Valley Food Storage Review

 

 

 

Valley Food Storage Review:

 

Ever wonder if those food storage packets you see online or in the camping isle really tastes as good as their name? Yeah, I did too. So the good folks at Valley Food Storage sent me one of their most popular entree's, White Bean and Lime Chili.

 

 



 

First let's look at the packaging:

 

 

 

 

All of their meals are sealed in a heavy-duty mylar bag. This helps to keep the food shelf stable for up to 25 years. You will also notice on the package that their products are "Made in the USA". Maybe it's just me, but I prefer to buy products that are American Made as often as possible. This package also states that it contains: 2 Servings, No MSG, No Trans Fats, No Oil, Sea Salt, No Cholesterol and you just add water. The ingredients, allergens, nutritional facts, and cooking directions.

 

 

On to the details...

 

Honestly at first when I received the package, I wasn't sure that I would like a lime chili. I mean...lime in chili? ...not sure about that one!

 

According to the directions..."Bring 2 1/4 cups water to boil or 2 cups for thicker version. Whisk in entire contents of package, bring to boil. Turn down heat to a gentle boil for 15-18 minutes. Let stand for 5-7 minutes to thicken".

 

 



 



Conveniently my nephew John agreed to be the taste tester, but I tried it first. For me it did have a little bit of a kick, but was surprisingly good. My nephew on the other hand, ate ALL of the rest of it...nearly two full servings of it! He said he thought it was great and that he would highly recommend it to others. The mixture of flavors were unique and that it was very filling.

 

Although I would have liked to test a couple more entrees for comparison, from our experience; Valley Food Storage gets a thumbs up in our book!

 

 You can check out all of the food storage kits, water and camping supplies, emergency kits and other products HERE or Call them at 1(800) 403-8182.

 

 

 

 

The Trailer Park Homesteader: Product Review Series Part 3 Ep31



In Part 3 of her product review series, Sharon is reviewing the Wonder Oven handmade by Joyce Moseley Pierce of Prepared in Everyway, the Cube Stove and the Wapi water pasteurizer from All American Sun Oven. Sharon also brings listeners news on her current projects and information of future topics.

 

Washing Clothes Manually and Easily:

 

While today we can enjoy washing clothes with a push of a button, one skill that is important to learn is washing clothes manually. If you lost power and weren’t able to wash in your automatic washer, have you practiced doing it manually? Wait..did I say, practice? Yes!
 

Not that manually washing clothes is overly complicated, but knowing how to do it effectively does matter. Typically you would use one bucket (or other container) for your soapy water and another for your rinse water. We actually prefer one wash bucket and two rinse buckets, to get out all that soap and grime.
 

If you are fortunate enough to have a washboard, then washing will go quickly and you’ll get a good workout too. There are many different types of washboards, but we recommend trying the Maid-Rite Washboard, Behrens Large Washboard, or the one pictured above that we use called the Breathing MobileWasher. All of these options are affordable ranging between $16-$22.
 

At first glance the Breathing MobileWasher might look more like a bathroom plunger, but don’t let the look fool you it works!
 

 

Now that you know what cleaning tool to use, maybe we should talk about the type of soap too. When using a washboard, we prefer to use a bar of Fels-Naptha. You can pick this up in single bars in your laundry isle, or online in bulk Fels-Naptha 24 count.

For washing with a MobileWasher, I use homemade laundry detergent. It is super cheap to make and depending on which recipe you use, works extremely well. This is my all-time favorite recipe for laundry detergent: ‘Moms Super Laundry Sauce’. Another alternative though is a simple homemade liquid detergent recipe as follows (I recommend using fels-natpha in it):
 

 

If you happen to use store bought detergent or just prefer to stockpile it, I would choose one that is specifically made for cold water washing. This allows you to use cold water on all of your clothing, without the need for wasting resources to heat the water. At times this can be also especially important, if your resources are limited and you can not afford to use any extra resources to heat the water.
 

