Reader Comments From Coverin the Bases

From: Johnboy I've had a food saver vac. system now for 10 yrs. [many different models]. They work great/tell me you’re coming over for dinner..take a steak out/put it lukewarm water/20 mins later ready for grill..one week chicken breast are 3.99 pound, next week on sale for 1.99#. Buy a family pack or two, freeze ‘em up...get the picture?? Never had freezer burn//wash them out good and re-use//always cut the bag a little larger than you need so you can re-use.

---

**Thanks Johnboy for your comments! Also, you taught Dub and I something this morning we’d never have thought of… “Wash them out good so you can re-use…always cut the bag a little larger than you need so you can re-use!” Great tip, thanks again, we appreciate it! Come back and visit with us anytime you like! From: Craig Hi Dub & Deb, I’ve only discovered your columns recently when Rachel sent me a link to Canada Free Press.  I enjoy how practical your articles have been.  Your Obama turkeys comment put a smile on my face.  Hope and change.  Well, he got half of it right.  The hope part has turned into hopeless but we do have plenty of changes, which is why we are now scrambling to try and build up personal reserves of food and water for an impending disaster.  That is some kind of change. We have a good start on stocking canned beans, soup, bags of rice and flour.  Unfortunately by canned I mean store bought.  I’ve got 80 gallons of water in plastic water drums set aside and would like to at least double that.  Got the Food Saver machine and have recently found a company here called ULine which sells stuff in bulk, including large rolls of the food saver bags. We have talked about starting a garden.  It will be a tough go here because of the clay and rock.  And we would need to find a way to limit the wild rabbit’s access to the garden.  I have a question though.  Planting a garden is a real good idea but it takes time to grow.  I’ve read that sprouting beans is fast and easy, providing an almost instant access to protein.  Do you know anything about sprouting beans? Water.  If I needed to, Lake Erie is just up the street.  How to clean the water?  I have been using a distiller with carbon filtration. It’s good as long as there is electricity.  The one drawback is the carbon does not remove the toxin fluoride.  Do you have any thoughts on the Berkey water filtration system?  No power needed.  You can also add filters to the ceramic/carbon filters to remove fluoride. I think people aren’t taking me seriously when I try to warn them of what I perceive as an imminent threat to our very way of life.  People, you must prepare now. Keep the great articles coming. Cheers. **Speaking for Dub this morning Craig, no we haven’t any experience in sprouting beans, but let’s give a “shout out” to our other readers and see if they might be able to “pitch in” with some info on this for you! Also, before I forget, thanks for your wonderful comments about our column! The same in regards to your water situation, and your questions about a water filtration system. How about some readers out there with experience, and know how on these two subjects, coming to Craig’s aid here? C’mon now guys, help Craig out here! Dub and I are just so blessed here in Florida to have a situation where we can use a pitcher pump for water if the need arises. I’d be interested myself to hear how people in different areas of our Country have resolved this problem for themselves. Don’t be bashful, help out a neighbor this morning! From: Craig, once again (Dub had been corresponding with him) Thanks Dub, I’ve got a decent start according to that calculator with some items.  I went in to buy 2 more bags of rice that were on sale last week.  They didn’t receive delivery at the time the sale started, so I got a rain check for 2 bags.  I ended up getting 2 bags on sale and still have the rain check so I’m going to get 2 more.  It was half price.  A couple of items I probably would not get because I generally don’t eat them or use them but I might double up on molasses.  It contains some good nutrients and I like the taste.  I’m hoping at some point to get the Berkey filtration system and will look into raised bed gardening.  Have to find a place to buy good seeds.  Not the GMO crap that will turn my body into a pesticide factory.  I’ll be in touch and as usual, I’ve enjoyed listening to you. **The calculator Craig is speaking on, Dub will have in today’s Coverin the Bases section, please check it out. Good info Craig in regards to your thriftiness in your rice purchases. Good shopping technique to share with others, thanks for your input. Also good input in regards to your comment, “A couple of items I probably would not get because I generally don’t eat them or use them…” This is good sound advice for anyone out there trying to expand their pantry in their own quest to put up a little extra. “If you don’t use, or eat it…don’t stock it!” Use your money for things you do use or eat! One other thing Craig pointed out, “but I might double up on molasses.  It contains some good nutrients…” This, too is good advice. Foods like molasses, or honey are high in nutrients so stock them, if you can. Thanks again Craig, you’ve shared with us this morning some very valuable advice, please keep it up!