Canning pinto beans

Now the first question I get asked when I tell people that I can pinto beans is "why do you can dry beans". OK, here's my reasoning behind it.

1. That way I always know just how many meals I have on hand. 1 qt. of beans is plenty for a family of 4.

2. They are "heat and eat meals". You could eat them cold if you wish, I know many people that enjoy cold pinto beans, I'm not one of them.

3. If I had to I could heat them in the mason jars that they are in. Glass is as good a cooking container as you will find. In an emergency that glass jar may provide many uses. I can also use this glass mason jar over and over.

So, that's why I do it. Plus we love them and eat them often. This way we can just grab a qt from the storage room and heat them up. No all day soaking and cooking them, just heat and eat. It makes what would normally take a few hours of cooking into a few minutes. It's convenient. Also they travel well, you can take them with you just about anywhere and have a good meal just minutes away. Maybe be good for barter in the future too.

The way I do it.

Rinse your beans and then let soak over night. ( 12 hours ) Store in a cool place during this time.

Remove beans from the water and replace with fresh water to cook them at medium heat for 30 minutes.

Place hot beans in hot qt. jars leaving an inch of head space in the jar. Add 1 teaspoon of table salt. (Optional) Remove any air bubbles.

Adjust 2 piece ring and lid and place in a pressure caner at 10 lbs for 90 minutes.

You're done !!

Label and store and be ready to enjoy them good ol' pinto beans ( we call 'em soup beans ) anytime you wish. I am going to can some tomorrow and will try to post some pics tomorrow night. I love to can and hey, it's prepping too. My 2 favorite things all in one. Gotta love it.

This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

A full day and I am pleased

Yep, been a full day here at Camp Bullseye. Lady Bullseye has a bum knee and I thought we were going to the Dr. office today but she decided to tough it out for a while longer. No need to be were all the germs are until you really have too. And she is feeling some better today.

Well, since that's off the list, me and her step father decided to go and get some more firewood. I have a bunch of trees that have been down since Feb. and are in a handy place to get them. We cut and hauled both of us a load of firewood today. BIG trailer loads too. We need more but they will be there when the chance happens by us again. I will be working tomorrow and should get 3 days out of it. I sure hope so. Not sure if anything is lined up later or not, just have to take it as it comes and thank God for it.

After we got back from the wood run I fonudthat we had got a Kroger sale paper in the mail. Some great deals too, especially if you are looking for bargain food storage. I hit the shower to try to get some of the sawdust off me and then on to Kroger. I never thought about it being the 1st of the month and the rush that goes along with that, be I soon remembered when I pulled in the parking lot. I was not going to miss this opportunity to add to my food storage no matter what. I was armed ( really, I had my 9 on my side, Open Carry here in KY ) and dangerous. I pulled out my list that I had made before I left home and hit the isles only purchasing the items on my list. Got a lot of canned goods at great bargains. Name brand too. Bought some stuff for the freezer too, to cheap to pass up. I have been working on getting some canned meats of sorts, chicken, salmon, tuna and of course the old standby, SPAM and TREAT meat. Just anything to add to the rice and beans to make it a little more fun. When it hits the fan anything kind of meat to add to you beans and rice will be fun I'm sure and welcome too. Man, I just love that Kroger. I have a Kroger Plus Card and get the best price on every purchase plus the send coupons every week tailored to our past purchases. So, we get coupons for the things we by regularly. These usually correspond to the sale that week too. We also get 10 cents of per gallon of gas for every $100 dollars we spend. It's a win, win for us really.

The only things I purchased that weren't for our long term storage were pop,bread and milk. The total before my Kroger Plus savings= $235.62, total after my Kroger Plus savings = $153.57, not bad at all. If you have Kroger near by, GET A KROGER PLUS CARD. Check with your local stores and see what kind of saving plan or card the offer and get one. It's big savings

The family is heading to WV again this weekend and I will have some time alone. I plan to spend it working in the food storage room. Things have gotten pretty messed up in there. (Someone) and I won't point any fingers has been putting random junk in there from throughout the house. I plan to organize and itemize everything once again and get back on track. A big job but I really enjoy it. Food storage is and always has been my favorite prep.

So, yep, a full day. Got a good load of wood and some food too. A good day for me and I sure needed one. As I mentioned before, it's been pretty stressful around here the last few weeks. Today had made me feel some better about things. Alright guys and gals...

This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

Garbage can root cellar

I know that many of my readers dream, and some have solid plans, of living off grid someday and thought this information may be useful to you. It's cheap and it will help you keep your food storage in good order. This plan is great for the do it yourself 'er and would be great weekend project.

Click on the picture for a better view.

Consider burying a galvanized garbage can in the ground to create your own "root cellar." The root cellar keeps potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, and apples through the winter. Bury the can upright with 4 in. or so of the top protruding above ground level.

