Category Archives: Food

We’re Raising Rabbits

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We began raising rabbits yesterday. We now own two eight-week old, American Chinchilla Rabbit does (female). We will get a buck (male), of the same breed, from another nearby breeder soon. We weren’t completely ready for rabbits, but the opportunity presented itself and we decided to take advantage of it. The hutches were all assembled, but we hadn’t build the covered area to put them in yet. So the two does are staying, temporarily, in one of the completed hutches in the garage. We put blocks underneath the hutch to raise it off the floor and cardboard underneath to absorb the urine.

Actually they could stay there for a while, we aren’t really in a hurry. Females can’t breed until six months of age (males at five months). The gestation period is 31 days; the kits are typically butchered at three months. So we need to get a mature buck not later then the beginning of October; then the soonest we could have our first litter would be the beginning of November; and the soonest they could be butchered would next February.

Part of me wishes we could have gotten older ones, to be able to move the process along faster. But I think we’ll appreciate having the extra time to learn about our rabbits, before we have to worry about breeding them and dealing with the litters. There’s times we feel impatient, but I think this is a good time to move slowly and deliberately.

We’ve only got the one hutch, that they are in, fully set up. Last night we just put water and food into bowls. Today I made a trip to the feed store and bought a feed bin, a water bottle spout/holder (that works with a two-liter plastic bottle), a 25-pound bag of rabbit feed, and a bale of grass hay (I commented to Sarah that’s the first bale of hay I’d ever ‘owned’).

As far as the breed we didn’t go looking for Chinchilla Rabbits, we actually didn’t go looking for any specific breed. We were given the name of a reputable breeder, and that’s what he had. But I had seen them before and thought they were a very attractive breed. Apparently they are considered a rare breed rabbit (threatened with extinction); so it’s kind of neat to be able to help a threatened species. They are considered excellent for both fur and meat, they quickly grow to a good size, breed large litters, and are good mothers. Apparently their “demand” has dropped since we now rarely use rabbits for their pelts, and white rabbits are the most in demand for meat.

Our goal of becoming more self-sustainable has taken another large step. By bringing in rabbits we’ll be able to produce a high quality, quickly regenerating source of protein. While they’re alive we’ll give them the best life we can, and in death we’ll quietly thank them for what they give us.

We know nothing about raising rabbits, but we will learn. We’ll keep you posted on our successes, failures, and learning experiences along the way. For anyone considering getting rabbits I highly recommend RiseandShineRabbitry.com (also like him on Facebook, he puts out lots of tips and info on rabbits) and the book Story’s Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennett.

(Wednesday: Sarah’s View)

What We Did This Week To Prep 6/01/12

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Now that the garden is mostly in place, minus a few things still in the greenhouse, there really isn’t that much to report out there. I go out and check the garden each day and smile as I see the progress our plants are making. Strawberries and squash are starting to bloom, the raspberries have lots of small green berries. I weed as necessary, water when it’s too dry (though we do live in Western WA and that’s not a big problem), and reset the mouse traps.

Mouse traps? Well we’ve had a problem keeping Kate (our 9 month old Border Collie) out of the garden, and especially from digging in the nice soft soil (that we worked so hard to get). We debated options of fencing the whole thing in (but she can easily jump over three feet, she’d just see it as another fun challenge), or putting in an invisible fence–though that costs a lot and seemed to be a bit of over-kill. So I came up with the idea of trying mouse traps. She’s already jumpy and overly cautious of the unknown, so I put traps in the places she had been digging, near the compost, our new plants, and her usual paths. In the past couple of weeks she’s set off several of the traps (getting her nose once) but is getting much better at avoiding the areas they are in and, in general, just staying out of the garden.

I finished reading Holding Their Own II: The Independents (the sequel to Holding Their Own that I reviewed a couple weeks ago). It was okay. It’s changed from being a prepper-type book, with many good ideas incorporated into a novel, to a post-apocalyptic, adventure, “super cool guy hero” book. (If you enjoy Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels you’d probably enjoy continuing this series; though they’re not nearly as well written as Child’s). Joe Nobody expands the scope of his original book and is now taking on the task of rebuilding the nation, with opposing factions–the federal government and the “Independents”–moving toward civil war. The second book ends leading straight into a third book.