Now that we’ve covered the washing of the clothes, let’s talk about wringing and drying them. Wringing clothes out manually, takes a lot of work…and a lot of muscle! Years ago when I lived in a little duplex, I had to hand wash all of our clothes in the bathtub, hand wring them, and hang them out. I did all of that without a washboard too, which made things really tough! I look back though on that time, and am glad that I learned those skills. Yes it sucked royally, but If I had to do it now with just soap and water; I could.

So let’s get to wringing! You have a few options when it comes to wringing out your clothes. The first of course is to just do it manually. If you are in good physical condition and enjoy getting a good workout, this may be the method for you. However it is important to tell you that depending on the amount of clothing to be washed, you are going to be exhausted. If you are an older person, someone with more limited mobility, or a person that just wants to get it done quicker, you may consider using a manual wringer to assist you.

You can get a complete setup using items like these:

 

You could also just build your own setup like this one found at smallcabin.com:
 

One quick note: add a bit of white distilled vinegar to your rinse water to help soften the clothes. Also before you hang each item, shake it out. This helps to remove excess water and pull out any large wrinkles.
 

To hang you can use a regular clothes line set in between two poles if you have the space, a retractable clothes line, or an outdoor umbrella style clothes dryer. In case of bad weather, you of course may need to hang clothing indoors. I usually do this in the shower so the excess water can drip down the tub, but you can also use a drying rack if you prefer.
 

There are two keys to proper drying. The first is to use durable wooden clothespins, either the traditional style or regular style. Personally, I’m not a fan of plastic clothespins. They break too easily and are a waste of money. The second key to hanging is proper spacing. If the clothes are crammed together, the clothes will not fully dry. Scatter them out a bit, as space allows.
 

Ta da…..

See there if you were to lose power, you now know how to wash and dry clothes manually & easily!
 

Two Last Reminders:
 

1. Remember to bring in your clothespins when not in use, especially if you use wooden ones. Otherwise they can get all mildewy…(is that a word) and funky, and who wants that!
 

2. Did you know that drying clothes outside can literally save you hundreds of dollars a year? Seriously! Check out this Cost Per Load Calculator to see for yourself.

 

 

Luci© Inflatable Solar Lantern Review

First let’s get some info about the lantern…

According to the Mpowerd site:

Fully waterproof and shatterproof, with a built-in rechargeable battery, the all-in-one Luci© lantern will hold a charge for up to 12 hours and stay bright all night. Perfect for camping, boating or hiking, emergency breakdowns, power outages or hurricanes, home décor, weddings or celebrations, Luci© is ready for anything - anytime, anywhere, any weather.

• Inflatable
• Lightweight
• Affordable
• Rechargeable
• Waterproof
• Shatterproof
• Portable
• Versatile
• Stylish
• All-in-one
• Eco friendly

What We Liked:
 

The Luci© is very lightweight, easy to operate, and it is bright! We were actually very impressed with how bright the lantern was because to be honest, at first glance..well …it didn’t look like it would be that powerful. We were surprised!

We liked that it is so lightweight and has a handle that can be used to hang or carry easily. Being shatterproof and waterproof is also a huge benefit for using this lamp. It can be attached to a hiking bag or bug out bag and because it weighs virtually nothing, it won’t be a hassle to carry with you. The Luci© is also inflatable which makes it a perfect item to use when boating or to add to your hurricane disaster kit. A huge plus to us is that it is solar powered and has a rechargeable built-in battery. So we can charge it with the sun, and have light when we need it. No more wasted money or time spent trying to scrounge up batteries. 

Recently, our family had the chance to try out a Luci®  Inflatable Solar Lantern when we lost power during a thunderstorm. It provided more than enough light and I really loved the fact that my kids could operate it, without having to worry about them getting burned. At less than $15 bucks, the Luci© is completely affordable, even for those of us that are frugal. It truly is simple to use and hassle-free.

Check out the Luci© by Mpowerd for yourself and I know that you too will be impressed!

