Comments for The Chatelaine's Keys http://sharonastyk.com Finding the keys to the future…and trying not to lose them in the mess. Fri, 25 May 2012 14:01:49 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Back to Food Storage by Kate@LivingTheFrugalLife http://sharonastyk.com/2012/05/23/back-to-food-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113611 Kate@LivingTheFrugalLife Fri, 25 May 2012 14:01:49 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/?p=2508#comment-113611 I was given a Foodsaver device a while back. I found that I didn't want to use it for the plastic bag sealing, but the adapter that vacuum seals canning jars has been very useful. Our basement is damp and not terribly secure from insects and possibly even mice. So I've started keeping grains, fruits, and other bulk items in canning jars sealed up with the Foodsaver. Since finding used canning jars is pretty easy, I have a great many of them. And since I switched to re-usable Tattler lids for my regular canning, I have a lot of the metal, one-use lids left to use for the vacuum sealer. If I'm careful when opening the vacuum sealed jars, the lids seem to be re-usable for vacuum storage. Occasionally the vacuum seals fail, but this tendency is reduced if the metal bands are also used. Having this method of food storage available lets me buy 25 or 50 pound bags of beans, rice and other things without worrying about how to keep it and eat it up before it spoils. I was given a Foodsaver device a while back. I found that I didn’t want to use it for the plastic bag sealing, but the adapter that vacuum seals canning jars has been very useful. Our basement is damp and not terribly secure from insects and possibly even mice. So I’ve started keeping grains, fruits, and other bulk items in canning jars sealed up with the Foodsaver. Since finding used canning jars is pretty easy, I have a great many of them. And since I switched to re-usable Tattler lids for my regular canning, I have a lot of the metal, one-use lids left to use for the vacuum sealer. If I’m careful when opening the vacuum sealed jars, the lids seem to be re-usable for vacuum storage. Occasionally the vacuum seals fail, but this tendency is reduced if the metal bands are also used. Having this method of food storage available lets me buy 25 or 50 pound bags of beans, rice and other things without worrying about how to keep it and eat it up before it spoils.

]]> Comment on Pressure Canning 101 by news http://sharonastyk.com/2008/07/24/pressure-canning-101/comment-page-1/#comment-113567 news Fri, 25 May 2012 10:22:43 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/07/24/pressure-canning-101/#comment-113567 Can you message me with some hints about how you made this website look this good , Id appreciate it. Can you message me with some hints about how you made this website look this good , Id appreciate it.

]]> Comment on Back to Food Storage by true religion jeans canada http://sharonastyk.com/2012/05/23/back-to-food-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113524 true religion jeans canada Fri, 25 May 2012 06:18:34 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/?p=2508#comment-113524 All the instructions about mylar bags and oxygen absorbers or dry ice seem so complex and expensive. All the instructions about mylar bags and oxygen absorbers or dry ice seem so complex and expensive.

]]> Comment on Back to Food Storage by Mitty http://sharonastyk.com/2012/05/23/back-to-food-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113481 Mitty Fri, 25 May 2012 01:07:37 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/?p=2508#comment-113481 I have 1-2 months worth of food stored at any given time. I find I tend to get low on fruit and veg and have to plan to store more in the fall. I think my biggest barrier to storing more staples is psychological (or maybe lack of experience). All the instructions about mylar bags and oxygen absorbers or dry ice seem so complex and expensive. And then I might want to use that flour or whatever in just 3 or 4 months time after all that fuss. However, in the past when I've stored a 6 month supply of grains, I have trouble rotating them and they do get forgotten until they are rancid. Some exposition on simple, practical methods of storing and tracking the stored grains and beans would be helpful. I have 1-2 months worth of food stored at any given time. I find I tend to get low on fruit and veg and have to plan to store more in the fall. I think my biggest barrier to storing more staples is psychological (or maybe lack of experience). All the instructions about mylar bags and oxygen absorbers or dry ice seem so complex and expensive. And then I might want to use that flour or whatever in just 3 or 4 months time after all that fuss. However, in the past when I’ve stored a 6 month supply of grains, I have trouble rotating them and they do get forgotten until they are rancid. Some exposition on simple, practical methods of storing and tracking the stored grains and beans would be helpful.

