How Much Food Should You Have Stored Up?

In prepper terms, "too much is not nearly enough"! For those starting out in the preparedness lifestyle, it's just one #10 can at a time, an extra toothbrush here, a couple oil lamps there and before you know it you're well on your way to self sufficiency! If you are frugal and have a fair bit of drive, you can avoid the mad rush at the local grocery when a natural disaster strikes (or worse)...
Click HERE to see what other preppers are doing to prepare.

Thanks to jimmyjr for starting the topic on APN!

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Washington Forum at http://www.washingtonpreppersnetwork.net/

Cleaning 5 Gallon Buckets for Food Storage

You want to reuse those 5 gallon buckets for food storage, but they have residue from the pickles or soy sause they once contained. How do you get them clean enough to store preps in? These folks have the answer!

Thanks to rollie66 for starting the thread on APN!

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Washington Forum at www.WashingtonPreppersNetwork.net

A New Way to Look at the Grocery Store!

Frustrated by high prices at your local grocery store? See how these folks are doing something about it!

Thanks to Ann28816

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Washington Forum at www.WashingtonPreppersNetwork.net

Annual Food Preparedness Goal Review

Life's been, well interesting the past several months, precluding my desire and ability to post, but with a new year comes the desire to try start anew. Bill's most recent post ties into what I've been working on for the past 3 weeks, and here goes the start of trying to post at least once a month.



The upcoming year holds a positive major life event for me (I'm getting married), so the holidays started me planning what changes I need to make for my food storage and family preparedness. Roommates move out, a husband and 2 more cats move in, with all of their respective storage and dietary needs to consider and prepare for.

Fortunately for me, he appreciates and supports my desire to be more self-sufficient, enjoys gardening and has the enthusiastic support of my son. He also owns most of the tools that have been used around my home for the past 18 months doing repairs, adding in raised beds and creating useful bits of furniture like dog kennels and shelves.



Because of all the things I do, lists are the mainstay of trying to stay on top of everything and keep life in balance. The following is the master list of what I'd ideally like to accomplish for my storage preparedness this year, week-by-week. I've moved some things to weeks closer to when my area puts things on sale, or when my apples are ripe from the original inspiration and set the amounts for 3 people, 3 dogs and 3-4 cats. With all the wedding preparations, I know I won't be able to get all of the totals I wish for, but I can look at doing a small amount each week and being closer to the overall goal.




