Three P's in a Pod

blog radio list

2011-01-20T17:07:00.003-07:00

HI,

Thanks for coming to my blog. As you may see I have not blogged for awhile. That's because the roller coasters that come into our lives sometimes prove to be so big that a blog disappears from our priority list for awhile.

However, let me give you the list of things you may want to consider as you think and plan for your indoor farm. Is is a very rewarding project, even though a few weeds of different vaieties may find their way into your plans as well as the container pots.

I would love to hear how your garden grows - or not.

Liquid Vit B12 for plants
root start (optional)
Pots/containers big enough for your plants to grow up and out.
check out the thrift stores
Potting soil
plant food (or compost tea)

these DO NOT have to be organic!
Vegetables with roots/
spinach
rommaine
leaf lettuce
green onions
beet
kohlarabi

For those of you who find this blog and think it strange or mysterious - you may want to join us on Thursday evenings on the Blogtalk radio/Preparedness Network at 7pm. MT or 8:00 pm. CT or 9:00 pm. EST or in the West at 6:00pm. We are talking about Indoor Farms this week and next Jan 20 and 27. Yes, you read it right. Indoor Farms. I am the host

Barbara Salbury

You Need a Binky in Your Cupboard!

2010-06-25T15:36:00.002-06:00

I think I should tell you, you need a binky in your cupbaord!

As this year continues to progress, the headlines that cause fear and the struggles with the economy are not going away. All these things are affecting more and more of us. The failing economy continues to wreak its toll.

And so, I encourage you to do what you can, where you can, when you can. If you say you have been trying, try some more. I am in a somber mood as I write today, and would truly encourage you to keep trying. As an individual you or I cannot resolve the situations that are generating the fear from the headlines. Nor can we resolve situations in the city, state, or country. BUT, what we can do is resolve to do something, to create our own safe haven in attitude and action in our own preparedness program. Even if you are in a small apartment there has to be one corner that you can set aside to hold a few things that will benefit you. If you can’t create a “safe room”, plan and create a comforting “safe corner.”

Preparedness and provident living go hand in hand. You can help yourself deal better in the economic foray, and, at the same time, have things in your cupboards to get you through tight situations.

Remember you can get prepared without panic and hype, a little at a time – consistently, constantly and regularly. Even if as you look at what you think might be an exceedingly little amount, the key word is consistent! (You can pretend your middle name is Barbara, and no matter how small the amount of supplies in a box or on a shelf, you can hug it and say “Thank You, Thank you!”)

Being prepared does not mean there is no crisis, as some would have you believe. I’m afraid my experience has shown that I personally cry a lot: tears of frustration, tears of fear and foreboding, and then tears of gratitude, as I plod along doing my best to cope, a little at a time.
The following ideas are presented to help you cope.

Your Preparedness Program “To-Do” List
Mother Nature is not alone as she lurks around the corner waiting for us to relax. Her companions are the twins “Les Power” and “Les Fuel.” With the onslaught of hurricane season, tornado season and severe thunderstorms (whose companions are floods, floods and more floods), affecting many parts of the world, perhaps you have recently had to use most of your preparedness commodities to get through a short-term emergency. Are you breathing a sigh of relief because you made it through this one? Don’t allow complacency or careless forgetfulness to deter your consistent action plans. One of the most important priorities on your list should be to replace or obtain those necessary items to get you through the next power outage ... or whatever. That means food and non-food alike.

With cold and wet being a major factor this time of year, make sure that the gaskets, wicks, adapters, etc., that you are relying on to keep equipment functioning are where you think they are. Locate, and pull together, in one easily accessible place, all of the small but essential parts that will allow the larger pieces of equipment to function. (While you can do something about it, think about how dark dark is without light!)

If you are relying on battery-operated equipment and have had to use it this season, the power capacity in the batteries may already be dissipated. Obtain and keep on hand a sufficient number of the various sizes of required batteries so that your equipment will work each time you need to use it. A rule of thumb is that if you change some of the batteries in a piece of equipment, you should change all of them. (Have you checked to see how many batteries each lantern or light uses at one time?) If you have had batteries in storage for a long time be sure to check the expiration date- before you need rely on them.

Remember; don’t store batteries in the freezer. Freezing will cause them to expand and crack the seal or seams. And if the opportunity presents itself, (and the budget cooperates), consider replacing the equipment that uses fuel with equipment that uses batteries. It’s so much safer!
How many of the games, radios, CD players and other items in your household are dependent on batteries? Divide all of the battery-operated devices into categories of priority use in an emergency. Do you keep an emergency supply of batteries separate and restricted from those used for entertainment? If not, the supply you thought you could rely on to see you through an emergency might have dwindled to nothing.

Prepare to have your “binky blankets” in place before you need them. In case you don’t have any tiny children in your family, a “binky” is the pacifier that helps tiny children exist in this world. We all need a “binky” of one sort or another in on our practical preparedness shelves. Mine gets dipped in chocolate! Continue to read those headlines, knowing you are doing something about your own safe corner.

Aphids and Attitudes

2010-05-27T13:05:00.002-06:00

Aphids! APHIDS!? How in the world could I deserve to have aphids? Now mind you these are not the ordinary, garden variety aphids. These are aphids IN THE HOUSE, devouring the tiny, fragile plants that I have been protecting and talking to for months. These are the plants that I gingerly sprouted from seed, kept warm, watered – even prayed over. These are my garden vegetables!

The pioneers had crickets, but the seagulls came to rescue them. Please note that I’m not saying I want seagulls in my kitchen. But aphids IN the house, munching away until many of the little plants drooped and sagged, appearing to be “done for”. Aphids, some so miniscule I had to strain to see them. I could not just smack them and knock them off the plants or I would destroy my plants. I struggled to come up with a solution that would be effective and not destructive. I could not spray them with insecticide because the plants were very fragile. They were too little to hold under the faucet or dip up and down in soap water. How did they get IN? How and why did they find my plants? I didn’t see any house-broken seagulls helping me.

I finally got a Q-tip and brushed them off, trying not to break stems in the process. For several days I knocked aphids back down onto the little brown peat-pots in the war over my future garden.

Some of you may be thinking, Ok Barbara, we get the picture, you had aphids. No, they weren’t just aphids. They were aphids in the house, not in the usual place or circumstances!

However, does there seem to be a line of trial here that is intended to be another visual aid? Once again, I was in the process of trying to do the right thing at the right time. (Please note, this is not written as the thesis for guilt trips or the foundation for a sermon on “perfection of anything ”. It’s just another “pondering in the process of preparedness.” In other words I still have a lot of lessons to learn.)

It seemed to be the time of year that all of the catalogs, articles and experts indicate that the “plant the garden” juices” should be flowing. With the floundering economy continuing to take its toll on budgets and disposable income, this seemed to be a good place to try to save some money.

One point to recognize is that Larry and I are serving a full time-part time mission, as well as working full time with our business. Therefore, planting a garden, let alone attempting to do one from “scratch,” was not “just a hobby” right now. It seemed to be “a right thing to do.” You know from previous discussions and articles that preparedness really is part of my DNA. Preparedness therefore to me, means to have a garden; no matter how small, no matter how limited in variety of plants, it is the principle of the thing. You must see that I am counting on having at least one zucchini plant, with enough to eat and enough to share. It’s the principle of zucchini!

I spent two days in the dirt plot transforming it into a garden plot ... I talked to the plants, prayed, talked to the plants some more and thoroughly checked for remnant aphids. I watered well, watched and waited. IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE IT: zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, beans, more zucchini, one pumpkin and a jalapeño for Larry. More waiting and watching, and talking to plants in the garden.

Then came the news; it was spring time in the Rockies and the freeze was in the air! I cried. I ranted. I raved. Why me? Why my baby plants that I had worked so hard to get to grow. Why? Wasn’t I doing what I was supposed to be doing? Hadn’t I worked to do it right; you know all the digging and weeding and fertilizing and weeding and weeding. Did that keep the freeze from sweeping down into my little garden? NO! (In my mind I can see the green plague coming, as in The Ten Commandments movie :} )

When I checked again the next day, all the baby leaves were shiny, droopy and frost killed! Oh well, there aren’t any aphids!

Back to the mission, back to working, back to feeling terrible about my little garden. And now what do I do? Remember that Primary song, “Try, Try, Try” ? I’ve been working at how to find the budget to buy some bedding plants. If I have to start over I have to start over, at my house the zucchini principle must be met. … I haven’t been able to get the courage to pull out “the little ones yet.” I just keep hoping there might be a tiny miracle and they just might survive.

It’s now a week later. Just thought I would share with you … I just checked again,. I discovered tiny, green leaves on the zucchini and beans.

Aphids in the house? What a lesson in an oh-so-tiny adversary that had crept in, needed to be recognized and dealt with. Attitude in the garden? Try, Try, Try! Send me your address so that I may share my zucchini.

A Finger Licking Treat for Power Outages

2010-05-02T15:47:00.006-06:00

Spring has sprung and summer is "a comin". This of course means summer storms in all of their fury and more power outages. So your challenge is to gather your equipment and supplies, and perhaps practice while it is light. Then you can become a master cookie maker within the glow of an LED lantern or a camp lantern on the patio.

