Self-Reliant Saturday-- Free Water Storage

Has there ever been a time when you felt you had too much water storage?  Yup...I didn't think so.  Lucky for us, water storage is cheap and sometimes free!  There are many containers that work great for water storage and they can be found at every family party and get-together.  

 Soda isn't consumed in my home so it is rare if we have 2-liter bottles hanging around.  But for birthdays and holidays we do like lemonade and sometimes orange juice.  The empty bottles are perfect for water storage containers.  I rinse them out, add a little bleach and swirl, then fill with water from my tap.  Instant water storage!!  The next time you are at a family party, or any party, ask for the empty soda/juice bottles and your water storage will expand for almost pennies, if not free!

Prepare Today: What I'm Buying

Stocking up on preparedness supplies is an on going process.  It's a cycle of buying and using, and using and buying.  I find myself continually filling in the gaps in my storage room.  I made a trip into the big city the other day and bought a few items that I had on my shopping list.

My first stop was Honeyville Grain in Salt Lake City.  I needed a few baking staples but while I was there these two cans caught my attention.

They are sealed cans of non-hybrid seeds, on sale for $10.00!!!  I almost wish I had purchased more than just the two cans.  They are shelf-stable for about 15 years. These cans sound like an amazing idea, but don't put them on the shelf and hope you'll never need them.  Plan a garden and learn all you can now, before you have to use seeds to survive.  Seeds in your storage are also perfect for people who are on specific diets and can't live off of starches and high carbs, such as pasta and rice.  

I've always been an advocate for chocolate in my storage room.  It is one of the main food groups in my house :), but did you ever want to be able to store ice cream long-term?  

Freeze-dried chocolate chocolate chip ice cream!  Just like the astronauts!  I couldn't resist, and it is actually pretty good.  It melts in your mouth and takes just like chocolate, with chocolate chips in it.  Win, win in my book!  The #10 can cost $16.99 on sale.  

After Honeyville I headed to Walmart.  I have been looking for a flashlight and this Energizer rechargeable plug-in is perfect for blackouts.  If the power goes out the light automatically comes on.  Just leave it plugged in and it will be ready to go in time of need. And at around $8 it's a great price point. I have seen these also online. 

Towards the end of summer I like to stock up on seasonal items like pool shock and solar garden lights.  

Pool shock is an essential item to have in your storage.  A 1lb. bag of pool shock can purify 10,000 gallons of water.  It doesn't expire like bleach and has a long shelf life.  Check out my post on water purification HERE for more information.  The box above was around $13.00 at Walmart.

Outdoor solar lights are a great addition to my preparedness supplies.  These were only .97 at Walmart.  Leave them outside to soak up the sun and bring them in at night for cheap emergency lights.  I collect a few every year and add them to my storage supplies.  They are inexpensive and easy to use! 

These are the items that I added to my storage room this week. What have you done this week to fill in your storage gaps?  Remember that smalls steps lead to big things!

Back-To-Basics Water Storage 3: Bathing & Filter Options

If you missed the first two posts on storing water click HERE and HERE to review.

One of the ideas I had for conserving water in an emergency would be to use a solar shower.  Owning a solar shower used to be pricey and I didn't want to pay a lot for one but, I found something that works for me.  I have tried using a 2-liter bottle to wash my hair, and it's really difficult to angle the bottle over your own head and rinse without getting water everywhere.  Taking a shower is something I don't want to do without in an emergency, and a way to clean up when so many other things will be out of control, will be comforting to those in your family.  A few years ago I discovered an attachment that fits on a garden sprayer to create a shower.  

This was before solar showers became more mainstream and a little more afforadble, but I think it's still is a frugal way to create a shower in an emergency.  It's not heated by the sun, but it could be painted black to absorb the heat from the sun, or add heated water to the base. (that would use up fuel in an emergency)

Four years ago I paid $13.00, with shipping, for 4 shower heads.  I gave two of them to my sister and kept the other two.  I bought the sprayer in the picture for $8.00 during a sale at Ace Hardware.  I have two of these emergency showers because there are 7 people in my household.  They will conserve our water, each sprayer holds a gallon of water, when water will be at a premium.  Controlling the water flow is as easy as letting go of the handle. When the handle isn't held down the water stops flowing.  It was easy to hang it on a branch outside, but it could be used inside in a shower/tub if your house wasn't compromised by a storm or earthquake. An outside shower tent is on my preparedness wishlist.

