Salt

[thompbarn]

So, I just finished reading "Alas, Babylon". Good book. One theme in this post-apocalyptic story is a shortage of salt, and the potentially dire consequences that result. Sure, if you are eating freeze-dried Mountain House or canned ravioli, you'd be fine. But if it came to eating your own vegetables and game, would lack of salt be a problem? I know you can brush your teeth with salt and soda. Obviously you can use it to preserve meat. Might need it for saline solution. But it is definitely an essential nutrient. Is there a way to obtain salt in the midwest (other than storing salt)?

If not, and we must store it, what's the most effective way? Haven't gotten around to looking at salt blocks for livestock -- would this work?

 

[futureofwar]

Great book

You can buy bulk salt fairly cheap lay back a few 5 gallon buckets with oxygen and water absorbers youll be fine. Plenty to trade too. Get some salt lick blocks laid back as well make good hunting bait and trade to farmers after the crash.

BTW IMO that was a great book, honestly your the first other person Ive ever heard of who has read that

 

[Iroquois]

Don't forget the water softener... keep the salt tank full. you never know when you'll
need the salt for something else.

 

[smokingman]

In Indiana we are out of luck.You have what you store.There is no good natural source of salt in most of the state.At one time there where actually decent salt sources in Indiana.But then this(from the DNR website)....

Monroe Lake was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1938. This reservoir was created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1965 by impounding Salt Creek with the Monroe Lake Dam. In years past this area of Indiana had several salt deposits that were mined and shipped down the creek, which is how Salt Creek got its name. Since its creation in the mid 1960's, Monroe Reservoir has prevented flooding by storing heavy rain water runoff until swollen streams and rivers downstream can handle water releases from the dam. Today, Monroe Lake is a recreational haven, offering boating, water sports, fishing, and accommodations from primitive to luxurious.

In short there are a very few places in Indiana with salt deposits.You need to store it.Any feed store,tractor supply,or GFS have bulk 50lb bags for around $5-10 dollars each.

 

[ATOMonkey]

I thought there was a salt mine under downtown??? Maybe I'm just haluscinating...

Kinetico sells 99.9% pure salt for $20 (or less) per 40 lb bag. Best value that I've found so far.

 

[SWAMPMASTER]

I thought there was a salt mine under downtown??? Maybe I'm just haluscinating...

Kinetico sells 99.9% pure salt for $20 (or less) per 40 lb bag. Best value that I've found so far.

wow thats sounds very expensive I wan tto say I am buyign it from Culligan at about 1.00 per pound
which reminds me I need to get more Thanks

 

[ATOMonkey]

I think your math is a little fuzzy. You probably are buying it for about $.25/lb

Kinetico salt is safe for consumption at 99.9% pure. No fillers for binders, just salt chunks.

Culligan salt is 99.6% pure and comes in handy little pellets.

I guess it just depends how concerned you are about that last .3%

 

[tooleman]

This is a good topic now I want to through a monkey wrench into it. How many of you have any stock in black pepper???? Well it only grows I certain places in the world and guess what.... The united states is not one of those places. Granted pepper is not as important as salt but next time you fix dinner don't use any pepper and see what it tastes like. That can be said about alot of spices that don't grow here. Vanilla is another one just some food for thought.

 

[snowman46919]

I thought there was a salt mine under downtown??? Maybe I'm just haluscinating...

Kinetico sells 99.9% pure salt for $20 (or less) per 40 lb bag. Best value that I've found so far.

wow thats sounds very expensive I wan tto say I am buyign it from Culligan at about 1.00 per pound
which reminds me I need to get more Thanks

at your price swampmaster that bag would be 40 dollars... am I the only one missing something here?

 

[BigMatt]

This is a good topic now I want to through a monkey wrench into it. How many of you have any stock in black pepper???? Well it only grows I certain places in the world and guess what.... The united states is not one of those places. Granted pepper is not as important as salt but next time you fix dinner don't use any pepper and see what it tastes like. That can be said about alot of spices that don't grow here. Vanilla is another one just some food for thought.

You don't need pepper to live.

 

[irishfan]

I have a few extra bags of rock salt in the shed just because it is handy. Anybody know if there is any difference between a salt block quality salt and regular table salt? I want to know if you could use it to survive basically.

 

[RichardR]

I probably have about 80lbs of various salts (table salt, canning salt, rock salt) on hand at any given time, I generally buy it in bulk & replace as necessary, storage life is pretty much indefinite so long as it stays dry.

 

[thompbarn]

Well, I bought 50 pounds today for $10.00. I think I'll vac seal it, or use O2 absorbers in ball jars. Either way, I think I'll put back a few bags and blocks as well. Not sure what is an appropriate amount to store for 1 year, as it can be used for so many purposes. Thanks for all the input!

 

[SWAMPMASTER]

ok u all r right my math way way off sorry about that

 

[CarmelHP]

Morton's Solar Salt is pure sodium chloride at about 5$ per 40 lb. bag.


"Morton® White Crystal® Solar Salt is 99.7% pure salt harvested from natural salt brine through solar evaporation. White Crystal ® Solar Salt is also available in coarse and extra coarse grades. Because solar salt is produced in open ponds, some impurities from the environment get in the salt."

Take a clean 40 gallon trash can and you can get 5 or 6 bags in it and seal the can.

As for "Alas Babylon!" I enjoyed the book as a kid, but some stuff is just stupid (like gold jewelry becoming radioactive through gamma exposure and killing the owner because it's "radioactive", c'mon). My favorite teen years book was "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons, 1977 edition" by the National Technical Information Service.

 

[HighStrung]

You don't need pepper to live.

While I totally agree with you on the fact that pepper isn't required to live, but tell me how nice it would be to (on special occasions) have a nicer dinner than the same ol that you've been eating for the past 2 weeks? I'm not trying to store 5 gal of pepper, but you can bet I've got a small amount of several different spices set back. How much could a little flavor mean to the moral of your group 2 months into SHTF, how about 9 months into it? It's kinda like razors, it's not something thats needed, but I'm sure your lady friend will appriciate how she's able to keep shaved for at least a little while. How about soap, not needed but really kinda nice to have some laying around.

 

[bwframe]

While I totally agree with you on the fact that pepper isn't required to live, but tell me how nice it would be to (on special occasions) have a nicer dinner than the same ol that you've been eating for the past 2 weeks? I'm not trying to store 5 gal of pepper, but you can bet I've got a small amount of several different spices set back. How much could a little flavor mean to the moral of your group 2 months into SHTF, how about 9 months into it? It's kinda like razors, it's not something thats needed, but I'm sure your lady friend will appriciate how she's able to keep shaved for at least a little while. How about soap, not needed but really kinda nice to have some laying around.

My daughters always get a chuckle whenever we go to a restaurant with any kind of open container for pepper and salt packets. I leave with pocketfuls.

 

[cordex]

Just as a question ... why are folks talking about storing salt with O2 absorbers or vacuum sealing it - especially if we're talking about pellets or large salt chunks? My only concern would be storing where it won't come in to much contact with water. Oxygen and residual moisture aren't a very big deal for salt - caked salt is just as good, isn't it?

 

[thompbarn]

You're right. I've looked into it and O2 absorbers or vac sealing aren't required. I'll be using the suggested trash can approach.

 

[timeforchili]

if water softner salt is safe to consume you could probably last for years off one $4 bag.