Ryan and I (with some help from Emily and Alison) spent quite a bit of time this week building rabbit hutches. I bought a roll of 1” x 2” 14 gauge galvanized wire fencing, cut it and bent in into a square. Then, using J clips, attached it to itself and put on a roof, and using 1/2” x 1” wire fencing, attached the floor. This weekend we’ll build the frame to hold them and be ready for the rabbits. I’ve got a potential lead for rabbits, but haven’t heard back from him yet; if anyone knows of a good source of rabbits in Western Washington let me know, otherwise I’ll just hit Craigslist.

Quote of the Week: “The only time you can have too much ammo is if you’re drowning or on fire.” -Jeff Chudwin

What did you do?

(Monday: We’re Raising Rabbits)

DIY Biltong

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Here is the step-by-step, basic process of making biltong. I learned it from Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast (YouTube video Making Traditional South African Biltong).

Preparing the meat

  • Start with lean strips of beef (or game meat)
  • Slice the meat into approximately one inch thick and one inch wide strips several inches long
  • Remove as much fat as possible (dried fat tastes like candle wax)
  • Place meat in casserole-type dish
  • Spritz all sides with vinegar (apple vinegar works well)
  • Moderately salt (with non-iodized salt)
  • Place in refrigerator overnight
  • Remove and lightly salt again, mixing meat around to coat well
  • Lightly apply coriander, mixing meat around to coat well
  • Moderately apply course ground pepper, mixing meat around to coat well

Meat is now ready to hang

  • To hang, use metal paperclips and bend them into an ‘S’ shape
  • Hang meat somewhere relatively dry (and out of the reach of pets)
  • Hang meat so it’s not touching
  • Using a piece of cord or twine, tie a loop for each piece of meat
  • Clip meat with large part of ‘S’ clip, and attach other side to the looped cord
  • Let meat hang for approximately 8 – 14 days, until dark colored and as dry as you prefer it
  • When dried, cut into small bite size pieces to eat

This is a very basic way of making biltong. It’s really that easy, and no it never stinks. There are many ways of flavoring and drying (including building a drying box). Biltong, completely dry, can store for a long period of time (very dependent on climate and/or refrigeration); biltong left more ‘wet’ will mold sooner and should be refrigerated if kept for more than a few days. Our family really enjoys biltong as a snack, but I also believe it’s valuable to know how to preserve large amounts of meat in a collapse.

(Wednesday: Teaching The Kids)

 

Introduction To Biltong

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Biltong hanging to dry

As a prepper it is important to know multiple ways to preserve food that require little or no energy and no refrigeration. So, today we’re going to introduce biltong. Biltong, from the Dutch bil (“rump”) and tong (“strip”), was brought to southern Africa by Dutch settlers and used as a way to preserve large native game meats. I’m just going to give an overview of it today, and a do it yourself step-by-step process next Monday (5/25/12).

I first heard about biltong from Jack Spirko, on an early episode of The Survival Podcast (TSP) (Episode 27 – 9 Methods of Storing Food for the Modern Survivalist). Jack talks about it regularly, and has a YouTube video on how to make it.

Last fall we made biltong for the first time. It was easy and our family likes it. We don’t make it very much, it’s a little on the pricey side because we buy a lean cut of beef, but we’ve tried it a few times to develop the skill. Of the commonly available store-bought meats, beef is the best (both pork and chicken shouldn’t be eaten raw). Venison, or other large game meats, also make great biltong. Start with a lean cut of meat and cut off as much fat as you can, not because the fat is “bad” for you but, because dried fat kind of tastes like candle wax.

Once you have the meat you only need vinegar, salt, pepper, and coriander (though once you’ve figured it out you can season yours anyway you like). As opposed to jerky, you want your biltong about an inch thick and an inch wide, cut into long strips. The strips should be cut across the grain; this makes it easier to cut into smaller pieces, with the grain, once it’s dried. After it’s seasoned, hang it for about 10 – 14 days to allow it to cure completely. Biltong is also different from jerky because jerky is dried using heat, biltong is dried at room temperature, and uses vinegar to help cure the meat.