Place the garbage can on a well-drained site, and make a ditch so surface water will be diverted and not run into the container. Make sure the can has a good lid, and cover the lid with straw. Over the straw put a waterproof cover of canvas or plastic.

Put veggies and fruits in perforated polyethylene bags. Root crops like beets, carrots, and turnips should not be put into storage until late fall. Don't store carrots near apples because the apples give off gases that make the carrots bitter. Avoid bruising veggies to prevent rot. Also, I don't recommend sweet potatoes for the "root cellar" because the dampness causes them to decay.

Be sure to vote on the poll to your right !!

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Well, I spent it just like I said

I mentioned yesterday that I was going to spend what money I had on preps and I did, spent it all but .27 cents. LOL Went to the bank and cashed out, $93.17 cents in the bank and $53.00 in change. Stopped by and filled up the Van, it only held $9.00 but now it's full. Got to make a 4 hour trip on Friday. Mrs. Bullseye is staying with her grandmother, been gone a week now, and I am taking the kids there to stay with her and their other grandparents for a week. Mrs. Bullseye's grandmother has liver cancer and not very long above ground, maybe a month or so at the most. She is very close to her and wants to spend as much time with her as she can until the end. Plus her grandmother don't really want anyone else taking care of her, that's fine by me though. It does leave me with the kids though, 3 and 13 both girls. The 13 year old is no problem at all, the 3 year old is a different story all together. Mrs. Bullseye's mother, who lives very close by, has been helping me out for the last week. Sorry to say that today she had to go to D.C. and won't be back til Sunday, I'm on my own. lol Not too bad, we'll do just fine.

On to preps. Went to a Sav-a-lot store today, never been there before and I had heard they had great prices. They did. I got loads and loads of canned veggies and pork and beans, .49 cents each. 25 lbs. pinto beans, $13.99, 2 cases of canning jars, $8.49 per case of quarts. Then to the Dollar Store to see what they had. Got boxes of Band aids, 80 per box for a buck, 10 boxes. Triple Antibiotic, $2.00 a tube, got 10 of them also. Treat Meat, a Spam like product, $1.00 per can, got 10 more of those.

Left me just enough to get some cabbage plants and red onion plants at Lowes. Made it home with .27 cents. I am please with all the purchases today and feel damn good to have these things that will help protect my family.

A comment left in my post Gonna spend every damn dime of it made a very good point and I am going to take his advice and you should too. Here is what they said.

Anonymous said...

While spending every damn dime on food, parts, band-aids, don't forget to spend some of that money on personal care. if you haven't had a vision exam or been to the dentist, do that now. Those types of specialists will be the first to either jack up their fees or will go out of business. People habitually ignore their teeth and vision until there is a problem.

Just my thoughts.

Very good advice and I'm gonna take it. Just as soon as I get some more money..lol My eye's just aren't what they used to be.



This is Bullseye...OUT !!!

Gonna spend every damn dime of it

The Dark Lord is making sure that the US dollar is going to be worthless. He's got his eye on the Amero and doing everything he's instructed to do by boy's in the back to make sure it happens. I must say, if the SOB is doing anything right, it's sinking this ship. He and his hand picked cabinet of thieves have done more to destroy the liberties, freedom and values of Americans in just a few short weeks than has been done in the last 200 years. The National Debt is now over 11 Trillion Bucks folks and guess who gets to pay all that back...look in the mirror. What obammy is not giving away to his buddies the fed reserve is stealing right in plain view and they don't give a shit who knows it.

The US dollar is getting weaker by the minute which means it takes a hell of a lot more of it to buy the things you need. I have decided that come tomorrow I'm gonna spend every damn dime I have. And will continue to do so anytime 1 red cent touches my fingers. I'm gonna roll up all my change, empty and close my bank account ( not that that's gonna cause the banks to fail ) all $93.17 of it and buy food.

The rest of my preps are in pretty good order but we can always use more food storage. Hell, I'm gonna buy up some cases of the cheap canned goods for future barter if nothing else. A .40 cent can of soup may be worth a hell of a lot to any of the millions of dumb asses that are still not prepping. STOP SAVING YOUR MONEY !! It's not gonna be worth a shit, real soon like too. Spend every damn dime of it on preps TODAY !! I'll take food over a passbook savings book that's nothing more than a modern day relic any time and so will you. Spend every damn dime of it today. Food is not going to get any cheaper folks, has it ever?? And in today's economy and the forecasts of food shortages in the news daily, how can one wait to spend your money later. We are already hearing about shortages of veggies due to the drought in California and it's not even summer yet. A dry summer or another flood in the mid west and we are screwed folks, nobody will be able to afford it then. Not crying wolf either....it's happened before ya know.

