Everday Food Storage Cookbook

This cookbook seems to combine 2 of my passions. Food Storage & Cookbooks. I am somewhat of a fanatic when it comes to cookbooks. I love 'em! I love to look at the pictures, and envision making a specific recipe. Often times, that is as far as it gets. (mostly because I don't have the exotic and unique ingredients the recipe calls for) I think with this Food storage book, I will go beyond just looking, I will delve into the actual making. It has ingredients that we often keep in our pantry, and don't have to go to the local specialty market to find. I really look forward to perusing the recipes inside. Especially the bread recipes right now. (My hubby is on a tangent of making homemade bread...I don't mind, at all.)

Gardening Seminar - Mesa, AZ

VEGETABLE GARDENING SEMINAR

Special Guest Jim Kennard, Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor

President of the Food for Everyone Foundation

International teacher of the Mittleider Method “BEST OF ORGANIC gardening method

Jim is Humanitarian Missionary for the LDS church and travels WORLD-WIDE teaching these methods.



Less water → bigger plants

Less money → More savings

Less work →greater harvest



Learn a better, simpler way to garden

When: Friday, March 27th, 9 A.M. – 2 P.M. also Saturday, March 28th 9AM – 2PM
Where: 1 McDonald Center
(Main St./McDonald-Lower Level)
Mesa, Arizona

This is Hands On and space is limited.

RSVP: Please email whatsyouriam@gmail.com to reserve your space.
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"Every family should have a garden"
-Spencer W. Kimball & other Prophets!


"The day may come when we will have to live on what we produce"
-Marion G. Romney
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Is that day here?? Don’t wait another day!

*5 hours of unique training to give you a great garden in any soil – or in NO soil!

*Demonstrating the world-renowned Mittleider Method, including "the best of organic" and "the poor man's hydroponics."

*You can grow the same great garden in the soil OR in containers.

*Double or triple the amount of healthy produce you get from your garden by using this method.

Jim Kennard, President of the Food For Everyone Foundation & Humanitarian Department Missionary (www.foodforeveryone.org), will conduct the Seminar.

A Mittleider gardener for the past thirty years, Jim is a Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor and has taught classes and worked one-on-one with Dr. Jacob Mittleider. He has also conducted many gardening projects himself in the USA and other countries.

Come Prepared to Dig in the dirt!


Don’t miss this gardening season! The kennards leave soon to fulfill other commitments in two countries in Eastern Europe – call now!

Are You Prepared?

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR A DISASTER?

By Jane M. Hawley

Trained by the American Red Cross to lead Disaster Action Teams, and by FEMA as a member of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) in our area, and having observed the disasters and conditions in the world which bring alarm, I write this article in hopes that I might encourage others to become better prepared. I would propose this question: "How will you feel when others who depend on you suffer needlessly because you did not take preventative measures against disaster? I would like to share the following experience as an example where disaster planning could have made the difference:

During July of 2007, in an area right outside of St. George , Utah , we had an experience that has caused me great concern about disaster preparedness. A lightening storm bolted through the tinder-dry mountainous region 3 miles east of our home. The forest fire threatened the power lines supplying our entire county of 100,000 people. The front windows of our rural home framed this dramatic scene as we watched 30' flames amidst the raging fire becoming out of control. Helicopters, tankers, planes and fire crews were engaged in a hot battle.

The greatest concern came when the smoke engulfed the power lines. Smoke can create arcs of electricity between the lines and the ground. Multiple fires could ignite along the 80-mile stretch of power line if something were not done quickly. Authorities decided the only thing that could be done was to "power down." The countywide power outage began at 4:25 p.m. on this very hot, July day of 110 + degrees, just before the evening commute was to begin.

In the first several hours, there was much confusion and chaos. The stream of information was slow and scanty at best. No one seemed to be able to answer the demanding questions of "what happened?" and "how long until we have our power back?" As the fire raged on and homes were flooded with the summer heat, people grew more concerned and tuned into the local radio stations for information. Here's a small taste of what happened:

* I called my husband immediately to let him know of my planned route of travel home. I had a full tank of gas and a gallon of water in my car. I took the route with the least amount of traffic, nonetheless, what would normally have taken 25 minutes, took 1 hour to get home.
* Communication became difficult. Within 5 minutes after I used my cell phone to call home the circuits were busy and remained that way for the next 6 hours.
* Traffic lights were without power which created a traffic gridlock and many frustrated travelers. It took many commuters 1 to 3 hours to get home, in what should have been minutes.
* It was reported that only 2 to 3 gas stations had back-up generators to pump fuel. Those stations had long lines, quickly ran out of fuel-then closed.
* People became stranded and couldn't get home. With the cell phones overloaded many of those people could not call for help. I15 travelers were out-of-luck for their expected needs as well.
* There were overheated and stalled vehicles along the roadways.
* Businesses quickly closed their doors having lost their lights, automatic doors, elevators, security systems, electronic cash registers, and all ability to conduct credit or debit transactions.
* CASH was the only method of payment accepted. With banks closed and credit or debit card machines down, no cash could be obtained by these means. The people who were able to purchase gas and supplies were those who had cash.
* Radio stations were a great help, but with the absence of official information there were many assumptions, rumors, misinformation, anger and panic being expressed by citizens who shared their comments on the air, live and unscreened.
* The hospital went into emergency mode and began treating those affected by heat, and those who had health conditions that required medical devices, monitors, oxygen, etc.
* Many of the elderly and those in convalescent homes had to be evacuated to Dixie State College to escape the heat and be treated for heat-related problems.
* Within the first two hours the local water tanks were nearly dry. The pumps were down for lack of power and the citizens in the county were instructed to use water for DRINKING ONLY (no showers or unnecessary flushing of toilets, etc).
* Stores began to lose their inventory of refrigerated foods and frozen items.
* Police, fire and emergency officials were on overload.
* Hotel rooms in the nearby town of Mesquite , Nevada , went from $35 a night to $350 a night as people flocked to their doors to get out of the heat.
* Dining in Mesquite required hours of waiting in long lines before people could get their meals.

