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Can I use Paper Towels instead of Non-Stick Parchment Paper for my Food Dehydrator?

Mark E.

You can use paper towels in a dehydrator in some cases, but they’re not a great substitute for parchment paper—especially for long drying times or high-moisture foods. Here's the full picture:

🧻 Paper Towels vs. Parchment Paper in a Dehydrator

Factor	Paper Towels	Parchment Paper
Heat Resistance	Low — can scorch above 130°F	High — safe up to 420°F
Non-stick	No — food may stick	Yes — perfect for sticky foods
Airflow	Can block airflow if bunched	Allows good air circulation
Safety	Can dry out and become flammable	Safe and designed for ovens

🔥 When You Can Use Paper Towels:

For low-temp drying under 120°F (like herbs, flowers, or peanut shells)
For lining trays temporarily, then removing later in the process
As a drip-catcher, not a food contact layer

❌ When Not to Use It:

For juicy or sticky foods (bananas, meat, fruit leather)
For hot temps like jerky (160°F+)
If it will be in the dehydrator over 8 hours

✅ Best Substitutes for Non-Stick Use

Option	Safe?	Reusable?	Best For
Parchment Paper	✅ Yes	❌ One-time	Most foods (cut to size)
Silicone Dehydrator Sheets	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	Fruit leathers, sticky items
Wax Paper	❌ No	❌	Not heat safe
Cheesecloth or Mesh	✅ Yes (low temps)	✅ Maybe	Herbs, leafy greens

👉 Bottom Line:

Paper towels are OK for low-heat, dry items like peanut shells, but for fruits, meats, or cooked foods, you’ll want to use parchment paper or silicone sheets.

Here are budget-friendly reusable or DIY alternatives to parchment paper for your dehydrator:

🧼 1. Reusable Silicone Dehydrator Sheets (Best Option)

Heat-safe, non-stick, dishwasher safe
Perfect for fruit leathers, meats, mashed foods
Trim with scissors to fit your trays exactly

🔍 Search for:

“Silicone dehydrator liners” or “Non-stick dehydrator mats”

💲 Cheap brands:

Wegreeco, Bright Kitchen, or generic Amazon brands
Usually ~$7–15 for a 2–3 pack

✂️ 2. DIY: Cut Silicone Baking Mats

Buy one or two large silicone baking mats
Cut to fit your trays with scissors

🧠 Tip: Use hole punchers to add airflow holes (like a mesh)

🧵 3. Cheesecloth or Muslin (Good for Herbs & Light Foods)

Breathable and cheap
Not for sticky or liquidy foods
Can sew elastic or clips on to keep them flat on trays

🔍 Look for:

“Unbleached cheesecloth” or “cotton muslin fabric”

💡 4. Teflon Mesh Sheets (AKA “Fruit Leather Sheets”)

Reusable, non-stick, very thin
Sold as “dehydrator screens” or “Teflon dehydrator liners”

They often come pre-cut for brands like Excalibur but can be cut to fit any tray shape.

🧪 DIY Hack Using What You Might Have:

Old silicone baking mat? Cut it up
Plastic cutting mat? Only if BPA-free & temp safe (rare—test at low temp)
Plastic mesh produce bags (like from onions)? Good airflow for herbs, not food contact

🍗🥔 DIY Dehydrated Meal: Chicken Thigh + Mashed Potatoes

Mark E.

Perfect — let’s walk through how to make and dehydrate a meal of chicken thigh and mashed potatoes using your dehydrator. This version will be shelf-stable for up to 6–12 months if stored correctly (longer if vacuum-sealed and frozen).

🍗🥔 DIY Dehydrated Meal: Chicken Thigh + Mashed Potatoes

🔪 Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

🐔 Chicken Thigh (1 thigh):

Trim all visible fat and skin (fat = faster spoilage).
Cook thoroughly — boil, bake, or pressure cook.
Shred or finely dice into very small pieces (no bigger than corn kernels).

🥔 Mashed Potatoes:

Make without butter, cream, or milk (use water, salt, and optional seasoning).
You can use instant potatoes if preferred — they dry better and rehydrate faster.

🧼 Step 2: Dehydrate

🍗 Chicken:

Spread chicken evenly on dehydrator trays lined with parchment paper or mesh screens.
Dry at 145–160°F for 6–8 hours.
Done when pieces are dry, hard, and brittle (not spongy).