Equipment note: A Sterno stove and Sterno (canned heat) or one of those marvelous small single burner temporary stoves would work well for this. Check out our website to see the stoves

I found a fun thing I could not resist sharing with you.

I collect old cook books. In one, a week or so ago I found a perfect recipe for power outages.

When things get tough ... and, dark you have to stay cheered up, right?

In this instance plan ahead to have the right, as in correct, equipment and the right ingredients on hand.

A practice session or two just might be required to make sure the taste is just how you want it.

Warning: this is a lick your fingers recipe :)

Skillet Cookies
1 cup chopped dates Combine in a skillet and cook over medium heat until
1/3 cup water dates are softened and the mixture is sticky.

1/2 cup chopped nuts Add and mix well. Remove from heat.

about 2 cups cereal flakes Stir in enough dry cereal to give the desired consistency.

coconut shape with fingers and roll in coconut

Place on plastic wrap on cookie sheet to set up. Note that date nuggets may be substituted for regular dates. You may want to reconstitute them prior to making recipe.

Yield is about 2 dozen small cookies

Enjoy

Self-reliant ..or is it SELF reliant?

2010-04-26T13:41:00.002-06:00

This is a “thinking-about” article. With all of the recent thought provoking headlines and happenings I have been thinking about “self–reliance” quite a bit.

Do we understand what self-reliance should/could mean to each of us? Is there a difference between self-reliance and preparedness? In our society is total self-reliance possible or probable?

This is one of those “I hope to help you think” kinds of articles. I’m hoping that I can stir up a little bit of assessing and evaluating in how you think, which means that I am placing the responsibility for the “meat” of this article with you. This also means that arriving at your answers and/or questions most likely will not be similar to the same conclusion as anyone else. Of course, for those of you who have been following along with me for any length of time, you may find quite a few others in your ballpark.

There follows some comments, opinions and a little insight, from my perspective, on a few categories, individual items or principles of self-reliance. They are not in any order of priority except for the first one.

One of the most important points is that, as far as I am concerned, planning to head for the hills with guns and ammunitions does not have a place in any category of my persuasions. Using firearms against other human beings does not and will not fit into anything I teach!

How do you think that the difference between how the know-how and every day usage of a specific skill fit in? Is there a difference and does it affect you? Assess what and if some of these things could or should make a difference in your life.

I know how to make all of my bread, crackers and bake goods from scratch. The key term is “know how”, because I do not do that all of the time. However, is the economy affecting this in your life yet?

I know how to successfully cook meals on a “tin-can” stove or a large variety of temporary non-traditional stoves.

I know how to make a variety of soaps and cleaners, as do many others. But do you make your own lye and render your own lard. Once again, I know how.

I know how to sew and create a variety of clothing articles. I also know how to make quilts and blankets. But I don’t know how to make shoes. Nor do I know how to cure or tan cowhides to make them useable. In fact, I don’t even have a cow, let alone one I would part with.

I do not know how to make my own toilet tissue, nor do many of you. (Whatever you do, do not fall for the old wives take of using catalog pages or printed paper as a reliable resource. The resulting problems will be extremely painful.)

In addition to that, we haven’t built an outhouse in a long time, have you? How many alternatives can you come up with that will work for you?

We have never built our own shelter, let alone a home. This is not referring to a boy-scout or camping-style temporary shelter.

I know how to make the proper kind of emergency candles and oil lamps if needed.
And of course you must know that I love having my little indoor farm. Where and how will yours grow?

Larry knows how to properly build and repair just about everything.

We don’t know how to make money (the actual, tangible, paper kind) in order to be able to pay the house payment. (It might do well to remember that this is illegal as well as a joke. However, being able to “make” the house payment is not a joke.)

By now I’m sure you realize the list of items to consider could be pages long. It might even make a book :)
Differences on your list will certainly exist if you are living in the inner-city in a condo or apartment, compared to someone who resides in a rural situation. You need to be sure to make a critical re-assessment if you have recently downsized, or moved.

Assess your ideas closely; some of your equipment and/or skills may be outmoded and no longer safe.

A concluding thought could be, self-reliance may include preparedness. However, being prepared within the traditional connotation of “food storage” does not necessarily include self-reliance. Our society in the Twenty-first century enables us to rely on one another’s products and skills. Self-reliance definitely includes the category of economics and economic skills...
Self-reliance is possible with the supplies, knowledge and skills with which we are prepared. The key word in self-reliance is SELF
.
Did you notice how I struggled to not mention the importance of assessing the place or kind of chocolate you should consider?

Just some fun news

2010-04-05T12:05:00.002-06:00

Hello,

I have been interviewed quite a few times lately about the new Personal Disaster Preparedness Planner. With all the earthquakes and "etc.s " taking place, it seems a few more people are starting to listen or be concerned or whatever.

Tonight at 6:00 p.m. MDt I will be a guest on the blog radio show that is gaining in popularity on a daily basis. www.blogtalkradio.com/DoctorPrepper There is a live call in line if you want to be involved 347-326-9604

I enjoy hearing from all of you and the sharing and trading of ideas.

If you have two minutes go to my website and check out the new Disaster Quick Pack. I have hesitated in mentioning the things that I am involved with, but lots of people have been encouraging me to share. So today I thought I would share.

Happy spring. Spring in our neighborhood today is white and fluffy and falling from the sky..

Mary, Mary Not at all Contrary, Where Will Your Garden Grow?

2010-03-26T18:27:00.002-06:00

I really think this article will transform into a worksheet. I have been thinking about this particular article for a long time. My goal for it, for you, is to communicate a feeling or attitude. From the title you can assume that it is about gardening. It is - sort of. There are so many wonderful, professional how-to garden books “out there” that you don’t need me to tell you “how.” Therefore, that means we come back to the principles, heartfelt thoughts, and attitudes. If you have been reading any newspaper or current magazine, or listening to the news there seems to be a plethora (huge amount- I just liked the word :}) of information about gardens, seeds and gardening lately. Some even foretell a dreary horizon full of shortages of seed, to the point where it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy in some areas. First and foremost, we need to focus on the WHY we should garden, have a garden or think about mud, weeds and really dirty knees and hands. It’s simple. If you happen to be a member of the LDS church, we have been counseled and admonished to garden – if we can. If that is not reason enough, then yes, focus on the headlines and that funny word “economy.”

I love the story, or faith promoting rumor, that is told of President N. Eldon Tanner regarding his “garden.” It is said that he wanted to follow the counsel given by the Prophet to have a garden. At the time he lived in an apartment complex. But he planted his “garden; tomato plants in containers that were kept on the balcony. He determined that those few plants cost a fortune in plant food, care, fertilizer, etc., in the percentage of produce that he was able to harvest. But he did what he was asked to do anyway.

The following areas of consideration are to help you think about what will work for you, in your circumstances. May I suggest that you weigh the news headlines against what has been counseled by our leaders. May I also suggest that if in doubt make it a matter of prayer. Remember one of Barbara’s mottos is that, “There is nothing too dumb to talk to the Lord about!" You can resolve the why, where and how!

Are you thinking of storing seeds? The rule of thumb that makes most sense is that you can/should save seeds to grow, not necessarily store, with the “food storage” mindset of having, but not using them!

You need to understand that you may store wheat (seed) for 30 years. That does not mean that the entire can or bucket of wheat will germinate and grow after 30 years. It means you can store it, and then grind it for flour or cooking. The longer a seed is stored the more the germination capability deteriorates. Gardeners in the past would save seed from a favorite vegetable or their crops in general, to plant the following year.

As you think of seed, how much and what kind, there are a few things to consider.
Where and what will your garden be? Are you going to attempt to “farm,” as in a huge plot of ground, such as a ¼ or ½ acre? Or will you be thinking about a “postage stamp” plot?
Even though the seeds may appear tiny, be sure that you properly guesstimate the space requirements of the adult plant.
What kind of “territory” do you have to deal with? Are you plants going to grow in the ground or in containers; in the yard or on the patio or deck?
How much and how many varieties can you plan on? Is some of your gardening going to start now and then continue with greens and smaller varieties indoors in order to have an economical or healthful advantage?
Is your garden going to be a hobby for “fun” – as in work- on weekends to grow enough for just salads and a ripe tomato or two? Or is it to provide a mainstay of produce for your household? Or are you looking at harvesting enough to can/bottle or freeze?

