# Food preps, need advice



## Nyet

Hey guys, I am almost set on weaponry, though I still have a ways to go, and 
I need to start thinking about food preps, medical preps, etc. Water wise I believe I am ok for now. Living in the Tampa Bay area I have access to quite a few large retention ponds that are hundreds of thousands of gallons each (A very good point made by my very un-supportive wife lol!), four of them within 1 mile walking distance, and they are full of nothing but fish, smallish gators, and rain water. I am buying cheese cloths, potable water tablets, and I already have a small water purification system for short term use. (looking into bigger ones ATM)

But as far as food I am sorely short supplied and ill prepared. As usual, please keep in mind my wife thinks I am loony and I have very limited storage space ATM.

At the beginning of October I'll have a few hundred bucks to blow and want to start on my food cabinet. I've been looking at Brown Rice and whole dried wheat (I'm pre-diabetic so brown is better for me, though I do realize white lasts longer, so it might be a good idea to get both???), Dry beans, canned meats, and possibly a large supply of vegetable producing seeds. I like the idea of MREs and freeze dried food stuffs, but I feel that these options would not be as cost effective, and I'm looking to procure a larger volume rather than higher quality to start off with. 

I figure I will be trying to buy in bulk to start playing catch up. But basically I'm trying to focus on higher calorie items so that I can stretch the provisions for a long while by taking in less volume per meal. 

I would also like to get people's opinions on the Lifestraw systems while I am putting questions out there.

Thanks for any advice!


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## FrostKitten

Well, I haven't seen any bad reviews for Lifestraws, I just haven't gotten around to getting it yet ^.^;; Maybe next month, I'll have a bit of extra cash. Anyways, in _theory_ it isn't supposed to break down, but at my last check, the company could guarantee they would work for three years, which is why I want at least one.

I would suggest putting back unpasteurized, organic honey. It has vitamins, minerals, and natural sugars that are easier to digest and healthier, plus trace amounts of enzymes. Try and get local. It also has medicinal purposes, and since it's a natural sugar, you can stock it instead of refined, which I know people tend to stockpile because it's valuable to make alcohol and trade, among other things.

I remember TG mentioning that in a SHTF situation, canned fish is a good item to have. If you don't eat it, you can trade it for something you need (not everyone's going to be fishing). And if you have bad luck fishing, you'll still have access to the necessary nutrients fish provides


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## pheniox17

$200, look at a dehydrator and doing your own with "excess" in season fruit and veggies, changes the I just spent one off $200 on food, to the ability to preserve your own when you can pick up that extra bag of frozen veg on special or apples are super cheap this week, let's get a few kgs


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## Nyet

pheniox17 said:


> $200, look at a dehydrator and doing your own with "excess" in season fruit and veggies, changes the I just spent one off $200 on food, to the ability to preserve your own when you can pick up that extra bag of frozen veg on special or apples are super cheap this week, let's get a few kgs


That is something I've considered, but I have never looked at it from that financial aspect. Now I'm looking at it in a whole new light! thanks for posting! I am a little curious on how frozen anything works into this plan though...are you suggesting to dehydrate frozen veggies???



FrostKitten said:


> Well, I haven't seen any bad reviews for Lifestraws, I just haven't gotten around to getting it yet ^.^;; Maybe next month, I'll have a bit of extra cash. Anyways, in _theory_ it isn't supposed to break down, but at my last check, the company could guarantee they would work for three years, which is why I want at least one.
> 
> I would suggest putting back unpasteurized, organic honey. It has vitamins, minerals, and natural sugars that are easier to digest and healthier, plus trace amounts of enzymes. Try and get local. It also has medicinal purposes, and since it's a natural sugar, you can stock it instead of refined, which I know people tend to stockpile because it's valuable to make alcohol and trade, among other things.
> 
> I remember TG mentioning that in a SHTF situation, canned fish is a good item to have. If you don't eat it, you can trade it for something you need (not everyone's going to be fishing). And if you have bad luck fishing, you'll still have access to the necessary nutrients fish provides


I love this suggestion, and I have the perfect place to go! There's a little family run honey farm on my way home from work! just curio though...Can you use huoney to make alcohol as well? I drink very little myself, but I am always looking for things I can produce to barter... and what sort of medicinal purposes does it have?


