setting home-storage priorities

I noticed in the article, New Year, New Progress, that I posted last week, that under longer-term supply it states,

"If you have succeeded in gathering a three-month supply, increase your home storage to meet longer-term needs based on your individual circumstances."

This is not the first time that I've read something from the church that suggests that the three-month supply, drinking water, and financial reserve take priority over longer-term storage. At providentliving.org, under the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), it states the following,

"Where do I start? -- Start by adding a few storable items that you typically eat, storing some water that is safe to drink, and saving some money, if only a few coins each week. Then over time, expand these initial efforts—as individual circumstances allow and where permitted—by storing a longer-term supply of basics such as grains, beans, and other staples."
And another quote from the FAQ page:

"Church members are encouraged to prepare for adversity by building a basic supply of food, water, money, and, over time, longer-term supply items."

Longer-term storage is an important component of the Church's program. I'm not suggesting that it be ignored or down-played. However, if you are just starting out, these quotes make it pretty clear to begin with the other three categories of home storage (three-month supply, drinking water, and a financial reserve). If you are a beginner, I would make those three categories your priority. You can worry about storing grains and beans once you get these other other three categories well on their way and you're ready to move on to your longer-term supply.

You may notice that I often discuss advanced/expert home-storage topics, and at some point I'll set up some blog goals that deal with gathering a long-term supply. Please don't feel overwhelmed or confused by these posts. My primary objective in writing this blog is to help you get started. But each of us is at a different place in the journey. Hopefully the posts here can help you regardless of where you are in your home storage.

This is also from the FAQs at Provident Living:

Get started! If you have already begun, faithfully continue your efforts. As President Hinckley taught: “We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with one week’s food supply and gradually build it to a month and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs. As all of you recognize, this counsel is not new. But I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all. Begin in a small way, my brethren, and gradually build toward a reasonable objective” (In Conference Report, Oct. 2002, 65; or Ensign, Nov. 2002, 58).

Merry Christmas!

What a wonderful gift Heavenly Father sent to us in the birth of His son Jesus Christ which we celebrate at this time of the year. I know that Jesus Christ lived and died for me and for you.

Merry Christmas!

everyday security

Often, when people talk about preparedness and home storage, they often also talk about catastrophic events. But preparedness is just as much about giving us security in every day situations such as job loss, loss of electricity, or winter storms. Sometimes these events are unexpected, but often they are not.

Grocery stores don't generally keep much merchandise in stock. Often before a predicted storm, an upcoming holiday, or just on a Saturday evening, I've seen the shelves at our local stores become severely depleted. In extreme situations, such as a predicted hurricane, those supplies completely vanish.

This extreme weather bulletin was posted this weekend for the Seattle area:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

A MAJOR AND POTENTIALLY DESTRUCTIVE EAST WIND EVENT SHOULD DEVELOP FROM THE CASCADES INTO THE FOOTHILLS AND THE EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THIS EVENT SHOULD THEN CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY.

DURING THIS EVENT...SUSTAINED WINDS COULD REACH 50 TO 70 MPH WITH PEAK GUSTS OF 70 TO 90 MPH. IN THE LOWLANDS...THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN KING COUNTY SUCH HAS NORTH BEND...MAPLE VALLEY AND ENUMCLAW. HOWEVER...STRONG WINDS WILL EXTEND ALL THE WAY WEST TO NEAR LAKE WASHINGTON AND THE HIGHWAY 167 CORRIDOR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DESTRUCTIVE WIND EVENT. TAKE THE TIME ON FRIDAY TO PREPARE FOR THE EVENTUALITY OF FALLING TREES...WHICH COULD BLOCK HIGHWAYS...AND PROLONGED POWER OUTAGES. BE SURE TO HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS IN YOUR CAR AND ENOUGH FOOD ON HAND TO FEED YOUR HOUSEHOLD FOR SEVERAL DAYS. CONSIDER SAFE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY WARM IF THE POWER GOES OUT WHILE OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES REMAIN BELOW FREEZING. WIND CHILL VALUES DURING THIS EVENT WILL BE NEAR ZERO IN THE LOWLANDS AND ABOUT 25 BELOW ZERO NEAR THE MAJOR MOUNTAIN PASSES.