What about a “Garden in a #10 Can or similar packaging?
I’m sure you have seen them advertised. “All the seed you need for a full sized garden in a #10 size can.” Many times these are sold in “home storage” stores or catalogs, and lately in classified ads. The focus of the advertising could be that there is a seed shortage or this needs to be an integral part of your “home storage”.
You may want to take a second or third look at that kind of “seed package.”
First, how is a full sized garden defined? What kind of variety is there? How much of each kind of seed is there? Are most of the vegetables the kind that you and your family will readily eat? Do you have the space and ability to grow most of the vegetables in the package? How many are vine-type versus the bush type versus what other type? Is there a lot of corn or potatoes, etc. that require a lot of ground space? Weigh the packaged version against your circumstances. Can you do just as well, or maybe better, by planning on paper, making a list, checking it twice and then buying locally

Seed from your “crops” or plants:
In order to obtain seed from your own plants you must have the space to have some plants that you harvest to eat and then some of these you can use for the seed. In order to have seeds from your vegetables you need to grow old-fashioned regular vegetables, not hybrids.
Save seeds from one year to plant the next. Some vegetables, such as the onion family, take two years to produce seeds. Others you will need to allow the vegetable to mature in order to allow the plant to “go to seed,” such as lettuce.
The following ideas came from Larry Sagers, the Master Gardener of Deseret News and KSL radio.
“With peas and beans allow the pods to mature on the plants. Pull up the plants, usually in the morning, and put them inside a paper bag. The pods will split and the seeds fall into the bag.
Peppers should ripen on the plant. Cut them open and scrape the seeds onto newspaper to dry.”
I have always scraped the pulp with the seeds from tomatoes onto newspapers, allowed it to dry and then picked the seeds off.
Mr. Sagers suggests that you “pick and slice the mature fruit and squeeze out the seeds and juice into a plastic or glass jar. Let the pulp ferment and the seeds will sink. Pour off the liquid and wash remaining seed, then dry and store them like pepper seeds”.
Cucumbers, squash, melon and pumpkin seeds are all easy to save. Newspaper once again can be used to save and dry the seed.

Store bought?
Are you planning on saving store-bought seeds? Buy next year’s garden seeds this year, then keep them in containers with tight fitting lids such as gallon jars or number 10 cans, but not baggies or paper bags. Keep them as cool and dark as possible.

One more story – to encourage you.
While Larry attended BYU, we lived in a small rental house. We started a garden in the plot out back, but before it had a chance to produce, we had the opportunity to buy a little house around the corner. We jumped at the chance, but that meant having to leave our garden behind. Our daughter (who was eleven years old) insisted that the garden should “move with us.” We tried explaining that the plants would most likely die, but she was adamant and promised she would take extra good care of them. So we moved as much of the garden as we could – plant by plant.
For several months we could look out the back window and there she would be, sitting in the rows talking to the plants. Almost all of the plants lived – how would they dare to not! The morale of the story? Never give up on your gardening opportunities!

And you can always remember that I make sure I grow Chocolate mint and Chocolate peppers !
##

Chocolate is a Symbol ... Or Something Like That

2010-02-23T16:04:00.005-07:00

Lately for chocoholics, such as someone I know, many of the nutritional reports are giving a lot of food for rationalization, (pun intended) in so much that there is now proof and substantiation as to the antioxidant value, and all kinds of other “good for you values”.

By now most of you know by reading this that there must be another twist coming. There is. I would like to challenge you to connect snow, being stranded, no power, floods and freezing, no mall cruising, no convenience stores, and much more snow … with chocolate!

Recently in the news we have been shown the plight of the people in the eastern, southern and most of the United States because of the severe winter storms that were pounding the country. It seemed that there were very few spots on the globe that are free from some sort of nature-related dilemma. And I would wager that a very small percentage of residents in those areas had sufficient chocolate on hand to deal with the length of the situation that they were suddenly surrounded with! (Haiti and the conditions there cannot be considered in this discussion.)

In the dire conditions, which descended very quickly; with intense snow, floods and all of the accompanying etc.s I imagine some people had a snow shovel. Even then a number of them didn't because some of the areas hit were not used to winter being associated with a deluge of snow. But the conditions that required chocolate did not require the snow shovels. In the aftermath of sitting out days and nights the need for comfort and comfort foods would have increased. Thus enters chocolate!

The importance of "chocolate" rears its head as we can see life as many knew it coming to a screeching halt within just a few minutes. This winter, which is still upon us, should serve as a huge wake-up call.

I suggest that chocolate become a symbol - of sorts – to represent morale boosters and just how important they really are in an emergency or disaster situation that can stretch from three days to several weeks or even longer.

In personal preparedness you know that I am always teaching that we need a balance in our foods, variety being a key word. You know, or should know by now, that beans and grains are important. Well? Where are the beans on your morale booster shelf? What kind of jelly beans fits the bill for you and your family, Jelly Belly, licorice, red hots?

What about those good for you grains? How much popcorn do you have on hand and what plan do you have to be able to pop it? Remember microwave popcorn packages do not work without a working microwave. Storms and power outages tend to turn microwaves into non-functioning items. You need to remember the frying pan, oil and how to shake the pan so that the corn doesn'tburn?

Is peanut butter a favorite in your house? What kind of varieties do you have on that shelf? No, I’m not talking about crunchy versus creamy; what will get you through. Yes, a spoon and a jar-full will work, but so will peanut butter powder or peanut butter cookie chips.

“Chex-type snacks can only be made if you have an extra box or so on those shelves.

M&M’s store well in large jars with tight fitting lids, as do bite-sized candy bars.

Yes, I know family survival and safety and all of those really important things come first. But in the process of preparing for those priority life-saving things, prepare for the humor saving, emotion saving and comfort saving things, while you have the opportunity.

Plan for the worst case situation of no power, no heat, no light, etc. Check out the history of the length of the aftermath of storms in your area and then add a week or so. If you have been paying attention lately you will have discovered in most areas typical storm strength and typical storm aftermath length is no longer typical.

My recommendation is that you recollect the headlines of the last month or so and adapt the “what-ifs” to your family, your home and your budget. Find the chocolate that will work as your comfort for those dark and dreary days and nights, realizing that none of us are exempt. Check out your cupboard and see what the chocolate symbol will be. I have one acquaintance whose chocolate is freeze dried peas.

So the moral of today’s article is that you understand that chocolate, and the powerful influence of the word in our brains, (well some of us anyway), should/could be translated to become a symbol for morale boosters and comfort and just how important they could be … just in case. ##

Mud Cakes and Alarm Clocks

2010-01-28T14:11:00.001-07:00

Today’s article isn’t any profound doctrine or statement. It’s an observation or two and of course a lot of opinion.

I’ve been wondering how many of you have made a determined effort in the last week to find your recipe for mud cakes. You read it right MUDCAKES! I’m also wondering how many of you have knocked your clock on the floor trying to turn off that incessant alarm that has gone crazy and simply will not turn off – even though many of us are trying to ignore it.

Back to the mud cakes; the simplest recipe I know is to stir together in a bowl, if you have one, 3 cups of dirt and 1/3 to ½ cups of water. As you read, most of you are assuming I am referencing clean water out of a tap or bucket. Let’s clarify – any water will do.

And that alarm clock that is still ringing – now in the background. Yes, it has been a week, the photos of rubble and terrified faces are now on the third page instead of the front page. It is the third news story mentioned instead of the first, now placed behind another scandal or sensational political tidbit. The blaring headlines are fading and yes life does go on – somehow, one way or the other. It’s that other that I am concerned about.

Again, back to the mud cakes. By now you may have figured out that I am reflecting upon the events in Haiti. And I am assuming you are reading this under the shelter of your roof, sitting on a chair in front of a not-too-old computer. Perhaps dinner is in the crock pot simmering while you read. The recipe for mud cakes is real. It is what many, many mothers in Haiti fed their children BEFORE the earthquake hit. This is what they ate in order to have something on their stomachs. If they were very, very fortunate they might have had a small amount of flour or meal of some sort to mix with it. And now most of the ingredients for this unbelievable recipe are gone or at best contaminated.

This article is not meant to take away from any and all of the help and assistance that has been sent to this crippled country. It’s meant to cause you to take a second and third look at what could very easily and very quickly happen in your/our little corner of the world. Most likely, never to the extent of suffering and deprivation of the Haitian event, but happen it can.

Lo and behold, on a quiet, somewhat peaceful morning it only took a few minutes for devastation to surround an entire nation, wiping out any sense of security that might have existed. It only took once.

Yes, I lived near the epicenter of the 7.2 Loma Prieta earthquake in California. And I survived. I even survived with some confidence and security. It came stealthily on a fall afternoon, and within just a few minutes all sense of security was gone. It only took once.

Once again a huge wake- up call has sounded. Maybe you have some preparedness taken care of. Perhaps you think all is going to be okay or that you will get by. Can you? Will you? Will the ingredients for your recipes still be in place?

My heart breaks for the mothers and parents of Haiti. We can help them, somewhat. We most certainly can continue to beg and plead for Heavenly Father to bless and help them.

But while there is still time and that alarms continue to ring, take that second and third look. Update, adjust, stir in more, do whatever it takes to have your recipes clearly written with the proper ingredients for you on hand.

Bending the Rules A Little

2010-01-01T17:59:00.002-07:00

It seems that with suggestions of panic, rationing, food shortages, intermingling with war, politics, etc. resounding through news, the interest in being prepared is once again on the rise. Or should we say “still on the rise …”

Many people think that this is the time of year to be making goals, creating new habits or drastically changing your life to fit another path or direction. I will be different and suggest some practicality … I hope. Instead of trying something new or exotic (exotic? Hmmmm), why don’t we concentrate on continuing to work on some projects that have been around for a long time, such as a program that many have felt impossible to complete. Yep, here we go AGAIN. Yes, I am referring to preparedness.