Weekly Food Storage Purchase or Setup Concept (for 3 People)
Week # Itemto Buy Amount
1 Water Supply 14 gal min/person 2 week min, don't forget pets!
2 Detergents, bleaches, cleansers Bleach: 4 gal/person Laundry soap 20#/person
3 Medicine Chest/First Aid Kit All medications & ointments
4 Pet Food/supplies Bags: 6 dog/3 cat; 3 litter 1/2 of est. food needs
Garden seeds
5 Canned Meats 12 cans ea/per person (36 total)
(poultry, tuna, dried beef)
6 First Aid Kit All bandage-related items
7 Peanut Butter 10#/person (30#) maybe more for cooking?
8 Vegetable & Olive Oils 12#/each
9 Juices 100% juice, check for pwd too
10 Personal Hygiene (and feminine products) Toothpaste, brush, comb, razors
11 Wheat 50#/ea Total required grains 900# min
12 Spices & Herbs check for ones I use most
13 Rice: part of grain total 50#/ea Total required grains 900# min
14 First Aid Kit: catch up miscellany
15 Pasta: part of grain total 50# Total required grains 900# min
16 Dry Milk 50# 100#/person (300# total)
17 Sewing Kit: notions needed Check for needs
18 Flour: part of grain total 50# Total required grains 900# min
19 Dry or canned soups
20 More Wheat 50#/ea Total required grains 900# min
21 Pet Food/supplies Bags: 6 dog/3 cat; 3 litter 1/2 of est. food needs
22 More Rice: part of grain total 50#/ea Total required grains 900# min
23 Cord, Twine, Light Rope; flashlight/batteries
24 Cheese & sour cream: 180# cheese/30# sour grate & freeze, or buy dried
25 Towels, foil, garbage/freezer bags, etc
26 Vinegar: White & Apple Cider 6 gallons each min, use more if dyeing/cleaning
27 Condiments: ketchup/ranch/italian, etc
mayo/salad dressing/worchestershire/mustard
28 Jams & Jellies pre-made, or pectin supplies
29 Canned Soups, Dried Soup Mixes buy what we eat
30 Dry & Canned Milk buy on holiday baking sales?
31 Popcorn 50# Total required grains 900# min
32 Baking needs: b. soda, pwdr, cornstarch 2# ea, 3# for bak soda
33 Tomatoes: Juice, sauce, salsa, paste, dried Part of 150#/veggies each
34 Canned Fruit/Veg: 150#/veg; 80 qts fruit/ea
35 More Fruits & Vegetables
36 Sugar: 100#/per person 50#/ea Count with honey/molasses
37 Vegetables
38 Dried beans, peas, lentils 50#/ea 100#/person (300# total)
39 Back to school/office supplies buy on school sales
40 Iodized Salt 12# each (36#) Canning salt is separate (50#)
41 Personal Products: TP, soap, shampoo 52 rolls TP/ea;
15 bars soap, 4 bottles shampoo/ea
42 Emergency fuel supplies propane/kerosene/charcoal/wood
43 Apple stuff: dried, fruit leather, sauce
Dried beans, peas, lentils 50#/ea 100#/person (300# total)
44 Hard Candy for Halloween use in 72 hour kits too
Vitamins 365/ea Extra Vitamin C and Calcium!
45 More Wheat 50#/ea Total required grains 900# min
46 Sweeteners: sugars, honey, molasses
47 Rolled Oats, Corn Meal, Barley, Wheat 50#/ea Total required grains 900# min
48 Sugars: Brown, White, Powdered
49 Solid Vegetable Shortening 12#/person Check how lard stores too
50 Baking extras: Cocoa, chips, coconut, etc
51 Candles & matches
Emergency kit items refresh kits
52 Nuts 2#/person (6# total) on sale after Christmas
Emergency kit items refresh kits


I'll play fast and loose at times when a good sale comes up though, like with this month at Emergency Essentials, but with my shopping planner always in my purse, it helps me keep track of what I have, what I want, and what is a good price. I do a LOT of holiday baking for personal enjoyment and for work, so I end up doing major restocks at that time with the loss-leader sales. Bill's recommendation of the Kent LDS Cannery is a good one to look into, or alternatively if the dam does go, I could look at the Bremerton location-I have at least 3 planned trips to Kitsap County this year anyways.

So far I'm on track with the storage plans and purchases, keeping up with sewing and mending projects and doing a massive room-by-room declutter to simplify before July.

The hard part is looking at my gardening and other catalogs and remembering I'm not to order anything until AFTER my birthday, so that I don't end up with duplicates.

Food Storage availability

I have found that the least expensive place for me to buy wheat and rice and legumes is the Kent LDS Home Storage Center in Kent, Washington. In fact they come out on top even beating the store sales I have found, even if I pay the extra to have all of my stuff canned right there when I am there. Canning is fun!

They carry: black beans, pinto beans, white beans, nonfat dry milk, white rice, granulated sugar, hard red wheat, hard white wheat, apple slices, carrots, macaroni, quick oats, regular oats, dry onions, potato flakes, spaghetti noodles, refried beans, hot cocoa mix, white flour, fruit drink mix, pancake mix, potato pearls, #10 cans and lids, boxes, dry pack pouches, oxygen absorbers and free labels

They are located at 1412 W. Morton Street, Kent, WA 98035-0825 and their phone number to arrange a time to go do some canning or pick up already packed foods is 253-850-6392. They do not charge tax on food sold there. I think they still have some wet pack items as well as their dry pack items, but I believe they are switching to dry pack only for the near future.

