Home Brewed Designs

Mountain House

2012-05-31T07:33:00.001-07:00

The American Red Cross and other organizations and institutions have recommended that people, who may live in areas where natural disasters are known to occur, learn more about preparing for a disaster. Some people have suggested that this coming fire season will be especially troublesome due to drier conditions this year. Also, the tropical storm season has just begun. So, while not everyone will experience an evacuation, it is always good to be prepared. Part of being prepared is having an emergency kit. The American Red Cross has posted ideas and suggestions on their website regarding ways to prepare for different types of natural disasters.

http://www.redcross.org/

In most evacuation circumstances it has been recommended that people take food and water for three days per person. In considering the quantity and type of food to take it may not be easy to decide what to pack in a hurry. So planning ahead does make sense. My personal recommendation for food preparation is Mountain House.

Who is Mountain House®? http://www.mountainhouse.com/index.cfm

Oregon Freeze Dry was incorporated in 1963, when we began freeze drying fruit for a General Foods cereal. Later, we worked with the Department of Defense to develop and produce freeze dried military rations that tasted better, weighed less, and were easier to prepare than canned rations. By the early 1970's, we were marketing our own Mountain House® line of freeze dried foods for outdoor recreational use. In the 1980's, the Company grew rapidly as we began to manufacture private label packaged food products, and expanded our food ingredient line.

Today, Oregon Freeze Dry is the world's technological leader in freeze drying. Our freeze dried ingredients are key components in the products of some of America's largest food companies. Our private label lines include such products as lunch and dinner entrees for the Nutri/System weight-loss program and the Gerber Graduate Mini's line. We're still a major supplier to the military, and our Mountain House® brand continues to be the favorite of backpackers and campers.

Oregon Freeze Dry is located on a 35 acre site in Albany, Oregon, and employs over 300 people. The company has three manufacturing plants, which offer USDA and FDA registrations, Kosher and Halal certifications, according to product. Collectively, these plants represent 32,000 square feet of freeze drying capacity - over 60% of the freeze drying capacity in the US. Oregon Freeze Dry also has affiliate facilities in the United Kingdom and Denmark.

(The above information can be found on the Mountain House website)

It is hoped that you will not have to use your emergency kit but in the event that you do, it is good to plan ahead, and have products in your kit that are reliable.

On the Last Post

2012-05-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

The last post made is video link which was intended to share the information about the Space X docking to the International Space Station. There was also information about the various companies involved across the U.S. which will be a part of continuing efforts in space science. It is not known how long this video link will be viable for such related information.

To Boldly Go....

2012-05-25T09:38:00.002-07:00

   
Streaming by Ustream

Hoppy Dog!

2012-05-18T16:23:00.000-07:00

Thank You to Team: Harper Bokum-Fauth, Kirstie Maryott, Brad Perry

Thriving Craft Brewers

2012-05-18T16:07:00.001-07:00

This is encouraging when it hits mainstream news. So, my guess is that you will see more news stories like this on other mainstream news outlets shortly.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/05/17/152958268/u-s-craft-beer-brewers-thrive-despite-small-share-of-the-market

American Craft Beer Week

2012-05-15T07:54:00.002-07:00

It's that time!

To learn more about American Craft Beer Week and to find an event near you, visit;

http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/news-and-events/american-craft-beer-week

What is Craft?

2012-05-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

CRAFT from SUDS COUNTY, USA on Vimeo.

High Water Brewing

2012-05-08T08:42:00.001-07:00

I have been in communication with Kevin Sweeney, Legal Counsel and Director at High Water Brewing. If you have not heard of High Water Brewing, they are a relatively new craft brewery in California. Their headquarters is based in Chico California, while brewing operations are being conducted in San Leandro and Belmont. Their recent one year anniversary was this past March.

High Water Brewing is looking to expand and centralize its production, which could mean more jobs in the local area. They are indeed looking for investors to move this process along. Kevin wrote to me stating,

"While our status regarding our facility and capital investors remain the same, the board has agreed to honor stock purchase requests from smaller investors prior to our equity funding. The stock is still at $0.25 per share with a minimum investment of $250."

As with all investments there is always some element of risk involved. Even so, this stock is incredibly cheap. However, it is very likely that this offer will not be open for very long. Once equity funding begins the doors on this opportunity will probably close to the general public and only major investors will be able to discuss options with High Water Brewing (from what I understand this is a legal issue). At this time there is no information on how long this opportunity will be available.

If you would like to know more about High Water Brewing, here is their website link;

http://www.highwaterbrewing.com/highwater.php

Your point of contact is Kevin J. Sweeney and his information is on the website.

American Culinary Corporation

2012-04-27T04:25:00.000-07:00

This is only our opinion but there are fewer crafted items still being produced in the USA that can be considered iconic. One such item is the iron skillet. Maybe you own one or maybe you remember your grandmother cooking with one or perhaps you have a favorite iron pan you take with you on camping trips.

What qualities do we like about iron skillets? For one, they have a rustic quality that hearkens to a long ago era. But the appeal goes beyond aesthetics. Quality iron skillets are easier to cook with, they can withstand higher temperatures, and are easier to clean. Because of their intrinsic material quality, these types of cookware can last practically forever.

Certainly there are a few well known iron skillet brand names. Two well recognized iron skillet names are Wagner and Griswold. One company, the American Culinary Corporation, produces both of these product lines right here in the USA. There really isn't much more we can say about these USA made iron skillets because their good reputation is already widely known.

