Pyles of Preparation

May Goals

2013-05-04T12:58:00.002-06:00

Do one small thing for your family preparedness this month. Choose from the goals below, or even one from the past months if you like.

Home Storage

· Devise a plan of when/how to purchase home storage

· Learn how to make your own household cleaning supplies (visit ehow.com for suggestions)

· Take a couponing class to learn how to purchase home/food storage items for less (visit pricematchwithrachel.com or savvyshopper.com)

Fire Safety

· Complete lesson “Protecting Your Home Against Fire” found in the Family Home Evening Resource book for family night (available at lds.org > Home and Family > Family Home Evening > Family Home Evening Resource Book)

April Goals

2013-03-29T16:53:00.003-06:00

Select one or more of the goals below to work on during the month of April.

72 Hour and Car Kits

· Take inventory of current 72 hour kits and make a list of needed items

· Set up a purchase plan for needed items for 72 hour kits

Financial Preparedness

· Put $5-$20 more a month in savings than you are now

· Read One for the Money with your family (Sept 2007 Ensign)

· Research, find, and enroll in a health insurance plan

· Research, select, and begin a life insurance plan

Great Shake Out

2013-03-21T13:34:00.002-06:00

The second annual Great Utah ShakeOut on April 17, 2013 is now just four weeks away! Already more than 710,000 people people are planning to "drop, cover and hold on" and test other aspects of their emergency plans! You can help us involve 1 million participants throughout Utah by encouraging your employer and other organizations, your friends, and your family to register at ShakeOut.org/Utah.

March Goals

2013-03-03T09:34:00.002-07:00

Choose one or more goals listed below to complete this month for your family’s Emergency Preparedness needs.

Emergency Plan/Communication

· Write/discuss/practice a family evacuation plan

· Write an evacuation list (see blog post “The Evacuation List” from June 2012)

· Discuss family communication plan in event of emergency

Food Storage

· Devise a rotation/labeling plan for your food storage and implement it

· Research long term storage options (lds.org/topics/food-storage, Daily Bread, store.lds.org, Shelf Reliance, Mountain House, etc.)

· Make a plan to save $ to purchase long term food storage

72 Hour Kit Sale!

2013-02-18T10:56:00.002-07:00

Thanks to Rachel for finding this great deal on pre-made 72 hour kits from Family Storehouse in AF. Please visit her website for information and to learn how to get your kit before the sale starts this week-end.

http://www.pricematchwithrachel.com/

February Goals

2013-02-08T10:49:00.001-07:00

Choose one or more goals listed below to complete this month for your family's Emergency Preparedness needs.

Home Storage

· Make a list of what you would like in your home storage (i.e.: toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels, soap, shampoo, deodorant, cleaning supplies, feminine hygiene, baby diapers/formula, etc.)

· Create a chart of how much of each home storage item your family needs over a determined period of time (somewhere between 3-12 months)

· Read ‘All is Safely Gathered In-Family Home Storage’ (link available on blog)

72 Hour and Car Kits

· Put together a basic car kit and get it in your car (see blog post “Winterized Vehicles” Oct. 2012 for helpful information)

2013 New Year's Resolutions

2013-01-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

I am going to make your 2013 Emergency Preparedness New Year's Resolution easy on you. Each month I will post 5-6 goals that you can choose from to improve your emergency preparedness. Simply choose 1 and do it each month. By the end of the year you will have completed 12 goals to better your emergency preparedness. Now doesn't that sound nice? So, here we go.

January 2013 Goal List

Choose one or more goals listed below to complete this month for your family’s Emergency Preparedness needs.

Financial Preparedness

· Create a budget that you will use on a weekly basis

· Update your budget weekly and share it with your spouse

Food Storage

· Take inventory of current food storage

· Make a 3 month dinner menu and create a list of storable ingredients

· Create a purchase plan for items you would like to add to your food storage and implement it

· Visit foodstoragemadeeasy.net and create your own goal

12 Days of Christmas - Financial Preparedness Version

2012-12-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

This post is from back in 2009. Although it may be a little late as the shopping season has already begun, perhaps you can still find some value in one of the ideas presented. Enjoy.

1st Day - Pay your tithing.

2nd Day - Pay a generous fast offering.

3rd Day - Budget. Make a Christmas budget for each person you are buying gifts for (including extended family). Assign a reasonable amount to each person and then track what you spend on your budget. Make sure to write down what you buy as soon as you buy it so you don’t overspend. Follow your budget carefully.

