Everyday Winter Survival Food – Instant Noodles

Lots of calories – that’s what you should look for when it comes to survival foods. If they contain some salt and are warming and yummy, even better! One of our favourite winter survival foods which are likely already in your pantry are Nissin instant noodles. They are inexpensive, warm your soul and are ultra lightweight. Just add boiling water and you’re good to go. This particular brand has considerably more calories than others – perfect.

Instant Noodles 1

Instant Noodles 2

The Pocket Stove

PROS
  • Simple
  • Super easy to set up
  • Durable
  • Functional
  • Tin has plenty of room for storage and can double as a survival tin.
  • Lightweight
  • Ideal for small pots
  • Portable
  • Versatile
  • Cost effective
CONS
  • If using organic materials you’ll need proper tinder and A LOT of dry pencil-size sticks for kindling – your main organic fuel. Be prepared to continually fuel the stove.
  • Placing and feeding the kindling in the stove can be cumbersome
  • Using fuel blocks – Be Careful! The blocks can “melt” and drop/drip through the holes in the plate on which the block sits – watch out for this!

Plenty of room inside the tin to keep a Bic lighter, firesteel, tinder, and a small knife.

Assembly is very simple – the 5 pieces fit together quickly and easily. No tools required

Note: The paperclip is just to give an idea of size.

From the website:

Welcome to the exciting world of The Pocket Stove.

It does what it says on the tin!

This a flat pack, clip together multi fuel cooking stove for the solo or lightweight outdoors enthusiast, 100% designed and manufactured in the UK.

Following the success of The Honey Stove and The Hive, many enthusiasts have asked for a simpler smaller solo cooking solution which incorporates the same multi-fuel features and flexibility.

After months of design and experimentation The Pocket Stove was eventually born. Weight, simplicity and functionality were all key along with bomb proof reliability.

The fluted shape encourages a more intense burn from any heat source, yet provides reliable stability for the standard range of small cook pots and military shaped mugs up to 10-12 cm in diameter.

It also means that it also provides a pot support as well as windshield for most variations of pop can meths (denatured alcohol) burners.

Simplicity is the key and it has been tested throughout winter, to ensure it can be assembled quickly in the cold.

The adjustable platform offers two burn heights, the top slot for esbit/hexamine tablets and the other for organic matter and pop can stoves.

With just the four panels, the standard Trangia burner will locate into the upper slot and the door locks tight. This is the best height for an intense burn. However the same burner will also locate into the lower slot offering two heat settings depending on your needs.

Other ‘top burning’ meths (denatured alcohol) stoves can also be used. Experimentation will indicate the best location for you heat source, either on the square plate, or placed on the ground with the four connected panels placed over the top.

Finally, just three panels linked together can act as a basic windshield and pot support, should you ever require it.

Your Pocket Stove package consists of a fire door, a rear panel, 2 x side panels, a base plate and a hinged storage tin.

Assembly options

To burn esbit/hexamine tablets

Holding the rear panel in your hand with the prongs facing upwards, slide on the two side panels either side. Place the square base into the top horizontal slot taking care to ensure the rear of the base plate is rotated correctly and placed centrally in the rear panel.

Then slide on the door and the stove is complete.

To burn organic matter

Assemble as above however place the square base into the lower horizontal slot taking care to ensure the rear of the base plate is correctly placed centrally in the rear panel.

Then slide on the door and the stove is complete.

To use with a Trangia burner

Assemble as above, however instead of using the square plate, just place the Trangia burner into either of the horizontal slots.

Then slide on the door and the stove is complete.

NB: It does fit the Tatonka meth burner, but it a loose fit. The Evernew burner fits neatly in the base.

Manufacture

The Pocket Stove is manufactured using .7mm Stainless Steel which is considerably stronger than it looks.

The design is exceedingly efficient at reflecting heat inwards and upwards whilst at the same time allowing the correct amount of air draw for the different cookers or fuel used.

Once heat is applied to the unit it may warp slightly. This is normal and doesn’t affect the assembly process or life span of the product.

Tinder

To start any fire you require tinder, which will catch the spark from a flint and steel, or other igniting tool.