So, hit the sales at your local grub store and get all you can with what you have in your hand now. Anytime a penny makes it's way to your hands find something to buy with it. If you have useless stuff at home sell it off, get something for it, anything, just turn it into cash and buy food now. That $20 you got tucked back in your wallet has more buying power now than it ever will have in your lifetime. Soon you may be lucky to get a loaf of bread with it, hell maybe even a slice. Count up your change and trade it for beans as soon as you can, I am.

This is Bullseye...OUT !!!

Foodsaver- The Preppers Money Saver

I think by now we all know that food, the raising and storing of it, is an important part of our survival. This weeks "Bullseye's Pick of the Week" is this Foodsaver Brand Vacum Sealer. I have added several Foodsavers to my store under the Food Preservation Tab, but I think that this one is by far the best value. We have the V2860 that now sells for $294.95 but this thing does the same thing for $100.00. I use ours a lot. When I want to freeze anything from the garden to put in the freezer I vacuum seal it first. Honestly this thing is a must if you are going to freeze any of your food. We also buy meat in the big family packs from the store. We divide the packages up into portions that fit our needs and vacuum seal them all. When we need one pack we just lay it out to thaw leaving the rest sealed it their own package for later use. Looking over all the Foodsavers that are out there, and there many different models, I believe this one to be the best value. If your in the market or just thinking about one, give this one a look, I think you will be impressed. There are plenty of others that cost more but this one seems to do the same thing. Just trying to find the best value for us all.

Product Description
Manufacturer:


Foodsaver


Model #: V2490BC


Condition: Brand New In Retail Box


List Price: $249.99 YOUR PRICE----$99.95



Description:



The state of the art in home packaging! New features make the V2490 simpler, smarter and sleeker. Operates "hands-free" at the touch of a button and has variable speed and food settings. PulseVac Control allows you to start and stop the vacuum for max control when vacuum packaging delicate foods. The sleek touchpad is easy to wipe clean. The deep drip tray catches spills and lifts right out for easy cleanup.



Set Includes:
(2) 11 x 10' Food Saver rolls
3/4 qt canister
1.5 qt canister
2.5 qt canister
Accessory hose and hose holders
Instructional DVD
QuickStart guide
Reference guide



Features:



PulseVac control: Start and stop vacuum to control air removal
Extra-wide sealing strip provides extra-secure, airtight seal that's 2-times wider
2 speed settings: Optimize vacuum speed for different size bags and canisters
CrushFree Instant Seal: Immediately stops the vacuum process to prevent crushing
Canister Mode: Achieves the best vacuum on canister and accessories
Easy-lock latch: Latches lid tight, securing bag for vacuuming and sealing
Touchpad control panel wipes down easily for easy cleanup
Pen storage under lid for dating and labeling
Hands-free operation: Vacuums, seals and shuts
Off automatically with a single touch
Easy-clean drip tray removes easily, dishwasher safe, extra-deep and antibacterial
Built-in roll holder and cutter simplifies making custom-size bags
Accessory hose storage to keep hose handy and protected
UL listed
Dimensions: 9.75"W x 16.75"L x 4.5"H
1-year limited manufacturer's warranty



Product Details



Dimensions: 8.00 pounds
Features
PulseVac control: Start and stop vacuum to control air removal
Extra-wide sealing strip provides extra-secure, airtight seal that's 2-times wider
2 speed settings: Optimize vacuum speed for different size bags and canisters
CrushFree Instant Seal: Immediately stops the vacuum process to prevent crushing
Canister Mode: Achieves the best vacuum on canister and accessories





Click here to enter Bullseye's Survival Gear Store and see this and other Foodsaver Brand Vacuum Sealers.





This is Bullseye...OUT !!!

Cheap Storage Solutions

In the last post we watched a video of a young lady making a solar oven from a Pringles can, this got me to thinking about the uses of the cans themselves. I save all kinks of containers, even more so if the have a lid. I use pringles cans for storing smaller items all the time and not sure why I haven't post on it before...sometimes I forget things. Here are a few cheap storage solutions from a used (otherwise thrown away ) pringles can.

Store loose tools. I keep screwdrivers in one and wrenches in another. When I need one, and I will aways need the one I didn't get, I have a good assortment that is easy to carry.

Store loose hardware. We all have nuts and bolts, screws, washer and other small hardware that needs an easy storage solution, pringles can to the rescue. With a marker write the contents on the lid, screws, bolts..ect..

Store dry beans and rice. Place beans or rice in a seal able bag, zip lock or freezer bag, roll the bag and place in the can. Again, mark the contents and date on the lid. Lay them on their side on a shelf or in a drawer for easy stacking and identification.