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## FrostKitten

You can make mead, which honey wine, but I haven't tried it so I don't know how good it tastes. If you're making traditional alcohol, you could _probably_ add it to the mash so it breaks down properly into something the yeast can use (if you're using grains or potatoes instead of straight sugar or molasses).

I've researched this recently, can you tell? :lol:


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## Nyet

nice!


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## pheniox17

yep dehydrate frozen veggies is 1 option of many with dehydrating... I personally don't know a lot about it, but if I had the same $200 buying power, that is what I would seriously look at (wait its something I am looking at)


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## FrostKitten

Hell, you could probably build a dehydrator for less if you use the solar box one. Then you could put the rest to veggies to dehydrate


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## Dalarast

FrostKitten said:


> You can make mead, which honey wine, but I haven't tried it so I don't know how good it tastes. If you're making traditional alcohol, you could _probably_ add it to the mash so it breaks down properly into something the yeast can use (if you're using grains or potatoes instead of straight sugar or molasses).
> 
> I've researched this recently, can you tell? :lol:


Below is a mead recipe; but a dehydrator is a quick and easy way to start preparing food yourself for long term as they are pointing out. If you have a honey farm nearby you may also have someone who grows fruits/veggies or even a farmers market where you can buy some supplies in bulk. Pick up a "meat" pack at a local butcher and gives you enough meat to eat off of for about 6 months; but gives you also some meat you can turn into jerky too.

Buckets of beans, lentils, rice, flour, and salt are always good options and something that is "cheap" and easy to store; but requires more work to prepare (people always say this preparing stuff isn't easy).

There is many other styles of mead you can utilize... I personally remove the clove when I make it. Great wedding gift. A 1 gallon carboy is basically a 1 gallon glass jug.. we use that cheap gallon jug wine you find at your local grocery store for cooking all the time.. and boom carboys  As far as the airlock.. you can buy cheap $2.00 airlocks and bungs for these bottles or you could research home made airlocks. This is the easiest and cheapest way to get into brewing.... warning if married you will spend lots of money and time on making beer. Include your wife or be forced outside to make brew 

From the OTHER forum I visit on making fine beer, wine, and mead.

*Ancient Orange Mead (by Joe Mattioli)
*1 gallon batch

3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet) 
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all) 
1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok) 
1 stick of cinnamon 
1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters) 
optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small ) 
1 teaspoon of Fleishmann's bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then) 
Balance water to one gallon

Process: 
Use a clean 1 gallon carboy 
Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy 
Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.

When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.

Racking --- Don't you dare 
additional feeding --- NO NO 
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated. 
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.


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## Nyet

That sounds pretty good, I can't wait to try it!


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## Slippy

Get 5 gallon food grade buckets from your local grocery store bakery department, they often give them away. Buy some Mylar bags and Oxygen Absorbers. Fill the bags with various dry food; Rice, Beans, Oatmeal, Grits whatever you like. Throw in Oxygen absorbers and seal the Mylar using a hot iron. The Oxygen Absorber will suck the bag in and eliminate all Oxygen which is the culprit that breaks food down and turns it bad. Label the 5 gallon buckets with the food item and date that you stored it. There are some good videos on storing food using this process.
This is a good starting point. We even have some filled with dog food.

2nd step for us is ordinary can foods. We have some Rubbermaid totes that we fill with canned goods from the store on our weekly grocery store runs. Typically you'll find exp dates 3 years out on cans. Today we are buying canned goods with 2017 dates, maybe you'll find 2018 dates now. We put them in the totes and rotate the canned goods before the exp date. We figure we have a couple months of canned food available if we only eat the canned food. SPAM lasts forever and is cheap so get some SPAM.

Next we have some Wise Food and Mountain House food. We have about 6 months of this type. If stored properly, it will last 20+ years. Finally we have some jars that we Can ourselves. Jams, Pickles, Preserves, tomato sauces, etc. 