 

TSM Products 32298 12” Vacuum Sealer Review

TSM Products 32298 12” Vacuum Sealer

We recently had the opportunity to review the 12” Vacuum Sealer made by TSM Products and  LOVED it!

First let’s look at the official description from The Sausage Maker, Inc. :

Heavy Duty vacuum sealer that will serve well during either your farm/garden harvest, hunting or fishing season. Built for frequent use, this sealer is ready for any task you throw at it.  Stainless Steel body with gray hard plastic lid.
Features:

• 12" Seal Bar
• Adjustable Sealing Time • Built-in Cooling Fan
• Efficient Double-Piston Commercial Pump
• Pulse-vac, Manual Vacuum Time and Pressure Control
• 28 inHg
• 110V/60Hz 680W (cETLus)

Product Dimensions: 15 1/2” W x 11 7/8” D x 4 1/4” H

 

What We Thought:

We definitely consider the TSM Products 32298 Vacuum Sealer to be a commercial grade sealer. It is made with a durable stainless steel body and it super powerful! No really, we mean it! Not only did it vacuum and seal our plastic bags perfectly, it even vacuum and seals Mylar Bags with ease. If you store food long-term with Mylar, you know just how exciting that is.

This was 2 lbs. of rice that we tested and it was firm as a brick after it was sealed!

The TSM 32298 12” Vacuum Sealer also comes with a port to attach a hose for accessories. We tested it with a Weston brand canister to see if it would work. (see picture below)

In the picture we are vacuuming a spice mixture inside a 1/2 pint mason jar within the canister. We did have to run it through 3 cycles for the jar lid to seal, but were not too surprised since it was a different brands canister.

However, we must say that the TSM Products 32298 12” Vacuum Sealer is remarkable and we sincerely recommend it if you do a lot of vacuum sealing or plan to. For this product, the investment is definitely worth it!

 

Grab Your Own TSM Products 32298 12” Vacuum Sealer Here

This sealer was provided by The Sausage Maker, Inc. for review. Please check all of their wonderful products HERE.

Weston Portable Vacuum Sealer Review

So, what is so different about the

Weston Harvest Guard Portable Vacuum Sealer?

The first thing is, it is PORTABLE!!!

This is an awesome idea for those of us that often go camping, fishing and hunting. It gives you the ability to actually take the unit on-the-go with you. It comes with a 12v adapter that can be used in your car, truck, or boat.

Let’s take a look at a few of the specs:

• Up to 50 consecutive seals
• Adjustable seal time
• Digital display
• Pulse mode for moist and delicate foods
• Seal only mode for making bags out of rolls
• 2mm thick seal bar
• Accepts bags up to 11” wide

The first thing you may notice that was mentioned, is that it will seal 50 consecutive seals. This is important because not many sealers can do this, as they get too hot and are not always able to keep up. That is not a problem for this sealer! The Weston Harvest Guard, has an automatic safety feature to shut it down if it becomes too hot. Safety First! The unit is also not one of those heavy, bulky sealers. It is nicely designed, very easy to use, and very affordable!

For our first test, we chose to try it out with a thick cut of steak. We simply put the meat in the bag, aligned it as directed, hit the ‘start’ button and the unit does all the work for you. It pulls out the air and seals it the bag automatically. Once it is finished, the top pops up to let you know it’s all done.

                   (pictured: the steak test)                                                      (pictured: seal line)

Weston also offers vacuum canisters, now this we LOVED too!

These canisters can be used when you want to marinate..well basically anything, like making cucumbers, pickling items, or even meats.

For our demonstration we poured in a spice mix to test how well the canister worked. The black lid simply sits on top of the canister. If you were to lift the lid before pulling a vacuum, only the lid would lift. However as you see in the second picture after we have pulled a vacuum, now when it is lifted there is a good seal and it vacuumed together. In the third picture, we have flipped the canister over to demonstrate that the lid is securely vacuumed to the canister.

The canisters are sold separately from the sealer, but we do highly recommend them too! 

