One week into the Stockpile Challenge, we are now out of most of those items we all pick up fresh at the store each week. I purposely did not go out and stock up on a huge amount of fresh produce and cheese because I wanted the challenge to be more akin to a sudden change in circumstances. I still have some fresh carrots and potatoes, but that’s it for fresh vegetables. I’m down to the last 2 apples also, then it’s on to canned and frozen for our produce. I am moving on to the milk that I store in the freezer as of this morning.
I had horrible back spasms this weekend so haven’t yet made my farmer’s cheese or my yogurt – those are on the agenda for this week. I was very thankful to have nice jarred meals waiting for me so that I didn’t have to cook this weekend – it hurt to stand up for even 5 minutes.
I am sure that everyone will find the first week the easiest. Most people will have plenty of food the first week in a real disaster – they will run out of odd things here and there but it will only be minor inconveniences, like perhaps no milk for their coffee. (Okay, the minor-ness of that particular example is debateable!) Going in to the second week is the point at which I suspect the general public will start foraging in the back of their cupboards and piecing together odd things for meals. (Of course, Superstorm Sandy belies my assumption, since people were claiming to be starving to death after 3 days. )
One week in, how is the challenge going for those of you who have joined in? Have you made any observations you’d like to share?
This series is fun and informative. Even though I didn’t participate in the challenge I am gathering new info and would also like to share some of my own.
I have canned milk, butter and ghee. This is controversial, but when the government’s alphabet agencies tell me what I can’t do, or what I shouldn’t eat, I suspect their motives and do it. After all, our grandparents and their grandparents did it successfully.
The milk I worked with was 100% grass-fed organic and raw and the butter and ghee I made from the cream. The whey and buttermilk byproducts lasts for 6 months or more in the refrigerator. There are lots of articles and videos on how to can dairy products and you can choose the one you feel most comfortable with; I chose the least processed. The canned milk I put up in Ball jars is sweet and heavy and tastes like store bought canned milk. It is great in a cup of coffee, for cooking custards or baking as well as over cold cereal…it even does in a pinch to drink as a cold cup of milk. The ghee is terrific and so easy to do. I haven’t had to open the butter, yet, but love knowing it is on the shelf. So, if you don’t have your own milking cow or goat—try pressure canning!
And for muscle spasms (most often due to magnesium deficiency) spray-on mineral oil relieves spasms quickly http://www.ancient-minerals.com/products/magnesium-oil/.
Thank you so much, Sally – I just upped my calcium/magnesium supplement but hadn’t heard that about the mineral oil. On my way to check that out!
I can’t acquire raw milk here, only pasteurized organic. Do you think the results would be similar with pasteurized milk?
Daisy
Oops! My typo–I’m sorry Daisy that should have read magnesium oil (not mineral). The magnesium oil absorbs right away into the muscles and bypasses the gut as when taking a supplement. The problem is most of us (especially those who get plenty of dairy products) get too much calcium in relation to magnesium and, in fact, most Americans are deficient in magnesium.
Sally
Gotcha – thank you for clarifying that! I hadn’t made it over to the other website yet. Where do you find magnesium oil – does it have to be ordered?
You can order Ancient Minerals brand (magnesium chloride) for transdermal magnesium supplementation (topical absorption) at several websites. This brand is recommended by Dr. Mark Sircus, Ac. OMD and Dr. Carolyn Dean, M.D. N.D., both leading magnesium experts. You can order an 8 oz spray bottle and try it, but it is less expensive to buy your flakes in bulk and make your own oil (not really an oil) as per this recipe: http://wellnessmama.com/5804/how-to-make-your-own-magnesium-oil/
FYI: Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate.
Daisy, the problem with pasteurized milk is a double whammy—it is pasteurized and homogenized—both processes have serious drawbacks and health issues. There is quite a controversy over drinking raw milk (preferably grass-fed) or no milk at all. That said…most articles and videos use raw milk when canning because of easy access to it. Of course when canning raw milk it, too, involves heat treatment designed to destroy foodborne pathogens and so makes the raw milk no longer raw or as healthy. And because it is not homogenized, the milk and cream separate in the jar on the shelf. I would think you can use pasteurized milk—after all that’s what they use for processed foods as their milk base.
Sally
I really hope to find a source of raw milk one of these days soon. Where I live, organic milk at the grocery store is $11 a gallon! OUCH – needless to say, we’ve cut back. I did find a dairy locally where I can buy organic milk and I get a better price for buying 6 gallons at a time. Every little bit helps!