Hope this helps


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## Nyet

My mama is teaching me to can. I want to learn how to pickle as well. I've also been watching a lot of videos on growing food, beans in particular. I love the idea about the oxygen absorbers and mylar. That was really good info.


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## RNprepper

I found Emergency Essentials to be the best source for bulk grains. Free shipping, which makes them very affordable. I bought buckets and mylar bags to do rice and pinto beans from Costco. Lentils and other beans from Walmart. Also sugar, salt, and honey (I know - not the best as locally grown raw honey, but it still will store well) from Costco. (I use CO2 gas to displace O2 in my own DIY buckets, and then throw in O2 obsorber right before pounding on the lid. I buy veggies on sale or from local farmers markets and then dehydrate them myself. I throw in an O2 absorber right before sealing the jar. I use the Hot Hands hand warmers from WalMart as O2 absorbers. A lot cheaper and as long as they are the ones with powdered iron, they work exactly the same as the more expensive "official" O2 absorbers.

I know they say to only store food that you actually use and can rotate. But the fact is that I simply don't eat that much rice and beans normally, so the bulk of it is for long term storage. If the "event" never happens, great. My grandkids can call me a fool once I am long gone. For a shorter emergency, I have a month's worth of more "usable" food in the form of cans, dried beans/rice/lentils/grains that I use and rotate. I cannot eat the smallest amount of gluten, so I have a lot more lentils, quinoa, milo, millet, buckwheat, etc. in my pantry. Hope this helps.

If anyone knows of a source of bulk gluten free grains at a reasonable price, please tell me. So far, all I have found are places where the shipping costs make the product way too expensive.


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## Nyet

RNprepper said:


> I found Emergency Essentials to be the best source for bulk grains. Free shipping, which makes them very affordable. I bought buckets and mylar bags to do rice and pinto beans from Costco. Lentils and other beans from Walmart. Also sugar, salt, and honey (I know - not the best as locally grown raw honey, but it still will store well) from Costco. (I use CO2 gas to displace O2 in my own DIY buckets, and then throw in O2 obsorber right before pounding on the lid. I buy veggies on sale or from local farmers markets and then dehydrate them myself. I throw in an O2 absorber right before sealing the jar. I use the Hot Hands hand warmers from WalMart as O2 absorbers. A lot cheaper and as long as they are the ones with powdered iron, they work exactly the same as the more expensive "official" O2 absorbers.
> 
> I know they say to only store food that you actually use and can rotate. But the fact is that I simply don't eat that much rice and beans normally, so the bulk of it is for long term storage. If the "event" never happens, great. My grandkids can call me a fool once I am long gone. For a shorter emergency, I have a month's worth of more "usable" food in the form of cans, dried beans/rice/lentils/grains that I use and rotate. I cannot eat the smallest amount of gluten, so I have a lot more lentils, quinoa, milo, millet, buckwheat, etc. in my pantry. Hope this helps.
> 
> If anyone knows of a source of bulk gluten free grains at a reasonable price, please tell me. So far, all I have found are places where the shipping costs make the product way too expensive.


I'm figuring it this way. Once, and if, SHTF I will need probably 6 months to a year and a half to effectively put all my food plans into action and set up my community. As far as food goes, I will need to grow crops, become a bee keeper, raise boar, horses, gator, rabbit, and chickens, etc. I know, I know, but chickens and rabbit are cheap to get into and maintain, gator and boar are available to be readily pulled from the wild here and are lean protein sources whose hides can also be used in bartering and for clothing and for other purposes.


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## Alpha Mike Foxtrot

Well, I would start by considering just where in the Tampa Bay area you are, and thinking about your surroundings. I would also consider deeply, the purpose of your preps. In a hurricane situation, those retention ponds may have had a great deal of salt water swept into them. Being able, at some point, to distill your water or pump it through an R.O. would be nice. Grid down, heat and humidity will be your enemies in that area. Keeping damp rid in a closed area with your food preps may be a thought as well. Make sure your food preps are super clean as well as perfectly sealed. Fire ants will find any excuse to invade and take over the space. You are near some of the best fishing in the world. Beware of unfriendlies with the same idea. I know those piers and jetties. They are dangerous during the best of times. Wild edible seafood is abundant there. Crabs, shrimp, muscles, clams. All can be gathered there. Cook the heck out of them. Red tide is common there as well so be aware of the current aquatic conditions.