Once again, may I suggest that you consider your preparedness preparations with renewed enthusiasm and insight?

You need to know the Preparedness is implanted deeply in my DNA. I have a firm belief that your faith is one of the prime factors allowing you to succeed … or not.

Since many of you may not know me very well, it is important for you to understand where I am coming from as I voice opinions and teach preparedness principles and concepts with my articles and website.

As you read these articles and evaluate some of the suggestions you must keep in mind that being able to care for my family at all times and in all situations may have warped my perspective somewhat.

For many years we didn’t always have the funds or facilities to have the ideal products or pantry. Through the years, faith and desperation have combined to persuade me that I could find pantry space, and I could make it work, no matter what the proper storage rules said should or shouldn’t work. I learned that if I had enough faith I could bend the rules to make what I had to work with function – even thought they said it shouldn’t have.

Should you mistakenly think it was all coincidence or luck, I need to share an underlying belief and practice. We prayed over our meager home storage a lot. We gave thanks that we had it and then prayed it would be protected so that we wouldn’t lose it. And then we prayed to be able to find the ways to stretch our meager funds to be able to obtain more. You see for a long time our preparedness was sort of seasonal. The season being that there was a paycheck coming – from somewhere, sometime. Our paychecks came from royalties twice a year – in July and January. Each paycheck had to be stretched for the next six months. This was the situation when we went back to school

Then, always trying to better our situation, we moved a lot. Many times due to less than ideal pantry conditions our supplies fried in the summer and froze in the winter. Once after a hurricane (in Utah!), we tracked down our storage and the shed it had been stored in. We found it down the street in a neighbor’s yard. And then we prayed some more! In fact, we prayed for our “survival” year round.

One year, we moved back to California, after having moved to Utah. Our preparedness supplies, always a priority, were moved as well. It had been several years of preparedness supplies being stashed in those less than perfect pantry conditions. It was now time to unpack our supplies and put them away on shelves Larry had just finished constructing in the garage. It was my intent to sort and discard much of it, because, “after all ‘they said’ it wouldn’t be good. How could it have survived through such instability and extreme temperature fluctuations?” I sat on our garage floor and cried; not tears of frustration, but tears of gratitude! Very little had to be discarded, including hundreds of quart bottles filled with home canned fruit that were not broken.

Therefore, one of my personal guidelines is that not only do you do the best you can with what you have, you allow the Lord to help!

With that foundation you will discover in future articles more details and attention given to those pantry ideas and areas that might not be considered “traditional pantry space”, as well as ways to store and keep your products that have worked – by bending the rules a little and praying a lot.

I share these thoughts and experiences to encourage you as the news continues to drone on in negativity. You can continue in a positive way – even if you think that your “funds or facilities” are not ideal.

President Gordon B. Hinckley has counseled, “Begin in a small way … and gradually build toward a reasonable objective.” (To the Men of the Priesthood, the Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2002, p.58)

As you assess what to do and how, remember to always include Heavenly Father in your plans and projections, with a profound, sincere, “Thank You” when you are blessed. I love the concept that “Faith precedes the miracle.” Miracles abound in preparedness programs, no matter where you live!

Develop a firm belief that your faith is one of the prime factors that will allow you to succeed … or not.
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Is Your Emergency Cupboard Bare?

2009-11-16T19:36:00.003-07:00

At this time of year it’s important to step back and review another kind of cupboard. If you can’t find one in your home it’s time to create one! It’s one that should really be maintained full at all times. But for some reason we seem to be willing to concentrate on it more now than when the sun was shining every day and parks, picnics and beaches filled our minds. I’m referring to your Emergency Cupboard.

So then, what is on the shelves of your emergency cupboard? Please note right away I am not talking about “home storage” and the “infamous” ten-thousand pounds of wheat you should have under your bed. (Isn’t that the rumor one always hears about? Well, close to it anyway.)

Before winter’s grip becomes a stranglehold, it’s time for you to realistically assess what you might come up against this winter – or even late fall as the storm season progresses in your part of the world. You need to be prepared with the solutions to these problems before they occur. In any winter emergency, whether at home or in the car, two of the biggest villains that may have to be conquered are the wet and cold, combined with lack of food (or foods that can be made edible). If one, let alone both of these factors exist, a simple problem can be compounded to critical intensity.

Let’s take a closer look at just what things you need to have on the shelves of this cupboard.
It is of vital concern that you have the proper resources to get dry – and then be able to stay dry. Keep in mind that layered clothing will prove to be warmer than a ski-type suit. A poncho, tarp, emergency blanket, or even a garbage bag with head and arm holes cut out, will help protect the body. Be sure to have a warm hat and gloves if exposure to severe weather is a probability. Emergency heat and light should also be considered as priorities as well.

Foods that require no refrigeration, little or no cooking and little preparation are an absolute must. It is extremely important to assess the individual needs of your household members. Will you be providing for an infant, elderly person or someone with a severe allergy? It will make a difference as to what kinds of food products you keep in your emergency cupboard.

Shop, read and compare to find the items with the versatility to meet your needs as well as staying within your budget. Do not be misled into complacency because you happen to have several candles and one container of canned heat.

I strongly recommend that you hold several practice sessions with whatever you have planned to use in an emergency. This definitely is not the kind of situation where you want to have on-the-job training. Practice sessions – without any cheating and relying on the “regular stuff” you have handy in the kitchen- could be a real eye-opener.

Begin listing items or products that will be essential to meet your needs during a winter or storm emergency. Assess your cupboards and closets for items you may already have on hand that will work without having to rely on regular utilities. Many things will function in a different scope than normally used when viewed with a different perspective.

It only takes moments to recognize that the purchase of some items may be necessary to have an emergency cupboard that can function properly. As you plan your monthly budget try including a specific amount to cover the costs of these items. It may mean that you spread the cost over several months. That’s okay, especially if you buy the most critical items first.

You can do it. Find the enthusiasm you need to keep going. Just imagine the feeling you will have when the thunder gets so loud you think your house is falling apart, the lightning is so bright it lights up the room in the daylight, and the rain coming down isn’t just rain, it’s a deluge; but you will have security in a box or cupboard. You will be able to know that you and yours will be okay because you put forth a little effort. It’s a great feeling! I know! Just keep the teddy bears handy- they work for one and all when the thunder gets really loud!

A Calendar Watch and Awareness to Boost Your Shopping Skills

2009-11-16T17:30:00.002-07:00

As November comes into view get a tighter grip on your shopping skills as well as your shopping lists. Many retailers look forward to the day after Thanksgiving, because it hails as the biggest shopping day of the year. It competes stiffly with the day after Christmas, because in many ways it formally ushers in the Christmas shopping season. At least it used to, now many Christmas holiday promotions appeared on the shelves along with the Halloween ghosts and goblins, some even before. Most of us by this time will be well aware of the pressures of holiday buying. Therefore, this Calendar Watch and Awareness for November is to encourage you to intensify conscientious shopping skills, and of course enjoy doing so!

Holiday hype will continue to escalate in all areas. The word sale will appear more often with greater intensity and inferred urgency. Many stores and outlets will be capitalizing on the fact that a lot of us are experiencing difficult economic times. Ads will proclaim that the prices are truly lower and the bargains better now than they have been in a long time. A few may be, but I would suggest that most probably won’t be. Price awareness is an absolute must if your budget matters!

So that a “Scrooge” attitude does not mar your holiday happiness and shopping pleasure, plan in detail the amounts you can spend and in what category! Happily stick to your plan.
As the ads and media blitzes try to convince you that you may not be properly keeping up with what “they” say or show as the “only” way to have a perfect holiday, remember this key thought – ADVERTISING IS USUALLY NOT REALITY – even though you are expected to perceive it as such. Of course, all of our last names are not Jones or Smith (Apologies to all the legitimate Jones and Smiths) nor Prunewitz. A rule of thumb is to plan enthusiasm and fun into whatever amount that you do have. Zip? Give your time and caring as gift coupons and still count the blessing you do have. This is not an ethereal sermon – “been there, done that and wore out the T-shirt”.

A Bonus for Your Budget – Turkey!
Here is a bonus to the article and you can count it as a bonus for your budget.

As November and December are here we are once again going to see and hear the phrase, “It’s Turkey Time”. Whether you like it or not, commercially turkey has become totally integrated with the promotion of Thanksgiving and the holidays. But if you are a wise consumer, turkey can and should be a boon to the budget. As the seasonal sales progress a few pointers may help you recognize even greater bargains.

The nutrition in a C grade turkey is not much different than the one with extra fancy wrappings and self timer. But it’s almost a sure thing there will be a difference in price. The A grading on poultry simply indicates the bird has all of its parts and there are no observable flaws. Whereas a B grade may be just as delicious, but have a broken wing tip. If you personally prefer the kind with the self timer, it still is usually a bargain when compared with the price of other meats. Turkeys freeze well.