I’m definitely going to give this a shot – thank you for all the input!
Daisy
In VT we tap the milk ourselves direct from the tank into half gallon Ball jars, in NH we can buy raw milk at the store (usually only at the Co-op) as long as the farmer delivers (no middleman), but it’s in a plastic jug, and the best is a local farmer that has a couple of cows and I pick up his full jars swapped for my empty ones—costs run $8/gal on average. Your price is high and if it is a Big-Agra brand, conditions could equal CAFOs (http://www.cornucopia.org/horizon-factory-farm-photo-gallery/horizon-factory-farm-photos/). But the local dairy sounds like your best option for now. Have you had any luck finding a farm through Weston A. Price’s Real Milk Finder? http://www.realmilk.com/real-milk-finder/
What awesome links, Sally!
I’m in Canada, so unfortunately the raw milk website is not something I can use. But I bet many readers will benefit from it.
So sad, those pictures. The local dairy doesn’t look that grim, thankfully, but it isn’t what I’d hope for. One day I really hope to get my own goats – self sufficiency is the eventual goal.
I totally fell off the project this week. There is a lot of food here, but so much of the stored food is not on a new medical diet . I am using it a little at a time. I would prepare it if the situation were real and the choice was starving – but for the rest of this challenge, I will be supplementing and storing medically permissible foods.
Good luck with the new eating plan, Sheri! I hope it’s successful. 🙂
Daisy, I’m so sorry about your back. I have had occurences of a bad back for many years & so know a little of what you are experiencing. No fun. Hopefully this will pass quickly.
So far so good with no grocery shopping. About a qt. of fresh milk left & then we switch to powdered & canned. Margarine is holding up well & maybe we will get through to the end of the month. My DH tells stories of the neighbour kids using lard on their bread as they didn’t have a cow like his family had. A neighbour told stories of putting molasses on their bread & turning the sandwiches over at recess to get both slices soaked. While they had cows most of the butter had to be sold to pay other bills. People obviously can do without if need be.
Since we have had power & a freezer for a long time I generally only can fruit, pickles & jam with meat & veg. going into the freezers. Within the last year I decided that I needed to practice the old skills just in case. Today I opened the first qt. of veg. beef soup. & I was surprised how good it was. I must do more as opening a jar is so easy…no thawing.
I also like the fact that meats and soups that I can instead of freezing will last if the power goes out – very important to me, especially where I live! 🙂
My dad told me a version of the lard sandwich story too – but they sprinkled sugar on the lard.
sally- thanks for sharing the info on milk products- i have wondered about preserving ghee, and now i know it can be done!
milk has been the only thing i’ve “cheated” on, but i buy it raw from a local goat farmer- not a grocery store. I will be milking my own come spring- so not too much cheating, is it?…..made some veggie soup from the pantry for dinner the other night, and some cookies for my daughter’s birthday today. all from pantry items save the eggs from my backyard birds. i am working through the fresh fruits veg and cheeses quickly though, should start rationing, the month’s still new! have winter greens growing in the greenhouse when other fresh foods run out, it will be spinach and arugula…
so far, a fun and educational challenge- thank you daisy for the motivation.
Jealous, Beth, that you will be getting your own goat’s milk soon! One day….*dreams*
We are officially out of fresh veggies and fruits as of supper today. Eek…and it’s only the 8th! Onward to frozen, canned and sprouts!
For anyone who doesn’t have a source of eggs, let me know – I could publish an article on some egg-free baked goods. My daughter is allergic, so short of an omelet or quiche (haha) I can make pretty much anything without eggs now, using basic ingredients, not gimmicky-y substitutes. If anyone is interested in this, let me know! 🙂
Daisy
I would love to read an article on egg free baked goods. My oldest daughter is vegan. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
My daughter has an egg allergy – here is the article I wrote about egg-free baked goods. 🙂
https://www.theorganicprepper.com/baking-without-eggs-01262013
~ Daisy
hi sally
can you link the instructions you use for canning milk and butter. thank you!
Re: egg-free baked goods
There are egg-free cake recipes all over the Internet. Search for “mix-in-the-pan” recipes. They use vinegar and you really can’t tell there is no egg in the cake! The chocolate cake is very good, but I have also made an egg-free carrot cake and a spice cake using the same principle.
Bread does not have to contain eggs. Most recipes do not call for eggs. Usually only rich dough like sweet cinnamon roll dough recipes contain eggs.