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Denis Korn

The Benefits of Wheatgrass

At some point in your weekly excursion to the grocery store or natural food market, you may have come across a product in the veggie aisle that looked a lot like someone had cut a big chunk out of your front lawn – a big chunk of grass in a little plastic container. You might have thought, Why are they selling rabbit food here? If so, let me be the first person to introduce you to the highly beneficial and healthy food (for humans) called wheatgrass.

The Benefits of Wheatgrass

Emergency Preparedness & Outdoor Adventure Planning Checklist

For most people, planning for emergencies is similar to planning for a camping trip or any other outdoor adventure where the normal conveniences of home are not available. The biggest difference is determining whether to plan for being away from home or in your own residence – or perhaps both. The equipment to include in your emergency kit or camping supplies list will be very comparable. Differences and variations will generally depend upon the severity and length of time you anticipate for your emergency scenario. Long term emergencies and outdoor explorations will require, in addition to this list, more extensive planning and provisioning. Your skill level and knowledge set for survival techniques and resourcefulness will also play a big role in determining your needs.

Emergency Preparedness & Outdoor Adventure Planning Checklist

A Look into the Future of Preparedness and Resiliency Provisions

As a small business owner, I find it is very important to understand the costs and trends that will affect my business and my bottom line. With the ever-increasing turbulence in the world causing new stresses (weather, energy, economic) and more people becoming informed of our predicaments, I routinely reach out to my suppliers to get their feedback on their production status and future outlook.

Here is my perspective on current trends relating to food products for shelf-stable food reserves and resiliency provisions in general. In the 37 years that I have been in the natural foods, outdoor recreation, and emergency preparedness industries as a retailer and manufacturer, I have experienced a number of fluctuations and factors that have influenced the availability and pricing of foods and supplies for preparedness. A number of current factors and converging events are affecting the preparedness marketplace today and potentially in the near future.

In addition to my own present-day observations and experience as a retailer of food reserves and preparedness products, I have very recently surveyed a number of suppliers, processors and manufacturers for their assessment of current conditions in the marketplace and wish to share the results with you here.

A Look into the Future of Preparedness and Resiliency Provisions

The 12 Crucial Questions of Preparedness Planning

Awareness of our global circumstances and predicaments first came about for many readers of this article through watching the Crash Course. For others, it has evolved from the experience of challenging situations that prompt a more prepared response to future events. Many of our readers have started taking action and moving forward by reviewing the Crash Course Self Assessment and answering the initial questions found in the Self Assessment and the following article. The first steps that arise from answering these questions can sometimes be the hardest to take, but they are all-important. Read on; there is much to think about.

The following 12 questions and the corresponding subset of questions apply to any preparedness planning scenario you believe to be appropriate. Whether it be a scenario of financial collapse, natural disaster, grid-down event, or civil unrest, there are many questions to ask – and many possible answers. Answer them carefully. Your safety, health (emotional and physical), peace of mind, and comfort depend on it.

The 12 Crucial Questions of Preparedness Planning

The Language of Food Storage

When beginning down the path of resiliency building and preparedness planning, one must look at the need for food on a daily basis as well as the possible events that would require the use of stored food and emergency rations. This subject can be expansive and confusing at times. There are lots of options and choices available to meet your nutritional needs. This article and explanation of terms will hopefully clarify the many aspects and terminology of long-term food storage and help shed light on this important component of resiliency building.

The Language of Food Storage

7 Things Every Reputable Food Reserve Company Needs to Tell You

Having been in the outdoor/recreational and long-term food storage industry for over thirty-five years, I have seen a lot of companies and products come and go. There has been quite a bit of change over the years. While the food you rely upon in an emergency is vital and life-sustaining, unfortunately few preppers and planners do the valuable research they should for this essential category of provisions. This article is written to help educate and inform the serious preparedness planner and give those just starting off in food storage and resiliency-building a good foundation of knowledge to help evaluate needs and determine what are the best products for those needs.

Because I have personally witnessed, heard, and read so many conflicting, misleading, and outright deceptive claims and information regarding foods for long-term storage, I am writing this – the first of two – concise and to-the-point articles. While many food reserve companies are educated and reliable, many are intentionally or unintentionally ignorant and deceitful.

7 Things Every Reputable Food Reserve Company Needs to Tell You

Food Storage Packing: Facts and Myths

Know the facts about do-it-yourself packing

The purpose of this article is to present specific details and recommendations for packing your own shelf-stable foods for food storage. We will cover what works and what doesn’t in creating an oxygen-free atmosphere for long term food storage, and common misconceptions about how to do your own packing. While there are many different types of dried foods that can be stored for extended periods of time, most folks are interested in how best to store grain and bean products.

While I could write a book on every specific detail of every packing option and all of the technical specifications of all available packing containers, that is not the purpose of this article. I will cover important highlights, facts, insights, and information gained from over 37 years in the preparedness and outdoor recreation industry. It is important to keep in mind that I have not only been a retailer of preparedness and outdoor foods, I have also been a manufacturer, developer of hundreds of recipes, packaging and product innovator, and researcher of shelf-stable foods.

Some of the material presented here will contradict and challenge information available on the Web or in some do-it-yourself circles. Many people assume preparedness information to be accurate without careful consideration of the source's expertise or the validity of the facts. I encourage you to research on your own any of the information presented in this article – or in any article, for that matter – and to use basic critical thinking skills to evaluate the evidence and data you are offered. A little common sense goes a long way in assessing many of the claims being made about shelf life and do-it-yourself issues.

Food Storage Packing: Facts and Myths

Know the facts about do-it-yourself packing

Using & About Oxygen Absorbers

While owner of AlpineAire Foods in the early 1990’s, I conducted significant research and study into the excellent and very effective technology of oxygen absorbers. Developed in Japan, oxygen absorbers insure a very low residual oxygen level in appropriate storage containers. Through this research and the development at AlpineAire foods, I brought the large scale use of oxygen absorbers into the emergency food and outdoor recreational foods industries.

At that time the goal to achieve for the canning of shelf-stable dried foods was a residual oxygen level of 2% or below. This was the level required by military specifications for long term foods. Oxidation and an atmosphere inhibiting microbial growth were significantly reduced at these low levels. The military specified the #10 can for their long term storage of dried products. By utilizing the appropriate size oxygen absorber, the residual oxygen levels could be reduced to 0.1% or less – a significant drop in oxygen levels.

The premier manufacturer of oxygen absorbers, and the one I use, is Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. which produces the “Ageless” brand oxygen absorber. While there are numerous types of absorbers for varied packaging conditions, the appropriate “Ageless” absorber for use with dried foods is type Z.

It is important to note that oxygen absorber sachets were designed to be used by industrial manufacturers and packers of food products with the necessary expertise in working with the absorbers. While simple to use, if not handled properly or sized correctly you have wasted your time and money and have not achieved the expected outcome. I have seen and heard of numerous situations where individuals have inappropriately utilized oxygen absorbers and they will unfortunately not accomplish the results anticipated. If you are going to use these devices, I recommend following the instructions in this article and talk to those who are educated in their proper use.