Starting from scratch

[Mike F]

Except for weapons, I'm in bad shape.... On the other hand, the sooner I start the better.

Can anybody recommend sites, books (hopefully available at the library), that I might start my quest for being prepared? I'd guess water and food supply purchase/storage are my biggest concerns.

Be safe all.

[mitchr]

You should be able to gather quite a bit of info right here on this web site. Check out the postings. May also find some books referenced.

[PHMadness]

Also www.zombiehunters.org. There is plenty of nonsense and play going on there (it makes disaster fun) but the root is pretty hardcore preparedness with lots of ideas and such.

[Spot]

On the subject of food . Store only what you eat , and eat what you store . You can start out be picking up a few cans everytime you go shopping.

[Bones]

This guy has a lot of good stuff to say:

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/

Water is easy just save 2 liter soda bottles clean and refill. Keep in a cool dark place. You have 30-40 gallons in your water heater. 8-16 drops of bleach/gallon to purify or get some tablets.

For food start by getting some bulk dry rice and beans - it's cheap and stores for a long time and gives complete protein. The home depot homer buckets work real well for that - throw in a bag of damp rid and you're good to go. The build from there.

[PHMadness]

This guy has a lot of good stuff to say:

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/

True.

For food start by getting some bulk dry rice and beans - it's cheap and stores for a long time and gives complete protein. The home depot homer buckets work real well for that - throw in a bag of damp rid and you're good to go. The build from there.

Good idea, fail on the execution. Homer buckets and damp rid?

Food grade buckets and oxygen absorbers. Leave the homer buckets for yard tools and the damp rid for the back corner of the basement.

[Bones]

Hey, what does it matter if the rice and beans are in the original bags? And Damp rid comes pre packaged - no mess no fuss toss it in and go.

It's hard to find oxygen absorbers around here - know anyplace good to get them?

[PHMadness]

Hey, what does it matter if the rice and beans are in the original bags? And Damp rid comes pre packaged - no mess no fuss toss it in and go.

It's hard to find oxygen absorbers around here - know anyplace good to get them?

It matters a bunch. For one, non food grade plastic leaches out into the food. Two, I would have assumed the bulk rice and beans etc. were bought in bulk not individual packages, but even then the package wouldn't protect them from the icky plastic.

For oxygen absorbers google is your friend. I get them from Emergency Essentials like these because they are local but there are literally hundreds of suppliers.

[Bones]

Thanks, I got some on amazon but got hosed on shipping (as usual). Was looking to see if you had a super secret ultra awesome source.

Edit: I just checked and the homer buckets I have are marked as being HDPE, which is what they use in "food grade" plastics. I wonder if this means they're generally safe for food storage or if some kind of ick still leaches out...

[Pokeman]

You can start out be picking up a few cans everytime you go shopping.

I did this, based on advise I got here. I picked up 2-3 extra cans each time at the store. I never noticed a financial hit but now have many months worth of canned food alone. When $ gets tough just stop buying the extra cans. When $ gets better start grabbing them again.

I also found a .69 cent pasta sale on angel hair boxes one week. brought home around 40 boxes over the course of a month. now the wife and I eat the old and replace with new monthly. That's 320 rationed servings of pasta. initial cost was less that $40 with taxes. now we just have to replace it now and then.

Do the same thing with Rice. Bought 5lb bag of rice. and vacuumed packed it in 5ths. I did this over the course of 5-6 months. buy a bag of rice a month or get a 50lb bag at a Sam club or BJ's. and jump start it.

learn to can your own food. we make large vats of homemade tomato soup, pie filling, venison, garden veggies, anything. and spend a few hours canning.

Time fly's by and before you know it, you will look in the closet or pantry and say.... wow there's enough food here to make it a while!!!

Its key that we eat a lot of rice, pasta, and canned veggies in our diet, so the supply in constantly moving.

[Bones]

You're doing it right, poke!

[Michael T]

It's hard to find oxygen absorbers around here - know anyplace good to get them?

Most men merry them

Mason don't need that much compressor for your blow up dolls

[Pokeman]

Except for weapons, I'm in bad shape.... On the other hand, the sooner I start the better.

Can anybody recommend sites, books (hopefully available at the library), that I might start my quest for being prepared? I'd guess water and food supply purchase/storage are my biggest concerns.

Be safe all.

Bought a 50lb bag of rice this weekend for 16 bucks. It will be separated and vacuum sealed over the next few days. inexpensive and a long last source of starch.

[Michael T]

About 80% of the worlds population lives on rice . Now add some vegies wok and chopsticks
All joking aside a wok can be a very useful way to cook it heats quickly and is easy to transport
A entire meal can be prepared in mins and those wooden sticks are also easy to use and care for.

[Bones]

About 80% of the worlds population lives on rice . Now add some vegies wok and chopsticks
All joking aside a wok can be a very useful way to cook it heats quickly and is easy to transport
A entire meal can be prepared in mins and those wooden sticks are also easy to use and care for.

Good point! Stir fry is tasty, too. Throw in a couple of eggs or a cat or two and you get plenty of protein, too.