If all sources of electricity and water were to stop working, what would you do? In nearly all cases, you might become concerned and then go out to search for food and water. Disasters can leave communities without both of these necessities, and rather than resorting to a last-minute search, be prepared ahead of time with a plan for self-sufficient living. Self-sufficient living, however, shouldn't be relegated to times of disaster. Rather, being dependent on the electric grid or public water supply is limiting. Instead, self-sufficient living means being able to live off your own food and water supply, emergency or not. Water is a key component of self-sufficient living. While it can be pumped up from the ground, you should keep a water supply. Kept in a storage tank, your supply can consist of collected rain or water pumped from the ground. No matter the source, the water storage tank, made out of food-grade high-density polyethylene, must be kept away from light. The tank's blue color prevents algae from building up inside. In the winter, make sure that the tank is only 90-percent full to prevent cracking. Water from the ground or rain is in a raw state – and therefore not suited for drinking. In order to use the water for hydration, cooking, or hygiene, it must be purified and filtered to remove any microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, chemicals, and other microscopic debris. Common purification methods include adding bleach to the water, boiling, or using UV light to sterilize microorganisms. A filter is additionally needed to remove any chemicals and debris in the water. Water is crucial in preparing food at all times, from rehydrating items to cooking. Nevertheless, part of rel=nofollow [http://www.earthwaveliving.com/]self-sufficient living is creating and managing your own food supply, emergency situation or not. As a base level, food supply must include your basics: grains, beans, dehydrated milk, sugar, oil, salt, and seeds. At the same time, though, such standard items become boring on their own, and creating variety through self-sufficient living involves growing your own food to eat then and there or to dehydrate or can for later. Additionally, a food supply unit should supplement your basics and dehydrated fruits, vegetables, and protein. While dehydrated or canned foods can last several months in storage, food supply units last 10 to 25 years and are ideal as backup in emergency situations. Food supply units, as well as the rest of your food, should be kept in storage, and an area that's dry and dark, such as a basement, crawl space, or closet, is ideal. Such an area should consistently be around 50�F to 60�F. Chemicals should not be in your storage area, as they leach and can get into your food, and no items should be kept inside a trashcan or liner. Most food storage units by Mountain House, AlpineAire, and Provident Pantry consist of prepared meals or individual items dehydrated or freeze dried and packaged in #2 � or #10 cans. The latter of these two contains several servings, and eating all at once is not recommended, especially as following the food supply's recommendations yields roughly 1,100 to 1,800 calories per day. The remaining servings should still be kept in an airtight container, and three methods to store food in such a way are possible. Using a commercial re-sealer to re-close the can is one option. The food, on the other hand, can be frozen for later use. Additionally, the food can be kept in a bag and placed inside a container. Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Consider-Water-and-Food-in-Self-Sufficient-Living&id=6840137] Consider Water and Food in Self-Sufficient Living
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