I found it amazing how ill-prepared the majority were to live without power, in the heat, and without essential services for such a short time. In our family we learned a few lessons ourselves. Situations like these cause us to reflect and question, "How prepared is my family for an emergency? I strongly urge you to consider situations that could affect your locale, and then set up an emergency plan to accommodate your future needs. Here are some things you should consider:

Power Outage......................................Severe Storm

Flood....................................................Lightening Strikes

House Fire............................................Forest or Brush Fire

Severe Smoke & Ash............................Streets Closed to Home

Tornado...............................................Earthquake

Hurricane............................................Tsunami

Hazardous Material Spill......................Evacuation

Truck Strike........................................Terrorist Attack or Invasion

Chemical Attack...................................Nuclear Accident

Highways/Bridges Down.....................Quarantine

EMERGENCY PLAN

Make a two-fold plan: SHELTER IN PLACE (staying where you are) and EVACUATION (leaving your home). There are many wonderful books available on this subject that can help you be fully prepared. Check out your library, bookstores & internet.

72 HR EMERGENCY KIT

Consider all of your needs for 3 days and include those items in your kit. Go through those kits every year and update clothing sizes and items with expirations.

COMMUNICATION

Have a hand-cranked radio, a no-battery required home telephone, and a cell phone with a back-up battery or solar charger. Several Walky-Talkies placed on the same station that extend a number of miles could also be effective for families living in the same area. Have coins to use in public telephones.

GATHERING PLACE

Determine as a family where you would meet if unable to reach one another. Also have an out-of-state contact which each of you could call to assure that everyone is okay, or what you are planning to do.

FUEL & TRAVEL

Consider ways to get about under varied conditions. Keeping your gas tank as full as possible is a first step. Have a good pair of shoes for walking. Have other means such as bicycles, wagons, ATV's, and/or horses.

CASH

Obtain what you need in small bills and some coin for at least 30 days.

WATER

Water is critical. Have reserves available, not only for drinking, but for cooking and hygiene needs. A survival ration is one gallon per day, per person. Have at the very least, a 2-week supply for each person. Keep several gallons in your car and also consider water purification methods and treatments.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL MEASURES

HEAT: Have battery & solar operated fans, spray bottles, sunglasses, hats & sunscreen. COLD: Have gloves, hats, coats, boots, & scarves. RAIN: Have waterproof ponchos & waterproof boots, with extra clothing.

ALTERNATIVE POWER/FUEL

Consider fireplaces & stoves for cold weather, storing no less then 4 cords for the winter. Consider a generator, and solar unit.

MEDICATIONS

A 3-month supply of prescription medications is best. Have over-the-counter medications, herbal remedies & essential oils on hand. Consider the need for natural antibiotics. Have potassium iodine on hand to protect the thyroid in the event of radiation. Give special consideration to those who need oxygen, daily injections, inhalers, etc.

FIRST AID & CPR

Have a good First Aid book and kit, CPR mask, splints, etc. Consider how to care for blisters on your feet and shoe pads. Know what needs to be done in any number of incidences that could occur in a disaster to ease pain, assist in healing & save life.

FOOD

It is recommended that every family should have a 30 to 90 day supply of food they are accustomed to eating. A one-year supply is ideal. START NOW! Stores either close immediately or are empty in less than 24 hours. Special dietary needs should also be considered. Grow a garden, plant fruit trees & berry bushes. Learn to bottle & dehydrate foods. Supplement with vitamins & minerals as well. Find a way & do it now!

COOKING & CLEANING SUPPLIES

Consider your cooking needs if there were no power: propane oven, stove & grill; charcoal grill, pit & dutch oven; wood fire pit; pots, pans, utensils, dishes, can openers, serving dishes, etc; towels, wash rags, wash bins, detergent, scouring pad; paper towels, paper & plastic dishware & utensils; tables and chairs.

SHELTER

Don't depend on someone else to shelter you against the elements. Hotels may be booked for miles. Be ready with your own tent, sleeping bags, tarps, etc... Consider how you will transport these items. If possible, have racks mounted on top of your vehicle, and/or have a transport trailer or camper.

LIGHTS

Make sure you have several sources of light such as flashlights, kerosene lamps, lanterns, candles, oil lamps, solar lights, and glow sticks. Don't forget batteries, matches, etc.

CLOTHING

Have clothing and footwear for heat and cold. Consider what you would wear in the heart of a snowy winter day without heat.

