Wheat storage basics

Did you know that cereal grains are grown in greater quantities and provide more food energy worldwide than any other type of crop? They are one of the foundation foods that humans consume. In the United States, wheat is one of the most common grains that people begin to store. Hikingware.com thinks you should ask yourself these questions about wheat: Why is wheat so great to store? What kind of wheat should I store? How should wheat be stored? And, how can I use wheat?

History has shown wheat’s role in human survival. From Biblical stories to American Pioneer experiences, we know it works as a way to sustain life in a crisis.

Pound for pound, wheat is one of the least expensive foods available. Because grain products will expand in your stomach (satisfying you even if you eat less), using wheat products can help you stretch your budget by eliminating the need for store-bought, overpriced, and over-processed goods.

Wheat provides protein.

If you are concerned that your food storage may be lacking in protein, a good supply of wheat and legumes will form a complete protein. Just a half cup of uncooked wheat contains eight to 10 grams of protein. So, not only will wheat give you the protein needed for muscle growth and repair, but you will have a low-fat complex carbohydrate to give your body the energy it needs to make it through the day.

What kind of wheat should I store?

That all depends on what you’ll be making with it.

Hard red winter wheat is excellent for making hearty, whole wheat loaves of bread, or to use in recipes as an extender for red meat. Hard white winter wheat contains a more delicate flavor than the hard red wheat and can be used to make light and fluffy bread, rolls, and scones. It can also be used in recipes as an extender for white meat. Both of these varieties of hard wheat are high in protein and fiber.

Soft white wheat kernels are larger and plumper than red wheat kernels, are of a softer texture, and have weaker gluten strength. This wheat is used to make flaky pastries, pie crust, cakes, crackers, and breakfast cereals. Because of its lower gluten and protein content, it is not recommended for use in breads.

How to store wheat.

Whole wheat kernels will store longer and better than when ground up into flour. When storing your wheat at home, make sure it is in containers specifically identified on the label as food storage containers.

It is best to purchase wheat with a moisture content level less than 10 percent. Heat, moisture, oxygen, and light are the enemies to preserving food for an extended period. Two of the best ways to properly store wheat are in a #10 can with an oxygen absorber , or sealed within a metallized plastic bag with an oxygen absorber, then placed in a bucket.

Always store your wheat in a cool, dry place to ensure the longest shelf life. The cooler and least fluctuating temperature (between 40-75° F), the better.

A Brief Warning.

If you have celiac disease, you can't eat any foods that contain gluten (including wheat, rye, barley, and oats). Dropping gluten from your diet usually improves the condition within a few days and eventually ends the symptoms of the disease. So instead of storing wheat or oats, you can store rice – it lasts just as long as wheat, as long as it is stored properly. 

Food for thought

Could the Dust Bowl Come Again?

The Dust Bowl was the name given to the Great Plains region devastated by drought in 1930s depression-ridden America. The 150,000-square-mile area, encompassing the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles and neighboring sections of Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico, has little rainfall, light soil, and high winds, a potentially destructive combination. When drought struck from 1934 to 1937, the soil lacked the stronger root system of grass as an anchor, so the winds easily picked up the loose topsoil and swirled it into dense dust clouds, called “black blizzards.” Recurrent dust storms wreaked havoc, choking cattle and pasture lands and driving 60 percent of the population from the region. Most of these “exodusters” went to agricultural areas first and then to cities, especially in the Far West.

The American agricultural system came close to ruin during those perilous years; in fact, some contemporary experts began warning that the American family would soon have to start spending nearly 40% of their income just to get enough to eat. Fortunately, they were wrong; today the average American family spends only 7% of their income on food.

But even so, there are many scenarios in which your food budget could skyrocket, either temporarily or for a long time -- such as natural disasters or civil disturbances that disrupt the food supply chain. Hikingware.com suggests that you should keep on hand a full supply of nutritious and long-lasting emergency rations for your family.

