Long Term Storage

The Basics of Family Home Storage

* Three - Month Supply

* Drinking Water

*Financial Reserve

*Longer-Term Supply

This is the last post on the Basics of Family Home Storage (well,

maybe not the last, forever, but for now).  After you have your three

month supply of normal, everyday foods- some drinking water stored-

and your financial reserve in place- it is wise to store some foods that 

store for longer periods of time.  These foods need not be used right

away and if packaged and stored properly will last from five to thirty

years. 

A friend of mine built these cool, rotating shelves for my #10 cans.

I have things like dried fruit,

powdered milk, eggs,

beans and grains in my long term storage.

I don't use these items regularly, but I try to incorporate them into my 

meals from time to time.  Once I open a can, I repackage them into

canning jars and reseal them with my vacuum sealer.  This way I don't 

have to use it so quickly.  Most of these items are freeze dried and

and are tasty when reconstituted and added to my recipes.  The dried 

apples are especially good.

I have large buckets of nitrogen packed foods, like wheat, beans, rice,

sugar, salt and pasta.  These items will retain their nutritional value and

flavor for up to thirty years.......that's a long time.  These are staple foods

and I use these items in my cooking.  I open one bucket at a time 

and when I've used it up - I purchase another one to take it's place.  This

way, I'm slowly rotating my storage.

When I'm making bread, I grind my own wheat.  

I keep a smaller amount in the kitchen, where it is easily accessible.

As I use it, I refill from the bucket in the basement.

The long term storage items are stored up high

and down low.  See the buckets under the shelving.  The foods on the 

shelves are my three month supply, normal, everyday foods.  They are

easiest to access, because I use them all the time.  I have very little food

in my kitchen, so this area serves as my pantry.   I get a little extra

exercise running up and down the stairs each day to get food. Which

reminds me- I heard a statistic once that people who have stairs in

their home ( and actually use them), live an average of five years

longer than those who don't have stairs.  I remind myself of that

when I'm going up and down the stairs.

Even though I don't use my long term storage everyday, I do know how

to use it when I need it.  That's an important thing about food storage.  It

makes no sense to store items you don't know how to cook or you know

your family wouldn't eat.  

Once you have established a food storage program, it takes diligence to

keep it stocked.  If you are using your foods regularly, like I do, it's 

important to inventory often, and replace what you have used.  That's

what I'm working on this month.  I know I need to replace a lot of my

canned items.

Food storage is a type of insurance.  It feels good to know you are covered

and that you will have food to feed your family, regardless of the uncertain

situations you might face.  Buy an extra bag of rice or beans today and you

are on your way.

*MYOF Goal - #18 - Work on monthly storage and preparedness goals.