TOILETRIES

Have lotion, shampoo, soap, moist towelettes, make-up, powder, etc.

SANITATION

Know the principles of sanitation, how deep and how wide to dig an area for waste products, depending upon the size of your group. Have portable toilets, bags to enclose waste, disinfectants, etc. Consider how you will contain & dispose of garbage.

SPECIAL NEEDS

Consider the many needs of infants, the elderly, the handicapped, pets, other animals & livestock. Make a list and purchase!

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

Have an ID, photo & birth certificates for each person. Have insurance papers, bank records, living wills, trusts, maps, addresses & phone numbers, etc., and place them in a water-proof receptacle.

Remember, disasters rarely come with a warning. I encourage you to calmly and quickly obtain information to educate & prepare yourself, NOW, while you are comfortable and safe, for TOMORROW may not be so!

Preparedness takes time, money, energy and ACTION… it's enemy is procrastination - "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!"

So you see, the Law of Unintended Consequences cascaded through a series of events that caught everyone off-guard.

* What would happen in your city, home or family in the event of a local disaster/emergency?
* Are you prepared to shelter-in-place if necessary?
* Can you meet the needs of your family for an extended period of time if the much talked about pandemic finds its way to your area and a quarantine is imposed?

Are you prepared?

Response to the captioned photos in the last entry was quite enthusiastic. So I plan to continue to include additional photos as they're appropriate to the current entry's topic (and probably even if they aren't!). I DO think the following is totally apropos to today's entry!



President James E. Faust
Some have said, "We have followed this counsel in the past and have never had need to use our year's supply, so we have difficulty keeping this in mind as a major priority." Perhaps following this counsel could be the reason why they have not needed to use their reserve (Ensign, May 1986, p.22).

Making your own Laundry Detergent

I am always looking for a bargain...though I'm not always a frugal shopper. A 'bargain' when buying laundry detergent, to me, is about 10 cents a load. So, when I read an article on MAKING laundry detergent, where it ends up being about 3 cents a load, I perked up and read on:

Homemade Laundry Detergent
Here’s what you need:
- 1 bar of soap (whatever kind you like; I used Lever 2000 because we have tons of bars of it from a case we bought a while back)
- 1 box of washing soda (look for it in the laundry detergent aisle at your local department store - it comes in an Arm & Hammer box and will contain enough for six batches of this stuff)
- 1 box of borax (this is not necessary, but I’ve found it really kicks the cleaning up a notch - one box of borax will contain more than enough for tons of batches of this homemade detergent - if you decide to use this, be careful)
- A five gallon bucket with a lid (or a bucket that will hold more than 15 liters - ask around - these aren’t too tough to acquire)
- Three gallons of tap water
- A big spoon to stir the mixture with
- A measuring cup
- A knife

Step One: Put about four cups of water into a pan on your stove and turn the heat up on high until it’s almost boiling. While you’re waiting, whip out a knife and start shaving strips off of the bar of soap into the water, whittling it down. Keep the heat below a boil and keep shaving the soap. Eventually, you’ll shave up the whole bar, then stir the hot water until the soap is dissolved and you have some highly soapy water.

Step Two: Put three gallons of hot water (11 liters or so) into the five gallon bucket - the easiest way is to fill up three gallon milk jugs worth of it. Then mix in the hot soapy water from step one, stir it for a while, then add a cup of the washing soda. Keep stirring it for another minute or two, then add a half cup of borax if you are using borax. Stir for another couple of minutes, then let the stuff sit overnight to cool.

And you’re done. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll have a bucket of gelatinous slime that’s a paler shade of the soap that you used (in our case, it’s a very pale greenish blue). One measuring cup full of this slime will be roughly what you need to do a load of laundry - and the ingredients are basically the same as laundry detergent. Thus, out of three gallons, you’ll get about 48 loads of laundry. If you do this six times, you’ll have used six bars of soap ($0.99 each), one box of washing soda ($2.49 at our store), and about half a box of borax ($2.49 at our store, so $1.25) and make 288 loads of laundry. This comes up to a cost of right around three cents a load, or a savings of $70.

Plus, you can make slime in the kitchen - and have a legitimate reason for doing so!

A hammer in want of a nail is useless without the nail.

I found an interesting Preparedness Site that listed some good ideas for things we may want to have on hand, and in our long-term storage. Even though we may have a half a dozen different lists, many (if any) will list things like nails, screws, etc.
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Here is a short list of things that you may want to make sure that you have on-hand. With the economy continuing to spiral down, the idea of calling a handyman or general contractor to do small jobs is not going to be to savory to your bottom line. Its best if you have the materials to do it yourself.

* Nails (various sizes from picture hanging to framing nails)
* Screws (drywall and standard in a range of sizes all the way up to 3″)
* Staples (1/2″ to 3/4″)
* Glue (carpenters, and plain old white glue)
* Epoxy (either 2 part or the clay-like sticks)
* Wire (primary wire from the auto parts store works)
* Electrical Tape
* Duct Tape (yes, its on all other lists too, but its a lifesaver)
* PVC Glue and an assortment of spare fittings
* Solder and Flux (copper water pipe)
* Bailing Wire (right up there with duct tape in usefulness)
* Super Glue
* Roofing Cement
* Silicone Caulk

Let your mind wander, all the items listed above are one’s that I have found myself going to the store for or scrounging up somewhere for a repair job.