Once biltong is completely cured, it can be sliced up into bite-size pieces and stored for a long time. Store in a paper bag that allows oxygen to circulate, so mold doesn’t grow. Some people prefer their biltong more “wet” in the center, so they don’t hang it for as long; biltong prepared this way doesn’t store as long and should be refrigerated to maximize its storage life.

Check back next Monday for DIY Biltong.

(Wednesday: City Cousin)

DIY Indoor Grow Box

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In February, Sarah pulled out our grow box–I had made it last year–and got our seeds started. I should have written this post then, so that others could have made their own this year, but unfortunately I didn’t. A friend asked how I made it, so I figured I’d post about it now so that you can build yours for next year. It’s quick and easy.

What you need:

  • plastic Rubbermaid-type bin with lid (the under-the-bed size works well)
  • 4 – 2 x 1/4 inch bolts, with 4 nuts, and 4 – 1 1/2 inch washers
  • 4 – 18 x 1/4 inch pieces of all thread rod, with 8 nuts, and 8 large washers
  • board (plywood or shelving) approximately 24 x 12 inches (dependent on your lid size)
  • 2 aquarium light fixtures with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs

Assembly

1) On the inside of the lid, attach the board with the bolts and nuts, put the washers on the outside of the lid so the bolts won’t pull through the plastic. Line the board up in the inside center of the lid and drill a 1/4 inch hole through each corner of the board, with a matching hole through the lid. This board provides the stable surface to mount the light fixtures.

2) In each corner of the lid drill a 1/4 inch hole and put through the all thread with a nut and washer on each side of the plastic lid. The all thread will be the adjustable “legs”.

 

3) Mount the light fixtures, per the directions, to the board on the inside of the lid.

 

 

Once Completed

Plant your seeds – the container you choose doesn’t really matter, but make sure there are holes in the bottom for drainage. Place the containers in bin, adjusting the all thread so the light is close to the plants. As the plants grow larger the light can be lifted higher by adjusting the nuts on the all thread.

(I used 10 inch all thread, it was high enough when I first started but not enough when the plants grew bigger, so I cut blocks to put under each all thread leg to make them higher.)

After you’ve transplanted all of your sprouted plants, disassemble the legs and slide the entire box under the bed to neatly store until next year.

Simple and it works.

(Wednesday: We Still Want Coffee)

The Greenhouse Is Built!

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How We Built Our Greenhouse – a DIY
– –
We started building the greenhouse the second week of March and I finished it yesterday – six weeks. Sure there are all the excuses and explanations: life is busy, I could only work on it a few days a week (and had to coordinate Ryan’s schedule with mine, when possible), weather was a factor, and we were learning as we were building – but it still took a long time. Now it’s done.

I found the plans we used on BuildEazy.com. I splurged and paid five dollars for the “handy pdf file, ad free”. I printed up the twelve pages of plans, bought the materials needed to get started (the first of many trips to the hardware store), and we began.

The first few steps could be built in the garage. First was the bottom frame; we built it out of pressure-treated 2x8s, 8 feet long. The plans had it built 10 foot by 8 foot – but I hadn’t noticed that before I bought the lumber. Since I only bought four 2x8x8s I went with that, ours would be 8 foot by 8 foot, we modified the plans as needed for the slightly smaller size. Other than the bottom frame we used untreated 2x4s for everything else.

We then framed both sides and built the trusses. I had never built anything that had to be framed before and it was a learning experience. The sides were easy, they were just square. The trusses were tougher, because of the way the window was built into the peak of the roof there were several angle cuts that had to be identical and match up. The 60 degree cuts were especially a hassle because the mitre saw only goes to 45 degrees; they had to be drawn then cut with a circular saw. That was all we were able to pre-build in the garage.

The project then sat for a couple of weeks waiting for a dry weekend when Ryan and I were both available. When that weekend arrived we laid out the bottom frame, put up the two side walls, then attached the trusses. The bottom and sides were pretty easy; we kept the square and level handy, and used them for each piece. The trusses were again harder, it was tough to keep them square – at that point they were only attached on each side and weren’t very stable. But, finally, the structure was outside and coming together (i.e. it sort of looked like a greenhouse).