 After filling the base with warm water, simply pump the handle a few times until you feel resistance, and press the handle down on the attachment for the water to being flowing.  I timed how long the water ran before having to pump again, and it was around 35 seconds.  Now, that doesn't sound like a long time, but in-between shampooing and conditioning you don't need the water to be flowing.  It's long enough to rinse your hair, or your body, off.  Pumping the handle isn't difficult either, a child could easily do it. It won't take a lot of effort to take a shower. 

 The original source that I purchased my shower head attachments from is no longer available, but I found another source HERE and they are still reasonably priced at $5.20.

There are also solar showers available from emergency supply stores and online.  Check them out and see what would work for you.   

  This is something that I learned from a friend.  Store baby wipes and use them as a type of sponge bath. Use your shower as a weekly cleaning and the baby wipes as a daily refresher.  You will feel clean and more like yourself.  Nothing refreshes a person like being clean!!

 How are YOU planning on bathing in an emergency??

Water Filters

My last thought on water for this week:  Have a PLAN for when your stored water runs out!

Research filters both homemade and manufactured:
 The Berkey water filter
The Survival Still
An affordable ceramic gravity fed water filter
Other Water Filter Ideas
Low-cost homemade options 

Filter Water From Natural Sources:
  Know how to filter water from streams, lakes, and rivers.  

Back-To-Basics Water Storage Part 2: 55-gallon Water Barrels

How is your water storage coming along?  Did you take the challenge from my first post and store water for your family?  I hope you did, but if not, get going today!  I took my own advice and got around to a project that I have needed to do since I moved into my home a year and a half ago.  

When I moved, in January, we (I say we, but it was really my husband) emptied two 55-gallon water barrels, that were frozen solid.  My husband, bless him, never complained, just added more hot water and loaded the empty barrels on the truck.  And empty is how they remained until this past week.  

  

I needed to move the empty barrels from the garage into the storage room.  Right where that pile of junk is.  It took some maneuvering but I got them in there.

 

After the 2 barrels were put into place, they needed to be filled up.  Empty barrels defeat the purpose of owning them!!  One of the barrels was pretty dirty and so I added some water, swished it around and dumped it out. 

 

 And let me tell you what....I am so glad that I flipped that bad boy over....there was an entire family of spiders living on the bottom of this barrel.  There was even an egg sack!  If I hadn't checked they would have moved into my storage room....yuck!!!

After the spider removal I used a bung wrench (make sure you have one!!) to open the barrels.  

Then I filled them up.  I am really lucky that I have a hose hook up in my garage that uses culinary water.  The hose isn't used for yard work and I felt it was safe to use to fill up our water barrels.  

 

I thought I was going to be there all day filling up these barrels, but I was completely done in about an hour and a half.  That included moving all the stuff around, cleaning them, and filling them.  The actual filling only took about 20 minutes for two barrels. 

 

 After they were filled I put the caps back on and they were good to go.  There is no need to add cleaners or purifying ingredients if you use culinary water to fill up water containers.  The water is already treated and if your container is clean, you shouldn't have an issues with bacteria. 

Don't forget that if you ever need to get the water back out of the barrel, that you'll need a pump, siphon, and a bung wrench to open the caps.  I keep my water barrel paraphernalia close by but out of the way.  I would also suggest having a few 5-gallon water containers with a spigot to siphon the water into.  Five gallons is a manageable size to carry after filling it.  I have no intention of moving my 55-gallon barrels for a long time, but if I needed to get water out they aren't too far away from my kitchen or backyard.  Lugging a 5-gallon container from the big barrel to wherever we need the water is something I thought about before filling the 55-gallon barrels. 

Okay, it's your turn!  Did you get any water stored this week??  

Back-To-Basics Water Storage Part 1

Welcome to the first post in my Back-To-Basics series.  My goal is to have a new topic up each week, but today we're starting with.....

I think everyone will agree that we all need water to live.  Our bodies can't survive longer than three days without it and that's why it is number one when it comes to food storage. This is also the easiest part of food storage to accomplish because water is fairly inexpensive, easy to get, and most containers for storage are easily found. 

If you don't have any food storage at all, I urge you (silently begging you) to get your water storage done today!!  