🥔 Mashed Potatoes:

Spread a thin layer (1/4 inch) on a fruit leather tray or parchment paper.
Dry at 135°F for 6–10 hours.
Break into flakes or chunks once crisp.
Store as-is or grind into powder if desired.

❄️ Step 3: Cool and Store

Let both ingredients cool completely to room temp before storing (to avoid condensation).

Short-Term (Under 2 Weeks):

Store in a ziplock bag in your pantry or fridge.

Long-Term (3–12 Months):

Vacuum seal with an oxygen absorber.
Or use mylar bags + oxygen absorber.
Store in a cool, dark place (basement or pantry under 75°F).

🍽️ Rehydration (At Work or On the Go)

In a heat-safe container:

Add dehydrated chicken and mashed potatoes.
Pour in boiling water — just enough to cover (~1:1 ratio).
Stir, cover, and let sit for 10–15 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, or bouillon for flavor.

Optional: Use a thermos food jar to rehydrate it on the go!

Would you like me to give you a printable label format for the bag (like how Mountain House labels theirs)? Or help you scale this recipe up for batch prepping?

Great! Here's a clean, printable label template you can use for your dehydrated Chicken Thigh & Mashed Potatoes meal bags. You can either print it as a sheet of paper and tape it on, or use adhesive labels (like Avery 5163) if you have them.

🏷️ Dehydrated Meal Label Template – Chicken Thigh & Mashed Potatoes

🍽️ Meal Name:
Chicken Thigh & Mashed Potatoes

📅 Date Prepared:
______________________

🧊 Storage Type:
☐ Mylar Bag with Oxygen Absorber
☐ Vacuum Sealed
☐ Ziplock (Short-Term)

📦 Batch # (Optional):
______________________

🔥 Rehydration Instructions:

Add contents to heat-safe container.
Add boiling water to cover contents (about 1:1 ratio).
Stir, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
Season to taste and enjoy.

📆 Best By:
__________ (Suggest: 6–12 months from prep date if stored cool & dry)

🥄 Ingredients:
Cooked chicken thigh (lean, shredded), mashed potatoes (water, salt, seasonings).

⚠️ Notes:

Contains no dairy or fat.
Store in cool, dry location.
Discard if bag is bloated or smells off after opening.

You can copy/paste this into a Word doc or label maker and print multiples at once.

How to Worm Grunting?

Mark E.

Worm grunting (also known as worm charming or worm fiddling) is a traditional method of enticing earthworms out of the ground using vibrations. These vibrations mimic the sounds of predators (like moles), causing worms to flee to the surface where they can be collected—typically for fishing bait.

Here’s how to do it:

🪱 How to Worm Grunt (Step-by-Step)

Materials Needed:

A wooden stake (about 1–2 feet long)
A flat metal or wooden rod (called a "stob" or "rooping iron")
Optional: A file or saw blade if you're improvising

Steps:

Choose the Right Spot
- Look for moist, soft soil, especially early in the morning or after rain.
- Avoid dry or compacted ground—worms won’t be near the surface.
Drive the Stake into the Ground
- Hammer the wooden stake about halfway into the soil.
- Make sure it’s firmly planted and can vibrate when struck.
Rub or Saw the Stake
- Use your metal or wooden rod to rub against the top of the stake rhythmically.
- Alternatively, saw the edge of a metal tool back and forth along the stake to create vibrations.
Watch the Ground
- Within a minute or two, earthworms should start surfacing.
- Carefully collect them by hand.
Keep Worms Moist
- Place worms in a damp container with soil or moss to keep them alive.

🧠 Tips:

Best time: Early morning or after a light rain.
Southern U.S. (especially Florida) has a strong tradition of worm grunting.
The Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin’ Festival in Florida celebrates this practice!

Here's a simple guide to make your own DIY worm grunting setup, using inexpensive and easy-to-find materials.

🧰 DIY Worm Grunting Tools

🪵 Tool 1: The Grunt Stake ("Stob")

This is the wooden stake that goes into the ground to transmit vibrations.

Materials:

A piece of hardwood (like oak or hickory), about 18–24 inches long
Optional: Sandpaper (to smooth edges)
Saw (if cutting from a longer piece of wood)

Instructions:

Cut the hardwood to size.
Sharpen one end into a point so it’s easier to drive into the ground.
(Optional) Sand the top end so it doesn't splinter when rubbed.
Label or paint the top so you know which end goes up.