At the edge of your seat....(wink)

I know many of you have been sitting at the edge of your seat waiting for me to post about making Wheat Sprout 'Bread'. So, I have FINALLY posted the information on my Sprout Post. Click here: SPROUTING

Also, today in Relief Society our preparedness Specialist shared with us information about a lady Wendy DeWitt on YouTube that shares through videos how to obtain our 3-month supplies.

Here is video 1 of 9:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGaTlwYs-s

(the other 8 will come up in the side bar at YouTube)

Pandemics and a 3 month supply

Here is an article that explains the necessity of accumulating at least a 3 month supply of what your family normally eats.

"About a month ago a seminar was put on by Dr. Susan Puls, who is a cardiologist appointed by the First Presidency of the Church as the head of the church's pandemic committee. She said she was not an expert on pandemics as this was not her speciality, but in the two years she's been in her position, is fast becoming one. She now works for the church on a full-time basis working on planning for the pandemic and trying to get the word out to as many church members as possible.There were about 1400 people at the Saturday all-day seminar.In her capacity, she works with the governor's pandemic committee and the federal pandemic planning agency. She also said a pandemic is coming - not 'maybe' but is DEFINITELY coming. She says -the pandemic is expected within the next two years but she personally believes it will be 'sooner rather than later..' The various groups (CDC, WHO, etc..) do not know what the pandemic will be but 'first among their list of suspects is the avian bird flu. It's only one mutation away from being easily transmitted from birds to humans and from human to human.'_She said the World Health Organization expects 40% of the world population to become sick. Of those who become sick, they expect 50% will die.
If you do the math - there are over 6 billionpeople on the earth today - that puts the death rate at over 1.4 billion people - and she says these deaths will happen over only a 3 to 4 month period of time.Dr. Puls related that when the pandemic hits the US , mandatory quarantine's of all infected and NON-INFECTED peoples will occur within the first 48 hours.
Only emergency personnel (Dr's, nurses, firemen, police, national guardsmen, etc..) will be allowed to leave their homes - not even to go to the store, etc..
This quarantine will last during the duration of the 'pandemic cycle' which will last approximately three months.Her main point was that everyone will need a *MINIMUM of 3 months supply of food at home* as the governments of the world will be overwhelmed within the first week and cannot be counted on to provide food, medical help, etc.. she only briefly spoke on the 'social disruption' that will occur and did not go into any detail about what plans may, or may not exist, to deal with this. However - think about this - if your neighbors (both those you know and strangers) run out of food and are starving how might they react? Then think of all the individuals who already live outside of the law and are only 'controlled' by our current legal system. How might they react when law enforcement becomes ineffectual due to illness among the ranks and those who abandon their jobs to stay home and protect their own families. Ditto for the national guard and our own military.This isn't to scare anyone - just to provide a 'heads up' as 'to be forewarned is to be forearmed.' "/That's the end of the e mail. I try and check theauthenticity of e-mails such as this so I Googled Dr. Puls and was eventually linked to the Church's Provident Living Website and was surprised to find that they have a section on Pandemic Planning under Home and Family Preparedness.
http://providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,8041-1-4414-1,00.html The government also had a website: http://www.pandemicflugov/plan/tab3.html I found it very interesting that in the Church's new pamphlets on food storage, they recommend building your supply up to a three months supply.
As you can see in the article, Dr. Puls states that everyone will need a minimum of three months supply of food at home. I think this quote from Elder Perry's Conference Talk (Oct 2008) has application here:*/Thoreau's final necessity was fuel. /*We have been hearing a lot about fuel and energy-about their high cost and limited supply, our unsafe and unpredictable dependence on their suppliers, and the needfor new and sustainable sources of energy. I leave the discussion of these complicated issues to leaders of government and industry. The fuel I want to discuss is spiritual fuel. The Lord has given us a beautiful plan about how we can return to Him, but the completion of our mortal journey requires spiritual fuel. We want to emulate the five wise virgins, who had stored sufficient fuel to accompany the bridegroom when he came (see Matthew25:6-10 <http://scriptures.lds.org/matt/25/6-10>).
What is required to maintain a sufficient store of spiritual fuel? We must acquire knowledge of God's eternal plan and our role in it, and then by living righteously, surrendering our will to the will of the Lord, we receive the promised blessings. As Elder William R. Bradford taught at this pulpit: "In righteousness there is great simplicity. In every case that confronts us in life there is either a right way or a wrong way to proceed. If we choose the right way, we are sustained in our actions by the principles of righteousness, in the which there is power from the heavens. If we choose the wrong way and act on that choice, there is no such heavenly promise or power, and we are alone and are destined to fail"("Righteousness," /Liahona,/ Jan. 2000,103;/ Ensign,/ Nov.. 1999, 85).I am so grateful for membership in this church and for the counsel we receive! I really can't think of any area of our lives where the church doesn't provide needed direction for us. And we are promised, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30)

Thinking Outside the Box

For those who really 'know' me, they know that I am somewhat fascinated in self-reliance, preparedness, long-term supply, etc. I will find myself immersed, reading article after article down an interesting tangent. (Such as uses for the common Dandelion, or how much of a certain item should I store)

Well, more recently I have tried to hone in on what is most important in all of this 'fluff and stuff' I am delving into. I still haven't came up with an astounding solution, but I am realizing that, ya...it's VERY important to be prepared, and have things 'laid up in store'. But it is also important to seek knowledge and understanding. So maybe all my reading really isn't 'fluff and stuff'. (though I DO need to make priorities, like cleaning the house, feeding my family. LOL) Even if just a portion of what I read sticks, then just maybe I can derive a skill from the stored knowledge, when necessary. (like if i learn how to make a poultice for a sting, or a bite...when/if there isn't a doctor available, it might be a helpful tidbit of information.)

