Free Disaster Prep Ebook

Our friends at American Preppers Network are offering a free mini-ebook titled: “It’s a Disaster and what are you gonna do about it?”

Check it out now while it's still available!
http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/2013/11/its_a_disaster.html

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Food Storage for Black Friday?

When you think of Black Friday shopping, I’m betting the last thing in the world that you think of shopping for is…Food Storage.  Hopefully, after reading this short blog post, I’ll help you’ll change your mind.  The odds of you and your family experiencing some type of disaster seem to be increasing every day. Whether it be financial problems to the uncertainty of what the future may have in store, you can no longer afford to put off preparing for the “what-ifs” that may come your way.

Let’s look at some headlines from the past few days.

Tornadoes, damaging storms sweep across Midwest...

MORE THAN 60 REPORTED TORNADOES HIT MIDWEST, AT LEAST 3 REPORTED KILLED

'INCOME GAP' WIDENS...

Parents Serving as Emergency Support for Adult Kids...

AMERICA’S CITIES ON THE EDGE: THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO WEIGH HEAVY ON THE U.S.

Are you prepared?  What if you found yourself smack dab in the middle of one of the situations listed above?  

• What would you do if you were in a town affected by the tornadoes?  The grocery stores are all closed. There is no clean water to drink.  No heat or electricity.   How do you plan to keep your family fed, or keep them warm? 
• What if the economy takes a nose dive and your company if forced to lay you off?  Do you have a pantry full of shelf stable food that can sustain your family during the time you are looking for work?

The Good News…

It’s not too late to get prepared!  

I am in the same boat.  I am learning right along with you.  I spend a lot of time researching and trying to learn whatever I can to prepare my family.  The purpose of this website has always been to share the things that I learn along the way. 

Two things that I have learned about food storage…

1. FOOD STORAGE IS EXPENSIVE!!!
2. It is easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about starting to fill your food storage pantry!

This is where Thrive Life (formerly Shelf Reliance) comes in handy.  I have mentioned Thrive before, but I haven’t spent enough time talking about the Thrive Q.   In a nutshell, the Q is a tool that Thrive Life has provided that will allow you to break down the huge task of filling your pantry into an affordable, manageable task.  The Q is a way to Simplify life and build your own home grocery store with monthly food delivery.

• You start by creating a list of items that you want to purchase. 
• Next you set a monthly budget. 
• After that, the Q tool will work its magic.  Each month you will receive your shipments of Thrive Life foods.  It truly is a “Set-it and Forget-it” solution.

It’s completely customizable— you decide the budget, and you choose what you want delivered.
Check it out.  I think you’ll quickly see the value of the Q tool.

There is still time to fill your pantry and to prepare your family for the hard times that will come.
Stay tuned for some pretty amazing Black Friday Deals from Thrive Life!

Whether you choose to purchase Thrive Food Storage or just some extra shelf stable foods at the grocery store, I challenge you to think twice this year about your Black Friday purchases.  Take this chance to save a little bit of that cash that you would have otherwise blown on Black Friday gadgets and gizmos and FILL THAT PANTRY instead!

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I am now a member of the Thrive Life Family!

I have mentioned many times before that I am a big fan of Thrive Foods.  I have been a fan of the Thrive Life Company and especially the food for quite a long time.  In the past, I have sent many of my friends and readers to Thrive.  After all this time, I have finally decided that I want a piece of that Thrive Pie!  J  I am happy to announce that I have joined the Thrive Life Family and I am now an Independent Thrive Life Consultant!

Why Thrive?

I’ll admit it…I’m a compulsive shopper.  If I run to the grocery store to pick up a gallon of milk, you can bet I’m coming home with not just the milk, but also a gallon of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, maybe a couple of candy bars that were on sale 2/$1.  Not to worry though…I snagged the 2 liter bottle of Diet Coke to offset all that sugar! 

I can’t count how many times this has happened.  What should have been a relatively inexpensive trip to the store, quickly spiraled out of control!  Not only did I end up spending WAY more $$ than I should have, I’m gonna’ be lying in bed all night with a sugar buzz and a ton of heartburn.

It’s time to change my way of thinking.  I am going to create my own “Home Store”.  I want to be able to run downstairs rather than to the grocery store when I need something at the last minute.

Up to this point, we have done a decent job of stocking our cold storage room, but almost everything in that room is perishable!  I’m tired of having to worry about expiration dates or spoiled food.

I have chosen Thrive foods as my go to source to build my home store.  Thrive doesn't just do the basics.  They produce all the raw ingredients necessary to create some of the best recipes! 