A gallon per person per day is the bare minimum that you will need to store. Youngsters, nursing mothers may need more. My water was shut off one day, due to construction, and it took almost 3 2-liter bottles of water to just wash my hair.  That made me pause and realize how much water I was going to need with 4 daughters.  But in all seriousness I'm thinking that 2 gallons per person would give each person enough water for hygiene, laundry, cleaning, and drinking.  See if you can get 2 weeks stored away (that's 28 gallons per person) and that would be a great start!  It's only a start because there really isn't a feasible way to store a year's worth, or longer, of water.  You will need to find water from another source after your stored water runs out. 

• 2-liter soda bottles, juice bottles, laundry detergent bottles....NOT milk containers...they will break down and leak.  Clean the soda and juice bottles with soapy water, or a small amount of bleach, and let air dry.  Fill them with tap water and they are good to go.  The detergent bottles will store water used for cleaning. Make sure to mark them clearly as WATER.
• Mason jars that aren't being used at the time.  

• Smaller water bottles that come in 24 packs are great for everyday water needs.  
• 5-Gallon water jugs, with a spigot
• Water bricks (look online)
• 55-gallon water barrels

Just remember to use clean containers and plain old tap water will be safe to fill them all up.  Keep a variety of water containers in different sizes.  If you only have 55-gallon barrels, you'll be sad when you have to evacuate and you can't lift one of those!  The smaller the container, the easier to transport.   Store your water in different places in your home.  If all of your water is in one area and that area gets damaged....I hope you have some strong men and lots of shovels.  Keep water in the garage, basement, kitchen, cars, under the bed, etc.  Try to store your water in cool, dry places.  The sun will encourage bacteria to grow.  (I would rotate water at least once a year that sits outside in the sun, but I don't rotate my water if it's in my house)

• Lakes, streams, rivers in your area
• Water heaters
• Toilet tanks (not the bowl!)
• Wells
• Rain barrels
• Liquid from canned foods
• Melted ice from your freezer
• Pools & spas, but use it for cleaning only!
• NOT a water bed!!

Some of the above sources will most likely need to be purified.  If in doubt...treat it!!  Do you have the supplies to purify water?

Bleach:  

1. Filter the water through a coffee filter, t-shirt, or any clean cloth.
2. If you have a heat source, boil the water for a minute, but let cool down completely before adding the bleach.
3. If you have clear water add 1/8 t-1/4 t (8-16 drops) of bleach and shake/stir.  Use 1t for 5 gallons of water.  Double the amount for cloudy water.  Make sure the bleach doesn't have any added perfumes or dyes. (1/8 t per 2-liter bottle)
4. Wait 30 minutes.
5. The water must smell like bleach to be safe to drink.  If is doesn't smell of bleach, repeat step 3.

Bleach does have an expiration time of about 8-12 months.  Make sure you are using and rotating it. I write the date I bought it with a sharpie before putting it on my shelf.

Boiling:

1. Boil water for at least one minute. Water is purified the minute it reaches the boiling point, but if you let it boil for 1 minute, you'll be safe.  
2. Make sure to filter the water first if it is cloudy or has debris in it.  
3. Let it cool before drinking.  Boiling does leave a taste to the water.  Add oxygen back in it by pouring it between two containers before drinking. 

My theory is...if in doubt....purify it!!!  

Calcium Hypochlorite: AKA "Pool Shock"

1. 1lb bag will treat 10,000 gallons of water.
2. C.H. doesn't degrade like bleach does
3. Only buy the granular type...not the liquid...it will degrade.
4. 1 gallon bag will treat 1 gallon of water per day for a family of 4 or 6-7 years. 
5. First make a chlorine solution of 1 C. of water and 1/4 t of C. H. (78%)*, mix until dissolved and DO NOT DRINK THIS SOLUTION!  It will be used to purify your water.
6.  Add a 1/2 t of chlorine solution to 2 gallons of water. Stir or shake.
7. Let sit for one hour minimum before drinking.
8. Calcium hypochlorite can be found in pool supply stores, or where ever pool supplies are sold. (I found some at Wal-Mart)
9. *C.H. does come in different strengths.  The store brands are usually about 52% and the stronger stuff, 78%-99% will be found at pool supply stores.  If you use the lower percentage you might need to purify the water more then once.  

There are also many water filters, and water bottles with built in filters, on the market today.  Do the research to find what works best for your family, or research a product called Steramine, found on Amazon. It purifies water too.  We are so lucky to live in a day in age where a couple clicks of the computer, or phone, and we get instant information.