Right now I have the WWW at my fingertips. Endless information and articles that I can glen from. What happens when/if at some point in my future I won't have access to the WWW, what then?!

My sister and I are wanting to compile a comprehensive and enlightening manual/binder on some of the more functional and important things a family or individual might need to know...in the event that civilization as we know it, isn't at our fingertips.

Anyone who has any ideas or suggestions as to what some of the more essential elements (and sub elements) would be good to include, would be wonderful.

Now where to draw the line. I want to have in my manual basic information on such things from First Aid, to canning tips, to basic farm animal knowledge, etc. But do I extend to the extent of how to make cheese (Since I plan on including basic farm animal information). Or how to make soap (since I will include items needed for hand washing clothes in the extensive list of items needed in a long-term supply.) Or how to grow an herb garden (since under First Aid I want to include basic herbal remedies)

As you can see, I could go on and on with the tangents and side roads. So, how do you make a basic and comprehensive manual without getting too overwhelming, yet still getting across the necessary and needed information?

One idea I had is to have the main manual strictly for basic categories or information. Not delving in too deeply. But then having the ability to add to or 'plug in' sub categories or pamphlets. Like the section on what items of clothing you might want to 'lay up in store' might have pamphlets that include how to 'tan a hide', or how to crochet or knit. Or if there is a section on orchards, maybe include a subsection or available pamphlet on canning, dehydration or other methods to store the fruit.

Ok...now I am going to do a 'hands on' experiment. Jakob has an abscess on his gum, above a tooth that has a cavity. He is going to probably need antibiotics, and to see a dentist. Which we plan to do (unfortunately we are in the middle of a 3 day weekend). What say that we didn't have access to either antibiotics OR a Dentist? Then what?

I would turn to my hypothetical manual, look under the section of 'First Aid' or 'Medical'. And then maybe I would have a subsection (or available pamphlet) that delved into the world of herbs. How to grow them, how to use them, etc. This might be what I find, to help me with Jakob's tooth (after all of the warnings to 'first see your doctor', and author holds no responsibility for results, etc):

Raw Garlic
Family: Amaryllidacae, Genus and Species : Allium sativum

Garlic has a long proven history as an effective antibiotic, antiviral, antiparasitic, and antifungal. It was used in WWI to prevent wound infections and by Albert Schweitzer to treat dysentery in Africa. The Russians used it in WWII when their supply of penicillin was scarce. It's active compound allicin, is as useful an agent against staph and strep as some of the heaviest hitting meds, and has even been shown to kill antibiotic-resistant strains of these bacteria. It is a broad-spectrum anibiotic and has often been called a "wonder drug". Herbalists recommend eating one clove of chopped raw garlic two to three times per day (added to food). Garlic Oil can also be taken internally. Place 20-30 drops in your ear for ear infections, three times a day. Ideally a raw clove is chewed or crushed. It can also be applied directly to the skin. Try taking deodorized garlic capsules three times per day if you are worried about garlic breath. ~http://www.reikinurse.com/naturalabx.html
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Unfortunately we can't fill a cavity or do a root canal on our own, so at some point a dentist is necessary...whether one is homesteading, or not. The alternative would be to extract the tooth. Thank goodness we are not at that point. A trip to the dentist IS possible. ;)

Sprouts &Tire Gardening

Ok...so I promised more information on Sprouts. (I left a 'teaser' on my family blog...I will have to get to the tire gardening at another time, another post)


Alfalfa Sprouts
Add 2 Tablespoons of alfalfa seeds to a quart-size jar.

Fill jar with water and cover with 2 layers of cheese cloth or a piece of nylon stocking. Screw a screw-band onto jar over the stocking, or just put a rubber-band around it.

Soak the seeds overnight.

In the morning, drain the seeds and prop in your sink so the jar is at a slant.

Rinse the seeds 3 or 4 times a day, then prop and leave the jar at a slant to drain.

When the seeds have grown to fill the jar, they are ready to eat. This takes about 3 or 4 days. make sure that you are rinsing the seeds 3-4 times a day (seed will stop sprouting, if it is too dry, and it will mold if too wet) You can taste them along the way, and eat them whenever they have grown to your personal liking.

Once they are done sprouting, you can store the jar in the refrigerator and they will keep for about a week.

Wheat Sprouts in a colander:
(It is important to note that wheat that has been stored in the #10 cans from the cannery will not sprout because it has been treated with the oxygen packets added upon canning. The chemical in the oxygen packets treats the wheat so it will not sprout. Also, if you have been storing your wheat outside or in the garage, it likely will not sprout because the heat, especially in hot climates like AZ, cooks the wheat and once it's been 'cooked' it will not sprout. Keep a container of 'sprouting' wheat in your pantry, or cupboard)

Put desired amount of whole wheat in a jar or a bowl and put enough water to at least double the depth of the wheat. (This allows for the wheat to swell while soaking). Soak the wheat over night.

