Outdoor Life Prepare for Anything Survival Manual (60 page)

If you live in a region where a solar dehydrator just won’t get it done thanks to weather, sunshine, or humidity patterns, consider these old-school, sunshine-free drying techniques instead.

HANG ’EM UP
Thread peeled, seeded, and sliced pieces of fruit or veggies onto a sturdy cotton string, cover with a thin cloth to keep off flies and dust, and hang above a radiator or stove top.

HIDE YOUR HERBS
Herbs shouldn’t be dried in the sun, anyway, so for those of you shrouded in gloom and darkness, find a dry, dark place in the house, tie the stems into bouquets, and hang upside down.

What makes a good survival food? First, you need to be able to store it for long periods of time. Second, it needs to be nutritious. And third, it should taste good. Tasting good is not really a necessity, but it sure is nice if you end up living off the stuff for a long time.

Hardtack satisfies all three conditions. Once it’s dried thoroughly, it will keep for years, provided it stays dry and away from pests. If you make it with natural, healthy ingredients, it’s very nutritious. And if you know how to prepare it, it tastes delicious. Because it is completely dehydrated, it is relatively light and easy to transport, but because it is so dense, it packs a lot of nutrition in a small package.

Hardtack has actually been around since the time of Egyptian sailors, but you probably know it better from the Civil War period. During the war, squares of hardtack were shipped to both the Union and Confederate armies, making it a staple of a soldier’s rations. Typically made six months beforehand, it was as hard as a rock when it actually got to the troops. To soften it, they usually soaked it in water or coffee. Not only would this soften it enough for eating, but any insect larvae in the bread would float to the top, allowing the soldiers to skim them out.

DIRECTIONS
Mix the flour, water, and salt, making sure the mixture is fairly dry. Then roll it out to about 1/2-inch (1-cm) thickness, and shape into a rectangle. Cut it into 3x3-inch (8x8-cm) squares, and poke holes in both sides. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and cook for 30 minutes per side at 375°F (190°C).

An ancient forebear of the modern survival ration, pemmican was originally prepared by North American Indians as a traveling food and cold-weather snack. Traditional pemmican is a blend of dried meat pounded into a powder, then blended with warm animal fat and often supplemented with dried fruits, berries, or other available foods. This mixture can be rolled into balls, pressed into a loaf or formed into cakes, or added to a pot of boiling water to make a greasy soup base.

GET READY
The lard, jerky, and fruit are essential ingredients. Some folks add a little bit of flour for extra carbs, a handful of chopped nuts for fat, or spices to make this mess taste a little better. Keep an eye on the temperature—cold lard won’t incorporate well with the other ingredients, and melted lard will cook the jerky slightly, leading to dangerous spoilage. Get the lard to a soft state, below 100°F (38°C), by warming it slightly or stirring it aggressively.

MIX IT UP
Add the lard to a bowl containing all the other ingredients and stir until well incorporated (about 2 minutes).

STORE IT
Loosely wrap the pemmican in wax paper, and store it in a cool, dry, dark place. It can last for months before the fat turns rancid, especially in cold weather. Just make sure to store it out of the reach of pests, too. Once you get used to the odd feeling of grease running down the back of your throat as you chew pemmican, you just might start to enjoy this ancestral superfood.

If the economy goes into total collapse, you may have to fall back on a barter system. Just like using precious metals, humans have been trading goods and services for ages; currency has just simplified the process. If your money’s no good, it may be worth it to consider negotiating the relative value of a box of ammo or a live chicken, or the expertise needed to fix a broken pipe or pull a tooth.

How does it work? Anything can be traded for anything, if both parties agree. After a good trade, each person walks away with something valuable and a willingness to trade with that partner again. After a bad trade . . . well, let’s just say you don’t want to make a bad trade. The chart that follows will help you negotiate these tricky waters.

OPTIONS FOR TRADE