When this Christmas is over total up what you have spent this year. Divide your total by 12. Put that amount (your total/12) in a savings account every month next year and let it sit until Christmas. Next year when Christmas comes around you will already have your budget funded and ready to go. It will take away stress and make your Holidays more enjoyable.

4^th Day - Keep it Simple. Remember that children are easily pleased. Don’t overdo it. One fun toy can make their entire Christmas memorable.

5^th Day - Be Practical. Kids get excited opening presents, even when it is a package of new underwear underneath the wrapping paper (see pictures at end of blog). Buy your kids things they need for Christmas. Things you will need to buy them anyway. Socks, underwear, boots, hats, coats, pants, shirts, undershirts, etc.

6^th Day - Stay Home. Rather than going out and spending money for Christmas family activities, try starting new traditions right at home. Have a family game or movie night, make crafts together, bake Christmas treats, tell Christmas stories, sing Christmas songs, play in the snow, make up a game to play together. Make more memories with your family for free. The memories will last forever.

7th Day - Watch for sales. If you stay on top of sales, you rarely have to pay full price for anything. Buy things you know you will need when they are on sale.

8^th Day - Clip Coupons. There are many coupons available to print from home for food and holiday goodies. Follow our link to Savvy Shopper Deals. Set your location as Utah. Go to shopping wizard>grocery deals. Search your favorite stores for great deals. If a printable coupon is available for an item, it will be listed as a link under the item information. $1/one Desitin coupon link, for example.

9^th Day - Cut back on neighbor gifts. It is a nice tradition we have to share gifts and warm wishes with friends and neighbors during the Holidays. However, sometimes sharing a thoughtful card or short note can be just as meaningful if not more that giving a gift. Have a fun family night and make cards for your neighbors out of items you already have at home. Deliver the cards as a family and spread the Christmas spirit.

10^th Day - Don’t feel obligated. Remember this is a season of giving, not of stress or guilt. If someone gives you a gift, you don’t have to feel obligated to return a gift. Receive it with gladness.

11^th Day - Can you afford it? Don’t pay interest on credit cards. If you don’t have it, don’t spend it. Remember Elder Hales’ April 2009 Conference talk: “The first lesson was learned when we were newly married and had very little money. I was in the air force, and we had missed Christmas together. I was on assignment overseas. When I got home, I saw a beautiful dress in a store window and suggested to my wife that if she liked it, we would buy it. Mary went into the dressing room of the store. After a moment the salesclerk came out, brushed by me, and returned the dress to its place in the store window. As we left the store, I asked, “What happened?” She replied, “It was a beautiful dress, but we can’t afford it!” Those words went straight to my heart. I have learned that the three most loving words are “I love you,” and the four most caring words for those we love are “We can’t afford it.”

12^th Day - Do you need it? Again from Elder Hales’ talk: “The second lesson was learned several years later when we were more financially secure. Our wedding anniversary was approaching, and I wanted to buy Mary a fancy coat to show my love and appreciation for our many happy years together. When I asked what she thought of the coat I had in mind, she replied with words that again penetrated my heart and mind. “Where would I wear it?” she asked. (At the time she was a ward Relief Society president helping to minister to needy families.)

Then she taught me an unforgettable lesson. She looked me in the eyes and sweetly asked, “Are you buying this for me or for you?” In other words, she was asking, “Is the purpose of this gift to show your love for me or to show me that you are a good provider or to prove something to the world?” I pondered her question and realized I was thinking less about her and our family and more about me.

After that we had a serious, life-changing discussion about provident living, and both of us agreed that our money would be better spent in paying down our home mortgage and adding to our children’s education fund.

We hope at least one of these tips will save you from spending money on 12 drummers drumming to a partridge in a pear tree this Christmas! Happy Holidays, love Kevin & Kammi.

Emergency Food Drive Saturday

2012-11-14T09:44:00.002-07:00

Remember all the great deals we got at Smiths last week? Now is the time to share the wealth! Please join in the food drive on Saturday. Details below. Thanks.

Add some coupons!

2012-11-08T10:37:00.002-07:00

Visit coupons.com...
http://www.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=14505&zid=py13&nid=10&bid=110809113862db9fc8817214
for even better deals with the Smith's ad like:

Stove Top for $0.29 and
Jet Puffed Marshmellows for $0.45

Just to name a few. There are also the great coupons for savings on any brand of milk and cheese. Be sure to scroll to the very bottom of the list after the first time you print to print the same coupons twice.

Happy shopping!