In the morning, pour the wheat into a colander and rinse really well.

Rinse 3 or 4 times throughout the day including one time right before you go to bed.

In the morning, if you see a very small sprout coming out of one end of the wheat, your sprouts are ready to eat. Taste them and if you want them a little softer and sprouted just a little longer, you can leave them sprouting for the rest of the day, making sure to rinse them a couple of times. You don't want to leave wheat sprouts to sprout too long because they will start to get a 'green' taste and lose their sweetness. Once they have sprouted to your liking, put them in a container with a lid and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Wheat Sprout Bread
Pus as many cups of wheat as desired in a food processor with the knife blade attachment. It is important to get enough or else you will not be able to get a good gluten worked up, so at least a minimum of 2 or 3 cups of sprouts. Turn on your food processor for a few seconds, then stop to scrape the sides of the bowl. Turn back on again for a few seconds. Continue this process of running, stopping, and scraping until your wheat sprouts are a big ball of sticky dough-like substance. (It will be pretty stiff, sticky stuff) If needed, add a Tablespoon or 2 of water, if your sprouts are too dry and are not sticking together. Be careful not to add too much water or you will have a flat loaf. Once your gluten is well developed (meaning your sprouts are holding together well into a 'dough') sprinkle a baking sheet or baking stone with sesame seeds to prevent your bread from sticking, and put your dough in a big glob in the middle of the sesame seeds. Bake in a 225* oven for about 3 hours, until you have a nice crust around the outside of the bread.

helpful hints: you may want to do at least 2 loafs, to 'justify' having the oven on for 3 hours. (maybe even a good time to make jerky or dehydrate something?)

Also, a food processor IS necessary. I tried doing it in my Bullet Blender. No dice! Not enough 'torque', and ya...I smelled the motor. Plus, it didn't blend it well enough, to get the gluten going. (when it gets stringy, that is when you know when the gluten is activated.) So, I had a flat, and not very tasty lump of something. ;)

1 Year Food Storage

Exactly What Does a Basic 1 Year Food Storage for 1 Person Look Like?
These are the MINIMUM Basic Amounts of Food Needed for Survival for ONE PERSON for ONE YEAR:


DO YOU REALLY THINK YOUR READY TO LIVE ON THESE SURVIVAL RATIONS.


BARE-MINIMUM LDS Church Food storage requirements for
1 adult male for 1 year Appx. 2,300 calories per day. (only 695lbs total)

This will keep you fed, but leave you hungry.
TOTAL FOOD PER DAY = 24.65 Ounces


Grains (400lbs)
Unless your family already eats 100% whole wheat homemade bread, white flour should be used in the transition process to whole wheat.
Adding rye flour (10%) helps make wheat bread a more
complete protein. Dent corn is used to make tortillas.

Beans & Legumes (90lbs)
{minimum reduced to only 60lbs in 2002}
Black beans cook quickly, make a good salad complement with a vinaigrette dressing over them.
Soybeans can be used to make soy milk and tofu, a protein food you should be prepared to make.
Familiarize yourself with sprouting techniques.
Learn how to make wheat grass juice - the best vitamin supplement you can use.

Milk-Dair products (75lbs)
{minimum reduced to only 16lbs in 2002}
Milk powder can be used to make cottage cheese, cream cheese and hard cheeses.
Ideally your milk should be fortified with Vitamins A & D.
When reconstituting aerate to improve flavor (special mixing pitchers can accomplish this). Whole eggs are the best all-purpose egg product.
Powdered sour cream has a limited shelf life unless frozen.

Meats / Meat substitute (20lbs)
{minimum reduced to only 0lbs in 2002}
Use meat in soups, stews and beans for flavor. Freeze dried is the best option for real meat. Textured Vegetable protein is the main alternative to freeze dried meats.

Fats / Oils (20lbs)
This group can boost the calories one is getting from food storage products, and supply essential fatty acids.

Sugars (60lbs)
Store your honey in 5 gallon pails.
Candy and other sweets can help with appetite fatigue.

Fruits / Vegetables (90lbs)
{minimum reduced to only zero lbs in 2002}
Some fruits and vegetables are best dehydrated, others freeze dried (strawberries & blueberries).
Fruits are a nice addition to hot cereal, muffins, pancakes and breads.

Auxiliary foods (weight varies)
Vanilla extract improves the flavor of powdered milk. T
he production of tofu requires a precipitator such as nigari, epsom salt, calcium chloride or calcium sulfide (good calcium source).
Learn how to make and use wheat gluten (liquid smoke adds good flavor).

Chocolate syrup and powdered drink mixes help with appetite fatigue.
Vitamins and protein powders will boost the nutrition levels of foods that may have suffered losses during processing.