It’s November, I really, really want strawberries to top my shortcake.  I dare you to compare the strawberries you find during the off-season at your grocery store versus Thrive Freeze Dried Strawberries.  You will quickly find that there is no comparison!  Thrive Berries are superior in every way.

I am quickly learning that regular canned foods from the grocery stores are a bad idea for our family.  We have always purchased canned food, just in case.  We don’t necessarily like canned foods.  We don’t eat canned foods…we just purchase them to take up space on our shelves…again…Just in case. 

We are truly wasting money by not eating what we store, because we don’t store what we eat.  It is time that we reallocate our monthly grocery budget to purchase more of the shelf-stable Thrive foods that we enjoy. 

As I continue to build my home store with Thrive Foods, I will show you the difference with each and every recipe we create.

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Contacting your loved ones in case of emergency

If some sort of emergency event happens in your area; after taking care of your immediate needs (medical or otherwise) - Send information to your loved ones as quickly as possible. 

 

Send a quick message, with info such as:

• Your well-being
• People that are with you and their well-being
• Your location
• Your short-term plans (where are you going, when you will try to contact again, etc.)

During the tragic event in Boston today, cell phone voice service went down very quickly.
If you are able to get a voice call to go through, it is best to contact someone that is not in the effected region.  Meaning if something happens in Utah, I plan to contact my Brother in Texas.  He will then contact the rest of my family to update them on my well-being.

If cell phone voice service is down…

A lot of times, cell phone data (internet) and text messaging will continue to work. 
Because cell phone data was still working, people were able to send quick text messages, post on Facebook, post on Twitter, blogs, etc.  Social networking websites are the perfect place to quickly post your information. 
This may be old news to some of you, but I hope that there is at least a little bit of information that you hadn’t known or thought of before.

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What have we learned from Sandy?

I want you to spend a little bit of time watching the video that is linked below.

This video is about the Mormon Helping Hands organization and how they jumped to action following Hurricane Sandy in New York City.  These people didn't do this just to spread their religion; they did this because it was the right thing to do. 

I want you to pay close attention to the surroundings and the environment that they were working in.  Put yourself in the victims’ shoes.  How would you react to this situation?  What if you were evacuated before the storm, and had no idea how bad your home would be when you finally were allowed back into the area…Are you prepared mentally and emotionally to deal with the aftermath of a catastrophe?

Helping Hands Video 

After watching this video, I realized one major flaw in my preparedness plan.

I have spent a lot of time worrying and preparing for the "event", but I haven't spent any time at all thinking or preparing for the aftermath.  Am I prepared to clean this mess up?  Do I have the tools necessary to do the job?

A catastrophe like this will have a HUGE psychological impact on the victims.  What can I do now to prepare myself and my loved ones for something like this?  This subject needs it's own blog post that I will work on soon...

In the mean time - I also picked up on a couple things that I need to purchase.

The volunteers all were wearing Rain or Flood Boots.

They all used Double Gloves.  

      1 - Nitrile Gloves (latex and powder free) 

      2 - Thicker Rubber or PVC Gloves over the top.

Face Masks are a Must! - You don't want to breathe the mold and other toxins that are in the air after a catastrophe like this.

I also noticed that one of the volunteers was dragging a sled.  That's a great idea!  Much easier to drag water-logged materials than to try to carry it.

What else did I miss?


Mormon Helping Hands Organization

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Self-Reliance?

self-re·li·ance
Reliance on one's own capabilities, judgment, or resources; independence.

I pulled this screenshot off of the Drudge Report tonight.

• Drivers waiting 6 hours for gas in NYC
• "We have nothing"
• Residents furious RED CROSS offering cookies and hot chocolate, not blankets or clothes
• Staten Islanders plead for help, "We Need Food"
• Dire
• NJ counties enact 70s style gas rationing

A lot of these people are NOT self-reliant.  They are waiting for help to come.  They are told that help is coming, but what are they supposed to do in the mean time?  The word is that FEMA is out and about, but there is not enough of them to do any good.  People have to help themselves AND help each other.  The government can not be relied upon.
Please understand...I'm not passing judgement on the people that are screaming for the government to help.  They are in a very desperate situation.  I get that. I am so blessed to not be stuck on the east coast like these people are.  My heart goes out to them.
But...
I HAVE TO learn from this catastrophe and begin reassessing myself and my level of self-reliance.  As I sit back and really think about it...I am nowhere near where I need to be if I were put into this situation.

