Organizing Non Food Items

My Herb Storage Shelf

We have a bathroom in our basement that is huge - not sure why it ws made that way, but it is bigger than any bathroom in the house and all it has is a potty and a sink. There are lots of shelves there so I use it for our non food storage. As I am deep cleaning our house my number one goal is to get it all put together so the preparedness items are available to use. I have had things all over the house. So I put in the repective area's a couple bars of soap and the rest in the storage area, two tubes of toothpaste in each bathroom and the rest in storage. I have a better idea of what we have and what we need.

One thing I do as far as inventorying our food is once a case is opened it is off the food storage list and added to the "need to buy" list. I just adapted that to the non food as well.

To have a successful food storage you need to have a system of inventory that works for you.

Self Reliance and Gardening

It seems like people are thinking about things a lot differently in today's economy than they have in the past. Self reliance has become a hot topic all of a sudden. Instinctively people know that we can't depend on the government or any other organization to just 'take care of us'. We must take the initiative to provide for our families and be prepared to provide for them NO MATTER what happens in our communities. One of the most important ways to be self reliant is to be able to grow your own food.

Shocking was the response of a 3rd grade girl to the question her teacher asked her, 'Where do vegetables come from?' She replied, 'The store'. There are many children who don't even know the plants that vegetables and fruits come from!

Education is the first step, but there is another relevant problem: The Growing Season.

I live in Idaho which means our last frost happens about Memorial Day and our first one in the fall is about Labor Day - that gives me 3 months to garden. Depending on your climate zone, most likely you won't always be able to grow food whenever you want. So we must go to battle with Mother Nature! The solution to be able to grow food year round is simple: a greenhouse. A greenhouse is something I am adding to my supplies this summer. I am so excited about it. I am learning about "greenhouse gardening" and add this to my preparedness skills.

As I have done the research and studied I have found there are so many benefits of owning a greenhouse, here are a few:
1. Grow food year round. No matter what your zone is you can produce year round. Many greenhouse owners have extended their growing season from just July and August to March - November without any heat supplement. What a huge difference!

2. Grow in any climate conditions. In a greenhouse YOU control the environment, not Mother Nature.

3. Added benefit for your family. A family who works and plays together stays together. Teaching, working and having fun in a greenhouse provides for added stability in your children. It also teaches them that vegetables do not come from the store. This is a video about greenhouse gardener's talking about the benefits to their families HERE
4. Basic Skills. Being self reliant also means that you have the skills necessary to survive in various situations. Knowing you have a method to provide food for your family, no matter the current conditions, decreases your stress level.

5 - Decrease in stress. Let's get real, digging in the dirt while in a warm greenhouse, even if the temperatures outsid are cold, heals anyone's stress level!

So next Christmas when I get to go out to my greenhouse and pick tomatoes and lettuce for our dinner, just wave at me as you drive by - well really slide by - I live in Idaho!

For more info on the greenhouse I am using you can e-mail brent@tuffgreenhouses.com

ALTERNATIVES FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND TOOLS

This is a great list - the website is at the bottom of the article.
Electric can openerManual can opener
Manual wall mounted can opener
GI K-9 emergency can opener
Pocketknife can opener blade
Blender
Wire whisk
Martini shaker
Egg beaterKnife
Food chopper
Handcrank blender
Rechargeable portable blenderElectric mixerWire whisk for thin batters
Large wooden spoon for thicker batters
Egg beater for whipping
Hand crank mixerBread mixer or bread machineStrong arms and hands!
Hand crank mixer
Food processor

Knife
Mandolin
Grater
Pastry blender
Two tableknives
Wire whisk
Egg beater
Food chopper
Knife
Manual food processor
CrockpotSolar oven
Norwegian stove
Wonder Box
HayboxP
ropane slow cooker
Toaster

Campfire or stove top toaster
Campfire forks
Egg cookerSaucepan of water
Solar oven
Add a poaching insertGrain mill
Manual grain mill
Coffee grinder (for small amounts)
Popcorn popper

Campfire popcorn popper
Stove top popcorn popper
Waffle ironCampfire waffle iron
Stove top waffle iron
Sandwich maker