Generally you pay less per pound for larger turkeys; a 20 pound tom being cheaper than a ten pounder. You get more meat per proportion to carcass on the big ones. If a 20 pound turkey would be too large for you, ask someone in the meat department to cut it into halves and/or quarters. Wrap the pieces individually and freeze them. That way you will be able to take advantage of the savings. Keep in mind turkey and turkey sales are available year round now, with the most noticeable promotions at this time of year. Turkey parts are usually economical and create good tasting budget meals. Even the carcass of the turkey is a bargain when used for good old-fashioned turkey and noodle soup.

Have fun watching for the sales and finding the bargains. Remember the motto; the thrill is in the hunt.

Discover Great Grains and the Piggy Bank Too

2009-10-30T19:01:00.000-06:00

Have you heard those old rumors about how good wheat is, or that wheat has it all? Wheat can be great, but I just discovered the Chinese Forbidden _________ … Oh, you have to wait a minute, because I have to go and get more paper and ink, the list for this article is so long …

What do the Squirrel Syndrome, Time Change and a List Have in Common?

2009-09-29T12:09:00.002-06:00

I don’t know about you, but a few days ago when the news reporter said that summer was gone and fall is officially here, I almost choked. Good Grief, my to-do list for December is still not completed. That is last December, you realize.

If summer is officially over, that means it’s time for those fall reminders. Which brings up the question, what do the Squirrel Syndrome, time change and a list have in common?
If fall goes by as quickly as summer did, we could all be in deep trouble. When fall officially arrives, cold weather plays games as it comes and goes. About the time you get chilly you realize you had better do something. We, as people, become like the squirrels, scurrying about so that we can stash all kinds of things in our trees, only we call them closets. Well, if you follow that path, you could find yourself in a few situations you don’t want to be and don’t need to be. This could happen, if instead of well thought out planning and spending, your preparedness “supplies” are thrown together in a stash. This could bring temporary comfort, until the need arises for you to use whatever it is you have stashed, only to discover that it wasn’t what you needed. You got it because everyone else was scurrying and stashing, and it looked or sounded good when you saw it in their tree.

Not only should you be looking for Pumpkins, you should be looking toward being able to enjoy the cold weather and all that comes with it, such as power outages and no heat. “Enjoy it, you say? Well here she goes again. Barbara’s off on a tangent.”

Well the point is, wouldn’t you be able to enjoy a huge, cold storm, if you were inside, had heat and light and the windows were secure? That seems to be a no brainer, … except, when the storm comes if you have not done anything to keep you warm and snugly, then there is no enjoyment to be found anywhere in that stash in your closet or cupboard.

So now is the time to make that list and check it twice. (There is the list.) Start immediately to evaluate what the real needs might be. As you think of items that need to be replaced or acquired, write them down. Carry a small notebook all of the time to jot things down so that you can remember them. Once an item is jotted down doesn’t mean it’s an absolute purchase, it means you will check out all of the factors required before you purchase it.

Check out your area, especially if you have recently moved to a new climate or geographical area. Wherever you live, what kind of storms should you expect? How severe? How sturdy is your dwelling? What are the critical things that you need to acquire now so that you AND your household will make it through “a dark and stormy night – or days – or weeks”? Start now to gather those things one or two per payday or week. Place them together in the same place, where you can immediately find them, such as in a labeled box on an easily accessible shelf.

In what condition are your flashlights? How many do you have and how many do you really need? You should have at least one, that you know works, per household member. Remember the LED kind burn longer and brighter than the inexpensive “regular-plastic kind”.

What about thermals or extra sweat suits to keep you warm if there is not furnace heat available? How many pair of extra warm socks – not wool – does each of your family members have? Gloves? Warm hat? And so on …

What about a workable emergency- stove to be able to fix a warm meal or a pot of soup? The safety rule of thumb is that you cannot/should not use camping stoves in the house!
Do you live in an apartment, mobile home or house? Space or lack of will definitely affect the kinds of equipment you need to have on hand.

What do you have on hand to get you and yours through several days and/or nights of a total power outage? Seriously think about what that might mean and what areas it might include. I would wager if you start a serious list you will be surprised as to what you might have to deal with. I’ll give you a hint; it is a lot more than just trying to see in the dark. Consider the ages of you family members and what you might have to help them deal with if it is very dark for a long time. Think about how long three days of dark might seem to a very young child. And then think about what if they are cold in addition to that. And then think about more …
Now about that time change question, the time of year to change your clocks will soon be upon us. This is a good time to schedule a Saturday afternoon – or longer – to check your equipment, kits, supplies, etc., to make sure that everything is in working order, and of course, that you know where it all is. No, no, not that you know it is under the pile of tires and tarps, but that you have hauled it all out, straightened it up and really know where it is. I know, I know you’re thinking, Barbara is nagging again. You have to remember, Barbara knows the words to that song, “I told you so …”

Your homework assignment is to be a wise squirrel and choose your stash carefully. Check out what you have on hand – after you haul it out from under whatever. Then make a comprehensive list of needed items that will suit your circumstances.

Can you believe an entire article that didn’t mention chocolate? That’s because I slipped it in subliminally three paragraphs back.

What Won't Help Your Budget?

2009-09-05T00:42:00.000-06:00

Hello again. I am really concerned that there may be a whole bunch of you out there in blog land struggling with trying to stretch your budgets. And now the publicity and propaganda is really starting to spread about the miracle that will save your grocery money - the coupon.

For your own good, or rather your budget's good, please don't get sucked into this campaign. For that is exactly what it is! It is a campaign by the grocery manufacturers to convince you that the coupon really does help you. It really doesn't!

My research into couponing and refunding inside the grocery industry is why I was on all of the talk shows a few years ago. Coupons are a deceiving marketing tool created by the grocery industry. They will become a hot ticket item every time the economy goes down the drain to the point where you and I are crying all the way to the check out.

The more a "coupon queen" claims to be able to save, the more will have to have been spent on brand name products.

The rage right now is supposedly saving with coupons and a sale. This will only last so long and the grocery stores will be hurting and put a stop to it. In the meantime the market - or zip code areas - where it is being promoted will be used as a "drop or dump" for more coupons, which in turn convince you to buy only specific brand name products.

Would you find it interesting to know that those of us who live in less expensive neighborhoods-and thus zip codes - do not receive coupons in the mail, nor in our newspaper inserts.

Coupons are not a sound shopping concept! Right now they are once again becoming a raging fad because of the economy.

And yes, I will probabbly get a lot of emails to the contrary. That's OK. I just want you to think again and be frugal with your budgets in a way that will help, not hinder.

Did I Fall Off the Face of the Earth?

2009-09-03T12:33:00.002-06:00

Hi - I seems like forever since I have had the opportunity to blog. I so admire the many of you who can blog every day, let alone several times a day. Sometimes life gets in the way of blogs ... and all the reasons that we need support and a framework of friends around us and a blog world to sound off in once in awhile.
May I take two seconds today to remind you, as I have once again been reminded, that it helps if we have a few things on hand to deal with the surprises that are handed us. I am in no way an expert in the medical world, but recently, as in the last few years and again in the last few months, I have become an expert in taking care of surgical wounds. The reason I bring this up is that sometimes we take for granted that the "supplies are downstairs - or upstairs, or in the closet- in the box." That's where we expect them to be. That is where we think they should be. And sometimes - all of a sudden - we find ourselves in the middle of having to care for someone in a situation that requires patience with the patients. And at the same time we need those supplies so that we don't have to leave those patients at a critical time.
That means the sermon for the day is - get a handle on what you need to be dealing with; whether that be allergy attacks, asthma attacks, constant mini-surgeries or the events surrounding a new baby, or dealing with an ill, older relative. What supplies SHOULD you have on hand - right now?
We (Larry) had another surgery - minor this time. But I had neglected to check up on how many Telfa pads, Q-tips, non-stick tape, Peroxide and all the other fun things required. aAnd when was the major lack of these things discovered? Smack in the middle of the first day home - when they were needed and it was most difficult to get away.
Was it a major disaster ? No. Was it an inconvenience? Yes. Did it cause a "whole bunch of frustration"? Yes. Well compound what was a realtively simple experience by a severe storm or whatever you want to conjour up, and just maybe this blog will work as a reminder and a wake up call. That is if you don't smack the snooze alarm and say you don't need to hear this.

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It's September and the Canning Season Has Just Begun

2009-08-25T22:23:00.002-06:00

Should you think that you can relax and put the guilt away for another year, think again. First, put the guilt away period, not for just a year. Hopefully, you are about to find enthusiasm, good reasons and support for an idea that some might consider too old fashioned. Or you can check a few paragraphs down for more readily available excuses that allow the vision of canned peaches and pears to remain in the 1900’s Home Economic text books...

In spite of what rumor or rationalization might have you believe, the home preservation season does not end when the calendar hits August 31st and school starts. In fact, as that song says, “We’ve only just begun . . .”, because the “season” can last well into November. There are a lot of apple sales in December. If the price is right, apples easily store well in a cool place until January or February. Remember the applesauce, jelly and your favorite pie filling. If you have an eye out for bargains and become well acquainted with a produce manager or two, you can find deals year round. Okay, okay there might be something else on your calendar besides canning. I’m just showing you a few opportunities you might have missed :).