A couple of things I have learned by reading first hand accounts as well as news articles, concerning Super Storm Sandy

1 - Back to Basics - It's the basic things that these people need.  More than anything else, they need Food, Water, Shelter, Clothing.  For a lot of people, a basic 72 hour kit would have made all the difference in the world for some of these people.  A 96 hour kit would have been that much better.  These people are going on day 5 without the basics.  When was the last time you updated your kit? - http://www.prepyourfamily.com/search?q=kit

2- Information - Without electricity, television, the internet, cell phones...These people are not getting the information they need to stay alive.  Where can I find some food?  How do I find my family?  What's going on with the weather? - I am the kind of guy that needs information.  I absolutely have to know what is going on, and what to expect.  At the very least, make sure you have a battery powered radio!  If you have the money, go for an Eton Emergency Radio like the FRX3
As far as communicating with others, get some GMRS/FRS (Walkie-Talkies).  You can purchase some inexpensive radios or some that are a bit higher priced.  The best thing is that they are all interoperable, and invaluable when cell service is down.  Another cool radio I found is the Midland GMRS/FRS Crank Radio - Great for those times that you can't find batteries.  Just crank it up and you are good to go.

I guess that's all I have tonight.  I have so much more that I want to write, but I have a lot of work to do.  I am NOT (yet) prepared fully.  

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Do you have a basic emergency kit?

Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper - When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire Extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

If you want a Pre-Assembled kit, check out a few I found on Thrive Life and Amazon. 

• 4 - Person Kits
• 2 - Person Kits
• Travel and School Kits
• http://astore.amazon.com/iha03-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=25

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A Storm is Coming! A Storm is Coming!

If you are anywhere near the East Coast right now...You are (hopefully) preparing for the Monsterous Hurricane Sandy.
I think it's appropriate that we create a short list of the very basic items that you should have prepared.  If you haven't prepared and you head for the grocery store right now...You'll probably see this:

1 - Potable Water
At least one gallon, per person, per day...That's just for drinking.  Remember - You'll also want extra water for, cleaning, cooking, and other sanitary reasons.  I think it is best to plan on 3 gallons of water per person, per day.  Keep in mind that if you have stored Freeze Dried or Dehydrated food, you will need more water to re-hydrate your foods.  Another post to think about.  Water, Water, Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink

2 - Food
At my home, we have a lot of store bought canned food, but honestly...we don't use much of it.  We prefer the canned food that we grow and can ourselves.  Store bought canned goods have a long shelf-life, so it's good idea to have a bunch of it on hand.  If you are prepping for a storm or earthquake or even civil unrest, you can, and most likely will...lose electricity.  With Hurricane Sandy, Officials are estimating that approximately 10 million people will lose power. If you do lose power, the food in your fridge will spoil, plan to eat those perishable foods first.  After that, the food in your freezer will begin to thaw.  Use it next.  After all other food is gone, go for the canned and or dehydrated foods.
IMPORTANT - If you plan to use canned food, don't forget a non-electric can opener

3 - Battery Powered or Hand Crank Radio
Not many people listen to the radio anymore.  There really isn't much of a need anymore...right?  You've got the internet and your cell phone.  Heck, even your cell phone has the internet.  If you are in a storm or earthquake situation, that will likely change.  What do you plan to do if the internet and/or cell service is dead?  You will need a battery powered AM/FM radio to get information.

4 - Cash

I recommend having at least $200 in cash.  If there is no power, there will be no ATMs.  If there is no power, there is a chance that stores will re-open, but they won't be able to accept anything other than cash.  In this situation, it doesn't matter how great your credit is...If you don't have cash, you don't get to purchase. Remember, SMALL bills.  A lot of places won't have change to give back to you.  

5 - Batteries

It seems like it's easy to find a flashlight when the power goes out, but the batteries are ALWAYS dead.  Don't skimp on batteries.  Get them...Get lots of them.  You won't regret it.  I like Eneloop rechargeable batteries.  They come Pre-charged and have a low self discharge rate.  While you're at it...Make sure all of your gadgets are charged fully.  You will want these to be fully charged to keep yourself entertained.



6 - Toilet Paper and other sanitary supplies
This doesn't need much explanation.  Make sure you have what you need.  It would also be helpful to stock up the First Aid Kit

7 - Bug Out Bag
Some people have to bug out, some people have to bug in.  If there are mandatory evacuations being enforced, you will need a bug out bag.  Some people call them 72 hour kits.  The bug out bag is simply a supply of the items listed above.  You will also need to add a change of clothes along with important papers for identification etc.