Note:

For an average adult Female - multiply the weight by 0.75

For children ages 1-3 multiply by 0.3, 4-6 multiply by 0.5, 7-9 multiply by 0.75
For adults engaged in manual labor multiply by 1.25-1.50
_______________

Wheat

The more I read about wheat, the more versatile I realize it is. The article I mentioned in my previous post had a statement about grains: “Remember the counsel that is given: ‘Store up all your grain,’ and take care of it! Prize it above gold and
silver, above rich clothing, and fine apparel, and above everything else except the bread of life!”
~ Orson Hyde, JD, vol. 5:17, p. 17

There are those who are allergic to wheat, and can't consume it in most of it's forms. If you grow wheat (wheat grass) there is no gluten involved. Which is often what causes the allergic reactions Rice & Corn do not contain gluten.

I found a website that gives various recipes on how to use wheat, and it has some other great information about wheat. It is called 'Wheat Montana'. I have considered ordering some wheat from there. The 'soft white wheat' sounds really good.

Here is another quote that I found in the pamphlet I referenced to in my previous post:
“There is more security in wheat, than in all the political schemes of the world, and also more
power in it than in all the contending armies of the nations...
“They have sold themselves for naught, and must be redeemed without money!’ It will take
wheat to redeem them! ...it will preach the ‘gathering’ more eloquently, successfully, and extensively than
all the missionaries that we can send out to sweep through the nations,..” ~ Orson Hyde, JD, 1:207
“The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat” ~ Brigham Young,
JD, 1943 ed., 1:250, p.29

'Really' Using your food storage

Ok, I have a weakness for perusing preparedness blogs, discovering interesting tidbits of information. There are SO many that I would love to post on my blog, but then this blog would be much more sporadic then it is.

I just discovered an interesting article that the church published in 2005. It is on 'Using only the ingredients contained in the One-Month Basic Food Storage' Wow! It talks about everything from Sprouting, to Baby Foods, to growing Wheat grass. It gives recipes that can be used from your basic food storage. I really, really like this...and I want to print it, and put it in a preparedness binder. (that I have yet to compile)

Survival Ration Bar

Survival Ration Bar

3 cups cereal (oatmeal, barley flakes or wheat flakes)
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 package citrus flavored gelatin
1 cup white sugar
Optional: (chocolate chips or mixed fruit)

Directions for mixing:
Place all dry ingredients (except gelatin) into mixing bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the honey and bring it to a boil. Dissolve the gelatin in the honey-water mixture, then add it all to the dry ingredients. After mixing well, add water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture is barely moist enough to be molded. Pack in a refrigerator dish or other mold. This recipe makes two bars (each bar 1/2 the size of a match box), or drop on cookie sheet (bite size for eating).

Each bar will provide about 1,000 calories and is sufficient food for one day. It can be eaten dry, or cooked with about 2/3 of a canteen cup full of water.

The bars may be placed in the oven and dried under very low heat -- 250 degrees F., then wrapped in foil and stored indefinitely in a covered container (rotating every 6 months to a year).


(Source: Handout from Utah Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management, "72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit - Plus - Food & Water Storage)

NOTE: The size package of gelatin was not specified, nor the amount of time required for drying in the oven in these instructions. I tried googling to see if I could find any specific amounts and was not successful. Your best guess will have to do until we hear from someone who has actually tried these. :)

Pressure Canning

I have been meaning to post this for quite some time, now. A couple of weeks ago we did some Pressure Canning. Let's just say I'm a bit addicted. We Pressure Canned Pinto Beans, and Roast Beef.

Caroline did the Pinto Beans. (I actually did some Pinto, Red and Black Beans a couple of months back)





This is the Roast Beef.




Aren't these Pressure Canners awesome? I am trying really hard not to covet them. LOL

We have already used the beef to make bbq roast beef sandwiches, and also beef enchiladas. Both were a hit with the family. (except one little picky eater we won't mention...he liked it, but he was funny about everything that went into the enchilada mix.)

Washing clothes by Hand...

I just got done reading a blog entry on washing clothes by hand. Very informative, and a GREAT idea. I remember about 8 years ago that I had one of those 'hand crank' little washer containers. Where you put the clothes in, close the lid, and then rotate or 'crank' the handle. This tutorial I just got done reading sounds like a much better solution. PLUS, there are more then one uses for the bucket and plunger (well, if you use the plunger for that you might not want to use it again for washing your clothes). plus, not as much 'wasted space' in your storage room. ;)

This might be a good solution for a friend of mine that doesn't have a washer, and has had to do her laundry in her tub a few times. (when there isn't any extra money to go to the laundry mat)

Water Storage - Testimonial

This was forwarded from a family who lives up in
Washington. Here are three important points, derived from the article:
1) quantity of water
2) quality of water
3) usage tips (pressure rinse spraying the dishes)

I thought I'd share some experiences we had from
this previous storm cycle. As some of you know, we live in an old
house with nuthin' but crawlspace betwixt us and the ground. All our
plumbing is hanging out there in the breeze. We've insulated it of
course, but if the temps go much below 20F for more than a few hours,
that usually penetrates the insulation and we get blockages. Well,
during this last storm cycle, our pipes were frozen for a full 7 days.
We knew that a blockage was likely, and we've had them before, so we
had what we thought was plenty of water saved up in advance. We have
close to 400 liters of water in our pantry, stored in 200 2-liter soft
drink containers that we've used and saved over the years. Very handy
storage method by the way. For our livestock, we have a 300 gallon
stock tank, two 100 gallon tanks, a 20 gallon tank, two 15 gallon
tanks, and four 55 gallon poly drums as backup. All of those were
filled prior to the freeze.