• buy a solar shower to conserve water when bathing
• use spray bottles for hand washing....one bottle has soapy water and another bottle has clean water to rinse hands with
• keep sanitizers in your storage for cleaning hands in times when water isn't really needed
• use the juices from canned goods in cooking
• use cups and a large container of water to dispense drinks. If you hand out water bottles to everyone, they will drink part of it and most likely waste the rest.  Picture your campsite/bug out spot full of the same water bottles and no one knows whose is whose.  (pack a sharpie to write names with your water supply)

Your goal is no more procrastination!!!  My next post will show you how I follow my own advice!  If you don't have water stored, start today!  If you do have water stored, add a gallon or two more. Knowledge is power, but that knowledge won't quench your thirst....commit to DO something today!! 

My Food Storage Week In Review

I thought that I would share a few things that I did this week that either used my food storage, or added to my food storage.  

There was a situation this week in my neighborhood that was highly inconvenient, but also a great lesson for all of us.  Thursday night I received this note on my front porch.

 

What!?!?! No water!?!?! We got this notice at 8 p.m. the night before the water was going to be shut off for 8 hours.  I was really aggravated that I would not have water for that long with 5 kids, my sister, and her 2 children.  What a fun vacation for her! It was my sister's last day visiting at my home and she was planning on doing her laundry all day Friday before leaving.  Plans changed and she madly did her laundry that night.  My brilliant sister also suggested we fill up all the tubs with water so we would be able to flush the toilets the next day.  So we did this.....

All the kids took showers and we filled all the tubs.  My sister lived through Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and is a pro at not having water.  This experience also reminded me that I need to fill up my 55-gallon water barrels.  We emptied them to move and I haven't gotten around to filling them.  I see a project for this weekend!

While my sister was visiting we also did a little experiment.  My neighbor gave us an abundant supply of garden lettuce.  We couldn't eat it all and, using my foodsaver, sealed the extra in a mason jar.  I took a picture today of the jar in the fridge and as you can see, 2 weeks later, it is still edible.  I see only a small amount of browning starting on some of the white edges.

I have seen lettuce stored this way, but I have never tried it myself, and I am sold on it!!  It is a great way to extend the life of your garden and have fresh salads all the time.  Think of all the combinations you could make for lunches at work or school.  Just take some dressing on the side and shake to mix before eating!  I would place carrots and other veggies on the bottom of the jar before the lettuce and then seal.  Fast, healthy lunch options!!

Here are a few other random things that I did this week:

I made "fruit" snacks out of some very large zucchinis that my sister gave me from her garden.  Click HERE to see the post and recipe on making fruit snacks out of zucchinis.

 

For the most part, I like to make my own household cleaners and I needed to make more of my granite/glass cleaner.  We clean almost everything with this solution.

 

Whenever I need spices I head to Winco and purchase them from the bulk section.  They are so affordable and I have never doubted the quality!  I spent $28 and refilled my garlic powder, cinnamon, onion powder, cumin, ginger, curry powder, huge bag of dutch processed cocoa powder, and chili powder. To keep them all fresh I used my foodsaver and sealed them in glass jars.  And since I had my foodsaver out I sealed my freeze dried cheese in jars as well.  I had opened the #10 can and I didn't want the cheese to spoil.

This is just a sampling of how a typical week at my house is.   I really wanted to cook in my sun oven for my sister, but we had crazy thunderstorms roll in almost every afternoon. There is always a small part of preparedness going on in my home. From small beginnings come great things. - Proverb

Culinary Water Shortage in Utah

It's summer and it's HOT right now!!  Hot may even be an understatement.  And when it's hot we all need lots of water!!  But right now in Lehi, Utah the city is on an 'extraordinary water conservation measure'.   Residents have been asked to not water their yards, especially with culinary water.  In situations like this we all have to ask:  Do we have enough water stored??

There are many ways to store your water and I suggest having water stored in small containers all they way up to the very largest containers available.  Smaller water bottles can be tossed into 72-hour kits or for a grab and go situation, and the very large water tanks are great for a bug-out-in-place situation.  Like the situation in Lehi, you could spot water your yard and gardens with your stored water.  I would like to think I could let my grass go, but after all the work of putting in a vegetable garden, I know I would use my water for that first.

My friends at Preparedness Plus Products LLC, have let me know of a great deal on their larger water tanks right now, and I want to pass on the savings to all of you!! For most of us, now is the time to secure our water storage!!  Don't hesitate in this area of preparedness!!!!