Once tinder is burning, it will in turn ignite the kindle. Small dry pieces of wood, which will burn with a greater heat and light the thicker dry fuel.

Tinder can take many forms. You can also use bark peelings from a Birch tree, wire wool or feather sticks.

These are made by splitting a finger thick stick into quarters and running a sharp knife along the edge to ‘curl’ the dry core into fine slithers.

Cotton wool dipped in Vaseline is very efficient as is the commercially available Hammaro Tinder Card.

Burning Wood

The stoves works more efficiently with small pieces of dried wood no thicker than a pencil.

Thicker pieces take longer to ignite and are more cumbersome to collect and break. Two handfulls of these twigs will boil 500ml of water in approximately 8-10 minutes.

Never use green live wood, which will just smoke and not burn. Always look for air-dried wood caught in tree branches, as these catch and burn much more effectively.

Don’t overfill the base plate with fuel before lighting, as good combustion requires good airflow.

We’ve found using a small piece of Hammaro Tinder CardTM will ignite instantly from a flint and steel, and accelerates the lighting of dried kindle.

Once the fire is established and there is a good ‘heat’ at the base, add the thicker fuel on a regular basis, to maintain the desired cooking heat.

Fire Safety

All fuels give off noxious fumes and wood based stoves are no different. We would always advise you to light any fire in a well-ventilated area, with a good throughput of air, such as under a tarp.

NB: Remember modern artificial fabrics used in jackets, trousers, sleeping bags and tents ignite very easily. Another reason to never light a stove inside an enclosed area.

Leave No Trace

Where possible try to use some kind of ashtray beneath the stove to protect the ground.

The heat generated by any stove can damage or scar the organic matter beneath.

So where possible, try to ensure you place the stove over bare earth, sand, stone or use a protective matting or foil.

After use, you will see a fine ash beneath the stove gathered on the tray. Please let this cool and try to ‘leave no trace’ in your disposal.

On a stone or sandy beach, you may not need the ash tray at all, however always consider your environment and please dispose of the fine ash with appropriate and responsible care.

Warning

In use this stove will get very hot. No matter the type of fuel or heat source used.

Do not attempt to pick it up, move it or take it apart when fuel is burning. You will burn your hands!

Please allow enough ventilation around the stove and ensure that all the component parts are cool before packing.

Also ensure the ground under the stove is cool to the touch and not burned in any way. Use of petrol, or any other petroleum products in this stove may result in severe burns and/or death.

Emissions

Burning wood efficiently is almost Carbon Neutral.

The efficient use of a small amount of organic matter is much more eco-friendly than the more convenient commercial fuels, such as petroleum based derivatives and natural gas (LPG).

LPG emits 15 times more CO2 (carbon dioxide) per kg than wood.

Petrol based fuels emit nearly 10 times as much. CO2 is the main source of global warming.
(Source – Journey To Forever)

Weights

Side Panel: 31g x 2
Back Panel: 31g
Door: 26g
Square Base: 22g
Total: 141g

Storage Tin: 54g

Packed Total: 195g

Will it fit your pop can stove?

Height 100mm
Base Plate 68mm sq
Upper Aperture 61mm sq
Lower Aperture 72mm sq

The Pocket Stove was designed and manufactured entirely in the UK by backpackinglight.co.uk

Cost: Around £ 22

Edible Survival Book

From Y&R Dubai website (blog):

http://www.yr-dxb.com/yr-blog/

Quite stoked last week when we saw our industry peers tweeting and posting our latest direct mail for Land Rover. Big thanks to everyone for sharing our work to the world.

In Case of Emergency: Eat this Book.

While Land Rover vehicles can take on any obstacles in the desert, it cannot be said the same of their owners. Scorching temperatures, deadly animals and sinkholes are just a few things they might encounter. And when they venture deep into it, even the most experienced drivers can quickly succumb to the harshness of the desert. We wanted to create something that would cut through the clutter and that these people would like to keep. So we created a survival guide, which explained the basics for staying alive in the Arabian Desert, and packaged it in a way that would spur the attention of our target audience.

