  Cash & others resources

 Source:  Essentials of Home Production and Storage, 1978 (32288)

* Next week I will begin sharing techniques for making pickles, sweet and dill, and sauerkraut.  They are really easy to do!

Are You Building a Raft? a Boat? or an Ark? - Part TWO

       EXPANDED BASIC STORAGE PLAN

Once a year’s supply of Basic Food items has been obtained, you should continue to build your reserve.

The following items are suggested:

Special foods for special diets

Meats, canned or dried

Cheese, powdered etc.

Fruits, canned or dried

Vegetables, canned or dried

Recipes for Basic Food items and the additional ingredients they require (including yeast, baking powder, baking soda, corn starch, spices, herbs and other seasonings, powdered eggs, etc._

Soups

Gelatin, puddings & other comfort foods

Beverage Mixes

Dehydrated or freeze dried foods

Meat substitutes (TVP, etc.)

Garden Seeds & pesticides for one year

OTC medications (aspirin, laxatives, anti-diarrheal, cough syrups, etc.)

And if available and needed:

 Powdered eggs

 Baby foods and formula

 Vinegar

 Cocoa, etc.

 Medications

 A hand grain grinder

 Fuel at least for cooking

Any other food items which you are accustomed to or feel needful.

*Next week I will post the third step and also include an attachment (IF I can figure out how) that you can print out all on one page . . . 

In the meantime, please send questions and suggestions to me in the comments section.

Are You Building a Raft? a Boat? or an Ark?

Remember, it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark!
This post and the next two to follow will give you a guide to building your food storage in three levels.

This first of three, is just the bare bones minimum that you need to have for You and Your Family!
The following list is the amount you need for EACH member of your household. Should you ever 
have to rely exclusively on these items, they will sustain life though it won't be what you are now accustomed to consuming. 


Adjust foods and quantities based on food preferences and individual needs. Please note that it says to store 'White Rice'. This is because brown rice, though much higher in nutrition, does not store well for long periods of time. It becomes rancid easily and therefore not very tasty. Also, eight pounds of salt sounds like a lot but salt is dense and heavy and the body requires it, especially in warm climates!

Budget wisely and add a little each week when you grocery shop.


Store what you eat and eat what you store!

         BASIC FOOD STORAGE PLAN

                (Per Person for One Year)

                    (Suggested Amounts)

Grains                                                    400 lbs.

 (wheat, white rice, corn, popcorn, oatmeal, cornmeal, pasta, rye, etc.)                                                  

Legumes    (beans)                                 60 lbs.

Powdered Milk                                      16 lbs.

Cooking Oil                                            10 qts.

Sugar or Honey                                     60 lbs.

Salt                                                           8 lbs.

Water (2 weeks)                                   14 Gal.

This list is the BARE Minimum which would sustain life for one year. Build a complete one month supply, then two, then three until you have a full year’s worth of these foods.  It is better to obtain a well-rounded supply of basic foods than to simply store a year’s supply of milk, say, with nothing else to use with it.  Meats, fruits, vegetables, seasonings and other foods are also recommended once you obtain these basics.

Store as much as your circumstances will allow.   

Prayerfully seek means and methods of obtaining and storing these essential items to sustain life. 

It is wise counsel to secure a financial reserve as well as home storage.

Don't get caught off guard and unprepared. If you are prepared, you will have peace of mind knowing that you and yours will be fed. Prices continue to soar and shortages are beginning to appear worldwide. Just because it has always been readily available, does not mean that it will continue to be.

I Really Need A Drink!!!

Water is necessary for life. The human body can tolerate lack of food for much longer than it can go without water . . . therefore, this post is to help you understand how much and how to store drinking water for emergency use.

Not everyone is as fortunate as we are to have a well on our property (and a hand pump to use if the electricity is off) but even with a well, you need to have a minimal amount of clean, safe drinking water available.

It is highly recommended that you store 14 gallons per person minimum. This would be sufficient to last for two full weeks or one gallon per person per day. Careful rationing would allot ½ gallon for drinking and ½ gallon for hygiene and/or cooking. If you live in a hot and humid climate, like I do, you may wish to store a bit more. Remember too, that if you have prepared a 72 Hour Emergency Kit, you should already have enough water for your family for the first three days!

Where are you going to store this water? Think about that a bit. If you can fruits and vegetables, you likely have empty canning jars sitting around. Fill them with water!! They take up no more room to store filled than they do empty. 

Empty two liter soda pop bottles work well too; as do purchased bottled water. These should be used and rotated however because the plastic bottles eventually break down and the water can leak out, causing a big mess as well as depleting your emergency supply.

*DO NOT USE milk jugs, or other food grade plastic jugs as they cannot be cleaned well enough to prevent bacterial growth!

Water can be stored in a 55 gallon (food safe) drum and can be pumped out using a small hand operated pump.  You may store it in smaller containers but remember that water is heavy and you may not be able to pour it out when needed.

Your hot water heater may be your last resort; however, if you are without power for a few days, you may drain the water from it. There is usually a spigot near the bottom of the tank. Be aware that there may be a lot of sediment in it as well but it can be filtered and is safe to drink.

Below you will find FEMA recommendations for water storage. Please note that they suggest only a three day supply, however, I strongly urge you to store enough for two full weeks. You won’t regret if you ever find yourself in need.

Additionally, in determining adequate quantities, take the following into account:

• Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate.
• Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more water.
• Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed.
• A medical emergency might require additional water.