An important note however: If the Howard Hanson dam fails or the powers that be have to release water to prevent further damage to the dam on the Green River, there is going to be massive flooding in the Kent Valley from Renton to Auburn and this will obviously disrupt services at the cannery and products may not be available.

Food storage accomplished through smart shopping, foraging, gardening & canning

Foraging:

This is the time of year to have your eyes open for wild edible plants and to begin storing up your favorites. Buy a good book and meet with knowledgeable friends to forage the woods and open spaces for the bounty the Good Lord brings forth every year.

Canning:

Of the many edible plants you can select, berries are always the number one favorite, and many quarts of jam and jelly will be processed as the fruits ripen over the next few months. To can your own jam or jelly, requires the acquisition of a large number of canning jars now, for later use. Check for store sales of jars and lids, of pectin and sugar, along with specials on various fruits at rock bottom prices. Do not pass up the garage sales either which can be a gold mine on canning bottles and products.

Learn something new this year. Try different methods of canning your favorite foods and fruits.

If you wish to try some new interesting processing methods, try some of the pioneer methods of preserving foods. One such method called ‘pemmican’, is mainly meat and berries pounded together to make meat/berry cakes, which will last for several months without refrigeration, and can last you through the winter if you keep them stored at a constant cool temperature.

Improving Food Storage Temperatures:

Try improving your food storage area. Consider maybe increasing the size of your storage area and/or try improving the insulation factor of your food storage area. This can be done by adding ‘closed in cabinets or cupboards, or by simply insulating your garage door itself, or replacing your non-insulated garage door with an insulated garage door. Anything you do should have a goal of lowering the area storage temperature to below 70 degrees, which is the ideal highest temperature for best results in the longevity and saving of stored fruits and vegetables.

Work Your Garden:

Your garden should be well underway now as we are past the last frost. This year, try experimenting with some new species of your favorite crops, such as several varieties of corn, and squash.

My garden is already producing fruit and vegetables. Yeah! We have been harvesting salad on a regular basis. Two days ago I also sampled one of my very hot radishes and then I cooled off my tongue with a large fresh strawberry. Nothing tastes better than fresh produce.

It is fun to garden and it brings a sense of peace to your soul as you dig in the dark brown earth. God has been good to me this year. Almost everything I have planted is thriving. (Using Miracle grow did not hurt my odds either…)


Smart Shopping for Food Storage:

Continue to watch for food sales and store coupons that reduce your food bill costs. If you have been doing this all along, you may find that now, the only time you have to go shopping is for milk and to pickup items when something they are on sale.

The Comfort of Having Your Food Storage:

It is amazing the comfort it gives you to have a minimum of one year’s supply of food in your pantry and food storage. Personally we have two years of grains, dehydrated foods and freeze dried foods in our long-term supply stored up. We also have our regular pantry stuffed with enough fresh foods and water to easily last three to five months. It is packed full of things we like to eat all of the time in our regular diet.

The Perfect Storm is Brewing!

One of the articles at the Millennium-Ark site was particularly well worded. The only part I am not sure of is that it mentions pending farm legislation, which I have not found information on yet, but the remainder of the article seems valid based on current headlines.

The name of the article is: “We have the perfect storm brewing”

The author shares 8 reasons for concern and possible proof that worse times on food availability are in the immediate future:

(1) There is no “bridge credit” for farmers to get their crops in this year due to the credit crisis, resulting in many farmers not planting this season;
(2) Some farmers in Colorado, Texas, and possibly some other states are not planting this season because they cannot get as much for their crops, as their costs for production are greater than their returns;
(3) Some foreign countries are shutting down exports of food to the U.S. (which is a net 15% food importer currently) due to their own crop failures and food shortages in their own countries;
(4) The devaluing of the dollar, will not buy as much foreign food as it used to, with the high probability of runaway inflation once foreign countries are no longer willing (or able) to subsidize our debt, which will further decrease purchasing power and increase food prices;
(5) There are no export restrictions on American farmers, who can and do sell their crops to foreigners who will pay more for them than Americans will, with the result that some of our production is going overseas and not to us;
(6) There is pending legislation that may soon may make it much more difficult to farm and/or may shut down organic farms, farmer's markets and possibly even home gardens in the near future;
(7) There is still a potential of a flu pandemic with potential quarantines and consequent cessation of shipping and the ability to shop;
(8) California is shutting down some irrigation to farmers in several farm areas of California. One area in particular, the Sacramento Central Valley, has been affected, whereby there is the killing off the source of much of the fruit and vegetables there, in order to save ‘the allegedly endangered smelt!’