I love the precautionary/preparedness suggestions that are part of this warning. However, if everyone were to respond to the suggested actions, would there be enough food for everyone to weather the storm? Maybe not. It's a good idea to have a three-month supply on hand for everyday - even expected - situations and circumstances .

New Year, New Progress

I got my January ENSIGN this past week. I love the article on home storage found in the Random Sampler section of the magazine. I've already written a post on setting goals for the new year that is slated to appear after Christmas. But this article has so many good ideas that I want to include it now.

New Year, New Progress

When it comes to implementing a successful home storage program, the most important step is to start. With the beginning of a new year, now is the perfect time for individuals and families to review the First Presidency's guidelines on home storage in the pamphlet All Is Safely Gathered In. The First Presidency encourages all Church members to gradually establish a three-month supply of food, store drinking water, set aside a financial reserve, and when possible, eventually increase home storage to a longer-term supply.

By following these simple guidelines, Church members can prayerfully consider their circumstances and set one goal to begin or continue their own home storage program. As we prepare ourselves and our families for trials and adversity, we will receive temporal security and be able to "provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience." 1 Here are a few ideas that you and your family can begin in 2009.

Three-Month Supply
*Consider your normal daily diet and make a list of foods that you can purchase, store and rotate.
*Choose a few items on your regular shopping list every week to add to your home storage, and purchase double amounts of those items and finances allow.

Drinking Water
*Begin to save and clean durable bottles that have been used for soda or juice. Rather than purchasing new bottles, save he clean and sanitized bottles and use them for water storage.
*Purchase a few water bottles every week to add to your home storage water supply. Be sure to rotate your water supply regularly.

Financial Reserve
*Add a certain amount of your income to your financial reserve each month. Set the money aside immediately after paying your tithes and offerings.
*Create a budget based on your spending last month. After looking at your spending habits, consider limiting the money you use on nonessential items and adding it to your financial reserve instead.

Longer-Term Supply
*If you have succeeded in gathering a three-month supply, increase your home storage to meet longer-term needs based on your individual circumstances.
*Learn how to properly package and store longer-term food storage items, such as wheat, white rice, and beans.

1 - All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage (pamphlet, 2007)

(January Ensign, page 68-69) - bolding added

dehydrators

Are you still struggling to decide on a Christmas gift for someone? A dehydrator could be a fun gift. I don't suspect that dehydrators are in high demand right now, so you still might be able to pick one up at your local store. Dehydrators can be a resource to help you become more self-reliant and can help add items to your three-month supply.

I personally own a Nesco Snackmaster dehydrator. My husband got it for about $45 from our local Wal-Mart and gave it to me for Mother's Day. It was on my wish list. I really like my dehydrator. It came with 5 trays and I can expand it up to 12 trays. I can also add fruit roll trays, which I use all the time. It takes less than a day to dehydrate the fruit roll-ups. The dehydrator does warm up my kitchen, but it also make our home smell delicious.

There are a lot of different dehydrators available - just search for "dehydrator" at Amazon.com. Before you choose one, I would recommend reading the reviews.

[photo source]

dehydrating foods at home

Dehydrated (or dried) foods are different than the freeze-dried foods that I discussed in last week's post. They tend to have a firmer texture and exhibit more natural browining than freeze-dried foods. Dried foods store well, are easy to use and would be a great addition to any three-month supply. You can buy dried/dehydrated foods at the local grocery store.

The biggest advantage of dehydrated foods is that you can also dry and preserve your own foods at home. You can store many of your own garden herbs, vegetables and fruits this way. You can also purchase cheap seasonal produce and dry it at home. You don’t have to have a dehydrator to dry your foods. It can be an easy (fuel-less) method of food preservation and you can dehydrate almost anything – fruits, vegetables and meat (jerky)! You can make fruit leather, fruit chunks, banana chips, dried onions, tomato powder, sun-dried tomatoes, dried veggies, etc.

