Recession: With War or Without It? by Gary North

[arkienurse]

The fear of what is coming is part of the reason we are filing we need to be prepared for our changing world. I am now working on stock piling food as best we can right now. We planted a garden, and I planned on freezing but what if we lose electric?

We have a fireplace and access to wood, we won't freeze in the winter, many of our neighbors don't have this.

We will start saving soon, we talked about it tonight. We are outdoors people and DH knows how to hunt. I hate thinking this way, but how can a rational person not be worried? Times are changing and it's best we all realize it and get prepared.

Anyone who doesn't see it can't be living in reality, those will be left behind.

If you are interested in canning, Ball makes a book that tells you how to not only can food, but how to freeze it properly also. I have one I bought almost 20 years ago. Canning jars are expensive, and a good canner will set you back a bit, but if you have any substantial sized garden at all, you will recoup the money in no time.
I canned all my tomatoes, greenbeans, and summer squash. I prefer the canned taste over frozen. I even made salsa one year, but let me warn you not to chop peppers with your bare hands. Even putting them in the food processor should be done with caution, and maybe on the back porch.
Now if you have purple hull or field peas, they just taste better blanched and frozen than canned, but if you are really worried about the electric, then weigh that in your decision. Perhaps can a few and taste them before committing your entire crop to one way or the other.

[AngelinaCatHub]

[AngelinaCatHub]

Arkienurse, a good canner and consider purchasing the replacement parts too, like the gasket, and rubber blow out things as they will go bad in time. It is tough to find a ‘good’ canner since everything is made in China. I would advise against getting an aluminum canner though. The deep water bath canning is the easiest and usually cheapest as you only need a pot that is usually steel with a porcelain paint job. Pressure canning is an art you have to learn. Another thing, stock pile 20 lb propane (NOT IN YOUR HOUSE) as city gas supplies could and probably would be cut off and electricity stoves are dead.

[BKOnce]

Everytime I buy canned foods, I 'm afraid after cutting it... the "metal" dust from cutting the lid will settle down into my foods and I eat it...into my stomach.

Also, any metal food can stored in fridge will begin to.... well ya know... *rusty* *oxidized* *acidized* *anodized*...etc. & etc.. a no no..

[Bandit]

I canned all my tomatoes, greenbeans, and summer squash. I prefer the canned taste over frozen. I even made salsa one year, but let me warn you not to chop peppers with your bare hands. Even putting them in the food processor should be done with caution, and maybe on the back porch.
Now if you have purple hull or field peas, they just taste better blanched and frozen than canned, but if you are really worried about the electric, then weigh that in your decision. Perhaps can a few and taste them before committing your entire crop to one way or the other.

mmmm...yummy. I know where to go for dinner.

[Bandit]

Arkienurse, a good canner and consider purchasing the replacement parts too, like the gasket, and rubber blow out things as they will go bad in time.

but if you are using something like Ball or Mason, what would you say? a minimum of 2 years & maximum of 5 years if the seal does not break?

I have some canned/pickled food that family & people have given me & it is older than 5 years in glass jars but I have a feeling that the relish & jelly inside is still good.