I lived down in Punta Gorda. I fished the Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area like crazy. I was usually on one end of the Skyway Bridge or the other. No offense intended, but bugging-in, in that area would not be my first choice. That's just people on top of more people. I could not possibly own enough ammunition.


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## Maine-Marine

If you have nothing and want to get started.... Go order some items from the LDS store..rice, beans, and oats make a great start

Home Storage - store.lds.org

EDIT - I am not a Mormon and make no money off the sale of any of this stuff..However - I do accept tips


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## RNprepper

You might want to consider that your woods could be full of people who are also hunting boar and gators. There could be a lot of competition and a lot of bullets. Personally, and this is only MHO, I want to lay as low as possible. Let them have all the rabbits, javelina (our version of the wild boar), deer, quail and dove while I safely sustain my family with our own resources. Once the food in the stores is gone, there is going to be a lot of bang, bang, bang. It would be very easy for an "accident" to happen when people get desperate. 

My year's worth of stored food buys time to get all the other stuff in place. Meanwhile, I grow the garden, harvest the desert, keep my chickens and multiply my crickets (highest source of protein for the lowest cost and least noticible profile.) Just MHO, mind you.


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## Jeep

Here is how I started out Nyet. I wrote down a list of foods I really like. Then I broke into what was canned and boxed and packaged. So when we go shopping, my wife is getting to be a super couponer, if something I want in particular goes on sale and we have coupons, we buy in bulk. We get a lot free by doing this. SO are pantry is getting stocked by the missus, for everyday regular stuff, but it is getting filled also with Tuna, sardines, chili, corned beef hash etc.


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## tango

Be wary of retention ponds.
They get a lot of runoff from the nearby residential lawns--- fertilizers, bug sprays, etc.
Not to mention the ducks and such.
There are some nice fish in the Tampa area ponds, but, only for catch and release.


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## Nyet

Bugging in is a temporary solution, Bugging out to rural Brooksville or some other insignificant rural locale within two or three hours is what I want to do. I just need to afford some land first. when, if, it happens I just want want to make myself as insignificant and self sustained as possible. that is a good point on the heat/humidity/ and salt. Hadn't considered those things as of yet.


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## Nyet

When I said pulled from the wild, I did not mean hunted. I meant to pull male and female specimins from the wild for breeding purposes. But I agree with you, there will a lot of bullets and a lot of hunting, which is why I will be planning to get in and out with my takings in the very beginning of SHTF to help ensure that I am able to find and raise these animals for food.


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## Nyet

I do plan on distilling and boiling the water before drinking it. I wonder if that would get the bug sprays and fertilizers out...


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## Jeep

Spices are fairly cheap. I love pepper, so I have a bunch. Plus a ton of salt and other common spices.


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## RNprepper

Nyet said:


> I do plan on distilling and boiling the water before drinking it. I wonder if that would get the bug sprays and fertilizers out...


Boiling will kill bacteria and viruses. It will not remove chemicals, and will actually concentrate them. Distilling will give you pure water with no chemicals. You are going to need a pretty good set up to distill enough water for your drinking and cooking needs. I imagine it will use a lot of fuel.


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## tango

If you are seriously considering using water from retention pond(s), take a sample and have it tested.
That will tell you what you have to deal with.


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## hansonb4

Nyet,

There is a lot of good advice here. However, you are asking a question without stating a goal. For what are you prepping? The complete utter breakdown and nothing comes back online? Do you thing services will be back up in 30, 90, 365 days?

You need to figure out what your timeframe is and plan for that. My wife and I prep for 4 months, that means no victory gardens or anything. Talk to anyone who thinks long term and he will think I am the village idiot. 

IF you are looking for less than 6 months, I am your man. Go for rice, beans and pasta:

Rice:
1. Go brown - but realize that beans are a key partner. Brown rice is much, much healthier than white rice.