]]> Comment on Back to Food Storage by emmer http://sharonastyk.com/2012/05/23/back-to-food-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113480 emmer Fri, 25 May 2012 01:07:08 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/?p=2508#comment-113480 re picky eaters. when the grandkids moved in for a while we discovered that many veggies were alien to them. ditto beans. and brown rice. we began by asking both to try a new food 5 ways before rejecting it, which they could then do without prejudice. so steamed broccoli was a no. broccoli cut small in cheese sauce and bacon was a yes for them--me not so much. green potato soup (pureed broccoli in potato soup) was a yes for all. cooked beans started out mashed in meatloaf surprise. then in cheesy burritos. yes on both. for bread, we started with homemade white, each time swapping out for more whole wheat. with white whole wheat, we got to about 2/3 whole wheat. red wheat 1/2. they didn't like bronze much at all. brown rice started with ground beef meatballs shaped with minced onion and cooked rice, called porcupines. eventually they found they liked lundburg's long grain basmati sauted in a bit of butter before cooking and then cooking in broth. progress! re picky eaters. when the grandkids moved in for a while we discovered that many veggies were alien to them. ditto beans. and brown rice. we began by asking both to try a new food 5 ways before rejecting it, which they could then do without prejudice. so steamed broccoli was a no. broccoli cut small in cheese sauce and bacon was a yes for them–me not so much. green potato soup (pureed broccoli in potato soup) was a yes for all. cooked beans started out mashed in meatloaf surprise. then in cheesy burritos. yes on both. for bread, we started with homemade white, each time swapping out for more whole wheat. with white whole wheat, we got to about 2/3 whole wheat. red wheat 1/2. they didn’t like bronze much at all. brown rice started with ground beef meatballs shaped with minced onion and cooked rice, called porcupines. eventually they found they liked lundburg’s long grain basmati sauted in a bit of butter before cooking and then cooking in broth. progress!

]]> Comment on Is this Hoarding? The Ethics of Storage by true religion jeans canada http://sharonastyk.com/2008/07/22/is-this-hoarding-the-ethics-of-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113479 true religion jeans canada Fri, 25 May 2012 01:00:20 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/07/22/is-this-hoarding-the-ethics-of-storage/#comment-113479 thanks so much designed for discussing this kind of magnificent content material! Looking forward to seeintg even more thanks so much designed for discussing this kind of magnificent content material! Looking forward to seeintg even more

]]> Comment on Back to Food Storage by sealander http://sharonastyk.com/2012/05/23/back-to-food-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113464 sealander Thu, 24 May 2012 23:53:32 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/?p=2508#comment-113464 Hey NM, I store all my glass jars of preserves in an old chest of drawers. Because they are the sort of drawers that do not slide out easily, all the jars have survived intact through multiple damage causing earthquakes.(The sort of quakes that have flung things from one side of the room to the other). Hey NM, I store all my glass jars of preserves in an old chest of drawers. Because they are the sort of drawers that do not slide out easily, all the jars have survived intact through multiple damage causing earthquakes.(The sort of quakes that have flung things from one side of the room to the other).

]]> Comment on Back to Food Storage by Nicole http://sharonastyk.com/2012/05/23/back-to-food-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113463 Nicole Thu, 24 May 2012 23:51:37 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/?p=2508#comment-113463 Thanks for the comments back to me! Yes, I totally agree that good, visible storage is a must. I am fortunate to have a large basement room I can use for storage and I invested in some great shelves. So I'm good there, plus I keep a paper inventory of the bulk goods. I guess it's the nonessentials I lose, like cereal or condiments, but I still hate to dump them on the compost pile. As for bread... he likes Wonder Bread. Ick. I can't make that... even if I were willing to try. I don't do much home canning since I can grow fresh all year here. I have learned to can meat and to the person that mentioned it, I highly recommend it. The toughest cuts come out butter tender and ready to eat. Vermin: I have a cat, and a snake that lives under the porch. No mice. I keep most everything in sturdy mouse proof containers, though. No sense putting out a buffet. I have a whole bunch of clear containers with latching lids for small things. I label the outside with Sharpie on packing tape. Its easy to identify and get into. For those just starting or revising a system, it would be great if we had an interactive area where we could look at plans and spaces and make suggestions. Even without, I look forward to more conversation on the subject. Thanks for the comments back to me!

