Bulk seed

[U_Stormcrow]

https://www.palousebrand.com/

I use this company for many of their products. Lowes has food-grade buckets and gamma lids. Grains should be pre-frozen for 3 days, thawed for 3 days, frozen again for 3 days - to break bug cycles, before long-term storage. If you live in a cold-winter climate - you could take advantage of nature's freezer. Just protect your supply from scavengers, while doing it.
In your buckets - layering in a few bayleaves also helps.

Whether you feed a commercial feed or not - having a recipe like this written down, is a good idea - in case for some reason, commercial feed becomes unavailable.

I know I marked this post as Informative at the time, but wanted to spend a minute and actually say "Thank you". This is a really good, generally useful post. I've had good luck with bulk buys from Palouse (not many, I admit) fro planting, and I'm not going to count the number of Lowe's buckets I have around the pasture - I even use them as hutches for my rabbits in their cage (though the lids are crap - the ones from the last year r two are brittle inside of 16 months. )

and repeat freezing - if you have the space, to break the bug cycle - is a trick a lot of people don't know.

to which I'll add - storing grain in an old broken refrigerator/freezer is relatively rat proof, has easy open doors, and greatly slows nutrient degradation from sunlight and oxygen exchange - but can a poor choice in humid environments.

 

[Sammster]

I know I marked this post as Informative at the time, but wanted to spend a minute and actually say "Thank you". This is a really good, generally useful post. I've had good luck with bulk buys from Palouse (not many, I admit) fro planting, and I'm not going to count the number of Lowe's buckets I have around the pasture - I even use them as hutches for my rabbits in their cage (though the lids are crap - the ones from the last year r two are brittle inside of 16 months. )

and repeat freezing - if you have the space, to break the bug cycle - is a trick a lot of people don't know.

to which I'll add - storing grain in an old broken refrigerator/freezer is relatively rat proof, has easy open doors, and greatly slows nutrient degradation from sunlight and oxygen exchange - but can a poor choice in humid environments.

Thank you. Actually, It's going to be super cold for a stretch, here. I have some bulk corn and wheat berries, (I'm learning some "from scratch" baking, and I bought a grain mill) that I'm going to put out on my deck to start the freeze cycle, tomorrow. Wheat berries preserve well, in general, and I did add a little DE to the buckets, but I might as well take advantage of the deep freeze.

I bought a freeze dryer, last year. Have been learning about light and air, with regard to preservation. The freeze drying process, along with oxygen absorbers and mylar or dark storage is ideal for certain foods. I could see the old fridge idea working in a dry environment. Perhaps including a dehumidifier, like those made for gun safes, would help with the moisture? Or even the beaded moisture absorbers made for closets?

 

[Sally PB]

@Sammster, I hope you're coming to the Michigan Chickenstock in June. I want to talk to you about this.

Yeah, it's a deep freeze this week! It's 3F right now.

We have an old (35-40...?yo) fridge that we know will die one day. Well, it's lasted us 29 years, so far. (We bought it used for $165, so it owes us NOTHING.) But eventually, it'll croak. And then it'll have life anew as a storage bin.

 

[Sammster]

@Sammster, I hope you're coming to the Michigan Chickenstock in June. I want to talk to you about this.

Yeah, it's a deep freeze this week! It's 3F right now.

We have an old (35-40...?yo) fridge that we know will die one day. Well, it's lasted us 29 years, so far. (We bought it used for $165, so it owes us NOTHING.) But eventually, it'll croak. And then it'll have life anew as a storage bin.

I've not heard of chickenstock. Where/what is it?

Embarrassing confession: I have freeway phobia. The only length of freeway I occasionally force myself to drive is 75 - between Clarkston and St Helen. From my house to the cabin. About 2 1/2 hours. Going through Flint, and even Saginaw is tough for me. I usually have a headache by the time I arrive. Really dumb, I know.

I haven't actually used a fridge myself, for storage. That was U_Stormcrow. Cool idea, though. Or were you referring to the freeze dryer?

 

[Sally PB]

I've not heard of chickenstock. Where/what is it?

A T T E N T I O N !

CHICKENSTOCK:
JUNE 17, 2023
10am-3pm
Delta Mills Park
7001 Old River Trail
Lansing, MI

Come and meet crazy chicken folks.
Bring a dish to share.
Bring chicks/chickens to sell, or other livestock.

Or were you referring to the freeze dryer?

This. I *think* I want one. But the cost/noise might be a mind changer.

 

[Sammster]

A T T E N T I O N !

CHICKENSTOCK:
JUNE 17, 2023
10am-3pm
Delta Mills Park
7001 Old River Trail
Lansing, MI

Come and meet crazy chicken folks.
Bring a dish to share.
Bring chicks/chickens to sell, or other livestock.


This. I *think* I want one. But the cost/noise might be a mind changer.

Ok, gotcha! There's a great FD group on both Facebook and MeWe called Retired at 40's FREEZE DRYING GROUP, that I highly recommend. I gave up on Facebook a couple years ago. But, I'm on MeWe. If you happen to be on there, look me up " Sandy LaFond". Amazingly helpful people in that group. There's even a member who works for Harvest Right, who helps with troubleshooting.

These groups were started by a YouTuber -https://m.youtube.com/@live.life.simple.
I recommend this channel, as well. He has a great catalog of videos. Very detailed and helpful.

Noise: it depends on where you set up. Yes, some think it's loud. It doesn't bother me, personally. But, I might be the exception. And, I have it right in my kitchen.

Cost is a factor. It was a bit of an investment, for me. I'm glad I did it. Just wish I had more space (a basement would be nice) in this small house, for all the things I want - like a proper pantry, for instance

 

[Sally PB]

Thanks @Sammster.

I'll shut up now and not derail the thread anymore.

 

[Sammster]

Thanks @Sammster.

I'll shut up now and not derail the thread anymore.

Oh... sorry. I probably should've written this privately?

 

[NatJ]

Oh... sorry. I probably should've written this privately?

I enjoyed reading it too-- useful info. If you'd done it privately, I would have missed that.

I do agree it was a little off-topic for the original thread, although I'm thinking not too far off because storing bulk feed ingredients is definitely relevant to the original question. So probably not a big deal either way, I would guess.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

People are giving their opinions, but I have yet to see that anyone had the feed tested or approached the companies which is the first thing that should have been done.

Mike Adams is testing a bag now.