1. Assemble all the pails you’ll be filling with grain and the grain itself. Once you open your package of oxygen absorbers, you’ll need to use them all within about 15-20 minutes because they start working as soon as you open the packaging. If you will have extra oxygen absorbers, you can store them in a glass mason jar with a tight fitting lid and use them later.

2. Label each pail.

3. Next, you’ll need to figure out how many oxygen absorbers to add. This is calculated based on the volume of the pail and the size of the pieces you’ll be storing (i.e. small, dense grains like wheat or larger beans). For storing wheat, here’s what you’ll need for each pail:

For a 6 gallon pail of wheat, use 1,000 to 2,000 cc of oxygen absorber packets.

For a 5 gallon pail of wheat, use 1,000 to 1,500 cc of oxygen absorber packets.

For storing beans, which are less dense and have more air space between them, double these amounts.

Don’t be afraid to use a bit more than the recommended amounts of cc’s, but do not use less.

4. Put approximately half the oxygen absorber packets you’ll use for each pail into the bottom of each pail. Then fill the pail about half way. Now add the rest of the oxygen absorber packets and fill the pails with grain leaving about an inch of space at the top. Fasten the lid on and you’re done.

Ideally, the room you use for wheat storage should be no warmer than 65 degrees, at least most of the time. But since most of us don’t have a room that cool, be sure to write the date on your pails so you can use up the oldest wheat first, and replace your storage supply as it dwindles.