Camp cooker or pie iron
JuicerReamer
Hand juicer
Citrus press
Refrigerator

Cooler with ice
Portable thermo electric cooler
Portable gas refrigerator
Propane, natural gas or kerosene refrigerator
Solar electric refrigerator
Cool gardie safe or bamboo iceless refrigerator
Pot-in-pot refrigeratorCold streamRoot cellar
Stove/oven

Gas stove/oven/rangeL
iquid fuel camp stove
Portable collapsible oven
Propane camp oven
Lantern cooker
Gas or charcoal grill
Dutch oven
Wood burning fireplace
Solar oven
Canned heat stove
Tin can stove
Butane, propane or kerosene stove
Chafing dish
Propane skillet
Apple Box oven
Rocket stove
Dishwasher

Hot water and soap
Garbage disposal

Compost pile
Domesticated animals
Iron

Sad iron (heavy metal iron heated by another source)
Butane iron
Clothes washer

Washboard and tub
Washing plunger and tub
Pressure hand washer
Clothes dryer

Clothesline

Drying rack
Sewing machine

Needle and thread
Treadle sewing machine
Vacuum cleaner

Broom and dustpan
Dust mop
Floor sweeper
Electric razor
Safety razor
Strap razor
Electric toothbrush

ToothbrushStick with shredded endFinger
Curling iron

Butane curling iron
Hair rollersBlow dryerCordless hair dryer (still in patent approval)
Alarm clock

Battery operated clock
Wind-up clock
Doorbell

Door knocker
Manual door bell
Computer/word processor/printer

Pen, pencil and paper

Manual typewriter

Electric typewriter

Pen, pencil and paper

Manual typewriter
Electric pencil sharpener

Small knife
Hand held pencil sharpener
Manual schoolroom pencil sharpener
Wireless telephoneLand line telephone
Fan

Battery operated fan
Hand operated fan
Hand held fan
Wind blowing through wet sheets
Television

Books
Games
Battery operated television w/car adaptor
Radio

Battery powered radio
Hand crank radio
LightsCandles and matches
Flashlight and batteries
Hand crank flashlightLantern – battery powered, oil, propane, kerosene, candle, gas
Lamp –

oil, paraffin, kerosene
Battery recharger

Solar battery rechargerCell phone chargerDisposable charger
Battery operated charger
Hand crank charger
Solar charger
Car charger
Water heater

Any stove

Portable solar shower bag

Heater

Fireplace
Wood burning (or other fuels) stove
Propane or kerosene room heater
Extra clothes and blankets http://www.simplyprepared.com/alternatives_to_electrical_appliances_and_tools.htm

Inventory First Aid Items

We had a first aid mini emergency this week and I realized I need to replace a few items in my kit and in my supplies. I need to get some more vaseline, some anti-gas treatment, and some kind of diaper rash ointment. I also have added cleaning out my supplies to my "To Do" list next week.

Here is a great First Aid Kit Resource Article:

First Aid Kit Supplies
By Rachel Woods, About.com Latter-day Saint Guide, http://lds.about.com
Your basic emergency/home storage should include a prepared kit of first aid supplies.
Notes:
• Update your first aid kit every six months (put a note in your calendar/planner) to
replenish and check all supplies. Expired or contaminated items should be replaced.
• Check with your family doctor for any specific medicines and supplies your family
might require for an emergency.
• Some items may leak or break open. Using tubes, plastic bottles, or Ziploc bags can
help prevent contamination.
• All supplies should be labeled and organized for quick and easy use.
• Supplies may be divided and organized into compartments or sections.
• You may include any other first aid items you feel would be useful or necessary.
• A condensed version of this first aid kit should also be included in your 72 hour kit.
*List compiled from, “Essentials of Home Production & Storage,” 1978, p 7-8.