2. Beans - Go dry, but make sure that you soak them overnight. The reason is that if you take dry beans and boil, you will waste a lot of gas and fuel. Just soak overnight and they will cook the next day with 1/3 of the gas and water. One of my favorite jar mixes is Goya Recaito Culantro. Add a whole jar to one bag of lentils and it is heaven. If you dont know how to cook lentils, just simmer then until they are just a little chewy with texture.

- Pinto or black beans: same as before, soak overnight but when they are almost done boiling in water, drain, then cook in oil with a little olive oil, garlic and salt

3. Pasta: this is obvious on how to cook, but for sauce, I am telling you that the best, damn sauce for spaghetti is Knorr pesto sauce. It only needs about 1/2 a cup of olive oil and that is it! Such a great alternative to jar sauce.


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## bennettvm

A few hundred dollars can you get a ton of food to get you started. A 20lb bag of rice at walmart is $9. I generally shop by the dollar to calorie ratio. I never buy any MRE or Wise type meals. They are a total rip off. Same with first aid kits. You can make your own for pennies on the dollar with far superior contents. It is better to make your own. 

I always stock up on rice, beans, dried peas, oatmeal, Maseca (homemade tortilla) (this is a huge calorie king - 5lb bag for $2.50 yields over 8000 calories), potted meat - I know it taste like ass, but in a pinch its cheap protein. I also stock up on pancake mix, saltine crackers. I love to shop at dollar stores to find deals on prep stuff.


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## James m

I just tried Tyson brand chicken in a bag. Its just like the chicken in a can but its in a bag and is easier to pack if you are going somewhere. No can opener needed either. I had it with saltine crackers and water. I heated it up and added hot sauce to get it down. I am actually having a crazy craving to eat the other bag. Its 2$ at Wal-Mart and doesn't expire for two years.


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## BagLady

A dehydrator at Wal-Mart costs $50. Comes with a book for dehydrating fruits, veggies and some meats. (also jerky spices, yum!) 
A pressure cooker is a great item to have, not only for canning your own foods, like chicken, etc. But you can pressure cook dried beans in about 45 min's. We have 3 different sizes tho, and I dont use our big one for cooking, just canning, as it will hold quarts or pints. 
If you can, get a "Ball" canning book.
Your wife may not be on board with prepping, but she might like canning, and you'll kill two birds with one stone!


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## Nyet

I am currently planning for 6 months. I will keep doubling until I get to two years worth. I figure two years will be enough to take the land, that I will hopefully have been able to procure by they end of next year, and turn it into a fully self sustaining entity. But, I'd like to prepare for the rest of my natural life if I can.


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## paraquack

RNprepper said:


> Boiling will kill bacteria and viruses. It will not remove chemicals, and will actually concentrate them. Distilling will give you pure water with no chemicals. You are going to need a pretty good set up to distill enough water for your drinking and cooking needs. I imagine it will use a lot of fuel.


If the contaminating chemicals in the water has a lower boiling point than water, the bad stuff will be the first liquid to boil off, condense and then come out the condenser tube. Charcoal should help a whole lot.


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## paraquack

James m said:


> I just tried Tyson brand chicken in a bag. Its just like the chicken in a can but its in a bag and is easier to pack if you are going somewhere. No can opener needed either. I had it with saltine crackers and water. I heated it up and added hot sauce to get it down. I am actually having a crazy craving to eat the other bag. Its 2$ at Wal-Mart and doesn't expire for two years.


Chicken in the can will last a lot longer than 2 years, so you'll have to rotate your bagged chicken and use it in your regular cooking. Those bags are pretty tough, but I've seen them crack and leak if the get folded a few times.


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## RNprepper

paraquack said:


> If the contaminating chemicals in the water has a lower boiling point than water, the bad stuff will be the first liquid to boil off, condense and then come out the condenser tube. Charcoal should help a whole lot.


Good point.


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## RNprepper

Learn to gather native foods. Every area has them. They can augment your stores, give you a source of fresh vitamins, and keep many hands busy. Native people relied on them, and you can learn how to utilize them as well. I believe I could supplement at least 1/4 of our dietary needs with gathering from the local area.


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