I've always wondered what would happen if I left items for a long period of time- how long does it take to make things spoil, go bad, rot, fall apart, or disinegrate. 

This blog talks about the effects that time, humidity, and temperature had on a storage unit that was left alone for 11 years.  When they came back to the unit they were able to see the condition of their belongings.  Read the blog to find out more about it.  Very interesting and good to know what will last and what won't last.

Corrosion Prevention of Canned Goods

Corrosion Prevention of Canned Goods:

Some areas have difficulty storing metal canned goods for long periods of time. This is usually caused by very high humidity or exposure to salt in a marine environment. If this is a problem, it is possible to extend the life of metal cans by coating their outsides. I've seen this used on boats here in Florida, especially when loading for a long trip. There are at least four methods that can be used to do this:

- Paraffin Method

PARAFFIN METHOD: Using a double boiler, paraffin is melted and brushed on the clean, unrusted cans. Be certain to get a good coat on all seams, particularly the joints. If the can is small enough, it can be dipped directly into the wax. Care must be taken to not cause the labels to separate from the cans. Do not leave in long enough for the can to get warm.

- Paste Wax Method

Combine 2-3 ozs of paste or jelly wax with a quart of mineral spirits. Warm the mixture CAREFULLY in its container by immersing it in a larger container of hot water. DO NOT HEAT OVER AN OPEN FLAME! Stir the wax/spirits thoroughly until it is well mixed and dissolved. Paint the cans with a brush in the same manner as above. Place the cans on a wire rack until dry.

- Spray Silicone

A light coating of ordinary spray silicone may be used to deter rust. Spray lightly, allow to dry, wipe gently with a clean cloth to remove excess silicone.

- Clear Coating

A clear type of spray or brush on coating such as Rustoleum (tm) may be applied. This is best suited for larger reseable cans, but will keep them protected from corrosion for years.

(all information found here)

Picking Blueberries

It is almost time to pick blueberries.  I am excited because this will be my first year harvesting them.  My husband grew up picking wild blueberries up north, so we are going to continue the tradition.  I am excited because first of all, I didn't have to plant or water them, and second, because we are going to have FRESH blueberries to eat!

I learned from Diane, my mother-in-law, that you can freeze the blueberries on a pan one layer deep.  After they are frozen, pull them out and put them in ziplock bags for fresh berries for the next several months!

Depending on how many we get, we can make blueberry pie, jelly, jam, syrup, pie filling (for later use), blueberry butter, or I can bottle them and put them on the shelf.  I didn't grow up on a blueberry harvest, so I've never tasted any of the following.  I'll let you know how it goes, what we make, and what I like :)

Here is a website that has great information about blueberries, if anyone is interested.

Food Storage Tips

Food storage is an important part of preparation in case of an emergency.  It is important that you and your family set up a system that works well with your family size and needs.  Here are some tips for food storage (a comprehensive list and excellent resource is at this website):

1.  Store your food in a cool, dark, dry place.  This can be a basement, closet, kitchen, attic, under your bed, or even stored in a chest and used as a table.  Be creative if you have small living quarters!

2. Figure out how much storage you need for you and your family.  Use this cool calculator to figure it out.

3.  Decide how to store your food storage.  Put your food in 5 to 6 gallon buckets or pails.  There are different ways of "sealing" your food so moisture doesn't get in and cause the food to spoil.  There are mylar bags, the dry ice method, CO2 and Nitrogen flush method, bay leaves, freezing your grain, and the diatomaceous earth powder (which is used to kill insects and is approved for human consumption).

4.  What is the shelf life of your food?  There is a great chart on the website that shows the general shelf life of foods.

5.  Make sure to rotate your food so it doesn't spoil or get eaten by rodents or insects (I grew up eating wheat that was stored it in a big 5-gallon bucket, and we never had problems.  The same thing goes for home canned goods, or canned goods from the store).

- Make sure that you have food on your shelves that you are willing to eat, because if there is no emergency, you will want to eat and rotate your storage. 

- It is important to store extra water for your dehydrated foods that you will be rehydrating.  Follow the chart on the website for rehydration.

- If you eat one meal a week from your storage shelves, you will go through your one year supply in 7 years.