Standard First Aid Kit Supplies*
ı Container (metal, wood, or plastic) with
a fitted cover to store first aid kit
ı First Aid Booklet (including CPR)
ı Prescribed Medications
ı Any critical medical family histories
ı Adhesive
ı Ammonia
ı Bicarbonate of soda
ı Calamine lotion (sunburn/insect bites)
ı Diarrhea remedy
ı Elastic bandages
ı Gauze bandages
ı Hot-water bottle
ı Hydrogen peroxide
ı Ipecac syrup (induces vomiting)
ı Knife
ı Matches
ı Measuring cup
ı Medicine dropper
ı Needles
ı Paper bags
ı Razor blades
ı Rubbing alcohol
ı Safety pins
ı Scissors
ı Soap
ı Thermometer
ı Triangular bandages
ı Tweezers
ı Prescriptions
ı Consecrated oil

Additional First Aid Kit Supplies
ı Immunization records
ı Medications for children (if applicable)
ı Fever reducing medications such as:
-aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen
ı Allergy medication
ı Antibacterial wipes
ı Antibiotic ointment
ı Antiseptic wipes
ı Band-aids
ı Burn ointment/spray
ı Cotton balls
ı Cough syrup/cough drops
ı Disposable blanket
ı Eye drops/eye wash
ı Feminine Hygiene
ı Gloves
ı Hand sanitizer
ı Hot and cold instant packs
ı Hydrocortisone cream
ı Lip ointment (chap stick)
ı Medical tape (waterproof & regular)
ı Nail clippers
ı Needle and thread
ı Snake bite kit
ı Sterile strips
ı Sunscreen/lotion
ı Tourniquet kit
ı Vaseline
ı Water purification tablets
ı Other:

My Preparedness Information is Organized! WOO HOO

This week I have totally taken all of my preparedness paper's, handouts. books, personal research etc. and organized it. I had duplicates of many things and am giving that all away.

I have sections for food, recipes, disaters, skills, etc. I have enough information that it filled a file drawer. I am working on my herb book now, getting it organized and in working order.

Now I can clearly see what I need to work on, what herbs and garden seeds to plant and what skills I need to learn.....so my challenge to you is to get your information in working order!

Earthquake - Your Children

Today this is on everyone's mind as we have seen the pictures coming out of Chile. Our prayers and concers are with these people.

When it comes to EQ preparedness I don't know if we can ever be totally prepared, but there are things we can do ahead of time to help if this happens to us and our families.

When I was about 5 we lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. There was a huge earthquake. I remember trying to get to my mom's room. It was quaking so hard that by the time my brother and I reached the hallway that we were being thrown from wall to wall. My mom yelled to us to lay down. We did that until the shaking finished.

I would suggest if you have children to talk to them about what they do during the earthquake specifically. Let them practice it. Make it a fun night so they aren't scared. Going through this as a child and knowing the terror this created I know how little kids just try to get to their parents. We never talked about earthquakes and what to do if there was one and it was terrifying. If we had talked about it, I would have better known what to do.

What I Am Doing This Week ----Family Preparedness Organization

Since there isn't alot going on in our area with preapredness we decided as a family to make our own family preparedness organization. I am sharing how we have organized this to help give you some ideas and hopefully some motivation to do this if you aren't already. I can't get the table to come up so it won't be listed as one sorry!

Please look the months and see which months you have an assignment.
You have 15 minutes to cover whatever part of this you want to do. For example - Dad on Water - he can spend one time talking about purifying water, one time on how to find it if you don't have any on hand, one time on rotation and how to store, etc.
Your food assignment you do as a couple if you wish. You have 10 minutes to cover whatever info you want. You can send out e-mails, recipes, whatever you chose to do for your food area.
The meeting will be 60 minutes on Fast Sunday at 6:30 our time after dinner.
I will send you the number for the call on March 6. We will use this number each month if you aren't able to be here.
FYI - This first time the people who have an assignment are: Mesha, Ben, Kalea, and Mom/Dad.

Agenda:
· 15 minutes on each topic (45 minutes)
· 10 minutes on food for the month
· 5 minutes on questions that haven't been answered

DAD - Water - storage, gathering, purifying, rotation, etc.
MOM - Food - General Info - Storage, amounts, perserving, how to store, menu's, refrigeration,
MOM - Specific Disaters/Clothing/Boots/Sewing/- warmth, boots, repairs, protection etc. (Jonathan's wife will take this spot (wink wink)
BEN - Defense - guns, skills, knives, strategy, etc. BEN
KALEA - Moral - games, activities, conflict, books, etc. KALEA
BRENT - Transportation - physical condidtion. bikes, walking, repairs, cars etc.
ANDREA - Shelter - tents, bedding, tarps, etc.
JEFF - Sanitation /Personal Care/- soap, teeth, hair, - TP, Toilet, Washing etc etc.
MESHA - 1st Aid - Kit, knowledge, CPR etc.
JONATHAN - Heating/Lighting -
CASEY ? Obtaining Food – hunting/fishing and equipment
SHAYLA- Cooking