Well - This really is just a quick list.  I obviously didn't spend a lot of time on it.  It covers the very basics.  Prepare what you can, with the time and resources you have.  For a more extensive list, I recommend you check out - Top 100 Items to Disappear First in a Crisis

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World's Best Bread Machine Recipe

Maybe not the World's Best, but pretty dang good if I do say so myself!

A while ago, I read that a bread machine can and should be considered an "Emergency Prep" tool.  I hadn't ever really thought about it before, but it makes sense.  Sure, you won't be able to use it if there is no power, but for most situations, you will have power.  Don't get me wrong...I believe it is very important to know how to make bread and bake it without a traditional oven, but for most situations, you will have some way of powering a bread machine.  If you don't have grid power, you have other problems, and bread probably isn't at the top of the list.  For those situations, I would recommend getting a Sun Oven.  I really like the Sun Oven from Shelf Reliance.  I don't have one yet, but My Shelf Reliance Consultant has one and absolutely loves it.  She has written quite a few articles on cooking with a Sun Oven.  Check it out. I hope to get one in the spring.

But...Back to the Bread Machine.  We tried to use a Bread Machine years ago and had a few horrible experiences.  We just assumed that all Bread Machines were bad.  Turns out, we just picked a bad recipe.  We actually got rid of that machine back in the day, so we had to search for a new one.  I hit one of my favorite Deals Sites...and found that there was a Rosewill Bread Machine (I had never heard of the brand before) on sale for about $60.  It had awesome reviews, so I decided to give it a shot.

After a lot of trial and error, I think we've come up with a pretty great recipe. We started with a recipe that was in an old church cook book, combined a couple of things we liked from other recipes, and came up with the recipe below.  

Bake this 2lb loaf of bread and then add some of that awesome Jam you made this fall, and you've got a winner!

Bread-2 lb. loaf

1-2/3 C. Water

2 T. butter, softened

1/3 C. packed brown sugar

2 tsp. salt

4-2/3 C. whole wheat flour (we prefer white flour)

1/3 C. potato flakes

1 T. gluten

1tsp. yeast 

Note 1:  We prefer white flour and use it more than whole wheat.   A lot of people store wheat, so when the stuff hits the fan, they plan to grind wheat for flour. If you are not already using whole wheat flour, It would probably be best to ease into it...Maybe go half white flour and half wheat flour to start.  Believe me, you don't want to go from white flour to whole-wheat flour directly.  Your body won't be happy with you.  

Note 2: This recipe includes Potato Flakes.  Try it!  You won't be disappointed.  The flakes add an amazing fluffiness and texture to the bread.

Note 3: We like to create our own bread mixes.  Mix all dry ingredients (minus the yeast), put them in a gallon bag and store in the fridge until you are ready to use.  We create 3-4 bags so it is really quick and easy to get a loaf of bread in the oven. :)

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Absolutely the Best Investment Ever for Homemade Applesauce

Our apple trees are really starting to take off.  This year the HoneyCrisp tree was absolutely incredible.  

We made a lot of Apple Pie Filling, but wanted to try something else.  My buddy at work talked a lot about how great homemade Apple Sauce is.  I have only ever tasted store bought Apple Sauce, and I really didn't like it.  I decided to go ahead and try it…who knows…maybe I’ll like homemade Apple Sauce.

I was able to borrow a Victorio Food Strainer from my favorite Shelf Reliance Consultant, Heather.  To be honest, I didn't even know such a tool existed.  I just assumed that my wife and I would be using the peeler/slicer/corer that we used for the apple pie filling.  Then I assumed that we would either use the food processor or the potato masher to get it down to the right consistency.  I had no idea that the Victorio Food Strainer would make the job so easy.

I was so worried that it was going to be such a big deal that I didn't even think to get out the camera to photograph the steps…sorry

1. Wash the apples
2. Halve or quarter your apples and put them in a stock pot.  Most of the HoneyCrisp apples were big, so we had to quarter them, but the smaller ones only needed to be halved.
3. Add a little water to the pot to keep the apples from scorching.  Cook them for ~15-25 minutes until they are soft.
4. Place the apples into the Victorio.  As you turn the handle, the core and skin comes out one shoot and the Amazing Apple Sauce comes out the other.
5. We ran the cores and skins back through Victorio a second time.  It was awesome to see more apple sauce come out, just by re-straining.
6. Add sugar to taste.
7. Fill quart jars and process using the water-bath method.

