A PEEK INTO THE STASH

The handmaiden and I just did an inventory in our secret stash room upstairs and put away our bags of rice and beans. And what a stash it is. Here is what we found.

This is NOT what we have in the regular kitchen supplies. This is strictly what we have stashed upstairs for hard time usage.

87 lbs of White Rice
38 lbs of Pinto Beans
4 lbs Navy Beans
12 lbs of Great Northern Beans
9 lbs of Black Beans
4 lbs Old Fashioned Oats
5 lbs of sprouting seeds

Misc. Spices
6-4oz crushed red pepper
1-4oz oregano
6-4oz Italian spices
4-4oz garlic powder
3-4oz onion powder
2 lbs chopped garlic in water
3-12oz chopped dried onions

4.5 lbs of lard
5 lbs of sugar
2 lbs of salt
2 bottles Hot Sauce
1 baking soda
1 baking powder
1 13oz Decaf

Misc. canned goods
consisting of:
beef stew
chicken and dumplings
refried beans
sardines
canned roast beef
chicken

I know this list is not a complete "hard times" menu for a couple of folks, but it is the first time the Handmaiden and I have done this together. But it is interesting because it will tell you where your shortcomings are. You get this on a sheet of paper and you can look for what you don't have! Like our supply: No fruit or goodies for desert or whatnot. No Saltine crackers. No 50 lbs of powdered milk. And definitley not enough salt. We could use about 50 lbs of Lard. Maybe a few bottles of Olive Oil. Looks like more Decaf is on the agenda too! And I don't use sugar but I can use the hell out of Splenda.

In hard times I look for people to become more physically active. I think I can go back on sugar with no problem. I use Splenda for the non-carbohydrate effect. If you are not active I believe that carbs will load you with fat. In fact, I have proved it on my own body.

On the powdered milk issue, I have the benefit of a couple of guys who ran experiments with the stuff. Powderd milk tastes funny if you make it and drink it. But these two guys made it and let it sit for 24 hours and it tasted fine! Just keep it cold and the flavor will come to it.

On the canned fruit thing I confess I don't fool with the stuff. I eat apples that my wife cuts up and gives me along with a small helpiong of raisins. I don't peel them.

I practically never touch potatoes unless the wife can't go without them at a meal. She's Irish and sometimes they just gotta, y'know.

But we have a start on a good stash and we can see where we are and where we need to go. I didn't have this info yesterday. And I have it on paper and not on my hard drive.

The garden should add considerable to my stash. I plan on growing the hell out of Pinto Beans. I love those suckers. Green beans will go in the canning jars as will tomatoes. I am a protein fanatic but in looking at my provisions list I can see that some potent vegetables will give me some necessary vitamins and minerals. I will do what I can to make this stronger in my stockpile.

Stay alive!

Michael

mboone@rtccom.net