How long could you sustain yourself and family?

[wyoDreamer]

I always try to eat as fresh as I can, but there are times it is nice to have the backup. The freeze dried canned stuff is a backup plan, just incase something comes up and I need it. For instance, if I were to lose my job, the economy tanks, or the garden fails. I think the freeze dried is going to be better than some of the junk that is pre-made in the stores. No preservatives, no artificial colors.or other yuck. Supplement with what I can, when I can.
I do use it to make mixes to take camping. A lot easier to travel with and if I don't use it, then it is still good for the next time. You can't always catch enough for supper.

A can of chicken, some reconstituted vegetables and broth - viola, chicken soup or thicken it and serve over biscuits for chicken stew. I really like the freeze dried hash browns. Super quick and easy breakfast when served with some fried eggs, maybe some bacon or sausage links on the side.

 

[Arielle]

You are right of course. My boys went hiking and a friend had MRE's, and the boy thought it tasted like yuk. lol Being prepared is a good thing, and like you I"m concerned the econoly might tank. or worse it is just a slow death . . . . lol. ANd finding reasonable ways to keep food on the table is always a plus.

I have thought about growing mushrooms.

Planting amaranthe as it is good for seeds and leaves, depending on the variety.

Planting old varieties of winter squash and keeping the seeds to replant.

Still working on the root cellar in the cellar.

NEver enough time to do everything. Winter is rolling in again!! lol

 

[wyoDreamer]

I want to buy one of those mushroom boxes from the seed catalog and grow my own. DH says no way you are growing mushrooms! Well, why not, they can get pretty expensive in the store at times. I would like to learn how to make my own mushroom soup mix, canned mushrooms or pickled mushrooms.

 

[Arielle]

What a great idea!! Maybe you can talk to him further and ask why his is against it. THen do some research and who him why he is mistaken . Perhaps he is thinking of the halucinogenic ones, and not the white button mushrroms for eating.

I love eating a fresh mushroom everyday that I hae them. I heard from a reliable source that at 10g of mushrooms a day a womans chance of breast cancer drops by 60%. Cant help wonder if other cancers are also put in their place.

I used to buy mushrooms on sale in the cheep section, and that would be several pounds at a time. Sauteed in a little oil and then repackaged for the freezer for later use. SUre miss that section of the grocery store-- they eliminated that section. So I rarely shop their anymore. lol

Dried mushrooms last a long time. I put them in glass jars , like a canning jar.

 

[wyoDreamer]

@Arielle - do you dry mushrooms at home? is it a simple slice them up and put them on the dehydrator trays type process?

 

[Arielle]

I dont dry them in a dehystrator as that takes energy. I buy fresh when I can get them on sale. ANd if just one box we eat them up in a week. To keep them longer in the refrig I open the plastic and let the dehydrating effects of refrigerator go to work. lol By a couple weeks they are dried.

AM I mistaken about the amt of energy the dehydrator uses??

 

[AkChris]

@Arielle - do you dry mushrooms at home? is it a simple slice them up and put them on the dehydrator trays type process?

I'm not Arielle but I do dry lots of mushrooms at home. I forage wild mushrooms and dry them to keep for the winter. Yes, it's simple. Just slice them and put them on trays. I generally run my dehydrator over night as it takes me about 10 hrs to dry a batch. I live in a very, very humid climate though so it may not take as long other places. I use a med-low heat setting on mine, as it's adjustable and lower heat preserves more of the nutrients.

I dont dry them in a dehystrator as that takes energy. I buy fresh when I can get them on sale. ANd if just one box we eat them up in a week. To keep them longer in the refrig I open the plastic and let the dehydrating effects of refrigerator go to work. lol By a couple weeks they are dried.

AM I mistaken about the amt of energy the dehydrator uses??

They really don't use much energy but it depends a bit on the dehydrator and how you use it. I have a pretty powerful one that runs at 700 watts (although I rarely run it at max). For me to run the 700 watt dehydrator for 10 hours is 7000 watts or 7 kW. I pay $0.116 per kW of electricity so that comes out to $0.81 a batch. It's actually less though as I run the dehydrator at much lower than max temps. Probably more like 50 cents per batch. I guess I generally dry 3 - 5 lbs fresh weight per run (depends upon how many mushrooms I've found). So I'm only using between 1-2 kW energy or around 15 cents a lb of mushrooms. Well worth it to me to have quality dried wild mushrooms.

You'd have to figure out usage and electricity cost for your area. Then decide if it was worth it to you.

I forage wild mushrooms and berries, garden, hunt, and fish. So my dehydrator, vacuum sealer, smoker, and canner all see a lot of use. They all take some energy to run there's nothing like have a pantry and freezer full of preserved food you grew, gather, or hunted yourself. I spend a lot of time and effort to produce this food so it's worth it to me to make sure it's processed and preserved the best way possible. For mushrooms I think drying them keeps them best and retains the most flavor and texture. I do enjoy them pickled as well but you're more limited in what you can cook with pickled mushrooms.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Pickled mushrooms are for Brandy Manhattans, right?

 

[AkChris]

Pickled mushrooms are for Brandy Manhattans, right?

Of course.

Actually that's what the pickled cranberries are for...so much yummier than the maraschino cherries. I've yet to try the pickled mushrooms in a drink. Maybe I should.

 

[Arielle]

Ak Chris-- THe cost of the dehumidifyier is far less than I thought. ANd yes, It is well worth the effort to properly put up all the foodstuffs that you have worked hard to acquire. I'm not ready to pick wild mushrrooms, but admire those with the skills.