There are a lot of reasons to zip your lip about your secret life as a survivalist. I won’t enumerate them all because if you’re reading this you’ve already figured most of them out. However, there are some advantages to having a few trusted fellow survivalists know about your interest – case in point: I got a text message early in the morning from someone I know advising me that the local restaurant supply store had 50# sacks of long grain rice in stock.
I’d have missed that opportunity if someone I knew hadn’t kept an eye open on my behalf. So, there is some merit to having a few people (preferably fellow survivalists) know what you’re up to.
As an aside, I did wind up picking up a couple sacks of rice. Thing is, as it turned out, I was out of food grade 5-gallon buckets. Pro Tip: Keep extra buckets and lids on hand so that if there are any ‘last minute’ additions to your stockpile you can have the needed containers. The internet is full of expert advice on what is or is not considered a food grade bucket. And…none of it agrees. Just because your bucket has a ‘2’ stamped in the little recycling triangle doesn’t make it so. So, I headed off to Home Depot to look for a thick (.090 mil or better) HDPE food grade bucket. Turns out, they make it pretty easy to tell if the bucket is food grade:
Well, THAT was easy.
Conveniently, the bucket was, literally, marked as food grade. Cool. How many you got? I’ll take them all.
After that it was a quick washdown with 50/50 bleach/water, and then leave them to thoroughly dry. If the interior of the bucket doesn’t smell like a swimming pool after you wash it, wash it again and use more bleach.Then hammer on a couple Gamma Seal lids, fill with rice, slap a date label on there, and good to go.
This is actually one of myriads of ‘failures’ or oversights I am discovering that I have made. In this case, I should have had a stash of extra food-grade buckets around for last minute acquisitions-of-opportunity and that sort of thing.
I already had a couple hundred pounds of rice on hand but rice keeps forever, transports easily, and…I like it. So, why not grab another 150#?
While we are on the subject, here’s a collection of rice recipes. Me, I’m genetically predisposed towards towards arroz con pollo and, sure enough, that’s probably where tonights dinner is heading.
So, for those keeping track, here’s a Lesson Learned From The 2020 Flu: have extra storage containers on hand and in quantity for last-minute purchases or relocation/redistribution of supplies.
No oxygen absorbers in mylar bags?
Just haven’t found it to be really necessary for plain, white rice. Nice to have, sure. Suspenders-and-a-belt, sure. But, honestly, I use rice that is several years old and it’s stored in nothing more complicated than a 5-gallon bucket and a gamma seal lid. Heck, I was still using rice from Y2K until just a few years ago. However, my environment doesn’t have a lot of pests like, say, the south or other warm climates.
Just to confirm. You see no need for mylar bags and oxygen absorbers for rice?
Didn’t say that. For my needs, based on my experience, in my climate and environment, in my storage conditions….no. But for virtually every other bulk staple other than rice I do go the mylar route.
Great deal – Both the rice and the buckets! This falls under the heading, It’s good to have friends.
On a completely unrelated note: I’ve found a way to display my participation in the current exercise – I have some on the way already.
https://www.reaperpatches.com/products/operation-enduring-clusterfuck-covid-19
Glass canning jars. Bug and rodent-proof. Throw them in the freezer for 2 or 3 days to kill any bugs/eggs. Splits your rice (beans, wheat, etc) into smaller more easily moved containers. And as you empty the jars they become available for the produce from your garden. Much more efficient means of storing your canning jars than a box of empty jars.
You start with something key but maybe overlooked:
“I got a text message early in the morning from someone I know”
The deal you got was the result of a previously developed relationship. Without it- no deal. I can buy/sell PMs at spot with no fee because my buddy is a jeweler, not because Im an expert dickerer. I can trade produce with some farmer friends because thats what we do. It pays to make friends.
That was pretty much my whole point…having a like-minded associate or buddy can be pretty useful at times.
I’m still loving those German water cans for rice storage, just wish I had a few more. The 4″ opening makes filling easy. I haven’t ever used Mylar bags or oxygen absorbers for rice myself. Nice tip on the true food grade buckets at Home Depot!
Ball 1/2 gallon jars and then vacuum sealed. We have been using Basmati rice that we jarred in 2011. Eats just fine.
rice is good for when you’re really hungry and you want 2000 of something – Mitch Hedberg
So, call all your friends– see what they know
I have a hard time keeping empty containers on hand. If they are empty, they must be filled asap! Same goes for fuel tanks, wood shed ect. If I bought extra storage buckets, I’d be nervous until they were filled. I understand this is my issue and your idea is a sound one.
“Give me all the food grade buckets you have.” Sorry, it just popped in there…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gvvaZCuvHnc
Rom Swanson is the man.
I guess one of the “good things” about this crisis is the spouse might finally be seeing why I wanted to get some extra items. I use food grade 5 gallon buckets I bought from Tractor Supply, and they are fantastic. I keep my rice, beans, and sugar in separate buckets and in their original packages. It’s been around 2 years now, no issues. And….don’t we always need more buckets?
I’m still using rice that was slowly stored up over the past 10-5 years ago. Not going to buy any more until I start to “see bottom” of my current hoard.
And being the cheap bastard that I am, I’ve been using empty cat litter buckets (cleaned & dried) for storing dry foods (rice, wheat, oats).