March
1st Aid Mesha
Defense Ben
Moral Kalea
Grain Mom/Dad

April
Cooking Shayla
Food Misc. Mom
Pers/San Jeff
Oil Andrea/Brent

May
Disaster/Clothing Mom
Transportation Brent
Shelter Andrea
Milk Mesha/Jeff

June
Heat/Light Jonathan
Obtain Food Casey
Water Dad
Sugar Kalea/Ben

July
1st Aid Mesha
Defense Ben
Moral Kalea
72 Hour Kits Shay/Casey

Aug
Cooking Shayla
Food Misc. Mom
Pers/San Jeff
Beans Jonathan

Sept
Disaster/Clothing Mom
Transportation Brent
Shelter Andrea
Leavener/Salt Mom/Dad

Oct
Heat/Light Jonathan
Obtain Food Casey
Water Dad
Spices Andrea/Brent

Nov
1st Aid Mesha
Defense Ben
Moral Kalea
Meat Mesha/Jeff

Dec
Cooking Shayla
Food Misc. Mom
Pers/San Jeff
Moral Boosters Kalea/Ben

Jan
Disaster/Clothing Mom
Transportation Brent
Shelter Andrea
Vitamins Shay/Casey

Feb
Heat/Light Jonathan
Obtain Food Casey
72 Hour Kits - Jonathan

Garden Plans

If you have room for a garden, it really adds to your preapredness...no matter if it is a container or a plot, it is a key piece to your preparedness. The knowledge of how to grow your own food is invaluable. Now is the time where I like to start studying it out, planning the garden area and getting things ready for the weather to break.
We have a veggie garden spot, a place for strawberries, a place for raspberries, grapes, herbs and an orchard. Every year we expand and add new things. I use heirloom seeds. This year I would like to be totally self sustaining. You can follow my plans on my gardening blog as I progress through the season.
That link is: http://bucketideasforgardening.blogspot.com/

Challenge To You!

I canned a bunch this fall from our garden, (recipes follow). When I took all those bottles to the storage room, I didn't have room to put them in because it was stuffed to the max. I haven't been able to organize very well and sometimes things get pushed back too far or I get duplicate things when I need other items.

.

In October I did something I have wanted to do for a while. I took out all the short term storage items and put them together. I also made a special place for personal care and 1st aid items

I can already see a difference in it's effectiveness and it is all so clean! I am ready to get back into learning, gathering and sharing information again until it time to plant the garden in the spirng.

Challenge To The Reader - Clean Your Storage Room

I went to a food storage class once that the teacher asked what kind of an investment we had made into our food storage. She asked us to put write the amount of money on top of the paper she had given us for an outline of the class. After we had done that, she asked if we had invested that much money in art or jewelry how we would store it and take care of it. After her point was made, she said. "With this much of an investment, including it's benefit, your food storage room should be the cleanest room in your house."

I have tried to remember this, but I had stacked too many things all together and I had lost my effectiveness. I found spiders and dust that needed to be cleaned up and out.

This has been a labor of love over years of time. Our children have learned it well and all are gathering their food storage too. We have empty rooms now so I can be more effective in the storage of our food area. You may not have that option right now. In the past we have stored things under beds, in closets etc. you can store a lot of things in places like that. It is still important to keep them vacumed, in order and inventoried.

MIA and Storage Room Overhaul

Chapter 1 - I Have Had A Crazy Summer!

June - It rained all month - I was able to garden between rainstorms

July - I was sick

August - We had 2 new grandson's on Aug 9 and Aug 15

September - We canned like a crazy person - we did over 400 quarts of food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 2 - Overhaul

October - Time to clean out the storage room. We have had one storage room that is 12 x 16. I have put things in layers in there and as you can imagine, we could barely walk in the walking area. We had another storage area for household items and a large bathroom down there that could have held a hot tub! (In fact before it was a bathroom, we used it for a bedroom for one of our children - it is that big!)