Smith's Sale Extended

2012-11-06T14:03:00.001-07:00

The wonderful sales at Smiths will now run through November 13th! See the post below for sale prices. Happy shelf stocking.

Stock up on Food for the Winter

2012-11-05T15:27:00.001-07:00

A few years ago I came across a killer deal on canned corn. It was about $0.30/can for Green Giant corn. I thought that was a great deal for any brand so I bought one case. Then something happened. I got hooked on Green Giant corn. It is so sweet and yummy that I found I couldn't buy any other brand and enjoy it.

So, if you want to try what I think is the yummiest canned corn now is your chance. The Green Giant veggies are regularly $1.49/can at Smith's but they are on sale until Tuesday (tomorrow!) for $0.49/can! Please note the prices below are all the final price when you buy in groups of ten. I was there today and there was still plenty of vegetables and cream soups. Here are the great deals:

Green Giant Corn $0.49/can
Green Giant Cream Corn $0.49/can
Green Giant Cut Beans $0.49/can
Green Giant Sliced Green Beans $0.49/can
Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup $0.69/can
Campbells Cream of Mushroom soup for $0.69/can
Swanson Chicken Broth $0.49/can
Stove Top Stuffing $0.79/box
Del Monte Fruit $0.99
Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce $0.99
Marie Callendars Frozen Pies $4.49

Awesome prices for brand names!

Remember you must buy any combination of 10 of these items to get the good deals. You can also price match at Walmart and then you usually don't need to buy in tens.

Happy shelf stocking!

Lindon Cannery Needs Missionaries - Part Time

2012-10-31T14:44:00.001-06:00

Please see letter below:

Dear Subscribers,

We are way behind in finding missionaries for 2013. If you are possibly interested in serving at the Cannery next year, please send an email to wel-ca-lindon-wetpack@ldschurch.org . Please include your stake name.

We are needing around 10 new missionaries. Lindon Cannery missionaries serve for 1 year (Jan-Dec) for 2 assigned, 4.5 hour shifts a week (between 8-10 hours/week). We will only be working on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in 2013 and do not schedule production for the month of July. When needing to be gone on an assigned day, there are several other missionaries who do the same job you do so you can get substitutes and will be asked to substitute if needed.

This is an immediate request. First day of training is December 10, 2012. (No other responsibilities in December.) First day of production is January 8, 2013. We are down to the wire!!!

Looking forward to hearing from you! Remember to send to the email above. Do not reply to this email.

Teresa Hendrickson

Winterized Vehicles

2012-10-25T17:10:00.003-06:00

I know I am not the only one that absolutely loved the snow this morning. I was lucky enough to drive the kids to school during the 20 minutes that it was acutally snowing. I must say I very much enjoyed (no, I am not being sarcastic) driving slow in the winter weather. Ahh, I love winter snow.

But, this brings us to an important point in the year. Time to winterize your car!

Last time we learned how to make a portable heater for your car. Now I have a list of other essential items and suggestions to keep you traveling safe during the winter months ahead.

First of all see that you have what you need to make simple repairs or change a tire on the go. You should already have these in your vehicle. Items you want may include:

jumper cables
wrench
pliers
screwdriver
spare tire - make sure it has enough air in it

Next, add some items for emergencies - the most likely being that you could get stranded in the cold. Helpful items might include:

portable car heater
blankets
gloves
snow scraper
flashlight
batteries
matches
flares or reflective triangle
first-aid supplies
whistle
old carpet strip or kitty litter for traction
energy bars or other snacks
card games or other entertainment

And a few tips during winter travel season:

Make sure your cell phone is fully charged when going out -or- have some change in the car for phone calls (if you are lucky enough to be near civilization).
Keep the gas tank in your vehicle at least 1/2 full all the time. Then, if you are stranded you should have some time to keep the car warm by running the engine. This will also help prevent gas lines from freezing.
Keep a safe distance from the car in front of you.
Brake sooner and slower than usual and turn slower when in slippery conditions.

Finally, how to effectively winterize your car to avoid being stranded on the side of the road.

Remove leaves, twigs and other debris

Check your tires' condition - put on snow tires if you have them

Check tire pressure

Check to see that all lights are working

Check your heater and defrost system

Have your brakes checked

Check your windshield wiper blades and fluid

Make sure battery is fully charged

Check the anti-freeze, which may not need changing (see owner's manual)

Get your emergency car kit and put it in the car

Check out this link to an interesting article from Get Gephardt about winterizing and driving in the snow:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=22681029&nid=1105&title=gephardt-gets-it-winterizing-your-car-could-save-lives&s_cid=queue-16

Hope you found these tips helpful. Now is the time to be prepared - before the disaster strikes.

