Mr. Rawles,
I'm new to prepping. But for some time now, when I go to Costco, I pick
up peanut butter, a bag of rice, or a bag of beans to toss in the closet. I really
like storing wheat, because it seems to have a much longer shelf life, but it
is a little harder to find than rice. I figure I've probably got about nine months
to a year worth of food for myself now. I know that the bugs will get into
it eventually, and I'll throw a bunch out and start over. I've been examining
rice in the super markets for years, and I can tell you that a lot of it has
bugs in it before you even bring it home. The trick is to use it before they "blossom."
What happens if there is a crisis and I go to my closet, and I find out
the bugs have blossomed? I figure this sort of thing must happen in the Third
World all the time, and I have a very hard time believing the locals just throw
it out. Is it okay to just wash it and cook it? I've noticed that most of the bugs
float to the top and can easily be removed. But what about the bug excrement?
I tried a little experiment yesterday, and boiled some wheat to make soup.
It had been stored for at least ten years, maybe fifteen. It was just starting
to show bugs, so I washed it about 5 times, and then boiled it, seasoned it with
some mushrooms, dried broth, and a can of diced tomatoes and ate it. It tasted
fine, and now about 28 hours later, I'm showing no ill effects.
I'm guessing that after the TSHTF, a lot of us are going to have the opportunity of eating a lot of food that bugs and maybe rats have sampled before us. Any advice? Also, do you know of any good places to buy bulk foods (say 25 lb.or 50 lb. bags) of less common staples, like lentils, barley, or beans other than pinto beans? - Jonathan Z.
JWR Replies: Things might not be too bad now, but once your pantry starts
to develop a bug infestation, you'll be will be in an escalating war that you will lose.
Trust me,
without
better packaging, the bugs will win.
Read the SurvivalBlog archives about how to prepare rice, grains, and legumes
for storage, using CO2 in food grade HDPE plastic buckets. Bugs (and their
larvae) can't breathe CO2. There are also details on this my "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course--including
a very simple CO2 displacement method using dry ice.
A wide variety of staple foods in bulk are available from Walton Feed, in Montpelier, Idaho. Order them in six-gallon Super Pails.
