"Sprouts provide up to 600 percent more vitamins than the full grown plant." Researchers at the University of Ulster, UK have found.
Let's say you have been living solely on your food storage for 3 months now and your supplies are dwindling. If summer has come and gone there isn't time to plant a garden, and your family is going to need vegetables. I know pirates are quite popular but many of them died of scurvy and I personally don't want to have that in common with them. With limited options in a survival scenario, your solution is SPROUTING. When a tiny little seed/grain, with all of its necessary vitamins and nutrients for growing packed inside, is sprouted it becomes a powerful super food!!
"Sprouts are cheap, easily accessible and an unpolluted source of vitamin C, some protein, traces elements, and B Group vitamins. They are also a true organic food, if they are grown on your very own windowsill, without chemicals."
Sprouting could literally be a life saver. I grow sprouts because they are so nutritious and also because my children eat them and don't know they are eating veggies.
I buy sprouting seeds from Honeyville Grain, but the container above I bought at the Self Reliance Expo last year.
They also come in smaller bags. You don't need to buy a special bag of sprouting seeds. There are many seeds and grains that can be sprouted. Wheat, garbanzo, alfalfa, mung beans, barley, lentils, whole peas, and many more are all able to be sprouted. Experiment with different seeds and grains and find which ones you prefer. I really like the salad mix (above) because it tastes like those yummy garden fresh peas. They just taste fresh and healthy.
These are the two contraptions that I use to sprout. The mason jar on the left is quite easy to use and the least expensive (under $5 for the lid). Put in a tablespoon of sprouts, soak over night (the seeds are soaking in the picture), and just rinse twice a day until sprouts form, about 3-5 days. It can also be done without the plastic straining lid. I started sprouting with a canning jar, cheese cloth and the canning lid ring. The other option is a sprouter. I really love the Victorio Seed Sprouter, on the right, because it pretty much does all the work for you. You pour the sprouts on each layer (about 1/2-1 T), add 2 C of water twice a day, and it soaks, drains, and grows the sprouts. There is no need for soaking and rinsing and draining. With 3 different levels you can stagger your growing or grow different kinds of seed in each one. Remember that sprouts don't like the sunlight. You can put them in the sun once sprouted to turn them green but they need a warm dark spot to grow. It really is just that simple!!
We eat our sprouts fresh out of the sprouters, but they need to go in the fridge once they are big enough to eat. (when the sprout is the length of the seed you can eat it). They should stay good for about 1 week in the fridge. Mine never last that long because they get eaten. Sprouts are great for salads, sandwiches, soups, muffins, breads, dinner casseroles, etc, etc. They can be added to anything.
If you and your family needed quick nutrition in an emergency, having sprouting seeds is the answer. Gardening has its place but it can take months. Sprouting takes only days and allows you to grow your own food storage. Storing sprouting seeds takes up little space and they last for many years, in the right conditions (dark, cool environment), and are relatively inexpensive. I don't think I will ever have enough storage space to store the recommended amount of wheat for 7 people, but I can store a years worth of sprouting seeds. Think of how many sprouts you'll get out of 1lb of wheat, a lot!! One tablespoon of wheat will create one full layer sprouts in the Victorio Sprouter. That's quite the bang for your buck!! This is one area of preparedness that everyone can do and should do today. The health benefits alone are why everyone should be sprouting.
April is great so far and I hope you are all ready for a new month of goals. Today's warmer weather made me feel like organizing, cleaning out, and getting the garden started. We have 3 goals this month. They are:
- Shop the case lot sales at Smiths or Maceys and stock up on items for your 3-month menu plan. Click HERE to view the case lot prices for each store.
- Plan a garden, plant a garden or container, and learn how to sprout seeds/grains for nutritious sprouts.
- Stock up on cleaning supplies. Whichever you prefer. I like to make some of my household cleaners so if you do too then stock up on vinegar, baking soda, ammonia, rubbing alcohol and bleach.
I found a very interesting post on container gardening with soda bottles and milk cartons. Click HERE to read and see the great pictures. And click HERE to see another post by the same ladies on milk carton gardening. If gardening seems too intimidating these ideas are simple and look like they will give you great results.
April is a great month to plant the cold weather plants like spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, lettuce, onions, and cabbage.