How Should I Store Water?

To prepare safest and most reliable emergency supply of water, it is recommended you purchase commercially bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it. Observe the expiration or “use by” date.

If You are Preparing Your Own Containers of Water

It is recommended you purchase food-grade water storage containers from surplus or camping supplies stores to use for water storage. Before filling with water, thoroughly clean the containers with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Follow directions below on filling the container with water.

If you choose to use your own storage containers, choose two-liter plastic soft drink bottles – not plastic jugs or cardboard containers that have had milk or fruit juice in them. Milk protein and fruit sugars cannot be adequately removed from these containers and provide an environment for bacterial growth when water is stored in them. Cardboard containers also leak easily and are not designed for long-term storage of liquids. Also, do not use glass containers, because they can break and are heavy. *The exception here is to use empty canning jars which are an ideal solution since they require no more space to store full than empty.

If storing water in plastic soda bottles, follow these steps:
Thoroughly clean the bottles with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Sanitize the bottles by adding a solution of 1 teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water. Swish the sanitizing solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. After sanitizing the bottle, thoroughly rinse out the sanitizing solution with clean water.

Filling Water Containers

Fill the bottle to the top with regular tap water. If the tap water has been commercially treated from a water utility with chlorine, you do not need to add anything else to the water to keep it clean. If the water you are using comes from a well or water source that is not treated with chlorine, add two drops of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to the water. Tightly close the container using the original cap. Be careful not to contaminate the cap by touching the inside of it with your finger. Place a date on the outside of the container so that you know when you filled it. Store it in a cool, dark place. Replace the water every six months if not using commercially bottled water.

Freezing Vegetables Preview

Most you don't have fresh produce from your gardens just yet, but for the past week, I have been busy picking and putting up snowpeas or sugar snap peas as they are sometimes called. The same friend who encouraged me to start this blog, suggested that I post how to freeze vegetables properly so here goes:

First of all, use produce that is not over or under ripe. The fresher the vegetable is, the better. I generally put mine up within a few hours of the time I pick or purchase them. If you cannot get to them within that time frame, refrigerate them but allow them to warm up to room temperature if you can before processing them. Do not soak them in water though they should be washed and well drained.

Prepare your vegetables as if you were going to cook and eat them right away. Vegetable must be blanched (a process of quick short time cooking and cooling very quickly to stop the cooking process). I will describe how to do snowpeas but check the chart below for other blanching times.

First fill a large pot with hot water and bring to a rapid boil. Add the vegetables and once it resumes boiling, cook for about 1 ½ minutes. Immediately drain in a colander and rinse with cold tap water. (If you have a wire basket, that works very well instead) Then plunge them into cold water (ice cubes are preferred) and gently stir them to make sure they cool evenly. It usually takes the same amount of time to cool them as it does for the cooking. This stops the cooking process and will aid in retaining nutrition as well as color.

 

Drain them well and pack into freezer bags (or other freezer containers) squeezing out any excess air and leaving some head space for them to expand as they freeze. Label with the date you process them. Spread them out as flat as you can so that you can stack and freeze them using as little freezer space as necessary.

Most fruits and vegetables should be used within 8 to 10 months for optimum results. Now wasn’t that easy?

Asparagus                  Blanch small spears 2 min. medium 3 min. and large for 4 min.

Beans; butter, lima    Blanch small beans for 2 min. medium 3 min. & large for 4 min.

Or pinto                     

Beans; green, Italian      Blanch for 3 minutes

Wax or snap

Beets                           Beets should be fully cooked, then peeled and cut into desired

                                    Shapes or pieces.

Broccoli                      Cut into pieces no thicker than 1 ½ inches – blanch 3 min.

Brussels sprouts         Sort according to size and blanch 4 minutes

Carrots                       Blanch tiny whole carrots for 5 minutes; cut carrots for 2 min.

Cauliflower                Cut into 1 inch thick pieces – blanch 3 minutes

Corn, cream style      Boil whole ears for 4 minutes. Cool quickly; use a sharp knife to cut

                                    Off the kernels then scrape corn with a dull knife. Fill containers

                                    And leave ½ inch head space

Corn, whole kernel   Cook ears for 4 minutes, then cut off kernels. Do not scrape ears.

Greens                        Wash thoroughly, cut and discard large stems

            Beet/Chard    2 minutes

            Kale                2 minutes

            Mustard/Turnip  2 minutes

            Spinach          2 minutes

            Collards          3 minutes

Mixed vegetables       Prepare and blanch separately according to the right times, then

                                    Mix together after blanching

Peas, edible pods       See above

Peas, English or         Blanch 1 ½ minutes

   Green

Peppers, hot               Simply package in freezer containers – no blanching is needed

Peppers, sweet           Spread prepared peppers on a baking sheet and freeze firmly, then

                                    Quickly fill containers and freeze

Potatoes, sweet           Cook until tender with skins on . . . peel and cut as desired, dip in a

                                    Solution of ½ c. lemon juice per quart of water OR

                                    Mash with 2 T. lemon juice per quart of sweet potatoes – this is to

                                    Prevent darkening

Squash, summer        Cut into ¼ inch slices – blanch 3 minutes

            , winter           Cook until tender, mash and cool (about 15 minutes to cook)

Tomatoes                    (Personally I do not care for frozen tomatoes)

                                    Prepare and fill containers.