I said before when I was writing about the pie filling that I couldn't believe that it could be so easy.  I had no idea that making apple sauce could be even easier!  

If you can't tell, I'm really getting into this food storage stuff.  Eat what you store and Store what you eat...It's hard to keep our cold storage full of food storage when it tastes this good!

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Speaking of Pie...

Since my last post talked about pie, I thought it would be fitting that I did a follow-up to my Apple Pie Filling post a few weeks ago.

The apple pie filling that we canned is going so fast!  We can’t get enough of the stuff. 

For Canning, we continue to use the recipes found in the book “Ball’s Complete Book of Home Preserving”.

Apple Pie Filling (from Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving)
12 c. peeled, cored, thinly sliced apples 
2 3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. ClearJel
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 1/4 c. cold water
2 1/2 c. unsweetened apple juice
1/2 c. lemon juice

1.       Prepare canner, jars and lids (water bath).

2.       In large pot of boiling water, working with 6 cups at a time, blanch apple slices for 1 minute, removed with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a covered bowl.

3.       In large stainless saucepan combine sugar, ClearJel, cinnamon, nutmeg, water and apple juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly and cook until mixture thickens and starts to bubble. Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Drain apple slices and immediately fold into hot mixture. Before processing, heat, stirring until apples are heated through.

4.       Ladle hot pie filling into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot filling. Wipe rim, center lid on jar, screw band down to finger-tip tight.

5.       Process in boiling water for 25 minutes. (35 for me)

Makes 7 Pints

I love the Marie Calendars Apple Crumb Pie.  I think this recipe is pretty close to the original…at least for the crumb topping. J

Crumb Topping

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Apple Crumb Pie

1.       In a medium bowl, mix the crumb topping ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal – set aside.

2.       Pour apple mixture into pie crust. (I cheated and used a frozen pie crust)

3.       Spread the crumb topping evenly over the apples. 

4.       Bake according to your crust recipe

5.       Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

A couple hints –

1 - This is probably a given, but…Make sure you have good apples.  If you don’t like the flavor, texture, etc…you probably won’t like them in a pie.

2 – Make sure you have an apple peeler/corer/slicer - When doing pie filling, you won’t use the slicer, but the peeler/corer is absolutely amazing.  I can’t believe how fast I was able to peel these apples.

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Glenn Beck - Pie, Quantative Easing, and the Economy

This blog is not meant at all to be political.  My goal is to help people learn and understand that it is important that we all become self-reliant.  I am doing my best to become self-reliant, and I am nowhere close to where I need to be, but I'm learning...day by day.  One of the ways that I learn, is by watching and listening to Glenn Beck, and the shows on The Blaze TV.
Say what you want about Glenn Beck, but I truly believe that the guy does his research and knows what he is talking about.  One of the best things about Glenn Beck is that he teaches by Object Lessons.  He can translate things into "human speak" for guys like me.  I think it also helps that he uses food for his object lessons.  Of course I'll watch an eleven minute video, if there is pie in every shot! :)
Anyway - Please take the time to watch the video below.  Glenn Beck explains why it is important for each of us to prepare.  He explains what's going on with the economy.  Why our money doesn't stretch as far as it used to, and what is coming our way.
"Don't have money for gold or diamonds or land, whatever...Non-perishable food items!  They are extremely valuable if they've been stocked up.  That's something that everyone of us, can, and should, and must do."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbt2nRuaxM0

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Busy Canning

I haven't posted anything for a while because my Wife and I have been extremely busy with all our fruit.  It seems like we have been canning nonstop for a month.  Out of the six fruit trees that we have planted, only two of them are old enough to give us fruit.  This was an amazing year for Peaches and Honeycrisp apples.  The peach tree is about five years old and the Honeycrisp apple tree is three years.  I think we canned 60 quarts of peaches, froze 10 quarts, and ate more than I can count.  We canned about 21 quarts of apple pie filling, 20 quarts of apple sauce, and dehydrated a lot.
During that same time, we made about 10 batches of raspberry freezer jam, and canned a few batches too.  The raspberries just keep coming.  I can pick about 7 cups or berries every other day!  Needless to say, we have gone through a ton of supplies.  I guess that everyone else in our little valley is having the same "problem" of having a great fruit year...You can't buy quart jars anywhere!  We have gone through tons of sugar, and pectin.
I won't waste your time with the recipes that we are using for canning.  We have decided to stick to the recipes that are considered safe and are published in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.  If you don't already have this book, it is a definite must have.
Another absolute necessity is a product called Clear Jel.  Clear Jel is a modified corn starch that is absolutely amazing thickening agent. My apple pie filling and fresh peach syrup thickens so nicely with this stuff.  No more ugly lumps.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again...If you have to plant trees in your yard, be sure to plant fruit trees!!!  I can't explain how satisfying it is to come home from a long day of work and just walk into the back yard to grab a perfectly ripe apple or peach from my very own tree.