(This next tip was not mentioned by Weston, just a helpful tip for you)

One quick tip for another use of the canister is that you can actually sit a 1/2 pint mason jar inside the 1 1/2 quart canister, sit a jar lid on top (not the ring), and put on the canister lid and pull a vacuum. What this does is actually vacuum seal the contents of the mason jar also. This allows you to store homemade spice mixtures in airtight jars for later use or gifting.

(pictured: pulling a seal in a mason jar)

Why Vacuum Seal Foods Anyway?

Vacuum sealing foods exponentially extends their storage lifespan. Really?…Yes!

Here is a chart provided from Weston:

As you can see Vacuum Sealing is an excellent option for storing your foods long-term and we highly recommend the Weston Harvest Guard Portable Vacuum Sealer and Canister Attachments.

Please Visit Weston to Find Out More About The Wonderful Products They Offer HERE or visit:

 http://www.westonsupply.com/Weston-Harvest-Guard-Portable-Vacuum-Sealer-p/65-1101-w.htm

and

Grab Your Own Weston Harvest Guard Portable Sealer HERE

&

Weston Canisters HERE

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Kelly Kettle Review

     

What is a Kelly Kettle?

It’s a light-weight aluminum, yet extremely durable camping kettle and stove. Not only does it give you the ability to boil water, but you can actually use it two ways to cook. Whether you are a person who loves to camp, hike, or are interested in having a way to sustain yourself and your family in a disaster situation or simply during a power outage, this is for you!

Details:

The Kelly Kettle is offered in three different sizes: Base Camp Kettle, Scout Kettle and the Trekker Kettle. The Base Camp Kettle boils approx. 5-6 mugs, has a packed height of 13” and a diameter of 7.3”. The Scout Kettle boils approx. 3-4 mugs, has a packed height of 11” and a diameter of 7.3”. The Trekker Kettle boils approx. 2 mugs, has a packed height of 10.6” and a diameter of 5.5”.


The company also separately offers a cook set and pot support so you have the ability to cook on top of the kettle.


Because you heat the Kelly Kettle with natural available materials, there is no need to buy fuel or fire-starting bricks. You can simply use dry grass, newspaper, bits of tinder, sticks or pine cones. It can be used in various conditions, see our pic of it’s use in the snow.

Boiling Water:

In our first test, we filled the double-walled water chamber with cold water to test how long it would take for it to begin boiling. After about 4 minutes the water began boiling! In a survival situation in particular, this would be a very fast way to use to disinfect water for drinking.

Cooking:

For our second test we wanted to try cooking just with the base (see middle pic). We gathered our fuel, which was just sticks and hay and started our fire. Then our daughter decided that she wanted to throw on some bratwursts and see how well it would work as a mini-grill. Within just a few minutes we had a hot and ready snack.

In our third test we added the pot support on top of the kettle and filled the cooking pot with beef stew. One very important note: anytime you have the kettle heating you must have water in it!

Since we were just heating the stew and didn’t necessarily need hot water, we didn’t add any water in the kettle..Big Mistake! It began making popping noises so we quickly removed the kettle from the heat and filled it with hot tap water (since the kettle was already hot). Thankfully since we had quickly removed it from the heat, there was no damage to the kettle. After about 5 minutes we had a hot and ready meal, that really hit the spot as we were testing it as it was 27* and snowing.                                                    



What We Liked:

It being light-weight and all of the accessories (pot support and cook set) stack conveniently in the base. We liked that it comes with a carrying bag that can easily be thrown over your shoulder or attached to a hiking or bug out bag. It is simple to use, and as we learned can be used even in wet conditions. We also love that the double-walled chamber allows you to carry water on the go, and you can easily light a fire and heat it up too. The overall design of the product is great and gives you the ability to have clean water and a hot meal in minutes. For all of these reasons, the Kelly Kettle is definitely on our list of must have items!

 Visit the Kelly Kettle Website to Watch a Demo Here.