Changes - Main Storage Room
All of these rooms are at the end of the basement hall so the doors all touch. If there weren't walls the rooms would be all connected.
I took out all of the stuff from our main storage area that wasn't long term. WOW! Everything in there is in buckets and cannery cans, these are things that are 40 years + storage items. We can walk around it andfind things.

Changes - Bathroom
I put 2 sets of shelves in to hold all the non food things, vitamins, paper goods etc. (I can find things!)

Changes - Old Storage Area
(Also used to be a bedroom for one of the kids)
Grocery store type items in here. These are all the canned things, pacakges, bottles etc. I can easily rotate and organized these items.

Did Someone Say Peaches!

We canned 4 bushels of peaches yesterday. We got 84 quarts. We would have had more, but the peaches were so great we had to eat some and save a few for eating. Only one time a year do you get fresh peaches and this is it!

FYI - For you new canners ----:>Normal output is 20-24 quarts of canned food per bushel of food.

I also did pickles this morning with cucumbers from our garden. All I have left to do now is tomatoes and finish the corn. It is supposed to get cold here next week so I think I will pick everything on Monday and can next week and then I will be done for another season.

Tuesday
59° F 30° F
Chance of T-storms
40% chance of precipitation
Then it is supposed to freeze everynight after that - I guess it will be October and really supposed to be getting colder.

I Am So Excited!

I have been working in my garden all summer and we have been blessed with an abundant harvest. I have canned 150 points of green beans, 280 pints of corn, 18 quarts of pickles, and 24 pints of V-8 juice. I still have more cucumbers to do, another bushel of tomatoes, more corn and lots of squash. We are canning cherry juice, apricot juice, plums and apples from our trees and peaches from Utah. Our storage room is looking filled up! WOO HOO!!!

Here are a few of the recipes:

Frozen Corn- This is from our youngest daughters mother in law - Elaine

Ingredients:
$ 6 c. corn sliced from cob
$ ½ c. water
$ 2 tbsp sugar
$ ½ tsp. canning salt - Plain salt
$ ½ cube butter
Bring to boil 2 - 3 minutes
Put in pan to cool. Put desired amounts into zip lock bags. Freeze.

Yummy Dill Pickles - Betty my darling friend

6 heads dill
6buds garlic
6 small red dried peppers
6 thick onion slices
1 qt. vinegar
2 quates water
1 cup uniodized salt
small cucumbers
1. wash cuc's
2. pack in quart jars
3. add 1 each of dill, garlic, pepper, and onion
4. combine vinegar,water, salt - boil
5. pour in jars
6. seal as regular pickles

FOR QUARTS WATER BATH 20 MINUTES

Apple Pie Filling - Also from Elaine
Ingredients:
$ 6 quarts apples peeled and sliced
$ 4 ½ c. sugar
$ 1 c. corn starch
$ 4 tsp. cinnamon
$ 1 tsp. nutmeg
$ 10 c. water - Cook above ingredients til thick
$ 3 tbsp. lemon jr
$ 1 tsp. salt - Add to the sauce

You can make sauce ahead of time. Fill jars with sliced apples the cover with sauce. Cold pack in canner for 20 minutes. Use one quart of apple pie filling per pie

Preserving Squash

I am harvesting things out of my garden - here are the instructions for squash.

Cut it up and clean out the seeds, then cook it for 40 min. at 375 with the skins on. Let it cook and then put it in freezer bags and freeze it, I usually put four pieces in a gallon size freezer bag.

3 Month Supply

I know there is lots of talk right now about the swine flu and the possiblities that it could bring. So I am offerening you a challenge -

Could you right now live in your house for 3 months without going out to purchase products, to be entertained or to get some exercise, diversion etc.? What would it take for you to do this?

Please take some time to start thinking about this right now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I am In the Garden

Our summers are so short - when the sun shines we are all outside.
Click here to jion me in my garden!

CROCK POT YOGURT - IT WORKS!

I have a yogurt maker but it has always been so complicated, I have to feel really motivated to do it. I tried Debbies recipe - listed at the bottom of the blog and it is great! I just blended my home canned peaches from last fall with a cup of it and it is like eating Ice Cream YUMMM!