Store your first aid kit. That's right, a pringles can first aid kit. My first aid kit is in a plastic box shaped container and it's kinda awkward if you know what I mean. I emptied the contents and then placed them in a pringles can, works great for me. On this one I covered the outside of the can with brown paper from a shopping bag and used a red marker to make a big + and the words first aid. Takes up much less room.

Store clothes. Roll up a pair of underwear, a T - shirt and a pair of socks and place in the can. Helps to keep the dry and will fit easily in you BOB or emergency bag. Even keeping these items in your car would be a good idea. Stores under the seat or in your console or trunk for easy access.

Store maps. Roll several maps together and place them in the can. Mark the can to know which maps are inside.

Store rope or cordage. Just roll and fold in a manner that they will slide into the can.

Store fire starting material. Place paper, matches and small twigs or branches inside.

Store extra batteries. You can get several packages of batteries inside a can.

Don't forget Bullseye's Survival Gear Store

This is Bullseye...OUT !!!

Cast Iron Corn / Grain Mill - Survival Gear

It's time once again for "Bullseye's Pick of the Week". First let me say thank you to all that have ordered from Bullseye's Survival Gear Store, I really appreciate your business. I hope that the items I chose each week are things that you will find of value and useful. So far some of you must agree. Most orders come from my pick of the week and I am glad that you too think these are a good deal. You can find several other grinders in my store if this one is not up to your standards or fit your needs. Please feel free to take a look under Grinders and Grain Mills in Bullseye's Survival Gear Store.

Being able to grind your own corn and grain is something that will save you a bunch of money and most importantly allow you to have meal and wheat after the collapse. An inexpensive unit like this one will work just fine for the task, you can spend $300 - $400 if you want to, that's your call. For my use and money I'll take the $23.00 one any day. You may even consider buying a few extra while your at it. Can you imagine what a great barter item these will be in the very near future? Even owning one will give you an advantage over those who don't. Those that did not prepare by buying even an inexpensive grinder will have to come to you to have their corn and grain ground, that is, if they were smart enough to buy up some heirloom seeds like you have. I own 3 grinders similar to this one that I have bought over the years. Pretty sweet little gadgets to have. Grain that can be consumed by humans can be purchased at most feed stores. Owning a Mill/Grinder also allows you to add to you food storage buy having a way to grind that grain.

Owning a Corn/Grain Mill could make one a very important person after the collapse. And save you money and make you more independent at the same time. Come on now, just about anyone can afford this very important survival item. You might even say that you can't afford not to have one.....

This is Bullseye...OUT !!!

I have finally got to that point.

I have finally got to the point where I don't need to buy anything unless it's on sale now. I have been buying extra when things were on sale over the last year or so and have a good stock of everything we use on a regular basis now. The great part of this is that I can wait until things come on sale again and I can stock up again and wait it out until the next big sale. This saves in many ways, the most important being I don't have to pay full price when I need something. I just walk to the stock room to get another. I don't have to make a special trip to town (cost of fuel there and back) and I won't be tempted to buy something else that I don't need while I'm there. (This happens often when I don't make the trip to town with them).

Here's a few things I scored today. Went to Kroger because they were having a sale on many things that I also had coupons for. One thing I got was pasta shells and spaghetti, final price .75 per box. 10 boxes of each went into my food storage. A good friend of mine's wife works there and told me that they had a entire cart full of toothpaste and toothbrushes all for .50 each. 20 tubes of toothpaste and 10 toothbrushes into storage on those items. (Well over a years supply of toothbrushes and toothpaste) Total savings today at Kroger with coupons and Kroger Plus card, $100.66, that was a savings of 52%. Not bad at all. Also bought gas at Kroger, you get an extra .10 cents off per gallon with your Kroger Plus card, saved another $1.60 there. That price was .09 cents cheaper per gallon than any other station in our area.

Then on to Walgreen's Drug store. Fructis shampoo or conditioner on sale for $2.99 per bottle, now that's not a good price for me. But, you get an extra $2.00 off each bottle at the register for a total price of .99 cents a bottle for the shampoo that my girls use all the time. I usually have to pay $7.00 for 2 bottles and that's usually the best I can find it so this was a hell of a score for us. Got 20 bottles to put in storage. That's a savings of at least $40.00 there.

Doing things like this over time has got me to the point where I can wait until I get a great price before I buy. These numbers are great I think but even better when you factor in the fact that I don't have to make a trip to get them, that is a big savings too.

Adding to my storage is the best move I have ever made. It saves me a bunch of money and time and gives me the peace of mind knowing I have the things I need right here at home. When money is tight I don't worry about these things anymore thanks to my long term storage. If you are a prepper you know the good feeling I'm talking about. If your not a prepper, long term storage of the things you use the most is a good way to get started. You'll be glad you did.

This is Bullseye...OUT !!!