Preparedness Plus  Products LLC water Tank Offer: 

Due to the severe culinary water shortage in Lehi and in other cities throughout Utah and across the United States, we are offering a special sale on all of our water tanks.  In addition, through the end of July, 2013, we are offering FREE DELIVERY on all tanks delivered in Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, southern Cache, and southern Box Elder counties.   

All of our tanks have a 10-year warranty to be free of any defects in materials or workmanship.  The valves and fittings have a one-year warranty.  These warranties are on conditions of normal use.  The warranty does not cover abuse.  Tanks are built to 13 lbs per gallon so they will hold up under the shock of something falling on them (earthquake/hurricane).  Tank walls are approximately ¼” thick.  The 185 gallon and 250 gallon tanks have a 12-sided design which adds to their strength and rigidity.  The 250 gallon tank has two recessed strapping points to strap it to a wall; the 185 gallon tank has one recessed strapping point to strap it to a wall.  The valves are recessed so they will not accidentally break off.   The 250 gallon and 185 gallon tanks have a spring- loaded, vented lid.  This keeps bugs and insects out, but also lets the water flow freely when drawing water out of the tank.  All tanks have two heavy duty brass ball valves, one at the very bottom and the other offset to the left from the bottom value and up 22” from the bottom.  Tanks are built of food grade polyethylene plastic, which makes them safe for drinking water even when stored in direct sunlight.  The material used in our tank is FDA approved for potable water, and exposure to the sun will not make it unsafe to drink.  The water has a UV8 rating, which means it will not degrade for 8 years in direct sunlight exposure.  Even if the material does degrade, it will not cause the water to be unsafe for consumption. 

Although the tanks come in various colors, we recommend the darker colors as they block sunlight, which slows the growth of algae and bacteria in the tank. 

185 gallon natural color water tank        Reg. $349.00    Special $295.00
30” wide x 68” tall; 60 lbs

185 gallon granite or blue colored water tank    Reg. $365.00    Special $315.00
30” wide x 68” tall; 60 lbs

250 gallon natural color water tank        Reg. $420.00    Special $359.00
30” wide x 86” tall; 85 lbs           

250 gallon granite or blue colored water tank    Reg. $479.00    Special $379.00
30” wide x 86” tall; 85 lbs

500 gallon natural or black colored water tank    Reg. $629.00    Special $520.00
49” wide x 67” tall; 110 lbs       

500 gallon granite or blue colored water tank    Reg. $649.00    Special $548.00
49” wide x 67” tall; 110 lbs

1500 gallon natural or black colored water tank    Reg. $1065.00    Special $925.00
88” wide x 75” tall; 220 lbs

1500 gallon granite or blue colored water tank    Reg. $1135.00    Special $995.00
88” wide x 75” tall; 220 lbs

To order tanks, check on availability of desired color, and to schedule delivery, please call Mindy at Preparedness Plus Products, LLC, at 800-588-5412.  Also visit www.preparednessplus.net.   
      

Prepare Today Homemade: Mason Jar Water Storage

This has been my big project at the new house...

 I have slowly been putting my storage room back together.  It is taking forever and the weather isn't helping!  My storage room is a room in the garage, so it gets really cold in there.  I am not one for numb fingers and toes so this project has taken me a long time.  As you can see there is still a mountain of things to put away in the middle of the floor. But I can at least find something now.  It was like a search and rescue mission for awhile every time we needed something in there.  But I love my new space, it is just steps from the kitchen, and it has enough space for everything!!!  

So, today's food post will be the easiest "recipe" EVER!!!  Water is the first and most important item you need in any food storage.  Storing water can be tricky when it comes to the amount of water needed per person, so this idea will work in any house that has canning jars.  It requires only water and a mason jar.  I first saw this idea on Pinterest and couldn't believe I never thought of it before.  I remembered this idea today when I was stacking all of my empty mason jars in a corner of the storage room, and it occurred to me that it was a waste of space to just store them empty. I took the jars back into the house, filled them with water, wiped off the rims, and screwed the lids back on.  Simple, fast, and keeps the jars clean!!  Now I have water storage and clean jars!! 

Now I just need to fill the other 50 jars and I'll be done with this project too. :)  Remember if you live in earthquake areas to secure your shelves to the wall and to also have a way to hold the jars onto the shelf.  A bungee cord stretched across the front of the shelf, or piece of wood nailed across the front of the shelf will work.