These circumstances are documented in mainstream media, and point to restrictions in the availability of some food items in the fall of 2009; and with what will be available, many will be more expensive.These circumstances are the setting for "an apocalyptic food shortage of biblical proportions." She states that “only the very blind and arrogant among us” could fail to see the immediate and obvious necessity for the home production and storage of food and other necessities.

I cannot emphasize or stress more strongly now the need for getting in food storage and for planting a garden this year while food and seeds are still available and are still affordable. But, the fundamentals, underscored by the conditions outlined above, suggest that this may well be the case.

The author points out that if it turns out not to be the case, “you can have a good laugh at my expense and tell me to go and get a tin-foil hat, but the apocalypse is still coming.” Consider any extra preparation time to be a gift.

She suggests that the window for preparation is closing rapidly, possibly this summer and fall. So get your preparations done now if you have not done them.

No one can prepare for you. There are too many of us and there are too many members from third world countries who are physically unable to prepare. Your neighbor or family members cannot prepare for you, either.

Also, those of you planning to raid your neighbor or a family member's larder when times get tough, this is not only improbable, but evil. Your neighbors or family members do not have the responsibility or the resources to prepare for you and your neighbor, and or your neighbor’s neighbor.

She feels the window of opportunity is slamming shut fast. Don't let it slam shut on you!

Her final Note: If you have been preparing, good for you! It is always fun to preach to the choir. But, once you have your house in order you can and should go out and help others to prepare. You are not fully prepared until your neighbor is prepared!

[I think, she has made some good points!]

To see the full article, go to:
http://standeyo.com/NEWS/09_Food_Water/090516.apolcalyptic.food.shortage.html

What About Wheat for Food Storage?

It is recommended that you have at least 300 pounds of wheat per person for a one year supply of basic wheat grains.

*There are six major classes of wheat listed below.

Hard Wheat

Hard red winter wheat is a high protein wheat used mostly for breads and all-purpose flour and as an adjunct in other flours to increase protein content. This class of wheat accounts for more than 40% of the U.S. wheat crop and half of U.S. wheat exports.

Durum wheat is a spring wheat, and may be either white or red. It is the hardest of all U.S. wheat, offers both high protein and high gluten content, and used to make the semolina flour used for premium pasta products and some Mediterranean breads.

Hard red spring wheat is the highest protein wheat, and is used for bread, hard baked goods, all-purpose flour, and flour blends.

Hard white wheat is medium protein grain that is closely related to red wheat except for color, in milling and baking qualities. However, it offers a milder, sweeter flavor, and is used in yeast breads, hard rolls, bulgur, tortillas, oriental noodles, whole wheat and all-purpose flowers, and used in brewing. It is the newest class of wheat to be grown in the United States.

Soft Wheat

Soft red winter wheat has a low to medium protein content, and is used for breads and blending. It is used to make cookies, cakes, donuts, and other fine pastries as well as flat breads, and crackers.

Soft white wheat is a low protein wheat, but offers high yields to growers. It provides a whiter product for high quality cakes, crackers, cookies, pastries, and Asian-style noodles (bakery products other than breads), and is ideally suited to Middle Eastern flatbreads.

*For more information: http://www.gramene.org/species/triticum/wheat_intro.html

Feed Wheat, what about it?

Feed Wheat – is wheat normally used for livestock feeding. A very valid question was asked about if humans can (and I would add, or should) consume Feed Wheat.

