I'd freeze it for 48-72 hours at least.
Do you have a restaurant supply nearby? They often have 5 gallon food-grade pails with screw on lids.

5 gallon plastic paint containers are absolutely water tight and air tight. It comes with a nice handle.

If you are lucky, ask painting contractors to save you a few.

Use a plastic bag to line the insides if you are not sure if they are safe for food.

dcarch

Five gallon buckets work great -- line with a plastic bag and add a little mesh bag of dried bay leaves to keep out critters.

And don't assume that any old plastic bag is food safe either. If it doesn't say it is, I wouldn't use it.

Go to a local restaruant or bar, and ask if they will save you a few of the buckets they get pickles, ect in. Then you know they are food grade. If they smell like the food that came in them, put a dish of charcoal (not the kind that instant lights) in it with the lid on for a few days. That will remove the smell and it won't come back. We have done this before, so I know some of those places will do it. And yes, if you have room, freeze it for a couple of days to kill any pests that might be in it.

Tami

Are you using the wheat, or do you plan on placing it in long-term storage? This will make a difference in your storage choices.

Whatever method you use, make sure your wheat is placed in food grade containers ONLY. Five gallon buckets at paint and hardware stores are NOT food grade, and generally made from recycled plastics of unknown sources. Kitty litter buckets aren't food grade either. Check the bottom of the container and look for the symbol that indicates food grade - a goblet and a fork.

I store large quantities of grain/seeds/beans, and have for decades, and have never had an infestation. I never freeze it either because I use an oxygen-free method for storage.

Most of it is vacuum-sealed in FoodSaver bags (user-friendly amounts) and then it's placed in FOOD GRADE plastic containers with tight-fitting lids - food grade buckets or other food-grade storage containers I get from restaurant supply stores - with tight-fitting lids. I also have large quantities of grains/seeds/beans vacuum-sealed in 1/2-gallon canning jars using a FoodSaver jar sealer.

For long-term storage, place the wheat in a mylar bag which is placed in a food grade bucket. Place oxygen absorbers in the mylar bag (or use the dry ice method) and seal it shut (using a household iron).

The oxygen-free environment of vacuum-sealed bags/jars, or using oxygen absorbers or dry ice (which also eliminates oxygen), will keep "pests" at bay, which bay leaves WON'T. Using bay leaves is an old wives tale according to research done by Utah State University when they did tests for food storage. I was also told this by an entomologist who taught a class on "Pantry Pests".

I'd suggest storing your grain INDOORS, rather than in a garage with fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. A cool,dry environment is optimum storage for ALL food. The higher the temperature over room temperature, the quicker food in all kinds of containers degrades. Room temperature (70F) or colder is best for food storage. A garage also contains toxins from chemicals, lawnmower gas (if stored in the garage), and emissions from a running car that you don't want your food around.

Avoid using recycled buckets (from food service places) if they had food in them that contained any kind fat. Fat bonds to plastic and can't be removed, no matter what method or cleaning product you use. The fat bonded to the plastic can turn rancid and affect the food in the container. The same with plastic milk jugs. Milk fat bonds with the plastic. Gallon milk or water jugs are also not good for grain storage. This type of plastic is porous and foods contained in them can pick up odors through the plastic. This type of plastic also is designed to break-down quickly and don't work well for long term storage.

You can find space for a small 50# amount of wheat indoors - behind/under the sofa, under the bed, in the back of a closet.... if you vacuum-seal it in FoodSaver bags. Just keep it away from an area where there is high humidity (bathroom) or a heat source (floor vent for the furnace).

A 5-gallon bucket will hold around 35 pounds of wheat, a 6-gallon bucket will hold 45-pounds. If you store it in a basement or a garage, make sure it's a dry environment and the plastic storage container is NOT in contact with the concrete floor or wall.

-Grainlady

I love Grainlady's posts!

Thank you so much for this information. I can get food grade buckets from Smart & Final but they were rather expensive, 17 or 18 dollars for about a 6 gallon but I really only need one for this grain. I can store the remainder in the freezer in smaller food containers containers. DD says the grain doesn't need to be frozen but I need to put in food grade containers, not the sacks they come in. I don't have mylar but I have plenty of food bags. Grainlady, you are so helpful, your knowledge is awesome. And now I now why she said not to store in the garage. There are some pesticide containers there as well as where we start our cars.

We really need to start a compendium of Grainlady posts. Or get her to write a book.

Awwww shucks.... My ramblings are generated from my large book collection, technical manuals, tons of files, classes taken, and a pinch of practical experience. No book forthcoming - I couldn't stand the notoriety and the arduous pace of a book tour (LOL).

terrapots - You could also save yourself the hassle and purchase your grain in #10 cans (for easy long term storage), or in SuperPails - complete with mylar bags and oxygen absorbers.

Wheat in #10 cans and only $4.49 shipping for your ENTIRE order - Honeyville Grain - http://www.honeyvillegrain.com/

Wheat (and other grains) in #10 cans AND SuperPails -
Emergency Essentials - www.beprepared.com

Emergency Essentials also has storage information and all the gear needed to properly store your own grain.

-Grainlady

We have a Mennonite couple here that makes jams and jellies for the local Amish store. They get all their frozen fruits in 4 gallon air tight containers that work really well for our household use. Maybe you have a similar outfit there. I too like to vacuum seal in 1/2 gallon mason jars. Just the right amount to grind for a few batches of bread. We store our feed grain in non- working freezers (about 700 lbs in each) and if they are air tight they stay bug proof. The ones that aren't the animals get first in the winter before the spring hatch! Of course the chickens don't mind few extras in theirs. But I prefer to get my protein elsewhere.

I use one gallon Mayo Jars for storing Cereal and different things.
I asked our local market to save me some. They have a Deli
section.
He saved me a dozen, all washed.
Might be good for something, you would like to store. ???

Seek and you shall find !!!
Lou

What would we all do without grainlady. I have learned soooo much from her...

terrapots, your local grocery store deli might be willing to save plastic containers for you too. I have a couple of food grade plastic buckets that I got free at my grocery store, I think frosting came in one and frozen fruit in another. They are smaller, maybe two gallon size and they are food grade. Plus, they were free!

Mike, I store my chicken feed in an old freezer, it keeps the mice out too...

Annie

If you have an unused plastic ice chest or Rubbermaid 'Gott' style cooler, I believe the linings of those items have to be food safe. Putting your grain in food safe plastic bags and then putting the bags in the cooler--that might work.