Cozy Car in the Winter

2012-09-27T16:22:00.002-06:00

I am already loving the cold crisp Fall air. I am hoping this means a bundle of snow isn't too far away. I can picture it now:

Sitting in my comfy chair in my bunny slippers, sipping hot cocoa and watching the gigantic snowflakes fall to the ground. Getting snowed in would be so much fun!

Wait! Unless you happen to be in your car somewhere not quite home yet. Are you prepared for a situation like this?

To help us get prepared, I will post some simple instructions from ehow.com on how to make an inexpensive car heater should you be stranded for a long period of time.

Now you can have a cozy car while you wait out the storm. Storing bunny slippers and hot cocoa is optional.

Next week we'll get into other essential items that would be of value in this situation.

A homemade car heater is a small device placed in your car that heats it up when your car has broken down. They can be used to avoid the excessive carbon monoxide produced by your car if you leave it on to use the heater, which may end up killing you.

You will need a roll of unscented toilet paper, six bottles unscented isopropyl alcohol, an empty metal can just taller than the toilet paper roll, matches, a 3 lb. coffee can and an aluminum pot wider than the coffee can. Store these in a large, sealed container in the trunk of your car.

Start by adding your toilet paper roll into the smaller empty metal can. Remove the cardboard core and any sheets necessary to fit the roll snugly in the can. Place this can into the coffee can and place this on the passenger seat floor. Pour several ounces but not a whole bottle of the alcohol onto the toilet paper and crack a window for ventilation. Light a match and throw it on the toilet paper. Conserve fuel by covering the can with the aluminum pot when your car is comfortably warm. Continue using your heater in this method until help arrives.

Even Easier Water Storage - the Caselot Sale!

2012-09-14T13:12:00.002-06:00

Check out Smith's caselot sale. It runs through next Tuesday, the 18th.
http://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/Pages/default.aspx
Follow that link and click on the 'weekly ad' button in the top right corner of the page. The caselot is on page 7.

During the caselot you can get a 24 pk of bottled water for $2.50! Now there's an easy way to stock up on water storage!

I noticed there are a lot of caselot items in the store that I didn't see in the ad. I saw brown and powdered sugar, brownie mixes, vegetables, fruit, mac n cheese, etc. Drop by Smiths and check it out.

Also, on a great sale is Kraft Mayo and Miracle Whip. When you buy 10 particpating items, they are only $2.50 each. In addition, if you buy 10 quailifying Kraft items, you will get a $10 off your next shopping order coupon printed at checkout. That makes each container or Mayo/Miracle Whip only $1.50. Not too bad.

One more thing to remember, last year I was able to price match the caselot price on single items at Walmart. I assume they would do this again if you take your ad in. It doesn't hurt to try.

Have fun stocking your food and water storage!

Quick Water Storage

2012-09-08T12:01:00.002-06:00

So far this year we have talked about food storage, 72 hour kits, and evacuation plans. Next up is water storage.

For a quick and easy way to store water and build up a supply gradually, simple rinse out (you may use 1tsp bleach to sanitize if you wish) and re-fill any plastic container with the letters "PETE" on the bottom of the bottle with water. Label the lid with a date and place it in your storage room. Old water bottles, Gatorade bottles, and 2 liter soda bottles work well for this purpose. Milk jugs and juice bottles are not recommended.

If your water has been commercially treated from a water utility with chlorine (not from a well), you don't need to add bleach to the water to keep it clean. Just go ahead and store it.

It is recommended you rotate your self-filled water storage every 6 months. However, water stored longer is safe in emergency situations, it just won't taste as good.

For more extensive information on water storage, visit: http://www.caltriplecrown.com/HarborHillsWard/WaterPurificationandStorage.pdf

Lindon Cannery Meat Canning

2012-09-03T10:20:00.001-06:00

Read through the information from the cannery below if you are interested in canning chicken or pork at the Lindon Cannery in October. There is one link for each day available to can. You will need to purchase 5 cases of meat after canning so you may want to go in on cases together with some friends.

"We are sending out the links to the next family canning opportunity (Chicken Chunks & Pork Chunks) a little earlier than normal. The links aren't due to become active for scheduling until Saturday, September 8th @ 6:00 a.m., but you can click on the links and carefully read all of the instructions before that time. You will be accountable for everything said in the online instructions. "

You can see the day and date at the end of each link.

