Freeze- dried candy opens in Oak

If you have not been to the Nuckolls County Fair for a few years you might be surprised to find the open class exhibits, the commercial booths and the static 4-H exhibits all in the same air conditioned building. With the fair office, cold water, a place to sit and modern bathrooms, the building is a popular place for people to gather between major fair events.

Dino Freeze LLC, a new business home based in Oak was there. Joanna Numkna and her husband, Daniel, moved to Oak about a year and a half ago after purchasing the "Scroggins" house on-line.

The couple lived in Arizona at the time. As truck drivers, they moved freight from coast to coast, so it made sense to them to live in the middle of the U.S.A.

"Eating right when you drive a truck is a real challenge," Numkena said. "All that is available to truckers are truck stops and fast food. Lots of grease and food that makes one sleepy."

Thus, while still in Arizona, Numkena learned to prepare freeze dried meals. In fact, Daniel is still eating meals she prepared in 2019.

"They keep 20 to 30 years depending on how it's stored," Numkena said. "And the equipment needed to prepare a meal in minimal. It just takes hot water.

"With a plug-in thermos it is easy to heat water in a truck and it is not as bulky or as expensive as a micowave. Hot water and a bowl is all that is needed to have a "home prepared" meal," she said.

"One slowly adds hot water to a package of freeze dried food and the food will rehydrate in 10 to 15 minutes," she said. "Plus it tastes good."

"Fat does not freeze dry well, so I precook my hamburger, poor hot water over it and strain it to remove most of the fat."

The freeze dried food is packed into mylar bags with an oxygen absorber and vacuum sealed. It keeps well at room temperature in a dark environment.

But, to sell freeze dried meals, one needs a commercial kitchen. Commercial kitchens are expensive. However, certain nonperishable foods can be prepared at home and legally sold in Nebraska with a cottage food license.

Thus, Numkena freeze dries 14 different varieties of candy, carefully considering what is popular with different age groups. She hopes to earn enough money to someday have a commercial food license.

She has developed her own web-site, distributes free samples with business cards from a booth at area events and takes custom orders.

Visiting the fair is a great way to find out what is new in the community.