Yes, I totally agree that good, visible storage is a must. I am fortunate to have a large basement room I can use for storage and I invested in some great shelves. So I’m good there, plus I keep a paper inventory of the bulk goods. I guess it’s the nonessentials I lose, like cereal or condiments, but I still hate to dump them on the compost pile.

As for bread… he likes Wonder Bread. Ick. I can’t make that… even if I were willing to try.

I don’t do much home canning since I can grow fresh all year here. I have learned to can meat and to the person that mentioned it, I highly recommend it. The toughest cuts come out butter tender and ready to eat.

Vermin: I have a cat, and a snake that lives under the porch. No mice. I keep most everything in sturdy mouse proof containers, though. No sense putting out a buffet. I have a whole bunch of clear containers with latching lids for small things. I label the outside with Sharpie on packing tape. Its easy to identify and get into.

For those just starting or revising a system, it would be great if we had an interactive area where we could look at plans and spaces and make suggestions. Even without, I look forward to more conversation on the subject.

]]> Comment on Back to Food Storage by Msbetterhome http://sharonastyk.com/2012/05/23/back-to-food-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113460 Msbetterhome Thu, 24 May 2012 23:32:25 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/?p=2508#comment-113460 Wonderful topic! My food storage is pretty low key... I don't store more than 5 kilos of beans, rice etc, because there's only two of us. We're not big eaters, and 5 kilo tubs last us a while. I agree visibility is the key - I use clear plastic tubs, and always have a good sense of when supplies are running low. I did feel for a while that I should store more, but given we have a prolific garden and a good store of dried pasta, dried fruit, nuts, tinned food, milk powder and long life non-dairy milk and juice, I think we have reached a good equilibrium for us. I estimate we would be fine for 3 months with no other food... But that doesn't seem like all that long really, especially if we were sharing. Sharon, I'd love to know your thoughts on balancing 'enough for everyday rotation' with 'enough for an emergency'. I did have major concerns about water storage ( the East coast of Australian has only just come out of a decade of drought). We dealt with that by installing two huge rainwater tanks (called cisterns in the US, I think). I realise that's not an option for renters or apartment dwellers, but it brought me great peace of mind. Wonderful topic! My food storage is pretty low key… I don’t store more than 5 kilos of beans, rice etc, because there’s only two of us. We’re not big eaters, and 5 kilo tubs last us a while. I agree visibility is the key – I use clear plastic tubs, and always have a good sense of when supplies are running low.

I did feel for a while that I should store more, but given we have a prolific garden and a good store of dried pasta, dried fruit, nuts, tinned food, milk powder and long life non-dairy milk and juice, I think we have reached a good equilibrium for us. I estimate we would be fine for 3 months with no other food…

But that doesn’t seem like all that long really, especially if we were sharing. Sharon, I’d love to know your thoughts on balancing ‘enough for everyday rotation’ with ‘enough for an emergency’.

I did have major concerns about water storage ( the East coast of Australian has only just come out of a decade of drought). We dealt with that by installing two huge rainwater tanks (called cisterns in the US, I think). I realise that’s not an option for renters or apartment dwellers, but it brought me great peace of mind.

]]> Comment on Back to Food Storage by Erica/Northwest Edible Life http://sharonastyk.com/2012/05/23/back-to-food-storage/comment-page-1/#comment-113412 Erica/Northwest Edible Life Thu, 24 May 2012 18:35:10 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/?p=2508#comment-113412 From a reader: "What is the best store bought water to store away, spring or distilled?" From a reader: “What is the best store bought water to store away, spring or distilled?”

]]>