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Speaking of things that you can 'culture'. You can also do Mother of vinegar [Mycoderma aceti]. Do one batch just to get it going.
We divided ours into 3 jars; and did one with red wine, one with beer, and one with apple cider. After 3 generations of each, you begin to have some pretty good vinegars [red, malt and ACV].
Our difficulty was in detecting when each was in it's peak pH [That is when you need to seal the container].
First we used store-bought litmus paper. Then later my Dw shifted to using red cabbage.
There are some very accurate ph testing methods. I believe that the ideal way to do it would be to keep testing until the culture reaches ideal ph or just passes it. If it passes the point you wish its simple to bring it back as the chemicals are available from aquarium businesses.
There are some very accurate ph testing methods. I believe that the ideal way to do it would be to keep testing until the culture reaches ideal ph or just passes it. If it passes the point you wish its simple to bring it back as the chemicals are available from aquarium businesses.
Litmus paper is accurate and cheap, but not very sustainable.
I know you are a ways from the ocean, so am I, but in Montana we have salt licks in certain areas where natural salt was deposited when the eastern part of the state was part of the inland sea. North America’s Inland Sea
Not sure about your specific area, but that might be an option in a crisis.
I'm in a glacial valley between the Yukon & Tanana rivers and the Alaskan & Brooks ranges. There aren't any local salt deposits that I'm aware of. Gold, oil, crappy coal, jade, rare earth metals and lots of awesome clay & trees... but no salt Even the hot springs in the area are lacking in sodium or postassium chloride compositions. I'd have to travel up/downriver or south/north of the mountains several days to get to sea water or a remnant of the inland sea.
Capturing wild yeast for sourdough or wine/vinegar isn't that difficult... you just need some water and a food source (any simple carbohydrate like flour, potato water, grape/apple juice, milk or sugar).
There are cultures of particular strains of yeast and bacteria available commerically for sourdough, beer, vinegar, kefir, yogurt, cheese, etc... if you start a batch using the appropriate culture, you can keep it alive as "mother" almost indefinitely with proper care and feeding. Different places have different strains of wild yeast & bacteria, if you catch your own wild, you won't get exactly the same flavor or properties, but you'll usually get something similar.
If I hit a deer with my truck, does that make me a hunter ??
(I Actually haven't hit anything ever)
Been there, done that. I still brag on mine.
It's a pretty inconvenient and expensive way to bag a ten-point buck. Since I don't care for venison, I donated Big Boy to the tow truck driver who hauled my Elantra to the dealership. $7,000 and a week later, I got my car back.
I plan on going the Mormon route and have a years worth of everything. I can do everything except lye and soap, I've never hunted but my neighbors slaughter their bulls, chickens so we could barter. My mom knows how to do chickens. We're moving so I have tapered to a months supply of everything. When we get to the ranch in FL the hoarding will begin again.
I plan on going the Mormon route and have a years worth of everything. I can do everything except lye and soap, I've never hunted but my neighbors slaughter their bulls, chickens so we could barter. My mom knows how to do chickens. We're moving so I have tapered to a months supply of everything. When we get to the ranch in FL the hoarding will begin again.
Depending on exactly where in Florida, you may want to store your hoard in a boat...
Nighteyes, we are looking in the Alva/La Belle/Clewiston area. I need rural, five acres for the horses and DH's spirit. Please elaborate on the area if you can.
I also intend to have plenty of alcohol for barter. Maybe do some solar power. Hopefully the place we gat will have a solar pool heater that could be expanded.
I also intend to have plenty of alcohol for barter. Maybe do some solar power. Hopefully the place we gat will have a solar pool heater that could be expanded.
Should there be a complete collapse I plan to distill and sell alcohol. I first read several books on the subject, then satisfied my self that I could fabricate the equipment and would be able to safely and comprtently perform the operations. Since it's illegal at this time to distill alcohol and apparently sometimes even to own the equipment the topic is not appropriate for discussion. But since 10% of Americans are alcoholics it should be a orkable idea after TEOTWAWKI.
I've done a good bit of reading on barter as well as primitive money, enough to tell me that the incredibly involved credit necessary with barter just isn't worth the trouble. I know that a few individuals control all the wealth in barter societies but I am not anticipating anything permanent. Gold, silver, and perhaps a few preferred trade items will suffice. I would, of course, happily trade alcohol for sugar and other production materials.
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Even the hot springs in the area are lacking in sodium or postassium chloride compositions. I'd have to travel up/downriver or south/north of the mountains several days to get to sea water or a remnant of the inland sea.