Yes humans can consume feed wheat. They can also consume dog food and pig food and other animal foods, however would you really want to? I do not think the lower cost reduction of animal feeds, (which often are only very slightly less expensive) justifies the trade out of high quality enriched foods. The drop in food cost in my mind does not outweigh the drop in food quality and lower protein percentages. However, decide for yourself. You can locate feed wheat at most animal feed stores for farm animals.

This being said, some brave souls will continue to eat feed wheat and dog food during emergencies. And no they will not die. After all, in the early 60’s many hippies were surviving on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and our society was criticizing them as ‘heading for the malnutrition lines.

We laughed at them then, but life was sustained. Their diets may have violated the norms of a good balanced diet, however we learned that living on limited basics can still sustain life and not bring about the ‘end as we know it’.

Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage

In Emergency Preparedness, think in increments in your preparations. I always like to compartmentalize things because it makes it easier to remember.

I consider the following important:

1. Know what types of disasters and emergencies you are likely to experience. If you do not know what is out there, find out. In Washington state, these are likely storms, power outages, hazardous spills, flooding, landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and in some areas, tsunamis, lahars and tornados.

2. Know what types of safety precautions are needed and training needed to deal with each of these.

3. Prepare a 120-hour emergency kit for each member of your family and a vehicle kit for each vehicle. My wife and my 120-hour kits are in bright orange "Search Rescue" bags and our vehicle kits are in clear tubs.

4. Work on increasing your home pantry to include basics, things you normally eat, until you have a three-month supply. Try to purchase extra food on sales. One of the benefits of having these items is that your grocery bill will be reduced once you have built up your supplies. For me, I use an old refrigerator to store boxed items to keep critters and bugs out and the cabinets of our pantry doors are left locked to keep items from tumbling out in the event of earthquake.

5. Gradually add to your camping and survival gear, heat sources, light sources, sleeping and comfort gear, clothing, blankets and quilts, sanitation gear, etc. Take an inventory and check over your list of desired items. If you concentrate on these items in groups, it makes it easier to realize what you do not have and what you still need or do not need. You will also find you can upgrade your items easier by dating and identifying what you actually have or do not have, what you need versus what would be nice, etc...

6. Gradually add to a one year or larger food storage of such basics as grains (including wheat, flour, corn meal, oats, rice and pasta), fats and oils (including shortening, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing and peanut butter), legumes (such as dry beans, lima beans, soy beans, split peas, lentils and dry soup mix), sugars (including honey, sugar, brown sugar, molasses, corn syrup, jams and powdered fruit drink), dairy (both powdered and evaporated milk), cooking essentials (such as baking powder, baking soda, yeast, salt and vinegar) and at least a one month supply of drinking water and a few bottles of plain bleach without additives to be used for cleaning and for water purification. Also store some comfort food. For me, that means a couple of #10 cans loaded with Snickers candy bars. They probably will not last twenty years in those cans, but then I will probably give in to eating them sooner than later anyway....

A little work and some luck on sales will see you ready in a very short time. May you be blessed with success on being prepared for the future. Being a Prepper is just a matter of thinking and writing and then acting on your needs, one little step at a time. Happy Preppering!!!

A Year’s Supply of food for $58.81?

The following story was shared with permission from a handout entitled “Food Storage…On The Path to Preparedness” written by Debbie Kent. Debbie is a food storage expert. The original author of the story is Nola Carlson of Chicago, Illinois. It originally appeared in the July 1982 Ensign, pg. 63. It shares how a large Mormon family of 15 members was able to store up a one-year supply of food for the unbelievably low amount of just $58.81. It is an endearing story of persistence and creativity.

------------
We have a large family, and feeding them is a challenge. Seven of our thirteen are foster children, so we have inherited all kinds of appetites. Most of them are teenagers and seem to inhale food as easily as air; so when my husband came home and proudly announced that ‘we were going to can and store enough food for one year,’ we all were more than a little skeptical.

“We can do it,” he said. “We can do anything the Prophet has told us to.”

“It seems to me,” he continued, “the answer is simple enough. We know we are always short on money, so we must do it with a minimum of cost. I have figured out that we have $58.81 to spend. Now, what shall we spend it on?”

