goal 4(b) - gather grains for longer-term storage

Our current goal is gathering our longer-term storage.

Specifically - Store Grains.


Grains are one of two main products that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints recommends that you store for longer-term storage. (Beans are the other product - but we'll discuss them later.) They recommend that any dried products that you store have 10% or less moisture content and be insect-free.

Wheat is what people typically think of when grains are mentioned, but there are other grains that are equally suitable for longer-term storage. Corn, rice, oats and other grains are great for longer-term storage. We'll be exploring each of these different grains in depth in upcoming posts. These grain products have a storage life of 30 years or more, which is fantastic because you can take a long time to rotate through and replace your supply of grains.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recommends that you store 25 lbs of grains per month per person. That's 225 lbs. for a nine-month supply or 300 lbs. for a 12 month supply. My personal goal is to store between 9 and 12 months of grains per person (added to my three-month supply to make a complete one-year storage). Here is a chart to help you determine how much grain you should store:

Grain Storage Amounts:
*1 person -
25 lbs (1 month) 225 lbs (9 months) 300 lbs (12 months)
*2 people -
50 lbs (1 month) 450 lbs (9 months) 600 lbs (12 months)
*3 people -
75 lbs (1 month) 675 lbs (9 months) 900 lbs (12 months)
*4 people -
100 lbs (1 month) 900 lbs (9 months) 1200 lbs (12 months)
*5 people -
125 lbs (1 month) 1125 lbs (9 months) 1500 lbs (12 months)
*6 people -
150 lbs (1 month) 1350 lbs (9 months) 1800 lbs (12 months)
*7 people -
175 lbs (1 month) 1575 lbs (9 months) 2100 lbs (12 months)

Make a note of the amount of grains that you want to store. I recommend that you write this number down. You can use a spreadsheet, table, or notebook to record and track your longer-term storage inventory. I personally use a doc file. I simply record the total amount we need, how much we have, and how much I still need to buy. It's not elaborate and doesn't have to be.

I would say that originally this was the most daunting home-storage goal for me. For our family, 1125 - 1500 lbs of grains felt like so much that it seemed unattainable. However, when you gather your grains a little at a time, it actually is easier than you think. And remember all of this grain storage isn't just wheat. I personally store wheat, oatmeal, cornmeal, popcorn, pasta and different varieties of rice. As we continue to discuss grain storage, pay attention to the kinds of grains that your family uses. It helps with rotation if you store grains in similar proportion to the amounts you use in your regular meals.