The directions for the front and back-end walls were far less “exact”, the plans stated “This is pretty much measure, cut, and fix as you go.” We varied from the plans and only put a door on one end (the plans called for a door on both ends). Building the door frame and the door (another thing I had never done before) went slowly and was a challenge because we knew it had to be completely square, or the door wouldn’t work; there also had to be enough space, around the door, to allow for swelling of the wood in wet weather. The hinge placement was another challenge, but we did it and the door fit and closed smoothly.

(All this happened over a period of weeks because of weather and time availability.)

The roof trusses were then secured with ‘strap braces’, galvanized steel braces 2 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. They connected the opposite corners of the long section of the roof, tying in with nails each of the separate trusses. The trusses were now a lot more stable, but it had been difficult to keep the outside ones from pulling toward the center.

Next was the roof window – the most complex step of the project. This window was one of the reasons I chose this plan, I really liked the ability to be able to open a portion of the roof to release heat on sunny days. The measurements had to be very precise and much of the work was done on ladders; it was also a hassle holding up the window assembly and getting the hinges attached to the frame. But finally it was in place and would open and close smoothly (mostly).

The entire wooden framed structure was now built. We then started on the shelving. There were no directions for this in the plans, so I decided to build the shelf frames at 44 inches from the ground. Sarah, who is 62 inches, came out and saw the height and nicely mentioned that they were a little high; after some discussion I re-installed them to 32 inches – a height much easier for her (our primary plant starter) to work at.

Now the wood part was done and it needed to be covered. For this directions said, “Cover the greenhouse with a UV-resistant polythene (there are other options also).” We did some reading and also talked with the expert at the local hardware store (McLendons – we love them, very helpful and knowledgeable) about the “other options”. We found out the polythene/Visqueen-type plastic, though inexpensive, breaks down because of the sun’s UV rays and the weather and would need to be replaced each year. So, with the goal of making the greenhouse longer lasting and sustainable, we instead purchased polycarbonate plastic that lasts 20+ years. It did cost significantly more, but we felt that it was a one-time cost and a worthwhile investment which would require far less maintenance. It came in 2 foot wide sheets (with some extra for overlapping) and we bought 10 foot lengths.

When we got it home, using a friend’s truck, we first covered the long roof section. This is where we really saw that the framing wasn’t quite square, but fortunately the polycarbonate has a little flex to it and we were able to compensate. The roof was the hardest part, again, all the work had to be done on ladders and we had never used the polycarbonate before. It is relatively easy to cut with a circular saw (kind of), and smaller cuts could be done with my old trusty bandage shears.

The following week we covered both sides, the short side of the roof, and the window (that was a pain). Finally, this last weekend, I was able to get the back, front, and door done and that meant the greenhouse was completely enclosed. All that was left was to finishing the shelving. Sarah determined that a 1/4 inch wire mesh would be the best material, as it would allow water to drain and sunlight to pass through. The sunlight passing through was important because it allows containers on the ground to also get sunlight.

So it’s done. We’re pretty proud of it. I can’t help but smile every time I see it though the window or go outside. I’m really glad we have it. I’m sure the greenhouse will be a regular topic in our posts as we continue to learn, discuss our failures, and celebrate our successes.

north side
south side
east side
west side

Thanks very much to Ryan for all his hard work and time. I also appreciate Chanse helping when he could. And I want to acknowledge and thank Sarah for her technical advice, monetary budgeting, and most of all, patience. (And thanks to my father-in-law, Jay, for his DeWalt compound mitre saw.)

(Wednesday: The City Cousin)

 

Sarah’s View: DIY Potato Box

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This weekend, with the beautiful weather we had here, Trace and I decided to work on some of our outdoor projects. I was able to build my potato box (in one day) and asked Trace if I could share the results, on our blog, sooner rather than later!

This year will be our first year growing potatoes. As we understand the way potatoes grow, they need soil added as the plant grows bigger to further stimulate production. Many people choose to simply mound the dirt around their plants or use old tires for their potato ‘frame’. However, years ago (before Trace) I saw a design for a ‘potato box’ that allows the grower to harvest the baby (or new) potatoes throughout the growing season.

We had already bought all the materials needed: one treated 2x4x12 and ten 1x6x6 boards (actually fence slats).