“Well,” said our little oriental foster daughter, “we need jars and lids if we are going to can.”

“Good point,” said sixteen-year-old Missy. “What about sugar? We can‘t can without that.”

“Yes we can,” I answered.

“Your grandmother used to do it all the time when I was a kid. We never had sugar, but mom used to say if the fruit was ripe and in good condition, the sweetness of the natural fruit would come out. I have canned like that for years.’

After an evening of discussion, the jars and lids for home canning won.

The girls began an earnest search for inexpensive jars. We haunted yard sales in our area and found a sale on lids at our local flea market. Before long we had over a thousand jars to fill for storage. The boys‘ job was to locate fruit and vegetables for canning. William, our eleven-year-old, found four cherry trees; the man who owned them was getting old, and each year the fruit went to waste. It fell to me to ask for the cherries.

“Mom”, William said, “just tell him we can‘t pay for them but maybe we can clean up the alley in back of his garage instead.”

This approach has turned out to be the key. We have pulled weeds for rhubarb, painted fences for strawberries, cut wood for raspberries, hauled paper for peaches, and raked leaves for apples. One night my husband came home and informed us that we would have the privilege of gleaning a potato patch in the morning before work. “It‘s simple enough,” he said. “We leave home at 5:00 a.m. and pick until 8:00. We ought to be able to pick enough to carry us through the winter.”

There were groans when morning came, but with all of us working as fast as we could (that was the only way to keep warm), we were finished by 7:30. And we had enough potatoes to keep us through the winter.

Onions, peas, tomatoes, and any vegetables that we could find went into our storage. All were bought with work as we expanded our food storage for the coming year. One truck farmer, after hearing a report of the frost warning, called us and told us that if we would come and pick his produce that night, we could have as much as we could pick, because by morning it would all be frozen.

So, bundled against the cold, and by the beam of our car‘s headlights, the whole family picked most of the night. We picked squash, cabbage, and a variety of other produce. It was hard work, but we laughed and sang until we were giddy. It was a night we still talk about.

When we made our fall survey, we found that we had canned 1,500 quarts of fruit and vegetables and had enough potatoes, turnips, and root vegetables to see us through the full year. We have continued this method of acquiring necessary storage items each year.

Our son Marty‘s observation sums up the family‘s experience: “If you‘re really willing to work together, you can accomplish anything, even a year‘s supply for $58.81”

Note: Adjusting for inflation in 2007 it would have been $129.46, a very small amount for a family of 15.

-------------
Two years later, today in 2009, this overall amount would be a little higher, probably closer to around $150.00, but you get the idea and can see the message of this story - it is possible to build a years supply of food with very little money, using a little bit of courtesy, open eyes to constantly be looking for opportunities, and sometimes a little bit of extra hard work.

Gleaning fields and local produce companies; CO-OP’s and food stores (as a gleaner) in Washington State can help you fill your pantry cupboards full of freshly canned produce. We have orchards and neighbors everywhere in this state that let fruit drop to the ground rather than harvest it. We also have friends and neighbors who have gardens who are willing to trade and share their abundance with others. No one should have difficulty in obtaining food if they are resourceful enough.

Personally I love apples and apple juice. I would guess that at least 75 percent or more of my apples are obtained for free every year, just by going up to peoples homes and asking politely. I buy my jars at thrift stores and yard sales also for next to nothing. I too offer to rake lawns, or gather all of the ‘falls’ into bags for the owners, sometimes to be fed to their farm animals, sometimes to go into a compost pile. Most people are willing to share when you offer your services for free. Some appreciate some apple juice back in return…

Great positive information!

Food - The Ultimate Barter Item

Source: http://standeyo.com/NEWS/09_Food_Water/090304.food-barter.item.html

You can easily store foods for troubled times.Learn how to do it yourself and $AVE!

Use our FREE Food Storage Planner.

March 3, 2009, Thanks to "just in time" inventory practices; America has an average of just three days of food on its shelves. Inventories are kept extremely well managed and "tight" thanks to the amazing efficiency of modern day transportation and manufacturing systems.

