# Anyone bury food?



## snork (Mar 4, 2013)

Not talking about a root cellar. Burried food can come in handy in the event your normal food preps are raided or that location burns to the ground.

I was thinking PVC like time capsules.


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## JPARIZ (Feb 25, 2013)

It might be OK provided that you put it in some sort of container. Besides keeping the dirt off your sandwich, it would help keep ants from eating it.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

There are not that many food stocks that last more then 20 years. Some rice and some beans
and even then if placed properly in storage. I have buried some 40 + pounds of rice and the
same of lentils at my ranch property because while I have plenty of room to garden we don't
have the water supplies for rice and the only beans we'll grow are green one's. At some point
if the can is kicked down the road a few more years I'll probably double that since I eat a lot
of both of them. (oh and they are cheap too)


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## snork (Mar 4, 2013)

You may be surprised to learn that when the Mormons looked at stuff that was stored 30+ years, they discovered that the following can all last at least 30+ years if properly stored.

Wheat, rice, corn sugar, pinto beans, rolled oats, pasta, potato flakes, apple slices, non-fat powdered milk, and dehydrated carrots.

It is simple enough to vacuum seal any of these items and drop into a large PVC pipe, drop in an oxygen absorber and seal the end cap.

Items like this can be inserted:






































While I see that many people prep raw ingredients, like beans, but those need to be processed (ground down (probably by hand)) into fine powder to be usable as flour. I just stock up when stuff like pasta goes on sale. I never spend more than a dollar for a pound, even for the fancy stuff like that pictured here. IMO a pound of pasta will require no effort to cook other than boiling water. I also have 30 pounds of old fashioned rolled oats vacuum sealed too.


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## Blademaker (Feb 22, 2013)

I'm a big believer in vacume sealed food saver bags. I keep a lot of rice, flour, beans, etc that way in several stashes at my houses.


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

Properly buried food should last a long time. If buried below the frost line then the temperature would stay constant in Kentucky that would be like storing them at a constant 54 deg.


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

Blademaker said:


> I'm a big believer in vacume sealed food saver bags. I keep a lot of rice, flour, beans, etc that way in several stashes at my houses.


I believe I have just as good results with Mylar bags and O2 absorbers. Now any one can do long term storage without spending a lot on vacuum sealers unfortunately I found out the hard way after buying an expensive vacuum packer.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Yes if everything else fails have some stashes for food, bartergoods, and harvest stuf

Food stash is rice, beans, canned butter, spices, cooking oil, Baking soda, yeast, soap, sugar, wheat, freeze dried foods

Barter goods are: Lye, Mouse traps, pool shock, soap, asprin (medical supplies in general) .22 rounds. 12ga rounds (all ammo) , alcohol, salt, sugar, canning lids, 2-way radios, rechargeable batteries, gloves, clothes pins, silver coins, sand bags, heirloom seeds, 5 gallon buckets, iodine, disposiable lighters.

The third is canning lids, salt, pressure cookers, lime, lye, liquid smoke, canning lids, brown sugar, sugar, pectin, vinegar, yeast, and basically anthing else you can think of for preserving foods in the fall.


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## ajk1941 (Feb 17, 2013)

I'm looking into the poly septic/water tanks. The possibility of buying and burying a 1500 gallon tank seems pretty reasonable. There is about a 24" man hole to get inside and you are looking at an interior space of about 5'x5'x6' long. It's a little cramped, but looks good for storage of food stocks. Any thoughts?


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

ajk1941 said:


> I'm looking into the poly septic/water tanks. The possibility of buying and burying a 1500 gallon tank seems pretty reasonable. There is about a 24" man hole to get inside and you are looking at an interior space of about 5'x5'x6' long. It's a little cramped, but looks good for storage of food stocks. Any thoughts?