We pulled out the power tools – my dad’s mitre saw (which now ‘lives’ at our house) and the drills (plural because, if you have two, you don’t have to switch bits between the pre-drilling and the screwing in of the screws) – and, after quick review on how to use each, I got started (I’d used drills before, but not the saw).

My first step was to cut the 2x4x12 into four 33-inch pieces. These will be the upright corner posts. (A handy tip from Trace: measure from the end for each cut, that way you don’t lose the width of the saw blade from your cut). I then cut the 1x6s into twenty 24-inch pieces.

Next, I attached four 1x6s across the upright 2x4s to form the bottom frame into a square.

Originally I’d intended to build up just two layers of boards, leaving the rest to be added as dirt was piled onto the growing potatoes. I realized, however, that there was no reason not to build three sides up completely and only have one unfinished/working side. The first side went slowly as I lined up each board, pre-drilled the holes and then attached them. The second and third sides went much faster as I got used to the tools and the box gained more and more stability.

The fourth side boards will be attached as we add dirt. These will be attached with only one screw on each side, for easy removal, with the intention of harvesting the potatoes at the bottom of the box early, while allowing the rest to continue to grow.

We placed the three-sided box at the corner of our garden, where sun will hit the open side and we had some good dirt. I planted the seed potatoes–Kennebec and Red Pontiac–and hopefully, fingers crossed, we’re good to go for this year’s potato crop.

(Wednesday: Momma Bear)

 

The Annual Rotation

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Out With The Old…

The beginning of March is our family’s Annual Rotation (okay, this is the first annual rotation – but it will be this time each year, probably). This is when we go through all our preps and rotate, replace, and update as needed. We decided on March because it’s a relatively slow time of year, there aren’t any holidays (or birthdays) that require extra money, gardens haven’t gone in yet, and maybe there’s even a tax return to help add a couple of new prep items that we’ve wanted.

Here’s our Annual Rotation list to rotate, replace, update, and/or review:

  • BOB** food: We don’t rotate MREs or freeze-dried stuff every year, but peanut butter, power bars, tuna, snacks, etc. all get replaced with new. The old goes to (the front of) our pantry.
  • Batteries: in BOB, car and house flashlights, and smoke alarms and CO2 detectors
  • Evacuation/Bug-Out Documentation: Check phone numbers, maps, and routes. Review plan with family. New photos of kids. Ensure ALL copies of evacuation documentation get updated.
  • EDC wallet contact card
  • Short List (a check-list of items we’d quickly grab if we had to bug-out with little notice – more about Short Lists on Wednesday*)
  • Red Buckets (non-perishable food in red 5-gallon buckets, with orange gamma lids, pre-stocked to be quickly grabbed to supplement BOBs, also part of our Short List)
  • Flash drives in BOBs with home video inventory and PDF resources
  • SWYE: ensure inventory is accurate

In addition we do our quarterly review of stuff at this time:

  • Generator: run briefly to test
  • Extra car keys: check to make sure key in hidden magnetic box is still there
  • Furnace filter: replace (not a prepper thing, but needs to be done regularly)

Think of any other things you keep in your preps, but don’t use very regularly, such as:

  • Chainsaw (or other small gasoline powered tools): clean, inspect, and run briefly to test
  • Firearms: ensure cleaned and oiled
  • Firearm’s magazines: it’s a good idea to keep about half of your primary magazines loaded (to about 80% capacity); then each year change over and use the other half (this will help maximize the follower spring’s life)

One thing that isn’t listed above, is our backup gasoline. Gasoline, with stabilizers, can last one to two years. We stagger ours so it doesn’t all have to be rotated at the same time (keep accurate records).

If you’re like us, you’re busy and life is hectic. We tend to forget about our faithful preps that just sit, waiting, in case we need them. And yes, it’s a hassle to replace and update things – but you’re doing this because you believe it’s important and necessary, remember? So make your own list(s), track the age of the perishable items, and rotate to keep your preps fresh and ready. (Minor confession: we’re not done with all of this yet, but we’re working on it…)

(Wednesday: *Quick, Grab Everything Important!)