Basic Instructions

Cut parchment or freezer-wrap paper (glossy side up) into the shapes of your cookie sheets or Pyrex cake pans (do not use plastic wrap or waxed paper – they will melt and stick). For fruit leather, cut the paper to overlap up the sides of the pan. It's helpful if you lightly spray (and wipe to spread) a little vegetable oil spray to coat the paper. The dried food doesn't store as long, though, if you use oil. [In a pinch, when I didn't have any paper to line my trays with, I've used vegetable spray directly on the cookie sheet. The leather didn't peel off neatly, though.]

Thinly slice fruit or vegetables or puree for leather (recipe below). Place slices or fruit puree onto the trays and place in your car, oven, or in the sun (see below for instructions).

Easy Fruit Roll-Ups
Blend any combination of fruit in blender.

Optional:
berries (for color)
applesauce (for sweetness or to extend your fruit)
lemon juice (to keep fruit from browning)
honey (to balance the tartness of the lemon juice or to add sweetness)

Pour into pan (at least ¼ inch thick). You want it to be thicker than you think! Wrap finished fruit leather in plastic wrap. Store in a dark, cool place. (Mine never makes it to storage – my family loves it!)

Car Drying (my favorite)

My husband thought I was crazy the first time that I did this – but he’s a believer now. He laughed as I made apricot fruit leather and carried the trays out to place in the back of our old yellow Toyota Celica. He laughed until I carried beautiful trays of perfectly dried apricot leather into our house the next day. I remember my Mom doing this in our old brown Subaru.

It MUST be a completely sunny, warm day to do this (85 or above). If it is overcast at all, it won’t work. Move your car out into a sunny place on your driveway or in the street. If your car has tinted windows, then make sure you put the trays in the front seats. The trays do not have to be in the sun. Leave your windows up and leave the trays alone. I've even driven around town with trays in the back. Your car will smell wonderful! It can take up to 2 days for items to dry. If after 2 days, items are not done, then move to oven method to “finish.” This method doesn't work in very humid climates.

Sun Drying
On a dry, sunny day (at least 85 degrees), place thin slices onto trays and cover with cheesecloth (to keep the bugs off). Place in a sunny place (like on a porch). This method doesn't work in high humidity.

Oven Drying

Set your oven on the lowest temperature. The ideal temperature is 130 to 150 – any higher will cook it more than dehydrate it. Open your oven door slightly. Place oven-safe trays inside oven and check regularly. Oven drying can take many hours. Several times I've had to turn my oven off while I go to bed and turn it back on the next morning. I use this method to “finish” dehydrating if weather turns overcast with above methods.

Dehydrator

Mine cost about $45 and came with 4 trays. I have added trays and have purchased “fruit roll trays” because we use them so much. Instructions are included. This is an easy method – but has more upfront cost.

alarms

I enjoyed reading Gary's post this morning over at Perpetual Preparedness titled "Do you know the sound of your alarms?" Unfortunately, we've learned the importance of recognizing our alarm sounds first hand.

After enjoying an evening out, we returned home to our children (our oldest was babysitting) and a high-pitched, ear-piercing sound. The boys immediately explained that something must be wrong with our television. As I moved through the room, however, I quickly discerned that the sound was actually coming from somewhere else. Using my ears as a guide I turned down our main hallway towards the bedrooms. I realized what the alarm was as I stepped in several inches of water. It was our basement water-heater alarm!

After one of our boys had used that toilet, the valve had not shut off, the toilet overflowed, and we figure it had been overflowing for as much as an hour. We had two to three inches of water in two bedrooms, three closets, the hallway, the bathroom, and it had seeped through an air vent into the basement and into our main heater/air conditioning unit. Needless to say, it was a long night and several days of extracting water from our home. Now we all know exactly what that water-heater alarm sounds like! And we won't miss it again.