So read on, because here come the enthusiasm and rationale you need to plunge in feet first. Well, maybe not quite literally, even though it might be grapes growing over the fence in your back yard.

The down spiraling economy has been a boon to all kinds of trends in home preservation. More people are trying to learn and many more are re-learning home preservation skills in order to try and combat some of those skyrocketing prices. Another tremendous reason is that you know what is in that bottle or package, eliminating the 1000 required additives for commercial products.

Lack of time seems to be one reason not to can that some people think is irrefutable. There are those whose lives are ruled by “hurry,” “no time,” and if it is not convenient or instantly finished, it’s not even an option to be put on a list. Time is not necessarily a factor. If it is important enough you will “creatively juggle” all of the other events and find or make time. A planned Saturday full of canning will more than pay off in the big picture. Time equates to money in the long run.

You can always learn the concept of “share and save” with friends and/or family. For a time we lived in Fountain Valley, CA. Fifteen or so families gleaned, picked, prepared and bottled together. Our children, who were old enough, worked with us. Because we had a large kitchen and most of the equipment, these work sessions were usually held in our home. This group of neighbors became extremely close. (You could say we had to be with that many in one kitchen area.)

Some may also say that it’s way too much work. Well it is work, but not difficult. It is time consuming, but the results and rewards are worth it.

If money matters, this is one of the ways the budget can be stretched significantly. Home preservation, even in small batches, can be an economical band-aid. For example, out of one load of peaches you can get “X” number of quarts or pints of canned or frozen peaches. Then by using the pits and skins you can get a sizeable batch of delicious jelly.

If taste and nutrition are important to you, this definitely is an option.

I have talked about home preservation before, but there are some reminders, hints and rules that you may need to hear again.

Because we live in a world of nano-seconds and instant everything, there are some who would attempt to apply shorter short-cuts, or lessen the processing time required, and so on. That does NOT work when you are dealing with proper processing, pressures and food products. Whether canning, freezing or drying proper preparation is a number one priority! All products must be cleaned; as in the dirt washed off, bugs removed and cut into the right sized pieces. (Ewwww, she talked about bugs! Yep, they are there, hidden and watching you.) (And no, it’s not the bugs you cut up, it’s the food!)

Spoiled or badly bruised produce does not improve or stabilize during the process of preservation, no matter how much sugar you add. That means you don’t buy it, no matter how tremendous the price is.

It seems as if the word proper is popping up quite often in this article. There is good reason for that. It is a key concept to remember and apply – properly.

Which brings us to methods and equipment – proper, of course.

The general rule of thumb is that all vegetables and meat must be processed in a pressure cooker. If your pressure cooker has been cuddling on a darkened shelf, comforted by soft cobwebs for the last few years, there are a few things that must be done before using it to can with! That is in addition to washing it, of course. You must make sure that it is in working order and will maintain a constant pressure and a tight seal. Most State University Extensions have a department that will check the pressure valve for accuracy and safety. If the gasket is dried out and no longer pliable, replace it. No exceptions! Get a current, reliable canning recipe/instruction book such as Kerr, Ball or the Extension booklets, with updated pressures and times.

The new steam canners are a great option to consider using instead of the old standby waterbath canner. Check out the newest combination steam canner/waterbath canner all-in-one. The steam canners do not use as much water and shorten the wait time to begin processing. The processing time must be still be adhered to. These canners are acceptable equipment fruit, jams and jellies.

DO NOT attempt to can in the oven. It is not a safe – or proper – processing procedure! You may have been told that you can “can” nuts in the oven. You may even know someone who has done this for years. Is this proof that you really can “can” in the oven? Absolutely Not! What they have been accomplishing is drawing a seal on a jar, not canning or bottling the nuts as a preservation process. Oven canning of produce is dangerous. Do not attempt it!
Proper containers are an important priority. Canning jars are for the canners,which means you must use the heavier, tempered glass that withstands the heat and pressure. Do not use regular glass jars, such as mayonnaise or jam jars.

Freezer containers and bags for freezing, that are designed for the protection of the product, should be used when home freezing is done. This means you don’t use baggies, bread wrappers or anything similar to cottage cheese cartons.

It is a tremendous waste of money, time, product and work to go to so much effort – even for a small batch, - just to lose it all because of improper packaging.
Canning is worth it. It does stretch the budget. It does bring about gratitude – not only for the volume of the finished product, but that the project is done --- for a while. And it does taste wonderful!

It is an ongoing learning process. I love it when the bottles sit on the counter and the light shines through making them beautiful works of art. And then when I find them again in the freezer or on the pantry shelf I rejoice with an automatic, “Thank You, Thank You”. All of the aches and tiredness, all of the groaning and complaining are swallowed up by the recognition of the blessings that have been bestowed - - once again.

And if any of those bugs wind up in a container, you just might be thankful for some high quality protein.

Who Is Really Spending Your Money?

2009-07-16T17:16:00.001-06:00

Most of us are making our lists and checking them twice as the national consumer news reports acknowledge that times are tough and money is getting tight and tighter. As we continue to work at filling our preparedness pantry, while at the same time keeping decent, healthy food on the table, the reality of the situation more and more resembles “Mission Impossible”. This is causing more of us to pay closer attention to the ads and what we think are sale prices, than we have in a long time.
However, I would once again challenge you to take the time to accept some insight that can make a difference in how you view those ads, that in turn will affect what and how you buy. With the goal in mind to be able to be properly prepared, and a goal to still be able to afford chocolate once in awhile, you may need some help in knowing how to read what you think you are seeing. You must be aware of plots, ploys and marketing strategies that affect your perception of a “great sale”.
The “layout” or appearance of the ads will change with what is going on with the economy. The changes are directed toward you and your budget. Whatever can be done to encourage you to spend more in a specific store will be a fundamental part of those ads.
For example just this week I discovered an ad that used glowing colors and HUGE print to proclaim:
MILK .99ȼ a Gallon
Now that surely is a bargain hunter’s bargain! That is until you look at the lower right hand corner of the text box where tiny print proclaims: with a $35.00 purchase.
This is not in any sense of the word a bargain for you. There is an absolute rule that says, Read the Fine Print!
This particular kind of ad is called a Conditional Ad. What are the conditions you must meet? How much must you spend in order to buy only one of the fabulous bargain items listed?
Remember, when it is your budget the prime purpose is to stretch it to be able to get more buying power. That means you take a few more minutes to READ, not look at the ads.
The “bargain” items will be positioned so that they are clearly noticeable. The large, bold price and colors will grab your attention. Then the adrenalin will flow so that you want to run out the door and BUY. Such a deal! Milk at .99ȼ a gallon, when two weeks ago it was over $2.50. You will be the one who misses out if you don’t take advantage of it. Right? – Wrong!
The other built in response – from you the shopper – that those in marketing are counting on is, “that is not such a bad deal. I’ll get a gallon of milk for .99ȼ and I have to buy groceries anyway. Why not spend my $35.00 here?
If you think that way I will haunt you! How can one even think of spending $35.00 to “be allowed to buy” a .99ȼ item? What if you could stretch that $35.00 with far greater buying power elsewhere?
Or what if the items you would be interested in buying do not add up to $35.00, are you going to say, “in order to get the milk, I’ll go ahead and spend the $35.00.” When if you look closer the rest of the fine print usually says – “limit one”.
Don’t allow your thinking to go in that direction! It’s your budget! It’s your money! You must be aware of how you spend it – not how it will be spent for you!
The other rule of thumb is that if the price is so outstanding that It seems too good to be true – it usually is!
You need to do all you can do to spend wisely and frugally in order to fill that pantry. You must remember that one of my favorite sayings is that I love the thrill of the hunt. That holds true for being able to read the ads discover what the true bargains are and know that you are winning the battle of the budget.
It is so fun to be able to read the ads and determine where and how those prices fit in your budget – or not. I always count my blessings when I realize that I have been able to stretch a dollar a little bit further and buy a little bit more. I love it when I bring the groceries home and can put just a little bit more on a shelf. Many times I stand in front of my shelves and whisper, “Oh, thank You, thank You.” Some of my most spiritual conversations take place as I realize that I have been blessed in my stewardship of the budget once again.
Yes, times are getting harder. My challenge for you is to gain the enthusiasm to enjoy the thrill of the hunt and keep learning how to stretch that budget!

Yay - We can gripe about prices, and find sales and plant gardens, etc., etc.

2009-07-06T09:57:00.003-06:00

Like you , I'm sure, I spent the weekend, reading about the Fourth of July, the parades, the fireworks, the Heroes, History, picnics and all the stuff that the Fourth is made of.

On the actual day of the Fourth I spent most of the day digging out and pulling weeds, trying to resurrect what is supposed to resemble a vegetable garden. I don't know about you, but even if the work is hard (and it is) I like the smell of the dirt, and I love to see the squash blossoms, and it pleases me to see tiny plants poking their heads through the dirt. My plants were having a hard time breathing when they poked their heads through the dirt, because those dang weeds were determined to win. HA, I was determined they weren't going to.

