freezing grains, beans before storage?

[organized lady]

I'm a regular lurker, and have learned so much from all the threads. Thanks to all who post!!
I have a question regarding freezing grains, rice, beans before storage. Do you do it? What other options do I have for killing out any bugs? If you do freeze your grains etc., how long do you let it freeze and then do you pack it while frozen or let it thaw? Do you worry about dampness then? I will be using buckets with mylar bags and oxygen absorbers for the storage. So many questions, I hope there will be lots of suggestions, Thanks!!

[WV_mom_of2]

The only thing I freeze because of the possibility of bugs is my flour. I put it in the freezer in it's original bag and leave it there until I need it. As my canister gets low I will get the bag out and refill the canister and then seal the bag and put it back in the freezer!

[NewLeaf]

I bought 25 pounds of flour this past Spring. I separated it into big ziploc bags and froze it for about 4 days. (maybe it was 3 days). Then I put a bay leaf in each bag and packed them in a plastic bucket from the bakery. I have checked on the flour sevral times and so far so good. I don't have the oxygen absorbers or mylar bags so I am hoping for the best. Good luck.

[Grainlady]

I store hundreds of pounds of grains/beans/seeds and never freeze any of them before placing them in storage and have never had an infestation.

Here's a link that has great instruction for what you are wanting to do:
http://www.247survival.com/survival-...n-storage.html

More information (see page 54....): http://survivalacres.com/information...storagefaq.pdf

I vacuum seal them either in FoodSaver bags or canning jars. I vacuum seal the canning lids on using the FoodSaver jar sealer, or FoodSaver Universal Lids. Removing all the oxygen will take care of any "critters".

Years ago I took a class presented by an entomologist entitled "Pantry Pests" who said using bay leaves is an old-wives tale and doesn't actually prevent pantry pests.

[Grainlady]

I bought 25 pounds of flour this past Spring. I separated it into big ziploc bags and froze it for about 4 days. (maybe it was 3 days). Then I put a bay leaf in each bag and packed them in a plastic bucket from the bakery. I have checked on the flour sevral times and so far so good. I don't have the oxygen absorbers or mylar bags so I am hoping for the best. Good luck.

FYI - Commercial flour only has a shelf-life of 6-12 months, up to 2-years if it's kept in the freezer, so I suggest only purchasing enough for no longer than that. Flour isn't designed for long-term storage, where wheat, when properly stored, will last for decades.

If you normally don't do a lot of baking during the spring/summer months, you may want to purchase your large amounts of flour late summer/early fall and plan on using the bulk of it by the end of March. Old flour can still appear to be "good", but baking performance is compromised using old flour. This is especially critical since you have no idea of how long flour is stored in a warehouse before it is shelved for sale in a store.

Three things are critical to long-term food storage, no HEAT, LIGHT, or OXYGEN, for the longest storage times.

[organized lady]

thanks to all for the replys! Grain lady, thanks especially to you as you spoke to grains specifically, not flour (although I do have a small amount of flour to store also) My prairie gold wheat berries will be going into the buckets tonight, with no freezing. Wish me luck!!