Water Storage

 I was watching the news today to see what the forecast for next week was and something the weatherman said caught my attention.  He said that May is generally the wettest month out of the year in Utah and we haven't had any rain showers yet.  No rain in May and that equals a summer of limited water usage.  It was a reminder to make sure my water storage is up to the level it needs to be.  

 I store my water in many different types of containers and also in different locations throughout my home and yard.  I have water bottles in my car kits, 72-hour kits, under the stairs, and in the storage room.  My 55 gallon drums are clearly staying outside while my juice and detergent (yes, laundry detergent bottles are great water storage containers.  Don't rinse them, just fill up and use for cleaning water.  Make sure to label them as water.) bottles are stored in the kitchen and storage room.  I don't want to lose all of my water supply in case of an earthquake by storing all of my water in one location.  

Rinse your juice/soda bottles with a little bleach and fill with tap water. Another myth out there about water storage is that you need to empty your water containers and refill them every six months.  Guess what...you don't need to do that!  The only situation that I would recommend changing the water is, if you have containers that sit in the sun and they go from extreme hot to cold.  But other than that you can leave your water in a container for much longer than previously thought. (yes I know there are expiration dates on water bottles, but come on, water doesn't expire)  If the water needs to be consumed and it tastes stale just pour it between 2 containers to add some air back to it and it will taste better. 

If you have no storage whatsoever, get water today!!!!!  It is simple and in most cases free.  We don't drink soda or juice so I ask at family parties for the empty soda and juice bottles.  It is also a great way to be green and re-purpose an item.

Click HERE  for other posts on water.

Prepare Today October Goals

October is here!!  It is time for Conference, fall, and cooler weather (one can hope).  Our goals this month central around organizing and cleaning out.  Don't get scared :)  it's all pretty simple.

3-Month Supply Goal:

It's all fine and dandy to have buckets full of food in your basement, but if you had to cook without food from your fridge, could you do it?  This month's challenge is to find at least 5 recipes that can be made using shelf-stable food.  You may find that these recipes are easier than your regular recipes and they taste really good!  I recommend the books "Dinner, It's In The Bag", and "100 Day Pantry".  They both use only shelf stable foods in their recipes.  You may wonder how that is possible, but meat does come in a can, milk does come in a shelf stable carton (Gossners milk is at the Dollar Store), and it really does taste good!!  Also, check out this website:  myfoodstoragecookbook.com for some amazing organizational ideas for your meal plan along with amazing shelf stable recipes!!!  I have found some of my family's favorite recipes from that website.


Water Goal:
If you have a 55-gallon water barrel and it sits outside in the sun you need to change the water.  I would do this every year for water that is near a heat source.  You never know what may be growing in there.  

Financial Reserve Goal:
Christmas is getting closer and closer!  Putting money aside now will help you later!  A great idea for Christmas gifts is to give preparedness items.  I ask for food storage and emergency preparedness items every year from my parents.  It is useful, necessary, and helps!!

Long-Term Supply Goal:

This month our focus will be on FATS & OILS.  This includes OILS, BUTTER/MARGARINE, PEANUT BUTTER, SHORTENING, NUTS, AND MAYONNAISE.  These items are kind of hard to store long term because of how quickly they go rancid.  When storing oils/fats remember HALT: H=heat, A=air, L=light, and T=temperature.  If you keep them in a cool, dark place, they will last longer.  There are many oils, like coconut oil, that have a shelf life of at least 5 years.  Your typical vegetable and canola oils have about a 1 year shelf life.  If you store shortening you can heat it until it turns into a liquid and use that in cooking.  What ever works for you, store it!  Butter will last longer in the freezer.  The price of butter right now is extremely high, so stock up if you see it below $2, and store it in the freezer!!

Emergency Preparedness Goal:

This month is 72-hour kit inventory time!  For me it is just easier to know I will be home all weekend on Conference weekend and pulling out the 72-hour kits is something that can get done.  In October it is time to make sure you have winter items, like hats, mittens, gloves, long pants, sweatshirts, coats,etc. Also check the food items and replace any expired items.  You could go as far as taking your kits and hiking somewhere and having a family picnic.  This way, you would know for sure what worked and what didn't.  