Honey Crisp Apple Pie Filling.

I'm still learning the tricks to canning.  You'll notice that these peaches are "floating".   They still taste great, they just float to the top.   http://whatcom.wsu.edu/family/facts/fruitfloat.htm

My Honey Crisp Tree.  These babies cost $3.99 / lb in the grocery store!

Happy Canning!

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How do I use Freeze Dried Chicken?

My Shelf Reliance consultant sent me an email today announcing a huge price drop on Freeze Dried Chicken.  http://www.cookingwithmyfoodstorage.com/2012/08/deal-alert-freeze-dried-chopped-chicken.html

I want in on this deal, but I really have never tried Freeze Dried chicken, and don't know what to do with it.  I did a little more searching and found this on her site: http://www.cookingwithmyfoodstorage.com/2010/12/how-do-i-use-freeze-dried-chicken.html

Great information.  I want to try the lime chicken tacos and the bbq chicken pizza.  I'll let you know how it goes.

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Starting your Vegetable Seeds Indoors

I’m not much of a gardener. In fact, for most of my life, vegetables were mainly used as a Hidden Valley Ranch Delivery System. Now as an adult, I’ve learned to like veggies. The trick now is to get the kids to like them too. Last summer I realized that the best way to get my kids to eat the veggies was to get them to grow the veggies. I was amazed at how well that worked out for us. The kids really loved getting dirty and watching their seeds turn into something yummy. Last year we stuck to the basics, we grew carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, squash, zucchini, and different types of melons. It wasn’t a great year for melons, but it was still fun to watch the kids take care of their plants. We still didn’t eat everything we grew. The kids had a great time pulling the wagon around the neighborhood to give away their vegetables. Some neighbors were even nice enough to trade veggies with them. Overall, it was a great success!
I just got an email reminder today that it was time to start seeds indoors. I can’t believe it’s already that time, but I guess it really is.
From the email - Gardeners have different reasons for starting their own seeds indoors to plant later in the season. Some like the feeling of increased self-reliance. Many people are drawn to starting seeds because it allows them to grow heirloom plants and varieties that are not usually found at nurseries and garden centers (and gives them a good excuse for spending so many cold, winter hours looking at seed catalogs and dreaming of warmer days).

Whatever the motivation, there are some key basic steps to successful seed starting. And though there are still weeks of cold weather, it's time to get a little potting soil under your fingernails so your starts will be ready for the growing season.

Please follow the link below to get some great tips and tricks from the pro’s at the Utah Botanical Center.
Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors from the Utah Botanical Center.

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Save those Egg Cartons

While we're on the subject of starting seeds, I found this article on Lifehacker today.

http://lifehacker.com/5875765/use-an-egg-carton-to-jumpstart-your-garden-this-spring?tag=clever-uses

Use an Egg Carton to Jumpstart Your Garden this Spring

If your thoughts have already turned to your spring garden, now's the time to start saving a few egg cartons here and there. They're the perfect size to plant seeds in individual containers of soil that you can care for indoors while they germinate. When they sprout, cut out the individual cups and plant them directly in your garden.
I may just be wistful for warm weather months and fresh fruits and vegetables in my neck of the woods, but this is an old gardener's tip that's perfect for urban dwellers with container gardens and green thumbs with a backyard to plant in. You only need to keep the seeds in the egg crates until they sprout a bit, and then you can cut the individual cups out and put them in the ground where you want them to grow. The cardboard of the egg carton will decompose on its own (as long as you're using a cardboard egg carton and not a plastic or foam one!) and your garden will be well on its way to success.