Photo: Shoppers push their shopping cart past empty shelves at a Food Town grocery store on the north side of Houston, as the area recovers from Hurricane Ike September 17, 2008. (Reuters/Richard Carson)

But what happens when the system breaks down and the food distribution system gets disrupted?

For the answer, you really only need to think of the previous Katrina television coverage of a few years ago... pictures of bare shelves and desperate brawls as folks argued and even fought over the remaining scraps.

Now imagine a disruption in the system that lasts not a few months... but one that could affect our food supply for years to come.

Despite government attempts to throw money at this problem, statist's actions, like wage and price controls, will only create greater shortages. The more bureaucrats demand that prices remain constant... the more producers of food related items will NOT produce the item. After all, their costs rise with inflation so it's only fair to pass them on. What always happens are misallocations of capital and shortages. This is the legacy of communism and socialism. Central planners try to tell the market place what to produce and what to charge. The result, historically, has been disastrous. Barak Obama believes in the government's obligation to help with all his heart. And he will. But his idea of help will eventually be wage and price controls.

His actions will affect every man, woman, and child in America. So the time to start your "food insurance"program is right now. Here's the reason: The average American has yet to reach an understanding of the potential devastation that socialism will bring to our advanced "division of labor" economy. When they do, the surge of demand for food storage equipment like canning supplies will turn into a tidal wave.

Food prepared for storage will be almost impossible to secure. If the news media even mentions a run on any food preparation equipment, it's over. Trust me. Buy plenty of jars and supplies now. This is not a question of if... but rather when. After word gets out, the show is over and those who have not taken steps to prepare will be on their own.

THE PROBLEM WITH PAPER MONEY

Please understand something very important: you will not be able to buy your way out of the current meltdown if you wait too long. Especially, with paper money. In a panic, survival food is the ultimate currency. It not only satisfies appetites, but with it you can buy anything else you need. People always need to eat no matter what else is true. Having plenty of stored food that you can trade or barter will put you in the best possible position to survive and prosper in the coming bad times.

Now what kind of prepared food and other commodities will be worth the most? Below is a list of foods that will be extremely valuable in a meltdown.

BEST BARTER BETS IN A CRISIS

1. Canned foods grown on gardens or private farms. Especially, vegetables and fruits that haven't been sprayed with pesticides.

2. Canned meats from livestock pastured on small farms.

3. Canned meats and vegetables bought in stores.

4. Beef jerky and other dried foods make fantastic barter items.

5. Pastas of all types seem to last a long time and will be high on the list of desired items.

6. Dog food. Yep. Just do it. Dog foods, both dry and canned provide essential vitamins, minerals and proteins. Costs are very reasonable. Shelf life is several years and some of the new "chewy" brands are edible. In a real disaster, with "runs" on food at the grocery store, you may be the only one at the dog food section.

7. Dried beans. Beans are a protein powerhouse. You can never go wrong by having them as a barter item.

8. Peanut butter. If you can make your own so much the better. In a disaster, peanut butter will leave the shelves so fast it will make your head spin. Learn how to make peanut butter and buy 50 pounds of peanuts... just in case.

9. Powdered milk. Another staple that has had tremendous barter value. Buy Carnation brand and get plenty, then... Go to your local farm or feed store and buy 25 to 50 pounds of "milk replacement" for calves. Not the greatest tasting but extremely nutritional. And like dog food, no one will be thinking about hording this item.

10. Vitamin supplements. Have plenty of non-synthetic vitamins stored as barter items. Disease spreads like wildfire in panics and famines. Those with healthy immune systems have a much better chance of surviving to help others.

PRESSURE IS BUILDING!

As this report is written, pressure on some supplies is building. If you are at all interested in securing a food supply for your family, please don't wait. Get your supplies!

If you put this report aside, intending to get back to it in a few months... you could get caught by surprise in the meltdown. Some of your friends will say "none of this can happen." If all you can come up with is "none of this can happen" then read some books on the history of socialism and its fruit. It always produces shortages and higher prices - "Always, no exceptions."