First step to dehydrate food is of course to have a food dehydrator. We used the Open Country Food Dehydrator as it was the cheapest solution at the time and had really good reviews. It also had the digital commend touch and the overall technique seemed better. The air is blowing from the top to bottom so only the catchment tray is on the bottom which makes cleaning the machine almost enjoyable. We intended to add extra trays to it to make it more efficient but realized that the only one sold on Cabela’s website for the Open Country were too small for our dehydrator. We used few of those trays with a old food dehydrator that we bought from a friend. We ended up using that old one first with the fresh food as it was taking the initial water from the food quicker and finished the drying with the new one because it was more accurate. We runned everything 24H/7 for 1 month to prepare all the food needed for the 4 month expedition.
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/largeImagePopup.jsp?productId=747104
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/largeImagePopup.jsp?productId=733821&cImage=s7_518639_001_01
Ben and Vicki- I think you are most remarkable young people; Most striking is the maturity you display at your age, matched only by a genuine savoir-faire for having made this dream a reality, however inspired, executed meticulously. I can scarcely believe it, the pre-planning involved, the knowledge acquired already at your young age- sur-real!, and the self discipline, motivation, and determinations that drive you to follow-through. So very practical, and wise, given the cost of commercial de-hydrated foods, that you made your own rations- something I did not consider until I was well into my 30’s, and the luck of the arrival of the internet in my time! Initiation into the blood thirst of black flies stumbled upon, or sand flies as you referenced… the weeks smothered in DEET, cold water bathing, freezing appendages, trying to dry clothing in the rain and cold, and your other deprivations would have been the end of it for me (but for the gift of youthful drive, aspiration and desire to see what the world has to offer… and ability to just rack the ordeals ‘up to experience’… or subsequently, to ‘once in a lifetime’, by the time you finally made it back home, able to grab a hot shower, and crawl back into the comfort of your own bed again, ha, ha!). I tend to go-on too much, but its amazing, the sponsors that came on-board, associations you formed, friendships you made, sought and/or researched, to connect with notables such as Mr. Mason, and others.
As such, and as you support and inspire each other, and other young people who visit your website, the home in Quebec you aspire to will, doubtless, is just around the next bend, and will be amazing!
Cheers, and all the best on your life-long adventure. (I found your website link, not entirely by random gazing, but as featured in a story I saw online, in an issue of the Valley Sentinel. Peter Fox (Valemount, BC)