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Family Preparedness Test

1. Has your family rehearsed fire escape routes from your home?
2. Does your family know what to do before, during, and after an earthquake or other emergency situations?
3. Do you have heavy objects hanging over beds that can fall during an earthquake?
4. Do you have access to an operational flashlight in every occupied bedroom?
(Candles are not recommended unless you are sure there is no leaking gas)
5. Do you keep shoes near your bed to protect your feet against broken glass?
6. If a water line was ruptured during an earthquake, do you know how to shut off the main water line to your house?
7. Can your main water valve be turned off by hand without the use of a tool?
Do you have a tool if one is needed?
8. Do you know where the main gas shut-off valve to your house is located?
9. If you smell gas, do you know how and would you be able to shut off the valve?
10. Gas valves usually cannot be turned off by hand. Is there a tool near your valve?
11. Would you be able to safely restart your furnace when gas is safely available?
12. Do you have working smoke alarms in the proper places to warn you of fire?
13. In case of a minor fire, do you have a fire extinguisher that you know how to use?
14. Do you have duplicate keys and copies of important insurance and other papers stored outside your home?
15. Do you have a functional emergency radio to receive emergency information?
16. If your family had to evacuate your home, have you identified a family meeting place?
IF AN EMERGENCY LASTED FOR THREE DAYS (72 HOURS) BEFORE HELP WAS AVAILABLE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY......................................
17. Would you have sufficient food?
18. Would you have the means to cook food without gas and electricity?
19. Would you have sufficient water for drinking, cooking, and sanitary needs?
20. Do you have access to a 72 hour evacuation kit?
21. Would you be able to carry or transport these kits?
22. Have you established an out-of-state contact?
23. Do you have a first aid kit in your home and in each car?
24. Do you have work gloves and some tools for minor rescue and clean up?
25. Do you have emergency cash on hand? (During emergencies banks and ATMs are closed)
26. Without electricity and gas do you have a way to heat at least part of your house?
27. If you need medications, do you have a month’s supply on hand?
28. Do you have a plan for toilet facilities if there is an extended water shortage?
29. Do you have a supply of food, clothing, and fuel where appropriate? For 6 months? For a year?
These are all questions that need answers if you are to be safe in an emergency.

If you answered ‘No’to any of the above questions, now is the time to work on getting those items done.

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Bug Out or Evacuation Tags

EMERGENCY EVACUATION LIST

I got a great idea from a poster on http://survivalistboards.com.

When the time comes to evacuate or "Bug Out", you will most definitely be flustered and panicked. We have created two tags that can be laminated and attached to your 72/96 hour kit (Bug Out Bag).

If the time comes that you HAVE to evacuate, things will be extremely hectic. Look to these tags to help you remember the necessities.

If you have 1 hour to evacuate:

1. Fill Canteen with water and grab bottled water
2. Grab weapons/ammo, knives etc.
3. Retrieve weather appropriate clothing, shoes, hats, gloves, etc
4. Eat some quick food
5. Add vitamins, and medicines that you would normally be taken in the next 72/96 hours.
6. Lock all doors, gates, windows
7. If possible, call or email your Out-of-State contact with information of where you are heading and what the situation many be.
8. Get CURRENT pictures of each family member that will be travelling with you
9. Battery Powered Radio - FRX3 Hand Turbine NOAA AM/FM Weather Alert Radio
10. Batteries
11. CASH - In small bills
12. Grab your Fire Safe with Important documents including insurance papers, deeds, birth certificates
13. Toilet Paper
14. 72/96 hour kit food, high calorie bars or other snacks
15. If not in your 72/96 hour kit, grab First Aid Supplies

If you have 24 hours before evacuation:

Do all of the above, plus...

1. Fill bathtubs with water.
2. Shut off gas meter, water and electric.
3. Hide supplies that can't be taken with you.

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Glenn Beck: Paul Harvey's warning to America

Glenn Becks researchers have done it again. They tracked down some pretty amazing / prophetic words from Paul Harvey in the 1960's. Check it out.

Paul Harvey's warning to America

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Sweetened Condensed Milk - From Food Storage

An important part of your food storage is...dessert.

Ok, maybe it's not an important part of your food storage plan, but it is for mine. When the SHTF, my wife would rather die on day one, than go without her sweets. Because of this, I have to make sure that I have enough sweet stuff to tide her over.

Sweetened Condensed Milk (like Eagle Brand) is one of the items that are essential for my wife's sweet tooth, but it doesn't really have a great shelf-life.

My wife found a recipe to make your own from your basic food storage ingredients.

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup cold water, 1-1/3 cups nonfat dry milk powder, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Directions: Stir powdered milk into cold water.

Cook on stove top or Microwave (45 seconds to 1 minute) until steaming.

Stir in sugar & vanilla. Refrigerate till cool before using...makes 1-1/3 cups (1 can).

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The Fantastic Four

4 Essential Wild Edible Plants that May Just Save Your Life

Did you realize that knowing just 4 wild edible plants could one day save your life?