In the process of the war on weeds and planting the few remaining bedding plants I had a lot of time to think and be thankful.

I was grateful for the weeds. I was thankful that I have a tiny plot in which I can plant the vegetables of my choice. I am thankful that I could muse and fume at the rising cost of groceries in the store - and be able to do a few things that would help my budget. I reflected on the fact that I was thankful that I had a neighbor whose dog was barking and that they had the freedom to not only have one dog, but two.

I'm the kind of person that gets teary eyed when the flag goes by in a parade. I love to see those HUGE flags flying over the stores and car lots. We have a son on active duty right now and I fly that little flag in our front yard that shows this family has a family member in the armed services. He is state side for now ... but you never know.

Today's blog is just Barbara's ramblings about being grateful for bottles of tomatoes on a shelf, and then being grateful for the shelf to put them on. I went out and hugged my baby peach tree that will have its first "crop" this year. And I'm thankful for neighbors who will share their over-abundance of zucchini - even though I have ten tons of my own to share.

So this week my thoughts continue to be patriotic and grateful for the land in which we live, even our tiny corner of the world ... and my heart goes out to those whose corner of the world is in terrible turmoil.

summer Fun and Games Could Have an Undomesticated Dragon

2009-06-25T15:01:00.002-06:00

The purveyors of sunscreen, picnic supplies and bug bite remedies would have you believe that the entire summer should be fun and games, those picnics and one huge round of vacation. Well except for some who live on an unknown planet or isolated tropical island, that kind of life only exists in fairy tales. And even then in most fairy tales there is a fire breathing dragon lurking around the next large rock.
And so it is with you and me, for most of us summer does include some sort of plans for family fun, or a get together with relatives, or at least a day or two off from work.
But around one rock in our neighborhood is Barbara, with a basket of bad news to dump on the parade, picnic or day off. But wait, I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, I just want to remind you of a few things, so that you don’t get so carried away with picnicking that the ants win and invite their friend the baby dragon to play.
Many of us have relegated severe storms, being cold, or experiencing rough times and Mother Nature with snow, winter, power outages and thunder storms, and on and on. However, I would like for you to make your fairy tale real, and have you do what needs to be done to bribe the fire breathing dragon that lives on your block to become domesticated. (You can even give him/her a name, so that it will come when you call it. OOPS – Not. . . We are trying to figure out a way to fix it so the dragon doesn’t come. Oh Well!)
I would recommend that as you think about summer plans you continue to think about preparedness plans. Keep in mind this is planning … Just-In-Case.
Will you evaluate your area, region, and even your close-by neighborhood. I especially suggest this for those of you who may have just moved or are planning on moving. You need to be aware of just what might affect you, your family and your home.
Spring and summer are the time for severe thunder storms. I am not talking about a delightful, soft rain that is fun to play in. These are the kind of storms that when they hit you think the end of the world has arrived. This is the time to have a safe, secure place in your home to retreat to. It is not being a “chicken-little” or an ostrich that sticks it head in the sand. It’s called being smart, being safe and being secure. Lightening follows moisture. If your windows are open lightening can rip right through your house. I know. I grew up in the Midwest and several times had the experience of looking at burned walls, electric sockets and places on the wall where the phone used to be.
Heavy, sudden rain can bring about nasty – costly results if we have not thought through our situation. When we lived in California, our house sat at the top of a small hill. We were not the least bit worried about a flood. Wrong! At our curb, in front of our house was a drainage grate with a sign that said , “Clean water only, flows to the Bay.” OK, so it will flow to the Bay. Until the day the deluge hit and the drains and gutters backed up and overflowed, with lots and lots of water headed right for our house. Luckily we were able to get it sandbagged in time. Just this last week our neighbors across the street were not so fortunate. The water raging through the gutters, which just happened to be clogged, overflowed and dumped four inches of water into their basements. Now how does this relate to severe problems? Maybe it doesn’t since the problem was caught in time and there were no small children in the basements. But what if …?
Hurricane season and tornado season are also on their way, or in some instances have already arrived. Assess your home and your neighborhood to see where the safest places might be. These are the places where you teach and practice with your family to see how quickly you can take cover. I also remember what that is like. My grandparents had the storm cellar with the wide-opening doors that opened up. We would run as fast as we could to get down in there. I even forgot about the spiders – most of the time.
Take the time now to look at area maps to discover where the flood planes are, discover how hard the wind blows, discover how often severe storms and black outs take place. Are you near an area where wildfires could turn into firestorms? What about mudslides?
And perhaps you are thinking, “Good grief I don’t have the time or inclination to delve into all of that “negative news perspective.” Nothing drastic ever happens around here. This is just a plain-old-family neighborhood or apartment.”
Well, my firm answer to that is, “It only takes once!” And with that in mind I have a tiny homework assignment for you. Take a few minutes to think through the following questions. Then take a few minutes more to jot down some answers. Perhaps go so far as to have a Family Night where you actually sit and discuss your ideas and answers. The focus is to take all of the negatives that you find and make them positives.
How Does Mother Nature Fit Into Your Plans? (Not necessarily by invitation.)

Assess and plan for severe seasonal weather patterns that might combine with power outages. What are “normal” or predicted El Nino/La Nina weather patterns for your area?

Climate: Wet/Cold ______, Hot/Dry ____, Wet/Hot ____, High Humidity _____

Your climate will most likely affect two different aspects of your planning:

What you should plan to cope with and the necessary supplies and equipment required.
The positive/negative effects of your climate on the probable long term or short term shelf life for commodities that you want on hand

During your Family Night you might even want to go look for big rocks in your neighborhood to see if you can find a dragon. Be sure to take crackers so that you can convince it to stay where it is and not visit your house. But don’t show it your homework assignment, then you won’t have to say, ”The dragon ate it.”

A Gift from Glorious Garbage

2009-06-18T08:56:00.000-06:00

The hail has been devastating. The rain has been torrential. The temperatures are almost cold. The other day I went out t talk to my discouraged, beat up little garden. There I found the squash leaves were shredded, the corn bedraggled, and the peas now non-existent. I wandered through the muddy patch and found the rocks were doing fine. Then I meandered back to the area where the new compost pile is growing by leaps and bounds.
And what to my wondering eyes should appear on the top of this gorgeous garbage but a huge squash plant – determined to survive. It is much larger than those I planted and appearing to be much healthier. What kind is it? That is yet to be determined. But it kind of makes you wonder – if you are what you eat . . . sautéed squash anyone?

Just a reminder

2009-05-27T03:28:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking (that could be dangerous.) Some of you may need a few reminders for your preparedness and your budget.

Now is the time for you to start jotting down the lists of the kinds of equipment, supplies, foods, etc.'s that you want to be putting in your pantry or where ever. This is spring and very quickly after spring comes summer, summer sales and clearances.

However, because the economy is playing silly games with your and my budget, some of the rules are getting squished and switched around.

If you want to do any canning or preservation NOW is the time to be buying bottles and lids. There is a rumor floating that you can re-use your canning lids, not the rings but the lids. That is an absolute No-No. Do not reuse lids for any produce or food that is home bottled.

But the prices are going sky high.

Now is the time to be buying canning bottles. You may re-use bottles of course. A great place to get them right now are the DI and Salvation Army outlets. Yes, second time around bottles. A lot of people gave up canning for a while. A lot more people are now snatching up those bottles. Recently I have been getting them for .25 cents each. Last year in the middle of canning season they went to $1 each. Do not be surprised at how high they go this year.

This is also the time to be buying pectin and your jam and jelly supplies.

Make your list and check it twice for batteries and the other equipment supplies you will need, such as wicks, mantles or bulbs. Try not to wait to buy them all at once. Check out the Army Navy Surplus stores, or Sporting goods Outlets for good sales.

Sleeping bags, hand warmers, and those kinds of items may be sale priced. When fall comes the hunting and outdoor sport season goes into big time and the prices will go up.

If you want to make any of your own cheese, start buying your Rennet now, even a box or two per shopping trip. When fall comes the prices will go up, because people's thoughts turn to the "Squirrel Syndrome" and the changes in weather bring about changes in the kinds of foods we eat and prepare.

This same rule applies to bouillon and soup bases, a few at a time per pay day will stretch the budget and fill that space on the pantry shelf.

Of course, the "few at a time" rule is good common sense for all of the items we want to have on the pantry shelf as we battle the economy's up's and up's. No, I didn't make a mistake. Around my part of the world there are very few downs in the up's and downs.

Enjoy making your lists and checking them twice. It really is fun when you win!

It Was A Dark And Stormy Night and ...