**For my list of abbreviations and other information, open the above ‘Check Here…’ page tab.

What We Did This Week To Prep 3/2/12

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This week Ryan and Chanse built a T-bar trellis for the raspberries. Last year was the raspberries first year so, of course, there was a lot of growth–with shoots coming up all over–but very little fruit. This year we plan to trellis them, over wires connected to the T-bars, to keep them more organized and maximize the space. We’re going to allow them to spread out some more, but at their perimeters I had the boys bury pieces of plywood (vertically 15 inches deep) to keep them from getting out of their allotted space. Hopefully, this the raspberries second year, we’ll get a good harvest.

I borrowed a truck from a friend (can’t wait to get our own, it’ll make these jobs much easier) and returned to the Landfill Compost Factory. The first day Ryan and I got two cubic yards of fine compost (I describe it as ‘fluffy dirt’). The following day I went back, by myself (Ryan started track practice), and got another two cubic yards, this time of the coarse compost (it’s more like slightly composted mulch). Between the two days we added about five inches of new compost to the garden areas, both front and back; it’ll have about three months to ‘settle in’ before we plant into it in June. The soil in this area was initially just clay and rock with about an inch of topsoil, so hopefully the soil improvements we’ve made the last couple of years will pay off.

Sarah and I finally made time to get together and finalize our seed order. Sarah had mapped the garden area, labeling what would go where, to make efficient use of the space available. As mentioned, last year was our first real garden and we had deliberately kept it smaller (and only had limited success); this year we’ll be planting about twice as much space. After looking at her garden map and making a few additions to the list, we got our seeds ordered. Ryan and I will build the greenhouse in the next couple of weeks.

What did you do?

(Monday: What Bridges?)

 

How Much Do You Need = Math

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Figuring Out How Much To Store
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In our preps we store XYZ (food or non-food, doesn’t matter). We want to store enough of it to last 30 days (or 60, or 90, or a year…); how do we know when we’ve reached our goal? Do you know how much of XYZ you use a day, a week, a month? How do you figure it out? What variables need to be accounted for? Most of us just go with the ‘buy a bunch and hope it’s enough’ approach. But some things we’ll use faster than expected, and others will go bad before we’re able to use them. To determine these amounts is more of a hassle than it should be, but here are some ideas.

To start with, most packaged food items have a Serving Size (included in the Nutrition Facts). Sure this number will vary for different people, but it’ll work for a rough estimate. For items bought in bulk, it’s easy to look up the nutritional info online. Also, for food items–if you run out of one source of protein or carbs, you can typically use another–you don’t have to figure out each one exactly.

But other things that we have in our preps aren’t as easy to determine. What about items that don’t have a serving size or the amount used varies by person? Items like: toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, gasoline, shampoo, even pet food, or coffee? The answers are found through our old friend (or nemesis) math.

I’m going to use coffee as an example. How much coffee you use per day is dependent on how strong you like your coffee, and how much you drink each day. I wanted to figure out how much coffee we’d need for Sarah, Ryan, and I (the coffee drinkers in our family) to have one mug of coffee (16 fl oz) per day for one year (we’re assuming the SHTF* and we need to stretch it as long as possible).

We buy (and store) whole bean coffee in 2-pound bags. We figured out that:

  • 2-pound bag = 12 cups of coffee beans (8 oz cups, not mugs)
  • 1/8 cup (our scoop size) of  beans = 1 mug of coffee
  • 12-cup bag of beans = 96 mugs of coffee
  • 96 mugs / 3 people = 32 days of one mug each
  • 2-pound bag of coffee beans = one mug, per person (for 3 people), per day, for a month
  • ANSWER: twelve 2-pound bags = 1 mug, per person (for 3 people), per day, for 1 year

Another consideration is how long the stored item will last. And even though many food (or non-food) expiration dates don’t necessarily mean you can’t eat (or use) them after that–especially in a collapse–we should at least note them and if we think they will last longer understand how and/or why. With coffee, our example, the expiration date is 14 months from the time of purchase – so storing a year isn’t an issue.

It’s important to have our stored preps, but it’s only a start. We need to store them properly, rotate them regularly, know how to use them, and know how much we need of each.

(Friday: What I Did This Week To Prep)

*For my list of abbreviations and other information, open the above ‘Check Here…’ page tab.