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=meat_chunks_wed_oct_10

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=meat_chunks_thu_oct_11

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=meat_chunks_fri_oct_12

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=meat_chunks_tue_oct_16

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=meat_chunks_wed_oct_17

http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=meat_chunks_thu_oct_18

Yum yum Strawberry Jam!

2012-08-02T14:37:00.001-06:00

It's jam making time!

You can find strawberries on sale this week at Smith's for $1.25/pkg or at Macey's for $4.99/case (4 pkgs). Haven't been to Walmart yet but I expect to see deals there too. When strawberries are $1.25 or less, it's jam making time!

Please see my post from April of 2011 for complete instructions on how to make homemade yum-o strawberry jam (on the right hand side of this page click on '2011' then 'April'). It will take only 1 hour to make 4 - 16 oz cans of jam (plan 1 1/2 hours for your first time).

Please give me a call if you have ANY questions on how to make jam, cuz I love it! We have gone 2 years without purchasing strawberry jam at the store, and you can too. :)

Stock up on Bottled Water

2012-07-18T09:41:00.000-06:00

It's always nice to have extra water as part of your food storage and in your 72 hour kits. If you need to stock up, stop by Smith's this week for this deal:

Kroger Bottled Water - package of 24, 16 oz bottles @ 5 for $10 ($2 each!)

Not a bad deal, so do something for your family's emergency preparedness and grab one next time you are out.

Shelf Reliance Party

2012-07-17T11:48:00.002-06:00

Please join me this Thursday at 7:00 at my home for a Shelf Reliance party.

I have invited Shelf Reliance over so that I can learn more about freeze dried and dehydrated foods. The consultant has agreed to acutally do a cooking demonstration and make a dinner entree at the party. I am so excited to see how this works so I can incorporate this kind of food storage into my everyday and long term storage.

I am hosting this party so I can learn about Shelf Reliance's product and how to use it (really not worried about the sales part of it!). So please don't hesitate in dropping by just to learn about this type of food storage. And, bring a friend!

5 small steps for your 72 hour kit

2012-07-07T14:39:00.001-06:00

Time to pull out your 72 hour kits and make sure everything is still in working order and/or edible! This could be a great FHE activity and can be accomplised in 5 easy steps:

Step 1: Have each family member bring their own kit to the activity.
Step 2: Use a 72 hour kit checklist to inventory each kit (Click on the '72 hour kit 3 month plan' for a list or use your own). Have each family member report status of items in their own kits as you go.
Step 3: Make a list of items that need to be replaced.
Step 4: Schedule a day within one week to purchase all needed items.
Step 5: Add purchased items to you kits as a family at your next FHE.

Remember to check in on your 72 hour kits every 6 months. April and October Conference is a fun time to do this as the kids can enjoy 'free' granola bars during Conference week-end.

If you do not have a kit yet you can look at recommended items by clicking '72 hour kit 3 month plan' on the right side of the page. If you cannot get everything at once, use the 3 month plan to start your family's new kits. Ready.gov also has a basic list of 72 hour kit items found here: http://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/checklist_1.pdf

When building your kit, consider what you would want in these and similar scenarios:

You need to evacuate cannot return for 3 days
You are stranded in the aftermath of an earthquake - no communications/power
You have been snowed in for a week w/ intermittent power outages

The Evacuation List

2012-06-24T16:47:00.000-06:00

I will assume that most of us at one point or another thought about the possibility of evacuating our homes this week-end due to the Dump Fire on our mountain. The question is: How prepared were you and what can you do to better prepare?
A quote from the Deseret News on-line article titled "Nearly 9,000 residents evacuate neighborhoods near Saratoga Springs fire" helps make a point:

Christian Judd awoke to officials knocking on his door and telling him to evacuate.

"My immediate reaction was: 'So what do I do?' I don't even know. I've never been in this experience before," Judd said. "I just didn't imagine this would happen to us here.

Don't we all feel that way? When do we ever expect a disaster to happen to us? If we did expect it, I am sure we would put more effort into preparations.

The question is valid: "What do I do?" Another quote from the same Deseret News article:

"It's just crazy. I'm just trying to get pictures and stuff you can't replace," said April, one of the residents who was forced to evacuated her house."

In the event of an evacuation "What do I take?"

Here comes the assignment for the week so pay attention.

I challenge each family to make a priority list of things they would take in an emergency evaucation. The list should have three columns with the followng:

Item Priority (1, 2, 3, etc.)
Item Name
Item Location

Once the list is completed hang it near the primary exit of your home. If you don't want papers hanging on your wall like me, you can tape it on the inside of a cupboard, coat closet, etc. Just be sure it is easily accessible.