Sprouting wheat is a great way to get to add nutritious nutrients to your food without having to buy vegetables. This is great if we had an emergency and fresh produce was not available. Click HERE to read my previous post on sprouting wheat. Sprouting is a great way to get your children involved with gardening too. Check Amazon.com for some great sprouting kits. To learn more on sprouting other seeds besides wheat, click HERE.
Cleaning supplies vary vastly from home to home so this area is going to be mostly personal preference. When I find a good deal on cleaning items I stock up and hope another sale comes before I run out. I don't like paying a lot of money for them. I also don't like the harmful smells and toxins that are in many cleaning supplies. I found some great "recipes" online that I use to clean with.
Laminate Floor Cleaner
1/3 part rubbing alcohol
1/3 part water
1/3 part white vinegar
I marked a spray bottle with the lines for each third and then I have floor cleaner that lasts a long time. I use a micro fiber mop that I can throw in the washer after I clean.
All -Purpose Cleaner
1/2 gallon water
1/2 C vinegar
1 C ammonia
1/4 baking soda
Add enough water to make 1 gallon. Shake well, use in spray bottle. I keep this in an old juice bottle labeled cleaner and pour into my spray bottle when needed.
Window Cleaner
1 pint rubbing alcohol
4 T ammonia
1 T liquid detergent
Add enough water to make a gallon. Add blue food coloring if you want it to look like the store's brand.
Aprils Goals:
Shop the case lot sales.
Garden, garden, garden!
Gather cleaning supplies.
Enjoy the journey!
Enjoy the blessings!
Feel the peace!
Welcome to week 2 of the preparedness blog. To review, last weeks challenge was to gather water containers and collect 2 gallons per person. (Click HERE to view the post on water) This week you need to keep up the water storage and collect 2 more gallons per person.
72-Hour Kits
If you look on the right side of the blog I have listed many items for your 72-hour kits. Check it out and compare the list to what you have already. In the last Newsletter handed out in Church everyone who didn't have a container for their kits were to aquire one. If you had a container already then a set of scriptures were to be added to your kit. This week add:
- An extra set of house keys. If you can't find them on a daily basis, it will give you peace of mind to know you have a set of keys in an emergency.
- A can of soup for every person. Progresso soups, and Campbells Soup at Hand are on sale at Albertson's for $1.00 until Tuesday the 29th.
3 Month Supply
- This week you will need to watch the sales and purchase enough of one item for your 3 month supply. Purchase large amounts only if your budget allows, do what works for you.
- If your budget allows and the items that you use are a really great price, stock up on a few items.
- Don't forget non-food items. Watch for your favorite items to go on sale.
Long Term Storage- WHEAT
- Every adult needs 100lbs of wheat for a year long storage. Wheat lasts forever(30+ years) if stored properly, #10 cans kept in a cool, dry place.
- Sometime in the month of October find the wheat that works for you and your budget and purchase at least 50lbs.
- I keep my wheat in 5 gallon buckets with gamma lids. I can easily unscrew the lids and get the wheat out. No prying off lids. I also prefer hard white wheat for making bread.
This weeks challenge in review:
- 2 gallons of water per person
- Extra set of house keys (72- hour kit)
- Can of soup for each person (72-hour kit)
- Find 50lbs of wheat in October
Cooking With Food Storage
Once you have all your wheat, what do you do besides make bread? Here are a few ideas.
Crazy Whole Wheat Muffins (The Essential Food Storage Cookbook)
- We love these and they freeze very well . They are so easy and require all food storage ingredients.
1/2 C Oil
1 C. brown sugar
1 t baking soda
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 t cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375. Mix ingredients together and pour into muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes (8 min. for mini muffins)
Sprouted Wheat (Increases vitamin, mineral and nutritional value of wheat)
- Place 3T of hard wheat in a jar
- Cover with water and let soak 6 hours
- Place nylon or light screen on top of bottle and tighten down with ring
- Pour water off, rinse, and pour off again
- Place bottle in dark warm cupboard on its side
- The wheat should sprout in 2-3 days (rinse and drain each day)
- When small sprout begins to show: rinse, drain, and store in fridge in closed plastic container.
- Wheat sprouts should be harvested before the first leaves are fully developed and the root is only as long as the seed. Otherwise, they will become tough.
Note: The sprouting process continues a little even while stored in the fridge.
::Even if your food storage does not contain a lot of vegetables, the sprouted wheat will give you essential vitamins and minerals. After the wheat is sprouted it is considered a fresh vegetable. When sprouted, wheat also contains vitamins A & C!
