In this year’s Deep pantry/Food Storage Challenge I will be doing it a little different then last years so be sure to check out each week’s challenge. I will also be focusing a little more on skills which I will have a separate post for in the next couple of days.

A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Proverbs 27:12

Remember having a deep pantry isn’t just about having extra food on hand. It is also about having the means to survive in an emergency situation, having all the extra food isn’t going to do you much good if you can’t cook it when the power is out. If you are having a hard time trying to afford filling a deep pantry read my post on “having a Deep Pantry on a tight budget.”

Don’t forget to share what you were able to do this past week to have a deep pantry/food storage. Let’s encourage each other. And if you have a question feel free to ask or if you have the answer to a question feel free to answer. If you have a tip or idea you can share that also. As I said let’s make this a place where we can share and encourage others to get that deep pantry.

This first month will be a jump start to get a little ahead so if things go south before you can get everything you want, at least you have something to survive on.

The amounts are for two people If you have more just double to what you need.

This week you will want to get, 

50 Lbs flour or wheat and 1 lb yeast (More if you can afford it).

50 pounds of flour or wheat, if you have a grinder you can get wheat, if not get flour. I don’t remember the exact price of flour at Wal-Mart, but I know it was right around 9.00 for 25 pounds. So a little under 20 dollars you can get 50 pounds of flour.

White flour will last longer than wheat flour in storage. If you live in a place that freezes during the winter get your flour now and you can store it out in a shed or somewhere where it will freeze. Just pour in a bucket, add a couple pieces of spearmint gum, and put the lid on.  If it freezes really good for at least a few days, it will last a very long time ( I opened some flour a few months ago from 08 and it was still good). If you don’t live where it freezes put it in the freezer for a couple days to kill all the little bugs that are in it. Then put it in some Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.  If using Mylar bags you still need to put them in buckets, this will keep varmints from trying to chew through.

1 pound of yeast is 5.69 at bulk foods where I buy mine.

1 Pound yeast,  1 pound of yeast is 5.69 at bulk foods where I buy mine. Sams club has it for around 7 dollars for 2 pounds. Not too sure how much it is at Wal-Mart.

Yeast will keep for a very long time in the freezer. I keep mine in the freezer and have a smaller container that holds about a cup that I fill and keep in my fridge to use.

The action item for this month will be to get in shape. If things go south you will be having to do a lot more physical work you will need to be in shape so that you will be able to do the things you need to do.

The extra item for this month is a car kit if you don’t already have one. You Can go here to see what I have in ours. You will want one for each vehicle that your family drives. Even the teenagers. They may balk at it but do it anyway. A few years ago there was a bad accident about 20 miles from us that had the highway closed down for most of the night. People were stuck on each end that lived on the other side, so a lot of people were displaced. Joleen’s boyfriend (at the time) and his grandmother had come to town and were unable to get back home, and had to stay with us. Andy had been checking on his Mom and was stuck on the other side.  I was able to use that example for the girls as to why you should always have a car kit in your vehicle, even if you don’t travel very far from home.

Every week you will want to put back water. You can buy it, or fill your empty juice and soda bottles. You can also store water in your empty canning jars, as you empty your jars just add some water and put the lid back on. You don’t have to can this water but if you wanted to you could.

You can also put water in bleach and detergent bottles ( this will be non-potable but you could flush and wash dishes with it. ).

Every week you will also want to put back a few dollars, even if it is a small amount it will add up. Save your ones and if you can your fives and all your loose change from paying with cash. It will add up pretty quickly.

What I was able to get done this week. I didn’t get as much done as I had planned I am working on the fairs web page and trying to get the lessons started back up in the daycare. I did get 5 gallons of kombucha in the second fermentation and I did several different flavors ( Root beer, Cherry, Strawberry lemonade, pomegranate, and plain), I was gifted a sourdough started woohoo have been wanting one for a while ( it made the best bread ever), I got some lemons and tomatoes fermenting, I have some carrots and garlic to ferment, got grapefruits in the dehydrator, got my sprouting system for chicken feed back up and running, and a little bit of basil off my plant stored in salt. I think that was about it.

What were you able to do for your deep pantry?