This is an excerpt from their Facebook page about their history:

Company Overview
The American Culinary Legacy began in 1865 when Mathew Griswold formed the Griswold Manufacturing Company in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. Those legendary metal crafters had little competition until 1881 when Bernard and Milton Wagner of the Wagner Holloware Co. in Sidney, Ohio, USA entered the market.

In 1891, American craftsmanship blossomed when William and Louis Wagner joined their brothers and The Wagner Manufacturing Company was born. There was fierce competition between these American icons. The brothers at Wagner Mfg. had one mission; to design and manufacture cookware that would be "The World Standard of Culinary Excellence". The pioneering, brothers developed the chemistry of blending metal and were the first in America to cast; iron, aluminum and blended metal cookware. They forged a legacy of innovation, design, patents, proprietary metal, educating consumers with presentation standards and developed the original, less water cookware and in time bought out their competitor, Griswold Manufacturing Co..

We are the oldest and most esteemed cookware crafters in America. No one has received more Gold Medals and International Awards than us. Our equipment is testimony to over 122 years of dedication to: design and manufacture, unsurpassed in quality and value. The Wagner brothers are gone but, the proprietary metal formula, trade secrets, designs, blueprints, tooling, molds, patterns, manufacturing facilities, intellectual property, property rights, goodwill of Griswold and Wagner were acquired and are now owned by American Culinary Corporation......for "Generation to Generations"

https://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Culinary-Corporation/143573378610?ref=ts

We have provided a link to their Facebook page if you would like more information about these USA made goods. If you have read this article, we thank you and welcome your comments.

2012-04-26T17:09:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since we made a post about any USA made products. There is a simple explanation. Before we will write about any company, we seek approval from the company or corporation. While free recognition is probably welcome, our concern is that we do not want to infringe on copyrights or create misrepresentations. We think it is best if the companies know our intentions. That being said, approval can take some time.

Please feel free to contact us with recommendations regarding USA companies. We are primarily concerned with those companies producing goods within USA.

Craft and Art

2012-04-16T09:18:00.002-07:00

In the past year I have become fond of one particular website, ETSY. What is Etsy? Well, it probably means a lot of things to many different people. But it is a site where people from all over the world can buy and sell unique wares. It is interesting because many of the items are handmade. Artisans of all types can be found here; from woodworkers, potters, knitters, quilters, carpenters, painters, and so much more. There are also people who, re-purpose or recycle items in such a way that they can be used again. I like it mostly because it has the ability to inspire me; I can see the creativity of others. You can find the site on the link here http://www.etsy.com/

Alabama's sweet manufacturing boom - Apr. 11, 2012

2012-04-14T14:23:00.001-07:00

I found this article on CNN Money. It discusses the apparent manufacturing boom in Alabama. It's a good read and really demonstrates the fact that incentives are important for business growth here in USA. Overall, the article is very encouraging for the future job market in manufacturing for Alabama.

Alabama's sweet manufacturing boom - Apr. 11, 2012

Made in USA

2012-04-11T13:38:00.001-07:00

We are researching USA companies that produce goods here in USA. Why? Well, we are concerned, just as many people are, about the apparent decline of the manufacturing industry in the United States. Many people feel that this decline is one of many reasons our economy has suffered in the recent decade (there has probably been a decline over a few decades but that is certainly debatable and not something we wish to get into now).

We want to promote USA companies because we believe that this could help our overall economy. Yet, we are not deluded by the notion that simple promotion is the sole answer to our economic problems. Obviously, jobs need to be created. Undoubtedly, there is a bit of a "Catch-22" here since the jobs won't be created without higher demand for the very same products and industry we seek to promote. Regardless, we feel compelled to help.

There are many questions and concerns we have regarding USA made products. Ultimately, many of these questions will probably have varying degrees of importance and/or interest for many consumers. Here is just one question; When confronted with the cost of a shirt, for example, will Americans be willing to spend $30.00 for a USA made shirt or will they decide to walk into (insert store name here) and spend that same $30.00 because the shirts are cheaper there and they can buy three shirts instead of one?

Well, we already have the answer to that one. All you need to do is to look around and see what people are buying. Yes, from a personal economic stand point it does make sense for people to buy the cheaper shirts. But it doesn't make sense if you have to sacrifice quality.

Now, I am sure many people are well aware of the many issues surrounding how and where these cheaper goods are made. Many of these issues can be contentious but any amount of heated debate is really unnecessary. We have talked about these issues with many people. Perhaps you have had similar conversations with people you know. But here are some conclusions we have come to. Keep in mind this is just our opinion.

I am sure many people will disagree with what follows but just bare with me for a moment. Now, set aside any political, ethical and even economic concern you might raise regarding whether or not to buy USA made goods. For us, the choice is clear. When you buy USA made goods (from a reputable company of course) there are a couple of things that you can feel good about. First, USA made products are excellent quality. Second, when you buy USA made products (many of these companies are family owned) the money has a better likelihood of staying here and helping our economy. There are many other benefits to consider but we will try to address those in upcoming posts.

Again, we don't want to give the impression that there is a simple solution to this problem. It won't be solved today, tomorrow, and probably not even several years from now. Yet we sincerely do believe supporting the efforts of workers here in USA is the best thing that we can do.

In the days to come we will do our best to feature USA companies that we feel are providing quality products. It is a daunting task indeed. If there is a company you are familiar with and would like to see featured, please let us know. We will take your suggestions into consideration. Thank you.