I'm confused.

[Judi Dial]

I have been working on my stockpile a little at a time. What I set as a priority are things that are shelf stable, without having to buy special packaging/packs from mail order places.

I don't try and buy specialty foods/products. I'm not trying to do an LDS style stockpile, but I AM trying to get 1 year's worth of shelf-stable foods/products so that I can space out buying these.

I am probably going to buy my first mail order products soon, notably powdered lemon juice/maybe peel and tomato powder, and I'm looking for a source for bulk dried milk.

So what would you recommend I have/get?

Also, are the dry canning kitchens open to nonLDS folks?

Judi

[frugalwarrior2]

I bought powdered-milk,choc milk,butter,sour creme and eggs.

[jas]

I don't know if they are open to the public or not. If you know someone who is LDS they might be able to help you.

I have bought butter, eggs, peanut butter powder, from Honeyville Farms. The only non-instant milk I have been able to get is at my local health food store and it is only sold in small amounts. The instant you can get just about anywhere.

I would be interested in the non-instant milk also in larger amounts.

[ladykemma2]

walton feed (i use walton feed the most)
provident pantry
shelf reliant.com

the canneries are open to the public. two months notice in houston, though. have to put your order in two months ahead.

[Lady_V]

I'm right there with you Judi... I know *how* to stockpile, but the execution is escaping me... I have bits and pieces here and there. Looking in to canning some pulled pork, but still a bit worried about killing off the carnivores.

If you find a local place, let me know! I travel to Nashua twice a month for BJ's anyways.

If you find a reasonable prices mail-order, maybe we can combine orders and split delivery cost.

[Judi Dial]

I'm right there with you Judi... I know *how* to stockpile, but the execution is escaping me... I have bits and pieces here and there. Looking in to canning some pulled pork, but still a bit worried about killing off the carnivores.

If you find a local place, let me know! I travel to Nashua twice a month for BJ's anyways.

If you find a reasonable prices mail-order, maybe we can combine orders and split delivery cost.

Lady, the best place I've found is the Brattleboro Coop, that's where I got my wheat berries. If you're a member you can order bulk thru them and I think they absorb the shipping if they get it from/through one of their regular suppliers. I bought wheat, cream of rye cereal, and the demerra sugar DH prefers thru them. The agave syrup (that I need to start worrying about restocking) came from Job Lots. We go to Brat about once a month as we're involved with an organization there that has monthly meetings.

DH and I looked at BJs and decided that for our family of 2 it wasn't cost effective. What do you buy there?

Judi

[Lady_V]

DH and I looked at BJs and decided that for our family of 2 it wasn't cost effective. What do you buy there?

There's 3 of us, but more like 2 at times since it's rare all 3 of us are here at the same time.

I buy meats mostly. They will cut the meat in slices if you ask them. We buy 10lbs of porkloin and 10 lbs of a beef cut. A big bag of frozen chicken breasts. Frozen veggies.

We also get the HBA's there when there is a booklet coupon and a sale... and no taxes if we get it in NH.

[Judi Dial]

Lady,

Gotcha. I'll have to look into it. DH is adament after hearing/reading some article about only buying "natural" or kosher chickens...seems that there's a lot of potential problems with chickens raised/slaughtered conventionally. We eat very little meat and I buy the natural/kosher meats on sale when I can get them.

Re the other bulk stuff...sure I'd love to split stuff with you. Is Brat a long ways away as you're in Boston rather that in W MA? We get into Boston fairly regularly too. If you know what you want I can get a hold of the co-op and get a price and we could go from there.

I do NOT need: demerra sugar, wheat berries, rolled oats, TP

I intend to buy in the next few months: 1-2lb bars of soap (from goplanetearth.com), agave syrup (from OS Job Lots) Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats (OSJL usually, when they have them). The last time I checked, the agave syrup cost more from the co-op than it did at OSJL and so I've never asked about the Bob's steel cut oats, although if you're interested in splitting a case lot of that, I"ll ask.

What I get from goplanetearth.com is a 1 or 2 lb bar of melt/pour "soap base"... I am scent sensitive and had to be really careful what brand I bought, seemed that whatever it was I was using would "improve" their formula and I'd go around sniffing all day. Even did this w/Trader Joe's stuff. I finally gave up on most commercial soap and started buying "soap base" as it's made to have scents added to it, and has none on its own...which has worked just fine. I buy soap about once every 1.25 years.

Let me know what you think?

Judi

[Lady_V]

I'm closer to the NH/MA line than I am to Boston. Brat is a LONG ride for us, but thank you for telling us about it.

We are hoping to move to Tyngsboro in about 2 years. I am sooooo looking forward to doing ALL my shopping in NH!

If you can give me a link of the place you shop, I can go through it and let you know what I would want from it and maybe we can meet up somewhere so I can get it.

Our own little co-op

[Judi Dial]

The brat coop's website is here:
Brattleboro Food Coop

Go planet earth site is here:
Soap Molds | Wholesale Soap Supplies | Soap Making | Soap Making Supply | Make Soap

If there's something shelf-stable, like flour or oats, etc. that you're interested in getting that the coop is likely to be able to get, let me know. As I said, we get to Brat once or twice a month. Anyway, tell me what it is, and how much you want. I'll get you the price and we can go from there. There's a coop in Concord (we get there once a week too for work) and rumors of one starting in Keene. If we weren't in Brat so often and I wasn't already a "life member" I'd join the Concord coop, I may anyway!

Go planet earth's prices are on the website, except for the shipping. My only problem with them is that their grocery cart takes FOREVER to finish online so I avoid placing an order until I just can't anymore! Also, their shipping is (as you might expect) expensive when you're buying 4 lbs or more of soap at a time.

Also, FYI, here's a link to a find your local coop site:
Food Coops - Find a Food Coop Near You

IHTH!

Judi

[Judi Dial]

Lady,

I'm also getting ready to (at the end of the month, I hope) to order lemon juice powder and tomato powder. I'll get that from sf herb company, here:

Gourmet spices, herbs, essential oils, potpourri, green tea - bulk and wholesale

if there's something you're interested in there, let me know.

Judi

[frugalfranny]

The gourmet spice web site looks great..........I am a real 'fish' for spices........going to go back there when I have more time.

Thanks for all the fun sites!!

[Judi Dial]

Okay, I just ordered 10# of not instant nonfat dry milk from the co-op. No tax, much to my surprise I was told...Ten lbs @$5.69/lb is $56.90 - 10% for the bulk order is $51.21 or $5.12 a lb.

LadyV, if you want some of this at cost we can arrange to meet in Nashua sometime after it arrives....

Interested?

Judi

[Judi Dial]

In the process of trying to find out if the price I'm paying is fair for the milk, I found organic valley's website....they have coupons and also a link to organic prairie, where you can buy organic meats.

Organic Valley - Organic Milk, Cheese, Butter, Eggs & More. Farmer-Owned since 1988

Closest price I found is $52.11, without shipping, so I guess I'm not too unhappy! You can get milk substitute at Honeyville for less, but not milk, unless I missed it?

Judi

[cheles2kids]

The only non-instant milk I have been able to get is at my local health food store and it is only sold in small amounts. The instant you can get just about anywhere.

I would be interested in the non-instant milk also in larger amounts.

Jas...Wal-mart sells a whole powdered milk in the Ethnic aisle, it's called "Nido" and it's the best tasting that I've found. It *is* a bit o the expensive side, but for me, I'd rather spend a bit more if we'll all drink it.
Product: NIDO Clasica


I've also heard *really, really, really* great things about Morning Moo's, but I think this is actually a milk 'substitue'. I did order one can of it but I've yet to open it to try it out.