Can the Dust Bowl happen again? Historians tell us that, to a lesser extent, it can happen again at any time:

In response to the original emergency, the federal government mobilized several New Deal agencies, principally the Soil Conservation Service formed in 1935, to promote farm rehabilitation. Working on the local level, the government instructed farmers to plant trees and grass to anchor the soil, to plow and terrace in contour patterns to hold rainwater, and to allow portions of farmland to lie fallow each year so the soil could regenerate. The government also purchased 11.3 million acres of submarginal land to keep it out of production. By 1941 much of the land was rehabilitated, but the region repeated its mistakes during World War II as farmers again plowed up grassland to plant wheat when grain prices rose. Drought threatened another disaster in the 1950s, prompting Congress to subsidize farmers in restoring millions of acres of wheat back to grassland.

With global warming and continuing drought in many parts of the United States, the day may come sooner than expected when your food budget will double or even triple.

So having an ample supply of basic food stuffs on hand, as well as emergency rations for the whole family just makes sense.

As Groucho Marx once said: "Food for thought doesn't do you much good when you're hungry for a hamburger!"

Suddenly; No Internet.. What do you do?

The United States currently has over 287 million internet users; that represents 88.5% of the population.

Mobile devices account for 77% of that usage -- and the number is growing exponentially every year. 

Worldwide, there are over 900 million Gmail accounts.

There are 310 million active Twitter accounts in the U.S. alone.

There are over 222 million Facebook accounts in the USA. 

Just survey your own family:

How many mobile devices do you own and use?

How much time do you spend on emails; on texting; on playing games on the internet?

How much of your daily news do you get online?

And, most importantly, what would you and your family do if the internet were suddenly unavailable to you, and you and your family could no longer access any social media? 

Hikingware.com thinks it's important for you to be prepared for any emergency or disaster. That's why they offer the best emergency food storage and survival kit brands on the market. But they also know that man does not live by bread alone; you've got to be able to communicate with others during an emergency. And social scientists currently are studying the effects on children and teenagers of a sudden and total cessation of access to social media. Their initial results show that those under the age of 20 often become frightened, depressed, and even paranoid when they are suddenly cut off from their social media accounts for longer than 48 hours. 

Astro-physicists now say that solar flares of great magnitude could knock out our cell phones and wifi in an instant, and it could take months to repair the damage. Hackers are becoming more and more adept at breaking into even the most secure data banks, and in sowing viruses that could virtually cripple the internet for years to come, making it unsafe to use.  

Here are some suggestions to help you maintain your family's sanity and peace of mind in an offline world: 

Board Games.

Children need to maintain a sense of play and fun, even under emergency conditions. Otherwise their health can degenerate alarmingly, including bouts of diarrhea, bedwetting, loss of appetite, rashes, and disturbing mental quirks. Make sure you and your children learn to play and enjoy games such as Monopoly, Scrabble, or Yahtze; insist on playing them at least once a week. That way, if the internet becomes unavailable your family can still find a break from worry and maintain a sense of normalcy. 

Ham Radio.

A starter kit costs as little as $60.00 -- if your cell phone won't work and you don't have a landline phone (only 33% of Americans still have a landline phone -- and that number is dropping rapidly) it may be the only way to communicate long distances.

Books.

The National Librarians Association says that reading time for both adults and children has dropped to a mere average of 2 hours per week; in 1965 it was at an average of 20 hours a week. With no TV or movies to stream or social media to entertain and inform, a supply of good books can be a real godsend if you are stuck in your home because of emergency or curfew. Insist that before your children can go online they must read a certain amount of time or a certain amount of books. And make sure you set the example yourself by letting your family see you reading magazines and books.

Don't depend on debit cards and online banking in an emergency.

Your online banking and debit/credit cards could be compromised at any time. Prepare for that eventuality by keeping a few hundred dollars cash in a baggie in your freezer; paper currency is not affected by cold. Do not hoard thousands at home -- that is an invitation to theft and home invasion. But a few hundred dollars in cash kept at home is a prudent strategy for any emergency. Make sure you have it noted and insured on your homeowner's/renter's insurance policy. 

MOSQUITOES! DON'T LET THEM TAKE A 'BITE' OUT OF YOU.

City, county, and state governments allocate funds each year for mosquito spraying. This normally keeps the population down to manageable levels in most areas of the United States – but what happens during an emergency or disaster, when local services may be interrupted or discontinued?

This is an especially important question today due to the Zika virus, which is spread through mosquito bites.

Hikingware.com explains a little bit more about these critters, and what you can do, during both normal times and during emergencies, to eradicate their impact in your neighborhood:

Mosquitoes can breed in any standing water, but they are particularly drawn to standing water with lots of organic debris. Nasty water is a common place to find mosquito larvae. During the summer months you can verify a water source's mosquito content by dipping a cup into the stagnant water. Look for mosquito larvae in the cup. The larvae are about the size of a fingernail and they squiggle around.

  To eliminate mosquito breeding sites, begin with obvious areas and empty the water from them. These sites include: old tires, buckets, wheel barrows, and clogged gutters. Keep an eye on birdbaths, and replace the water at least once a day; when not in use, make sure to turn the bowl upside down to keep water from accumulating in it. Flower pots and the saucers that they sit on are often over-looked so check these. In-ground pool drains remove water from the pool decking and they are often full of water. The pool drains aren't easily emptied, but they can be treated with either baking soda or white vinegar to kill the larvae. Usually 3 tablespoons of baking soda, or a half pint of vinegar will do the trick.

Adult mosquitoes are commonly found in bushes and shrubs because they feed on plant nectar. Females need a blood meal in order to produce new eggs. They feed on people by following the scent of our exhaled carbon dioxide, our body heat, and a complex blend of scents found on human skin.

To get rid of adult mosquitoes spray the foliage of bushes and shrubs with a residual insecticide. If you have qualms about the chemicals in a residual insecticide you can use sulfur powder or diatomaceous earth. 

When applying insecticides to plants, try to avoid spraying the flowers and blooms. This will minimize the insecticides impact on pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies, and moths. After a proper application, you can expect to start seeing results within two to four weeks.

It is a good idea to keep mosquito repellent stocked year-round. But did you know that you can get a mosquito repellent not just for your skin, but for your yard? It comes in the form of pellets you sprinkle in the grass which give off a scent that confuses mosquitoes so they can’t locate their human prey. Most larger hardware stores and home centers stock such pellets.

Finally, remember that biting mosquitoes are most active at sunrise and sunset, so if you are in an area that has experienced the Zika virus, Dengue fever, or malaria, make sure you minimize your time outdoors during those periods. 

Sanitation in an Emergency: The Basics.

The lack of sanitation facilities following a major disaster can quickly create secondary problems unless basic guidelines are followed.

If the water lines are damaged or if damage is suspected, do not flush

your toilet. Avoid digging holes in the ground and using these. Untreated

raw sewage can pollute fresh ground water supplies. It also attracts flies

and acts as a vector for the spread of certain diseases like typhoid. Hikingware.com suggests you keep the following basic supplies on hand for any sanitation/waste disposal emergency:

• Store a large supply of heavy-duty plastic
• bags, twist ties, disinfectant, and toilet paper
• A good disinfectant that is easy to use
• is a solution of 1 part liquid bleach to 10 parts water. Dry bleach
• is caustic and not safe for this type of use.
• If the toilet is NOT able to be flushed,
• it can still be used. This is less stressful for most people than using
• some other container. Remove all the bowl water. Line it with a heavy-duty
• plastic bag. When finished, add a small amount of deodorant or disinfectant,
• securely tie the bag, and dispose of it in a large trash can with a
• tight fitting lid. This large trash can should also be lined with a
• sturdy trash bag. Eventually, the city will provide a means to dispose
• of these bags. 
• Portable camp toilets, small trash cans
• or sturdy buckets lined with heavy-duty plastic bags can also be used.
• Those with tight fitting lids are best.

Water flush toilets cannot be used when water

service is interrupted.

The water remaining in the fixture is not sufficient to flush the wastes down the sewer. Clogging may result and your living conditions then become just that much more uncomfortable.

Even if water is available, local authorities may ask you not to use flush

toilets, wash basins, and other fixtures connected with soil pipes. The

sewer mains may be broken or clogged, which would make it impossible to

carry off such waste; or water may be needed for fire fighting or other

emergencies. It is necessary for every family to know emergency methods

of waste disposal in case such conditions arise.

Failure to properly dispose of human wastes can lead to epidemics of such

diseases as typhoid, dysentery, and diarrhea. At the same time, sewage

must be disposed of in ways that will prevent contamination of water supplies

used for drinking, cooking, bathing, laundering, and other domestic purposes.

Here are simple steps that any family can take to prevent such dangers

and discomforts.

Temporary Toilet Provisions

Right after an emergency, or during one, you will probably not have the

time and tools to prepare a complex emergency sanitation system. If there

is a delay of several days in restoring sewage service to your neighborhood,

you may find that disposal is a big problem. Your first task is to make

some temporary toilet provision for your family, especially the children.

Almost any covered metal or plastic container will do. You can use a covered

pail, a 5-gallon bucket, or a small kitchen garbage container with a foot

operated cover for an emergency toilet. Anything that has a cover and

will hold the contents until you can dispose of them will serve for sanitary

purposes at first.

Emergency Sewage Storage

Keep on the premises at least one extra 10-gallon garbage can or other

waterproof container with a tight fitting cover. This should be lined

with paper and/or a plastic bag. And the lid should be fastened to the

can to prevent its loss. Such a can may be used for the emergency storage

of body wastes until the public sewage system can be put back into action,

or until other arrangements can be made. Empty your emergency toilet into

this storage can as often as necessary. A small amount of household disinfectant should be added after each use. If you live in an apartment, you may not have a large garbage can or room to keep one. In that case, two smaller covered pails or other containers will do just as well.

Solutions for Apartment Dwellers

Persons in city apartments, office buildings, or homes without yards should

keep a supply of waterproof paper containers on hand for emergency waste

disposal. Where flush toilets cannot be used and open ground is not available

for the construction of privies, such disposable containers offer a practical

method of emergency waste collection and disposal. Building managers should

plan for the collection of such containers and for their final disposal.

Before collection, the used containers may be stored in tightly covered

garbage cans or other water tight containers fitted with lids. Homemade

soil bags for this purpose can be prepared very easily by putting one

large grocery bag inside another, and a layer of shredded newspaper or

other absorbent material between. You should have sufficient grocery bags

on hand for possible emergencies. A supply of old newspapers will come

in handy for other sanitary uses also, such as wrapping garbage and lining

larger containers.

Controlling Odors and Insects

Insecticides and deodorants should be used when necessary to control odors

and insects breeding in containers that cannot be emptied immediately.

At least 2 pints of household bleach solution should be kept on hand for

disinfecting purposes.

Are You Financially Prepared for an Emergency?

Being ready for a disaster is more than storing water and supplies.  You also need to be financially ready.  Starting early and having adequate insurance, a plan to pay your bills and access to your important records and accounts will help you get back on your feet faster and avoid problems with your credit when you need it most.

Hikingware.com asks these pertinent questions:

How much cash do you keep in your home?

How much cash should you keep in your home?

Have you backed up all your important financial records and information, so if they're physically lost during a disaster they will still be on file and accessible?

Do you have a will?

Are all your insurance premiums paid up?

The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK), a joint publication from Operation Hope and the FEMA Citizen Corps, can help you prepare now. Use the EFFAK to identify your important documents, medical records, and household contracts. When completing the kit, be sure to include pictures or a video of your home and your belongings and keep all of your documents in a safe space.

In addition to using the EFFAK, these other steps can help you safeguard your assets and recover quicker from an emergency or a disaster:

1. Download phone applications that can help during emergencies: Use the FEMA phone application to access to disaster preparedness, response and recovery resources including disaster assistance.
2. Enroll in Go Direct to minimize disruptions to receiving any federal benefits you are now getting or may be eligible to receive.
3. Plan ahead of time to recover: The USDA has created great resources to help getyou started, including Recovery After Disaster: The Family Financial Toolkit and the Disaster Recovery Log.

As to the question of how much cash you should keep on hand for emergencies, the best answer is simply to use common sense and extreme caution.

First and foremost, of course, is that you should never let anyone outside of your spouse, your adult children, and perhaps a very, very trusted friend, know that you keep ANY money in your home. To do otherwise is simply to invite home invasion and robbery.

Next, figure out the absolute minimum amount of cash you'd need to buy necessities and take care of repairs if you could not access your bank account or get to an ATM for six months. That is the amount experts like Suze Orman suggest you should keep on hand.

If you're able to invest in a good wall safe, do so. Otherwise, U.S. News & World Report suggests these four hidey holes for your money:

1. Inside false infrastructure. Constructing fake fixtures around the house, like a drain pipe in the basement, return air vent in the living room or power outlet on a bedroom wall, gives the appearance of working household parts, but in fact, acts as a facade for hiding your emergency money inside.

2. Buried outside. What better way to hide money inside your house than hiding it outside? Pick a reasonably conspicuous spot in your yard or garden to bury your money, and carefully protected, nobody will find it – except you, as long as you remember where you dug. Zip cash up in bags, put it in glass jars and/or wrap the bills in plastic or a small tarp.

3. Disguised and dispersed. Sometimes, hiding your money in less conspicuous places can be the most inconspicuous hiding spot that a thief might overlook. Are you a devout bibliophile? Hollowing out a book to stuff some bills into is an outdated method, but not for anyone with an extensive library of tomes floor to ceiling, where the "money book" is hidden among hundreds of other books and more difficult to find. What about hiding some cash in an envelope in a box of blank envelopes? Don't stash your cash in the freezer; it can develop frostburn and actually decompose when thawed out!

THE BENEFITS OF FREEZE DRIED FOODS FOR YOUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Freeze-dried foods aren’t just relevant to you when you buy Astronaut Ice Cream for your kids at the amusement park. This is a food preservation process used for removing the moisture from foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and almost any other ingredient, food item, or meal. Because these foods are lighter and much less likely to rot or spoil, they are used for emergency preparedness, quick-prep meals, and backpacking.

Hikingware.com offers a fine selection of freeze dried items on our food storage website page.  

History

Modern freeze-drying was developed during WWII. Blood serum being sent to Europe from the US for medical treatment of the wounded required refrigeration, but because of the lack of simultaneous refrigeration and transport, many serum supplies were spoiling before reaching their intended recipients. The freeze-drying process was developed as a commercial technique that enabled serum to be rendered chemically stable and viable without having to be refrigerated. Shortly thereafter, the freeze-dry process was applied to penicillin and bone, and lyophilization became recognized as an important technique for preservation of biologicals. Since that time, freeze-drying has been used as a preservation or processing technique for a wide variety of products.

How it works

If a freeze-dried substance is sealed to prevent the reabsorption of moisture, the substance may be stored at room temperature without refrigeration, and be protected against spoilage for many years. Preservation is possible because the greatly reduced water content inhibits the action of microorganisms and enzymes that would normally spoil or degrade the substance.

Freeze-drying also causes less damage to the substance than other dehydration methods using higher temperatures. Freeze-drying does not usually cause shrinkage or toughening of the material being dried. In addition, flavors, smells and nutritional content generally remain unchanged, making the process popular for preserving food. However, water is not the only chemical capable of sublimation, and the loss of other volatile compounds such as acetic acid (vinegar) and alcohols can yield undesirable results.

Freeze-dried products can be rehydrated (reconstituted) much more quickly and easily because the process leaves microscopic pores. The pores are created by the ice crystals that sublimate, leaving gaps or pores in their place.

Can I freeze dry my own food?

You can purchase a home freeze dryer -- but they are pricey, and you'll need to spend a goodly amount of time prepping your food, and then sticking around for several hours to make sure the process goes smoothly. If you have a large family and a strong wallet, plus plenty of free time, it might be worth your while.  A good freeze dryer will run you anywhere from four-hundred to twelve-hundred dollars.

But again, you needn't invest a lot of time and money in freeze drying; you can purchase quality freeze dried food items from companies like Hikingware.com. Once the items are placed in a cool, dark, and dry place, you can forget about them until you need them.