Grab Your Own Kelly Kettle Here.

All American Sun Oven Review

(Thanks to my brother-in-law J.R. for modeling the Sun Oven)

We received our All American Sun Oven on October 17th and could not wait to test it out!

The information that came along with it said it could be used to cook bread, cakes, muffins/pizza, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, casseroles, pasta, rice, grains, and desserts. The All American Sun Oven folds up nicely, only weighs 22 lbs. and has a convenient handle to carry it with. Besides cooking, you can also use it to pasteurize water and dehydrate foods. In a power outage situation not only would you be able to cook, but you could also clean water for drinking.

This Particular Model Came With:

1. Two pots with lids
2. Two baking pans
3. Dehydrating racks
4. Parchment paper
5. Rocket stove
6.    Wapi  (water pasteurizing tester)
7. CD with Preparedness Information & 600 Recipes

The first step the instructions said, was to pour vinegar into one of the pots it came with (uncovered) and let it heat up. This process sanitizes the oven and is important to do before you begin cooking.

The First Step: Sanitizing with Vinegar

As I was testing on a sunny day, it did not take long at all for the oven to heat up. After about 15 minutes the oven reached 300 degrees and condensation began covering the glass. I let the vinegar work it’s magic for about 45 minutes. Afterwards, I carefully opened the oven and removed the vinegar pot to dispose of. You will need a towel to wipe out the oven and absorb the liquid at the bottom on the oven from the condensation.

Now You’re Ready to Cook!



Test One: Brownies

For our first test we decided to try out some brownies. I mixed the batter as usual and put them in the baking pans. I wasn’t sure if I would need to oil the pans or not, but as a precaution I did.

(Thanks to my nephew Lucas & daughter Maddie for modeling, too!)

Weather: 72* degrees, Full Sun

Degrees Reached: 300

Cooking Time: 2 Hours

Special Note: Next time I won’t oil the pan, makes them a bit too moist.

Test Two: Cloudy Day Baked Chicken Thighs

For the second test, I made baked chicken thighs. This test was a bit more challenging because it was a cloudy and windy day. I had to keep chasing the sun to keep the oven focused properly within the alignment dials. Honestly, I didn’t think that it would work very well because of the lack of sun. I ended up letting the chicken cook for about 4 hours. When I brought it in I figured that it would still be raw in the middle, but to my surprise it wasn’t at all!

                     

Weather: 69* degrees, Overcast

Degrees Reached: 200

Cooking Time: 4 Hours

Special Note: Very overcast. Longer cooking time, but meat was fully cooked after 4 hours.

Test Three: Meatloaf

For the third test, we decided to make our favorite meatloaf recipe. We combined our ingredients and put them in one of the baking pans that came with the oven, but we also wanted to test it in a Corning Ware oven-safe pan. Using both pans worked excellent even though the instructions said to use a dark or clear glass pan.

Weather: 67* degrees, Full Sun

Degrees Reached: 350-375

Cooking Time: 2 hrs. 20 mins.

Special Note: Excellent dish to make in the Sun Oven

Our Findings:

Overall we were VERY impressed with the All American Sun Oven. The product works amazing and is very simple to use. It has two alignment indicators and an adjustable stand on the back to raise and lower it, to ensure that you are lining up the Sun Oven in the correct position to maximize it’s exposure to the sun. Another cool thing about cooking with it, is that you can’t burn the food! This is especially great for those who are a bit “domestically challenged”.

Another thing I really LOVE about the company is that they work internationally to improve the lives of others and bring their products to those who are less fortunate. According to their website: “SUN OVENS International is striving to develop and implement comprehensive solar cooking programs which will radically decrease the developing world’s dependence on fuel wood and dung as the primary cooking fuels, while benefiting the environment, raising the standard of living, and improving the health of the poor worldwide.”

Look for our upcoming review that show on how to dehydrate with the All American Sun Oven!

Want to Grab an All American Sun Oven For Yourself?

Click Here