🧱 Tool 2: The Grunter ("Rubbing Iron" or "Fiddler")

This is the tool you use to rub against the stake to produce vibrations.

Option A: Metal Rod or Flat Bar

Use a steel file, rebar, or a machete blade (dull edge).
Length: ~2 feet is ideal for good leverage.

Option B: Saw Blade or Bow Saw

A large handsaw or bow saw can also work—rub the teeth across the stake.

🛠️ How to Use the DIY Setup

Drive the Stake
- Use a hammer or rock to drive your wooden stake ~6–8 inches into moist ground.
Rub the Grunter
- Hold the metal rod (or saw blade) at a 45° angle to the top of the stake.
- Rub or saw back and forth firmly and rhythmically.
- You’ll feel and hear the vibrations traveling down the stake into the soil.
Observe
- Within 1–5 minutes, worms should begin wriggling up.
- Gently pick them up before they burrow back down.

🌧️ Extra Tips for Success

Water the ground if it’s too dry.
Best worm activity is early morning, cloudy days, or just after a light rain.
Use a bucket with moist soil or moss to store collected worms.
In sandy soil (like in Florida), vibrations work especially well.

How was Jaycee Lee Dugard saved?

Mark E.

Jaycee Lee Dugard was rescued on August 26, 2009, after being held captive for over 18 years. Her rescue came about largely due to the suspicion and persistence of two University of California, Berkeley police officers, and a chance encounter at a parole office.

Here’s how her rescue unfolded:

Background:

Jaycee was kidnapped in 1991 at age 11 near her home in South Lake Tahoe, California.
Her abductors, Phillip Garrido and his wife Nancy Garrido, held her in a hidden compound in the backyard of their home in Antioch, California.
During her captivity, Jaycee gave birth to two daughters (Angel (born 1994), Starlet (born 1997) fathered by Garrido.

Key Events Leading to Her Rescue:

August 24, 2009:
- Phillip Garrido visited the UC Berkeley campus with two young girls (Jaycee’s daughters) to distribute religious materials.
- His behavior was strange and erratic, which raised concerns with campus police officer Lisa Campbell.
Campus Police Action:
- Campbell contacted Garrido’s parole officer, who had previously failed to discover the backyard compound during visits.
- Garrido was ordered to report to his parole office the next day.
August 26, 2009 – Parole Meeting:
- Garrido arrived with Jaycee (who identified herself as "Allissa") and her two daughters.
- His explanations were inconsistent and suspicious.
- Under questioning, Jaycee finally revealed her true identity, saying, "I’m Jaycee Dugard."

Aftermath:

Phillip and Nancy Garrido were immediately arrested.
Jaycee was reunited with her family, including her mother, Terry Probyn.
The Garridos eventually pleaded guilty. Phillip was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison, and Nancy received 36 years to life.

Jaycee’s story is now seen as a powerful example of survival and resilience, and she later founded the JAYC Foundation to help families and individuals recovering from trauma.

Jaycee Lee Dugard was saved in August 2009 after 18 years in captivity, thanks to the observations and actions of university staff and law enforcement. Here's a simple breakdown of how she was rescued:

🚨 1. Strange Behavior at UC Berkeley

Phillip Garrido, her captor, went to the University of California, Berkeley campus with two young girls (Jaycee's daughters). He was trying to organize a religious event. Staff at the campus — especially Allison Jacobs, a campus police officer, and Lisa Campbell, a special events coordinator — were suspicious of his strange behavior and the girls' unusual responses.

🔍 2. Background Check

Jacobs did a background check on Garrido and discovered he was a registered sex offender on parole. She contacted his parole officer, which triggered a deeper investigation.

👮 3. Parole Meeting and Confession

Garrido was summoned to a meeting with his parole officer. He brought Jaycee and the two girls. At first, Jaycee didn’t reveal her real identity and said her name was “Alyssa.” But under pressure and questioning, she finally admitted she was Jaycee Lee Dugard, who had been missing since 1991.

🏠 4. Rescue and Reunification

Authorities quickly confirmed her identity. Jaycee and her daughters were taken into protective custody, and she was reunited with her mother. Phillip and Nancy Garrido were arrested.

⚖️ 5. Justice

Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years to life.
Nancy Garrido received 36 years to life.

Jaycee’s rescue happened because someone paid attention, asked questions, and followed up. It’s a powerful example of how vigilance and speaking up can save lives.