A few thoughts on what I will call the Evacuation List.

The purpose here is to think about what you need ahead of time so you don't waste time in a real situation. It is so easy to sit down and write a list now of what is most important. Brainstorming before the emergency will assure that you will grab the most essential items in the time alloted to evacuate and that you don't forget anything.

Your list can have as many items as you like on it. You may have 5 minutes to evacuate, maybe 15, maybe 30. But when the emergency comes and you never expected it would happen to you, it doesn't matter, because you are prepared. You will know exactly what to get and where it is.

I would recommend 72 hour kits be at the top of the list. Other things you may want to include (these are in no particular order) are:

Important documents (insurance, birth/marriage certificates, etc.)
Extra water
Extra food
Pets and pet needs
Irreplaceable keepsakes
Journals
Laptops or hard drives with important information or family photos
Extra clothing

So go, and make your list. An ounce of preparation is worth....

Next week I will discuss how to revamp 72 hour kits to make sure they are sufficient for your family's needs.

As always, please report any thoughts or ideas on the blog.

More on Food Storage

2012-06-20T18:30:00.002-06:00

Short Term Food Storage

Over the last few months we have focused on short term food storage. Just to re-cap here is a paragraph about short term food storage from "All is Safely Gathered In":

"Build a small supply of food that is part of your

normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a

few extra items each week to build a one-week supply

of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply

until it is sufficient for three months. These items

should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage."

Also, a list of items to work on from the March 2012 Ensign article: "Everyday Home Storage".
Review this list and choose at least one that you can improve on this week:

Designate an area in your home where you can keep your food storage.
Each time you go grocery shopping, pick up a few nutritious items that will store for several months to add to your storage.
Stock up on items when they are on sale, and buy in bulk when practical. Be sure to check expiration labels before you make the purchase.
Buy only items you know you’ll use so you can easily rotate through your food storage.
Store water in sturdy plastic juice or soft drink bottles that you have emptied and rinsed.
Order basic long-term food items such as wheat, flour, and oats from a Church home storage center or other trustworthy organization.
Designate a percentage of your monthly budget for food storage.
Start putting a percentage of your income or a certain dollar amount in a savings account each month.
Help others establish home storage by giving food storage items or money for savings accounts as gifts.

Long Term Food Storage

Another paragraph from "All is Safely Gathered In" on Long Term Food Storage:

"For longer-term needs, and where permitted, gradually

build a supply of food that will last a long time

and that you can use to stay alive, such as wheat,

white rice, and beans.

These items can last 30 years or more when properly

packaged and stored in a cool, dry place. A portion of

these items may be rotated in your three-month supply."

As you build your long term storage, set a goal to learn how to use and rotate it just as you would your short term storage. If you don't know how to use wheat and beans, it won't help you when you need it. So, when you purchase some, learn how to prepare meals with it.

In addition to storing wheat, rice, beans, and other long term items, I am going to look into long term meal storage such as Daily Bread and Thrive. These are said to store 25 years and are meals that are easy to reconstitute. I will report what I learn about these other long term storage programs on the blog.

Goal

As always, I encourage you to act upon what you just read. Choose at least one thing you can do to improve your short and/or long term food storage and do it this week. It can be as simple as 'find a recipe that uses beans' to 'buy extra salsa for short term storage'. Please report what you did by commenting on the blog or sending me an e-mail.

Lindon Cannery Openings

2012-06-01T10:35:00.001-06:00

Below is an e-mail from the Lindon Cannery:

There have been several cancellations for Salsa on June 5-8th. The online signups are closed, so if you are still interested in doing salsa, please call the Cannery @ 801-785-0998 to check for available shifts.

We will be selling surplus family canning when you come to your shift. (You have to have worked on Jams, Syrup or Salsa to be able to purchase these surplus products. The only days you can purchase are on the days we are doing the Salsa: June 5, 6, 7 and 8.) The following products will be sold without limit, until they are gone:

Raspberry Jam - $24.00/case of 12 pint jars

Peach Jam - $21.00/case of 12 pint jars

Pancake Syrup - $21.00/case of 6 – ½ gal jugs (may be purchased individually @ $3.50/jug).

Ground Beef - $76.80/case of 24

Beef Stew - $44.40/case of 24

Pork & Beans - $20.40/case of 24

You must arrive early enough to purchase before the shift begins. Otherwise, you will have to come back at the end of your shift in order to purchase.