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.

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. ;)

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
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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)

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.

Ideas of storing perishables long-term

There are SO many ideas out there on how to bring our perishables from the fridge to the Pantry shelf.

Boxed milk, evaporated milk, canned butter (yes, you really can do this...I have seen it done, I should do a tutorial, sometime), powdered eggs, etc, etc.

I had someone ask me recently about storing cheese. Her grandchildren LOVE Macaroni & Cheese, and she wanted a more long term, and possibly more cost-effective way of storing Mac & Cheese.

The neat thing is, there are many different ways to store cheese...you don't have to rely on refrigeration.

I read a method of how one family stored a block of cheese in a cool dark place for many months...it was still edible, just a sharper flavor.



There is also powdered cheese...which is of course PERFECT for the comfort food of Macaroni & Cheese. Below are a couple of links to companies that carry Cheese Powder...I have never ordered from any of these places, so I don't know anything about them...I just wanted to give some ideas.
Honeyville Grain
Emergency Essentials
A browse through a search engine will bring you a dozen more ideas. There are SO many companies out there! If you have ordered from a specific company, or know of a place that has fair prices, and good service...please share your information.

Odds & Ends

Last night while flossing my teeth, I wondered how much was left in the canister. Did I need to buy more floss? Which inadvertently led to the question: Do I have enough floss for my long-term storage? You might wonder how I jumped from flossing my teeth, to thinking about my long-term supply...well, lately it hasn't taken much to pull my mind toward such thoughts. I will be making lunch for my kiddos, and question how many ziplock bags (in various sizes) I might actually use in a year. What about soap, shampoo, etc. How much to store of each of those? And WHERE to store?

There is the big question...how and where and in what quantity do we store these obscure, yet useful items? Floss might have an easy answer...since a canister of floss doesn't take up that much space. And you might need 1/2 a dozen canisters. It takes up a lot more space to store some of the other daily items we use. Such as soap, shampoo, lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, etc. (and this is just things we need for hygiene.) There are many other non-edible things (beyond our long-term supply of food) that are a good idea to store. From the afore mentioned ziplock bags, to extra socks & clothes to laundry soap & softener, etc. (and wow! a long-term supply of all your laundry needs will take up a good chunk of space!)

These aren't the only questions I frequently ask myself. I am so used to running to the local store if I run out of something, that I really don't have a clue some of the things that maybe I should be storing. School supplies, batteries, band-aids, pain medicine. Wow! The list could get pretty extensive...let alone daunting. (in checking my wording in the previous sentence, I noticed that I first wrote 'expensive' instead of 'extensive'. Both would be true.)

This is why I think it is important to have your long-term goals, as well as short-term, and attainable goals. Someone training to do a marathon, isn't going to run the 10k immediately, they are going to start with smaller and reachable goals, to help build their stamina up to the ultimate goal.

So, that is what I am going to start doing...and maybe take a portion of either Sunday evening, or Family Home Evening to evaluate and update the short term goals, see where I have gotten...and what I need to do in the upcoming week.

Anyone have any good resources for getting together a 3 month supply, and on to the long-term supply of more then just food? In a step by step 'attainable' method.

Here is the link to the lds.org website on Family Home Storage.

What's in YOUR pantry

This is a rhetorical question, of course. Wouldn't want a mob of hungry people at your door, if you tell us that you have enough stored away to last into the next decade. hehee.

I ask this, because I have had my pantry come to the forefront of my mind this last week. My pantry was a HUGE mess just a couple of weeks back. It's still not in excellent order, but you can at least see what is available, and pretty much know the general area where something might be if it's needed. I found that I do have a variety of items, but there are really some areas that are LACKING. Such as spices, canned meats, mayonnaise, oil, etc. So, it is a goal of mine to start listing some of the immediate needs that our family might need. (working toward the 3 months supply of food that we have been counseled to obtain)

Here is an example of one person's 3 months supply list, it will vary extremely from family to family. Depending on size, finances, tastes, etc.

3-MONTH SUPPLY OF FOOD PLAN

This is how much food we need for 3 months (14 weeks). There are 12 dinners, because we can make 6 dinners per week and have leftovers on the 7th day of the week. And then I multiplied those dinners x 7, because 12 dinners x 7, including leftovers, is enough for 14 weeks worth of dinners. For lunch we can have leftovers half of the time and peanut butter jelly or another kind of sandwich the other part of the time. Breakfast can be oatmeal or bear mush most of the time, and a bread product made from scratch like bagels or muffins less of the time. We will keep a list on the fridge, separate from our regular grocery list, and mark all these items, so that when we use one up, we can write the item on the list to be sure to replace it.

Dinners:
1. pasta, marinara, canned green beans
2. tuna casserole with peas
3. lentil burgers, broccoli
4. stir fry vegetables and rice
5. boston baked beans, rice, broccoli
6. chickpea ratatouille, spinach
7. festive dal soup, bread
8. homemade “spaghettios”, green beans
9. “everything” rice
10. chicken veggie fajitas, spinach
11. sub ball sandwiches, broccoli
12. mac and “cheeze”, canned green beans


WHAT WE NEED:

BUCKETS:
3 buckets of hard wheat
1 bucket of oats or oat groats
1 bucket of sugar
1 bucket white flour
1 bucket brown rice
1 bucket kidney beans
1 bucket navy beans
1 bucket chickpeas
1 bucket red lentils
1 bucket regular lentils
smaller bucket of raisins
smaller bucket of bear mush


CANNED:
3 containers of salt
8 jars jam
8 jars peanut butter
8 cans crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
8 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 cans tomato soup
14 cans green beans
14 cans tuna
16 cans petite diced tomatoes
16 cans regular diced tomatoes


DRY PANTRY:
14 lbs. macaroni
4 lbs. penne
4 lbs. fettuccini
4 lbs. spaghetti
bag of instant yeast
2 jars baking powder
1 gallon vegetable oil
1 container molasses
1 container maple syrup
1 bottle soy sauce
1 bottle stir-fry sauce
1 container olive oil
2 bottles ketchup
1 bottle mustard
1 jar mayo
1 tub breadcrumbs
1 container lemon juice
1 bottle vinegar
8 cups nutritional yeast (a big bag full)


FREEZER:
15 pounds butter
8 lbs. frozen green beans
4 lbs. frozen spinach
8 lbs. frozen broccoli
4 lbs. frozen peas
4 lbs. frozen corn
1 bag frozen bell pepper
8 lbs. frozen stir-fry vegetables
8 lbs. ground beef
8 - 12 lbs. frozen chicken breast

Please share a couple of your meal ideas & recipes, and what you might buy at the store that would keep well for at least the 3 months.