Enjoy the Journey!
Enjoy the Blessings!
Feel the PEACE

Water

I don't know about you, but I LOVE water.  It's the first thing I drink in the morning and the last thing I put in my mouth before bedtime.  I am not a juice or soda drinker and I easily drink 90+ ounces of water per day.  If I don't drink enough water I get sluggish, tired, and I get massive headaches.  (something my kids inherited from me)  I honestly can't live without water!  (I know no one can actually live without water, but I really couldn't :)

Water affects so many parts of our bodies and most people do not get enough of it!  Water makes up about 75-80% of our brains, helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells, removes waste, protects an cushions vital organs, helps the body absorb nutrients, etc, etc!

WATER.....

• One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pains for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study
• Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue
• A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy, short-term memory, trouble with basic math (so that's why I didn't do well in math classes)  and difficulty focusing on the computer screen
• You lose brain cells if you are dehydrated
• 2 glasses of water after waking up helps activate internal organs
• 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal helps digestion and helps you eat less
• 1 glass of water before taking a bath helps lower blood pressure
• 1 glass of water before bed helps avoid heart attack or stroke

As you can see water is essential and all of our lives depend on it!  This month our storage goal is to store water, water and more water!  It is a hot month in Utah and if there was an earthquake many of us would become dehydrated pretty quickly.  The best item to start with in your storage is WATER!!!!  Don't wait any longer, store water in juice, detergent, and soda bottles.  Buy 24 packs of water and store some in your car.  If you have the 55-gallon drums make sure you have a pump and also a container to pump the water into.  I never really thought how I was going to get the water from my 55-gallon drum to my kitchen.  I bought a 5-gallon container to use for this purpose.


Store your water today!!!


Click HERE to view all of the goals for July.

Enjoy the journey!
Enjoy the blessings!
Feel the PEACE!

Complete Proteins and More!

This month we are storing grains.  As a vegetarian I love grains, but I also need to make sure I get enough protein in my diet.  I am sure that many of you know that if you eat beans and rice together you are eating a complete protein. Longer term storage is kind of tricky when you need to store meats and dairy products.  In the event we don't have meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and fresh milk products you can eat grains along with a complementing protein, and have a protein equivalent to meat!

From peaceofpreparedness.com:

"Planning meals around these complementary food combinations will provide the complete proteins needed by the body.  In many cases it will be better than a meat protein.  Complementing proteins should be eaten withing the same day."
WHEAT + BEANS                         RICE + LEGUMES
WHEAT + MILK                            RICE + MILK
BEANS + MILK               
CEREAL + MILK                         

WATER STORAGE GOALS: 
Have you stored any water this week?

3-MONTH STORAGE GOAL: 

Store  your water in different containers as well as in different locations.  If you keep all your water in your basement and your house collapses, where are you going to get your water from.  Keep water in your car, basement, kitchen, backyard, under the stairs, etc.

I found a great recipe this week for Creamy Chicken Taquitos and it uses mostly items that you would have in your 3-month storage.  Remember that your 3-month storage includes the food in your refrigerator and freezer.  Items like green onions and cilantro would be in my fridge because I use them quite often.  Don't think of your 3-month storage as only items in a can or box!!
Click HERE To see this yummy recipe from Our Best Bites! 

 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GOAL:

How are your car kits coming along?  Have you thought of how you would stay warm?  I made a #10 can heater to keep in my car.  It is VERY easy to put together and requires just some household ingredients.  CLICK HERE to see the instructions from Food Storage Made Easy!! Just a note, they use a hot cocoa can in the picture and that won't work for a heater as the can in not made out of metal.  You need a metal can like a #10 can.  For a more advanced heater check out their post HERE.  


FINANCIAL GOAL:

Did you put away a few extra dollars this week?  Keep your money in your 72-hour kits or another safe place.  Have your money in small bills only.  You don't want to have to pay for something with a $20 because you don't have a smaller bill, assume you won't be able to get change. 

Click HERE to view the complete list of goals for January.  You can get most of them accomplished by shopping at the case lot sales!! Grains, water, and 3-month supply items are all on sale!!!
 



Enjoy the journey!
Enjoy the blessings!
Feel the peace!

Self Reliance Expo-Part 1

Christmas came early for me this year!  I was able to spend 5 hours surrounded by food storage, portable potties, generators, water storage containers & purification containers.  Today I attended the Self Reliance Expo at the South Towne Expo Center and it has to be the best expo I have ever attended. I was so lucky to win tickets from one of my favorite blogs, blog.totallyready.com. Every booth was filled with products for and about emergency preparedness.  Of course I took my camera and documented my day.  You may want to get comfy because this could be a long post, but there was so much information that I wanted to collect to pass on to all of you.  I tried to get a website for each of the vendors that I am spotlighting so please visit their sites for more information.  