By the way, a water alarm is just a small box that you set on the floor. I purchased it for about $10 at Home Depot after our parent's water heater failed and flooded their basement. I place the water alarm on the floor next to our water heater. If there is ever water on the floor, the water makes the connection between the two terminals and sounds an alarm. These alarms also work great in bathrooms where kids regularly overflow toilets. :o)

Thanks for the important reminder, Gary. Some alarms that you might want to sample for your family: fire, carbon monoxide, water, security system, and/or window & door alarms.

freeze-dried foods

Many nights after I've gotten ready for bed and while I wait for my husband, I'll change the channel from our local news to my favorite tv show - Unwrapped. If you've never seen it, then you're missing out! As a kid I lived for the "how-do-they-make-it" segments on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Unwrapped is basically 30 minutes of those Mister Rogers' segments. I love it.

Well about a week ago, they did a feature on freeze-dried strawberries. This link, though not from the show Unwrapped, is basically the same presentation:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/spaceage-strawberries/24384.html

Interesting, huh? I've always wanted to know how freeze-drying works.

Freeze dried foods are a great alternative food source for your three-month supply. And they don't just freeze-dry fruits, but also vegetables, meats, dairy, soups, and complete meals. These foods never require refrigeration, store well, can be eaten right out of the package (though they don't always taste good that way), and can be easily used in recipes or reconstituted. They are available in Mylar pouches, small cans, and large #10 cans. The only downside? They do tend to be more expensive.

Freeze-dried foods have a more light, porous and crisp texture than similar dehydrated/dried foods. I have personally used freeze-dried fruits, soups and meals with success. I have to be careful about opening packages of freeze-dried fruits, because my family loves them and they disappear quickly. I also have to be careful about keeping a lid on them (or sealing the package) because freeze-dried products absorb any liquid present in the air and quickly become mushy.

I haven't noticed much difference in brands -- just cost. Here are some places that sell freeze-dried foods (comparison price is for a #10 can of sliced strawberries):

Honeyville Grain - $16.99* (smaller cans also available)
Emergency Essentials - $22.95* (Mountain Home pouches also available)
Shelf Reliance - $22.69* (can't tell if these are sliced or whole)

These are all companies with whom I've had personal experience and can recommend. I'm sure there are many others. I've also seen freeze-dried foods/meals in my local grocery and camping stores.

(*I have not included shipping costs.)

bottled butter

Have you heard about bottling your own butter? I did only recently and was intrigued. Who wouldn't want butter in their food storage?

As I did research on the internet, I discovered that for some bottled butter is a very controversial topic. I know that many of us (me included) bottle foods a certain way because that's the way we were taught by our mothers and grandmothers (and "no one has ever died"). I felt like it was important, though, for you to be aware of some possible dangers and then armed with the facts, you can decide how you'll proceed.

My research led me to the following articles:
http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/288514/17/
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/questions/FAQ_canning.html#33

Jana Darrington, family consumer science agent for Utah State University extension stated, "When canned at home, items like butter and breads can provide fertile grounds for the paralytic illness botulism. We're just in the beginning stages of researching and trying to develop a safe method. Commercial enterprises have certain equipment and an ability to process that we can't do in our own kitchen. . . We don't know if there is any safe method for canning butter at home at this point."

I rely on extension services for a lot of my information on storage and canning. I'm excited about the possibilities of extension services developing and recommending a method for canning our own butter. But it sounds like we'll need to be patient and proceed with caution.

These articles suggest that you are currently better off buying commercially canned butter. I've seen this product at my local grocery store recently. You can also purchase powdered butter in #10 cans at food storage stores. I have actually stored a little bit of both, but haven't tried either product. Let me know if you've tasted commercially canned butter or powdered butter and can comment on the taste!

three-month supply goal

Have you completed your breakfast and lunch menus yet? Have you purchased the items on your shopping lists? [Let me know by responding to the poll on the right.] I have finished my breakfast menu shopping, but haven't finished acquiring items for my lunch menu. I'm about 60% done.