I've had the same thought, I'd be sure to put it in unobserved. Nosy neighbors might assume you are putting in a illegal septic system and turn you in. That includes the noise discipline for the backhoe. I always thought having a water cistern would be a good thing to burry (wink wink)


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## Mudder.Mitch (Jan 24, 2013)

Thinking long the same line I got a 20 foot sea can I want to burry than build a shed on top of it to hide the way in its just the neighbour factor that I haven't Dunn it yet I'm hoping to this summer if I can find a long weekend that most of the people that live close are away or at camp that's the weekend I'm planing to dig the hole hopeing it works out! Haha


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

What ever you use to bury food make sure the hatch is sealled and if there is a vent (and there should be) be sure it is above the highest waterline you can expect by at least three feet.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com (Mar 14, 2013)

snork said:


> Not talking about a root cellar. Burried food can come in handy in the event your normal food preps are raided or that location burns to the ground.
> 
> I was thinking PVC like time capsules.


Big Bug Out Trucks bobbed deuce military surplus







If you are going to use PVC pipes with screw off end caps be aware that to get a good seal you will need to use pipe dope or use a wax ring to seal the threads! The threads are tapered so in order for you to get a good air tight seal you will have to tighten it up pretty tight but after it sits for a period of time it can be a down right freaking hard to unscrew it again even with tools! The wax ring rubbed on it or pipe dope will make it much easier to seal and reopen!


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## WoadWarrior (Oct 10, 2012)

rickkyw1720pf said:


> If buried below the frost line...


I think Rickky hit on an important point. I've never buried anything and was reading an article on it from the latest edition of Backwoods Home Magazine... and they brought up the frost line as well. Apparently, the biggest issue (after forgetting where you buried your cache) is the moving ground (from the constant freezing and unfreezing). According to the article, the movement of the dirt around it can significantly damage your cache, even the 8" PVC pipe they used, and could compromise the integrity of your cache. That article was on burying guns and didn't discuss food, but I'd imagine that the mere act of freezing and unfreezing of food wouldn't be good for the food, especially if it happens dozens of time a year (at least in our area) for 20+ years. Add in a compromised container that lets in moisture or insects/moles/etc and you run a high risk of learning a hard lesson when your can least afford it. It would be interesting to hear from anyone that has any experience burying anything above the front line and if it actually had any noticeable impact on your container.


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## ajk1941 (Feb 17, 2013)

I found this while looking for an underground container for food storage:

Web site:

Norwesco Bruiser 1500 Gallon Below Ground Cistern Tank - RainHarvest Systems Online Store for Rainwater Collection, Filtering and Sustainable Re-use.

These tanks "blue" do not need to be filled with water, back fill with native soil. 
Tanks are 11' long, 5 1/2' tall and 4 1/2 ' wide. Each tank has two man holes 20" in diameter

They are offered locally for $1693.20

This seems to be an ideal size for under ground storage


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I quit burying food after my wife finally learned how to cook. (Sorry couldn't resist)


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## Verteidiger (Nov 16, 2012)

I have no plans to bury food. You have to deal with groundwater intrusion, burrowing animals and insects, freeze/thaw cycles, soil borne pathogens, fungus/mold/mildew, and stash locations. No thanks. 


I plan to catch it, pick it, harvest it or hunt it, and eat it fresh. What I store will be in plastic aboveground, and I will guard it.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

With the top of a cashe three feet below the groung you rule out most insects and varmints and freezing problems. 

Not having all my eggs in one basket makes sense to me, plus my cashe is 24 cubic feet, that frees up a lot of space in the basement if you have four of them.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I really don't see the need to bury food, but then I guess that depends on where people live.


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## albaghani (Mar 21, 2013)

i'm planning to bury nail, extra sleeping bag, poncho, survival kit as a cache.

but i heard that commercial canned food can be bury as well, just put it in a bucket/


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Canned food stored below the frost line will last years and years. I have some C-rations that were canned in 1980 that are still good stored in my basement which is about 65 degrees in the worst part of summer. I threw out some of the cans for bulging 2 years ago but the rest are going strong.

Burring food is for the worst possible situation where you are overrun or the guvment decides to take what you have for the good of the community.

I don't think it hurts to have a backup plan and stash


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