I came across this article on Twitter today. It was actually posted about 3 years ago, but it has some very important and interesting information about what foods are readily available to almost everyone. If it comes down to it, you CAN eat: Most Grass, Oak, Pine, and Cattail.

Check out the post - http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/the-fantastic-four-4-essential-wild-edible-plants-that-may-one-day-just-save-your-life.htm

This site looks like it has tons of information. I just subscribed to receive updates. I recommend that you do the same.

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Strawberry Time

I can't believe it!!! On May 28th and we picked 10 lbs 12 oz of strawberries from our little strawberry patch.

If you aren't growing berries at your house...shame on you! It doesn't get any easier than strawberries. When we moved into our house, we had a spot in front between our house and the sidewalk. It is about 4'x15'. We went to the nursery to find something to put in the spot. I was upset that I didn't have enough money to plant any bushes or small trees, but as we headed out of the nursery, we noticed a bin of strawberry starts. We had never grown strawberries, and we had no idea what to expect. We decided to get one bunch of "June Bearing" and one bunch of "Ever Bearing" starts. I think we spend $8.00 total for 50 starts. We went home and planted them and then just sat and waited. The first year we didn't see much...But year two, and every year since has been CRAZY! We haven't spent another penny on the strawberry patch. They just continue to grow, year after year. We normally just do freezer jam. It is amazing stuff.

This year I will try dehydrating some and also freeze some with sugar. I'll post more pics as soon as I process them. You don't need a big spot for a strawberry patch. You can grow them anywhere. Try a stacking planter. or you could try a Topsy Turvy

UPDATE - On June 4th, my wife picked another 14 pounds of strawberries!!!

Plant those strawberries now!

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Dominoes ready to fall?

Are you ready? This is coming our way soon. I've said it before, YOU NEED TO HAVE CASH ON HAND. Don't rely on your credit/debit cards to work in times of crisis! What would you do if the government wouldn't allow you to withdraw your money from the bank?

How Shock Waves Will Hit US If Greece Drops Euro

The unthinkable suddenly looks possible.Bankers, governments and investors are starting to prepare for Greece to stop using the euro as its currency, a move that could spread turmoil throughout the global financial system.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/shock-waves-hit-us-greece-drops-euro-16575895

If Europe didn't have enough problems, Greece now has a full-fledged bank run on its hands.Household deposits at Greek banks have dropped in five of the past six months, falling by a total of 12 billion euros ($17.6 billion), according to Bank of Greece data. Two-year deposits tumbled 8% from a year ago in April and savings deposits plunged at a 16% year-over-year clip in March, notes Graham Turner of GFC Economics in London. http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/06/08/greek-banks-under-siege/
Europe Planning Bank Withdrawal Restrictions To Deal With Greece Exit
European officials have announced plans to implement bank capital controls as part of a contingency plan to deal with the worst case scenario of Greece leaving the Eurozone which include imposing border checks and limiting ATM withdrawals. http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2012/06/11/europe-planning-bank-withdrawal-restrictions-to-deal-with-greece-exit-144051/

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Make a Grab-n-Go Kit

It is fire season!

Make sure you have a Grab-n-Go kit (a.k.a. bug out bag) for each of your family members (including pets).

I live in Utah. Right now there are fires popping up everywhere. In a lot of places, the people can see the fire coming and have an hour or more to gather their belongings and evacuate. In a few of the latest fires, people had just minutes to get out!

When you look out the window and see the fire coming in, what do you grab? What can you live without? For me, I know that I have to make sure my family members are ok (including the cat) and then the very next thing I have to save are the scrapbooks! My wife has spent so much time on those books. I wish you could see them. They truly are art. If I had the time and money, I would get them all scanned professionally and have them stored digitally somewhere in the "magic cloud", just in case. As it is, I can't afford that so I know that I "HAVE TO" get the books out.

I am working on a couple lists that I will keep right at the door.

The first list will be "What to grab if you have 1 hour to evacuate".

The second list will be "What to grab if you have 10 minutes to evacuate".

In the mean time...Please make sure you have a Grab-n-Go kit!

Always have one in your car. It is a good idea to have one at your desk at work too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltwvaNVuUvE

Shelf Reliance has created an awesome tool to help you design your Emergency Kit -http://www.shelfreliance.com/planner/emergency

If you don't have the time or energy to build a kit, Shelf Reliance has a good selection of pre-made kits. -http://www.shelfreliance.com/all-products/emergency-kits-supplies/pre-assembled-kits.html

You could also get one from Amazon.

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