The fun started outside the venue where they had trailers set up with all the comforts of home inside.  They are from the Timberline Range Camp company and you can see more at their website trccamps.com.

The Humless Roadrunner Generator & The Ultimate Bag 72-Hour Kit

 The first booth to catch my eye was the Hummless Roadrunner company.  The small black box on the ground is a generator and is a silent, clean, safe, ultra portable unit.  You can charge it from a regular outlet, use solar panels, or hand crank/ bicycle crank.  It is safe to use indoors or in a tent and it has a 110AC outlet, 12VDC outlet, and USB ports.  There were different sizes and I believe they ran from $200-$1500.  Check out amazon.com for the portable lithium generator. 


The other item that really intrigued me was the 72-hour kit duffle bag that zipped open and can be hung up. It is called the Ultimate Bag and you can see it in the picture above.  What a clever idea to have all your kit supplies in a designated compartment and in such a small bag.  I thought this was such a great idea.  Check out www.theultimatebag.com for more information.

Kitchen Kneads

 Kitchen Kneads is a great local company that sells all things food storage related.  In the picture is the Sun Oven (they can answer any question you have about a Sun Oven), the Wonder Mill grinder and many food storage canned goods.  They are located at 7579 S. Redwood Rd.  and their number is 801-561-9616.   They have some great sales around LDS Conference times, but you should check them out before April :)

Augason Farms

 One of my favorite stores is the Augason Farms store (formerly the Blue Chip Group).  They sell the Maggie Moo's brand of milk and have many food items.  I buy applesauce powder, canned cheese, canned meat, oats, etc., AND they have a really fun outlet room with great prices.  They are located at 3431 S. 500 W, just west of I-15 off the 33rd south exit.  Check out their website augasonfarms.com .  We got to test the broccoli soup and the potato cheddar soup and it was delicious!  The small cans in the picture are only $2.50.

       Of course Emergency Essentials was at the expo.  They are a wonderful company that sell canned food, dehydrated food, MRE's, sleeping bags, candles, porta potties (with lids that seal),  water drums, wheat, oats, rice, you name it they sell it!  They have a really amazing food storage analyzer that will help you keep track of what food you have stored and the vitamins and nutrients that you may be lacking in your storage (check their website for more info).  My sister and I answered a trivia question and I received a reusable hand warmer.  It is like the one- use Hotties except you can boil it and it returns to it's original state. You can get 10 of them for $20.  Guess what my family is getting in their stockings this year.  You can find all of their info at beprepared.com or visit their store at 110 W. 33rd S.

Some of the best books on food storage are written by Peggy Layton.  Cookin' With Home Storage is one of my favorites and I refer to it many times when I am cooking.  She has also authored the Cookin' With series that includes Cookin' With Potatoes, Cookin' With Powdered Milk, Cookin' With Dried Eggs, and Cookin' With Beans and Rice.  I highly suggest owning these cookbooks and to get to know them.  Peggy really knows what she is doing when it comes to using your food storage and also maintaining your food storage program.  Her book Food Storage 101 "Where do I Begin?" is a great book to get you motivated on starting your food storage.  For more information check out peggylayton.com.

Easy Water Storage company

There were several companies with really great water storage ideas.  The Sure Water company sells the 260 and 525 gallon water tanks. They cost $395 & $525 and they ship free to Utah and SL counties.  For more information visit their website at easywaterstorage.com or call 1-800-797-2207.


I had such a great time at the Expo and I have much more to share.  There were many more vendors at the Expo so stay tuned for Part 2 of the Self Reliance Expo next Saturday, November 13th!!

November Goals:

1. Cooking essentials-yeast, baking powder, baking soda, spices, oils, flour, sugar,salt, etc. 
2.  Personal Hygiene supplies.  Watch for sales and buy enough to last for 3 months.  This includes all feminine hygiene items, diapers/wipes, soaps, shampoo's, deodorants, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, hand sanitizer,etc.  And if you don't have a portable potty, this is the month to finally get one put together.  Click HERE to view a previous post on luggable loo's.  

Enjoy the journey!

Enjoy the blessings!

Feel the peace!!