December is typically a busy and expensive month. So, in order to not move forward too quickly, and also to not add stress to the holidays, let's just keep working on buying food for our breakfast and lunch menus. Now is a great time to buy any baking items that you've planned for these menus. Muffin mixes, pancake mixes, flour, sugar and many other basic supplies are on sale right now.

fruit

We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. (President Spencer W. Kimball)

Gardening doesn't just mean vegetables. Fruits and berries are also great fresh resources for your three-month supply. Almost every climate in the world can support some kind of fruit. Don't have a yard? In many climates you can place potted fruit trees and berry bushes on a porch. You can even grow citrus trees or a pineapple plant indoors!

We currently have a peach tree and an apple tree (with four different apple varieties growing on it). Fruit trees can get huge if you let them, but correct pruning techniques will keep them as small garden trees. I have strawberry and raspberry plants right in my garden. Both, like the fruit trees, require maintenance and pruning to keep them from overtaking the area. Strawberries can make beautiful under-the-tree plants, which will also help contain them. (I have to place a net, weighted down with rocks, over my strawberries each year or the birds get them first.) Fruit trees and berries also work well as ground covers, or bedding plants. We also eventually plan on planting grapes.

Fruits and berries can be bottled, made into jam or syrup, dried, frozen or juiced. Because fruits have a higher acidic content, the shelf life is even better than vegetables. Our combined trees and berries produce fruit from around May until late October or November. Apples store well for several months in a cool area. So, we have fresh fruit for almost seven months of the year (and we're in a fairly cold winter area). If you live in a warm area, you can grow citrus, bananas, pineapple, figs, etc, as well as apples, peaches, and berries all year round. Besides the ongoing pruning, there is not much maintenance - besides picking and there are no seeds to store. And best of all, the trees and bushes are so inexpensive. I think we paid $20 for our peach tree. Our apple tree was $15 at Costco. The raspberries were free (starts from neighbor's gardens).

I think of fruit as a bonus when it comes to our three-month supply. There are so many yummy recipes and ways to use fruit in the meals that I already have planned. It's worth it to find a way to add fruits and berries to your gardens.

seed shelf-life

After reading Marie's question on the shelf-life of garden seeds, I spent some time trying to find the answer. Many resources disagree on seed storage length. One site said to keep them in your freezer, another suggested that freezing breaks the cell walls. One resource suggested that seeds need oxygen, a different one said that oxygen isn't necessary. It was difficult to separate all the facts from the opinions.

Gardening Tips (specific for the arid south-west) by John Begeman from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona was the most reliable resource that I could find.

"According to Agriculture Science Experts at Penn State University the (seed) shelf life of some popular vegetables are as follows:

Five Years: Cucumber, endive and muskmelon.
Four Years: Cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, pumpkin, radish and squash.
Three Years: Beans, celery, carrot, lettuce, pea, spinach and tomato
Two Years: Beets, and pepper seeds.
One Year: Sweet corn, onion, parsley and parsnips."

These times are based on optimal storage conditions which include keeping seeds cool and dry."

These facts are consistent with my own experience. I've used four year-old pumpkin seeds with success. But like I said in an earlier post, my two or three year-old onion seeds didn't yield a single plant.

I did buy a #10 can of already-packed seeds to add to my long term storage. Sellers of these #10 cans suggest a possible 90% sprout rate after 8 years and 50% after 15 years. Those seeds *might* be viable if I have to use them. They aren't all seeds that I regularly plant (like swiss chard), so it would be a gamble as to whether or not I could get all of them to grow. I'm also not sure that my family would eat a veggie that they aren't used to. I think my regular garden seeds are a better bet. I buy a new set of seeds each year, but actually only use the seeds that I bought last year. If you like this idea and are just starting a garden, just make sure to buy two sets of seeds your first year.

This links to a personal experience that Angela shared about her 9 year-old seeds stored in a #10 can: