Posted on 01/24/2010 7:51:38 AM PST by Kartographer
The DOD did a study on that very thing, mostly due to the fact that they have vast stockpiles of medical supplies and drugs.
IIRC, the conclusion was that for MOST drugs, a ten year shelf life can easily be assumed, and 15-20 is not out of the question.
Thanks for the pings. I love survival threads.
I always find some useful bit of information and it always prompts me to look over my stores.
Other things that are easy to hang on and keep about forever, are personal care items, like soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, etc. They certainly aren’t critical for survival, like food and medicine, but they sure can make life a lot easier and more pleasant.
I have done this with pancake mix, my own dehydrated vegtables (I buy frozen vegtables on sale and place them righ in my dehydrator)as well as small pint jars full of spices (cinimmon, black pepper, crushed red pepper,) and then I use the Tila vacuum jag attachment and throw an ozygen absorber in to boot! I also packed crisco the same way, it should be good for years.
One of the primary reasons that I prepare, is so that I can offer help in emergencies.
An emergency shouldn't change you much, in my survival scenarios, I don't see me suddenly becoming indifferent to helping women and children, and even men.
My plan is to lay low and be unapproachable (for supplies, not for anything else) for a while and let people find their own levels, and to give them time to switch into their own survival modes and learn on their own where resources are and for them to readjust their expectations, and shake out the chafe, and the worthless ones.
After a couple of weeks of that, then I should be able to know where to try and fill the gaps to help keep some people alive, and sane.
4 later
Nice thing about the canning jars is that they are insect and rodent proof. The lids don’t last forever, but can easily got for 7+ years before showing signs of corrosion.
That is a reminder that if you know how to can meat and make jerky, and you already have all of your canning supplies and have fuel, as I do, then you can turn your frozen meat and your neighbors soon to spoil meat (trade them, or help them for a percentage), into the freshest, best part of your food stores.
It’s nice to live in farm country and have a pressure canner and a goodly supply of canning jars.
Can never have too many canning jars and lids.....
I miss my DS9!!!
I called the cannery in Mesa, AZ, and the guy answering the phone was rude and very unwelcoming. Maybe not all canneries are the same.
I am ordering my gardening supplies with survival in mind.
I have already planted berry bushes on my property and am ordering blueberries this year.
I buy seeds for plants that are open pollinated, that I can save the seeds from.
We have some black walnut trees on our property and if I can just figure out how to get the nuts open.....
Check out this $40 Rocket Stove demo: http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/rocket-stove.htm
I was very impressed and bought one. I don’t want to have to be reliant on any fuel or energy source, and this stove uses very, very little in the way of twigs and small sticks.
We actually know several people who are also prepared like us, or who live much further out in the country and could survive off heir land.
Since we are pretty rural, we are not too worried about spillover from the cities as they would have quite a ways to go to reach us. Everyone knows everyone else in our town and a whole herd of *outsiders* looking to loot, would likely be shot.
Thanks for the ping. We use a FoodSaver vacuum packer and put a lot of dried veggies up with that. It also has lids for jars that can keep nuts fresh for months.
This is the #1 article read on my blog — over 1500 views.
“Just in Time Shipping and Your Family’s Survival”
Have you used it yet? Where did you get it?
Did you pay $40 for it? I saw some advertised for a lot more than that.
I miss Appleseed! Wasn’t he the one with the survival ping list? I haven’t seen him online in ages.
Did you see this thread?
Say, anyone know where appleseed has been lately?
Thanks for the ping! Just went to Sam’s this am and spent $400. Downright scary. The hardest thing here is keeping stuff. Hot, humid, and muggy here 9 months out of the year. Without ac, the stuff isn’t going to last long, even in airtight containers.
But I’m trying! :)
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