We researched every indigenous animal and plant, people could encounter in the Arabian Desert and how they could be used to survive. We studied the topography of the region to guide people to safety. We used a reflective packaging similar to army rations, which could be used to signal for help, and bound the book with a metal spiral, which could be used for cooking. Finally, we even took an extra step so that in case of emergency, people could always EAT the book. It was made out of edible ink and paper, and it had a nutritional value close to that of a cheeseburger.

We sent the book to 5,000 existing customers, gave it away as a supplement to the cars’ manual and made it freely available in sports shops.

The initial response was very positive. And the client was so happy with the concept that they asked us to include the book as an insert in the next edition of a car magazine, with a 70,000 circulation.

Esbit® Pocket Stove

  • Lightweight
  • Simple
  • Sturdy
  • Small and very portable
  • Super easy to use
  • Cost effective
Comes with six 14g solid fuel bricks.

Six 14g solid fuel bricks can be transported neatly within the stove itself to save space.

The Esbit Pocket Stove can be adjusted to two configurations to accommodate different cookware.

To boil approximately 3/4 litres of cold water, you’ll require basically the entire life of a 14g Esbit fuel brick and a lid to help with the boiling process.

As a test, I tried boiling roughly 3/4 litres of cold tap water with no lid on a very hot day (33°Celsius) with a 14g Esbit fuel brick (0.5 oz). The water came close to boiling but didn’t… After about 15 minutes the fuel was fully consumed (the fuel doesn’t leave much residue which is nice).

Using a lid on the second attempt obviously made a world of difference. If you have limited fuel, try heating up your water with a bit of kindling first.

Great as an emergency stove or for the ultralight/minimalist.

www.esbit.net

Made in Germany

Cost: Around CDN $15

 

 

 

 

Grow Your Own Mushrooms

1 hour
Thursday, April 26, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
If you have access to oak or poplar branches, you can learn to grow edible mushrooms in your back yard. In this demonstration, Ken Fosty will guide you through the process of planting a shiitake or oyster mushroom spawn on an oak or poplar log, then caring for and harvesting your crop. A take-home mushroom grow kit with everything you need – except a drill and the log – is included in the session.
Fee: $45.00
Ken Fosty is a graduate of the Maritime Forest Ranger College in Fredericton, New Brunswick, as well as a Manitoba certified arborist. He is certified as a professional chainsaw operator by the Ontario Forest Safe Workplace Association (OFSWA). This certification is recognized in Ontario and the Prairie Provinces. On his managed woodlot in Southeast Manitoba, Ken taps Manitoba maple trees for syrup, grows Christmas trees, harvests firewood, plants trees and shrubs, and grows specialty mushrooms on logs.
All seminar net proceeds are donated to United Way.
Seating is Limited
Please register early to avoid disappointment.

To purchase tickets call: (204) 779-7467
Unless otherwise stated, previous experience is not required 
to participate in seminars.
Seminar tickets are not available online. 
Beverages are provided at our seminars and a light
sandwich lunch is provided at all-day events.
Please discuss any special dietary needs
with the staff at time of registration.
In an effort to reduce waste, we encourage you to bring in
your own coffee mug and/or refillable water bottle.
We require that you wear closed shoes
(e.g. running shoes) to all seminars.
Prices are subject to GST.
48 hours notice required for cancellation refunds.
We reserve the right to reschedule seminars.
Lee Valley Tools Ltd.
1395 Ellice Avenue
Winnipeg, MB
(At Arena Rd.)

Foraging for Food in the Wild…

In a survival situation, don’t confuse the eating habits of vegetarians and vegans with the idea of living off wild plants and foraging alone. Surviving solely off vegetation found in the bush is very difficult. Vegetarians and vegans have access to beans, broccoli, a wide variety of fruits etc…

In other words, the diet of vegetarians and vegans is comprised of many foods not necessarily found in the “wild.”

Raw or Cooked…

In a survival situation it is essential not only to conserve calories, but to replace them efficiently (not eating something that requires your body to use more resources than it will get back) and recognize the importance of maximizing nutrients.

In many cases, it likely makes more sense to consume a food raw, as cooking often reduces the nutritional value of a food. Some foods however, must be cooked in order to be safely consumed.

Examples: Bird species and eels.