And then we started using it all.

For fresh drinking water, meal prep, sponge baths and dish washing
(ie, anything in direct contact with food or our bodies), we would use
the 2 liter bottles. We went through about 7 of those a day for a
total of 14 liters per day, or 7 liters per person. Sorta blows that
"1 gallon/person/day" estimate right out of the water, no pun
intended. Keep in mind that did NOT include water for flushing the
toilet, and it most certainly (sadly) did not include showers. Also
keep in mind that we've done this before, so our no-tap water usage is
well practiced and very efficient. I did dishes once/day, using a
single basin for all the sudsing, then a pressure-sprayer for the
rinsing, which is WAY more efficient than simply pouring the 2 liter
bottle contents over everything. Also keep in mind that we drank a
lot of non-water drinks, like milk, and non-dehydrated pantry items
like canned soups, which cut consumption too. So there is very little
room for reducing that number without dramatically impacting quality
of life (or health). Our household consumption rate became an
irritation, and made us reconsider how long our 2 liter supply would
last, but it never became an emergency. We only ended up using about
1/3 of our stores in that regard.

As sobering as that was, our livestock water came within a few hours
of reaching critical. Normal consumption rates for animals are
roughly: 15 gallons/non-lactating cow/day, 7 gallons/horse/day, 1
gallon/2 non-lactating goats/day, 1 gallon/20 chickens/day, 1 gallon/4
non-lactating rabbits/day, and 1 gallon/2 non-lactating pigs/day.
With those approximations, we go through between 50-70 gallons/day for
the farm, so our 750 gallons of water should have been plenty. We
busted through the ice as much as we could the first few days for the
animals' usual water sources. But the buildup of ice consumed as much
water as the animals themselves, which had the effect of boosting the
average daily consumption. In other words, the cold "consumed" water
at the same rate as the animals. We used the 300 gallon stock tank
for all the animals that didn't have individual stock tanks. That 300
gallon tank remained almost ice-free for the first 3 days, but then we
lost more and more water to the ice as the volume of water decreased.
The water in the individual tanks in each yard filled with ice too,
and if we chipped away the ice such that it went out on the ground,
that was water we'd never get back. And finally, because the water
tanks started to freeze up, they began to suspend foreign matter in
the ice like dead leaves, dirt, or whatever blew into the tanks during
the several windy days we had. So that ice was rendered unfit for
consumption too. We were also drawing water from the 300 gallon stock
tank to flush our toilet once/day, which drew it down further.

When the 300 gallon tank reached bottom, we probably still had 50
gallons worth of ice that we couldn't use, and by then the individual
tanks were also nicely contaminated. So we turned to the standby
barrels, but alas we lost fully 1/3 of our volume there to ice too.
To cut to the chase, we "burned" through our entire 750 gallons
reserved for livestock use in that 7 day period. And that number
would have been a lot higher if the animals didn't have the option to
eat snow, which we saw them doing (even the chickens did that). Had
the water pipes not un-frozen that last afternoon, we were looking at
pulling water out of two unreliable sources - our old well and a pond
near the house. We already know those water sources are not fit for
human consumption and I really didn't want to have the animals
drinking it either.
So, I go through all this record keeping for one reason - sometimes
even our best forward-looking plans are thwarted by conditions that
only become apparent when it's too late to do anything about it. In
this context, we thought we had plenty of water for the one storm, but
those storms kept coming and our supply was almost exhausted before
the storm cycle eased off. We're going to drastically bump up our
estimates for what water reserves we need and ways to ensure we have
it in the future. I hope all of you take a good hard look at what
water stores you have, and how those stores might not stretch quite as
far as you'd like to think they will. Look at it now and pad your
supplies a little more before you find yourself running dry like we
almost did.
Kathryn

Recipes, using every day food storage.

My Sister-in-law, Sarah, sent me some recipes that look YUMMY! They are from the blog: everydayfoodstorage. I have perused this blog a few times, and really like what I see. Love, love, love all the pictures of the completed recipes. I am a visual type of person. At the site she states: 'don’t we all eat with our eyes first?' For sure!

Here is a link to some printable recipes, that look scrumptious. Sarah said she was planning on trying the banana pineapple freeze, I hope she does and posts a comment on how it turns out.

The Twelve Months of Preparedness

This last few days I have been 'itching' to get out and put some seeds in the ground...but unfortunately I need to prepare a little better before I can start on my garden. It would seem I am already too late for things like peas (sniff), lettuce, broccoli, and such. And it's a bit early for tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. (but I could start some tomatoes inside)

Well, today I was reading an article from the Meridian Magazine, and it talked about having a garden (among many other things) I really enjoyed the article, so thought I would put a link here: The Twelve Months of Preparedness.

I will prepare

I went to an interesting site for the first time, today. It is I will Prepare. I haven't had an opportunity to delve much into it, but I like what I have seen so far. It gives instructions how to build water barrel stands, solar ovens, etc. It gives preparedness ideas and methods...and there are a LOT more interesting and helpful things that I haven't had the opportunity to check out, yet.

Food Storage - Is it still good??

I came upon a post at another preparedness site. It talks about some safety tips for knowing 'How old is too old' for your food storage.