2009-05-26T15:20:00.001-06:00

It was a dark and stormy night and my flash light was nowhere to be found – except the one with dead batteries. I have in my hands, warped candles, but not a match. The worst disaster of all is that cannot find my chocolate. The lightening is tearing the black sheets of sky, and the roaring thunder is so loud that the dog’s bones are rattling … and she is still alive – I think. And then there comes a banging on the door … the cellar door. It’s getting darker and darker; the only way I can see to find my way across the room is during the lightning flashes, so progress is slow. The banging is persistent. I know it’s not the wind blowing the shutters because they blew away in the last windstorm. Louder banging, louder thunder, more lightning -- fear is increasing with the pounding of my heart. I still can’t find a light. AARRRGGGGHHHH I have to close my eyes now …

You can slowly turn the page now.

One of the things I need to remind you about before your dark and stormy night is that if you are not careful you might find yourself sitting in a dark room without your chocolate or carrots, whichever you prefer.

Many times food and food storage are discussed and we forget that we should also be talking about personal preparedness, which includes all kinds of non-foods and equipment.
This brings me to the point of sharing a few thoughts with you. I would highly recommend that you take the time NOW to organize and categorize your “stuff.” And no my middle name is not Martha (Offered as a compliment J), and I am not a “neatness junkie”. HOWEVER, if you are attempting to be prepared in enough areas to be able to take care of yourself, come heck or high water, that means a lot of time and money will be invested. You can define how much translates into “ a lot”. It also does not mean that your cupboard, pantry or garage wall has to resemble a display in an upscale store window.

The more organized you are, the easier it will for you find the items when you need them – even in the dark. The more categorized your items are, the more you will be able to stretch you money. If you can check what you already have on hand, before hitting the yard sales or store sales to replace lantern or stove parts, or whatever, you will be able to manage your budget better. You can quickly discover and see at a glance that you bought those items three store adventures before, and what you really need to look for this time are sleeping bags.
This kind of budget stretching eyeball-inventory is not possible if everything is in a “Preparedness Pile” in the corner of the garage. This kind of pile (or any similar “system”) allows for dirt and deterioration of your supplies. It encourages mice and bug infestation, as well as breakage. The question of the week is why put forth any effort or money to obtain supplies if you do not take care of them? It can be a total waste of that time, effort and money! (Besides that, I will haunt you! How can you thank Heavenly Father for blessing you with the things you need, if you “show” that thankfulness with disdain and carelessness – sermon # 19)

Let me share a few Barbara and Larry ideas with you. This does not mean these are the only ways, but for us they work. Also this is a “now scenario” in our current home. We have worked out similar systems and ideas in apartments, houses, garages, carports and metal sheds, among other resources in our moves, travels and preparedness adventures.
Right now, our preparedness non-food supplies and equipment are kept in a little shed out back. You can translate shed to basement, garage, wall, closet, attic, nook or cranny.

I use labels and a lot of permanent black markers. (This ink will come off with acetone nail polish remover if you tend to write large and want to change a label.) Most everything that is medium to small sized is in a container, tub or box that is labeled. A RULE for us: every tub or box or packaged item IS LABELED. The labeled end is always out so that it can be immediately read. And yes, I have a working flashlight stashed on the studs, just inside the door.

Stoves are grouped together. Parts, mantles, wicks, gaskets, etc. are in a tub. Lanterns are grouped together.

All sizes of batteries are kept in a tub, on a shelf, in the laundry room. That way they are not exposed to extremes of hot or cold weather. Expansion and contraction cause the seams to split and acid to be exposed. Besides, I can get to them in any weather.

One wall of shelves holds the blankets and sleeping bags, rolled tightly and squished into heavy white trash bags. The emphasis is on white trash bags. The dark green or black kinds sometimes have insect repellent in the plastic. This can be absorbed into the material inside – thus compounding problems. All blankets and sleeping bags are put away washed and clean, ready to use. If they are used for camping, scouting or sleepovers they must be put away clean. Some may look as if they survived World War I, not necessarily ragged, just old and not in style. But I haven’t figured out what warm has to do with style anyway.

Clothing for layering and warmth is sets of irregular sweat suits bought at clearance sales. They are kept in a labeled tub; in the same area as the blankets. The same thing applies to the rain suits and extra ponchos.

In another apple box you can find our emergency cooking gear. It is not my regular set of pots and pans. They are second and third time around thrift store bargains that can be used over a campfire, fireplace, barbeque or any outside fire. Blackened in this case does not refer to Cajun cooking. It’s what the outside of the pans resemble in the aftermath of an aftermath.

And yes we have a second home. It is not a condo or cabin in the mountains, nor a retreat along a river bank. And no we don’t own a motor home. However, we do have a wonderful, sturdy family sized tent just in case the great big bad wind, huffs and puffs and blows the wall down or windows in. It is stashed in the loft or rafters.

These are a few ideas to adapt and put into practice. Convert them to your style, your closet, your carport, but do something now.

I strongly suggest this takes place before you are caught in the middle of a dark and very stormy night without a working flashlight …

Yay, I found my chocolate :)

Think - Squash In Your Closet

2009-05-06T13:09:00.000-06:00

Last week I did a workshop for container gardening and it got me thinking about a few thoughts I have wanted to share. So here goes – Perhaps you can expand your concept of preparedness and a garden, taking it into a closet.

Many of us have been scheming and planning about how much, where, and what kinds of plants or seeds to attempt to put in a garden this year. Lots of news stories are emphasizing the fact that more people are trying to garden this year than have been doing so since the Victory Gardens from years ago. Which means of course that this year the price of seeds and bedding plants have doubled. That’s Ok. You need to figure out how to do something anyway. It doesn’t matter if it is small, tall, skinny or in a weird shape, just find a place or a container or two.

While you are figuring and while there is still sufficient time for growth I have another suggestion for you. Why not think of preparedness, good food and your pantry at the same time. Of course you are thinking that I am thinking of canning and freezing. Nope, not this time. But what about some long term storage items without canning or freezing or drying? Find a corner or a patch or a large bucket or tub and have fun.

Think about how many winter squash that you can grow. Perhaps Hubbard, Banana, Pumpkins and all of the HUGE ones may not work. Consider Acorn, Butternut, Turban and some of the others that you may find in your area. All of these squash are relatively small and are known as winter squash. Keep in mind that towards fall, as frost approaches, you can leave zucchini on the vine and it will also harden. These small winter squash may be kept on the floor of a closet, in a box or on the shelf of a closet or in the corner of a basement or room where it is cool. They will keep best if you prevent them from touching. They will keep at least a month or two, which in turn will extend your grocery budget a little bit. Some will last several months if kept cool enough.

But to have them in the fall you need to get them planted now. Enjoy the yellow blossoms with the black bumble and honey bees in them.

The Tale of the Dastardly Mealy Moth

2009-04-25T18:42:00.001-06:00

In trying to retain the pantry full of food products that you are acquiring to fill your pantry; one of the hardest things to do is to keep ahead of the bugs. Yes they are there. And no, bay leaves will not do one thing to deter them or get rid of them. In one of the last articles in which I discussed buckets and containers I promised I would tell you the Tale of the Dastardly Mealy Moth. Its goal is to be able to eat the food in your cupboard or pantry before you do. It is very family oriented and brings numerous family members and friends to join in the feasting. It also quickly multiplies and replenishes in friendly environments.

I’m sure that some of you have been in “someone else’s home” the day the flock of moths decided to come into full view to the total embarrassment of the home owner (You? In italics and parenthesis), while several of you are standing around in the kitchen.

Or one day as you have nonchalantly opened a cupboard door, to retrieve a cake mix; you have to explain the “science project’ that your son is working on to your best friend who is now standing behind you.. You know “that project.” It’s about how moths like to eat boxes of cereal in the dark.

One of the questions I’m asked the most is how to get rid of mealy moths. At one time or another, they invade almost everyone’s cupboards. They’re very persistent and can destroy a lot of food if allowed to remain unchecked.

What you don’t know what a mealy moth looks like? They are the little beige-brown moth that flits everywhere in the grocery stores, grain outlets and friendly neighborhood kitchens and pantries. Or sometimes the larvae builds webs in your jars, cans or buckets of oats, rice and all variety of grains and foods.

You probably brought the first batch of mealy moths home from the grocery store. They hide in the folds and cracks of bags, creases in boxes of cereals or in the “stuff” that is in those bags and boxes. Sometimes they will even come in through the open door – even though they are uninvited.

In order to get rid of them, you have to find out where they have "made their home". Pay attention to the cupboards where you see large numbers of the moths. As you look inside the cupboards or pantry, most likely you will see bunches of the moths clustered on the undersides of shelves or on the ceiling. The young are in the form of larvae, which will crawl from one box or package to another. One of the miserable things about the about the larvae is that they will actually crawl into jars of grain or cereal by crawling up the threads of glass at the top where the lid screws on. They can chew through plastic as well as cardboard.

If you find an abundance of them, you will need to go through the items in your pantry box by box. If larvae are in the product it will "bunch together" with webs and fine threads. There will be a "grainy dust" on the sides and bottom of the package, as well as throughout the product.

When you find packages full of the moth or larvae, please don’t chuck them into the wastebasket in the kitchen. The moths are attracted by light, get out of the waste-basket and infiltrate any other food containers or cupboards that they can get into. When an infestation is really bad, fill garbage bags with the boxes and packages of infested food. Take them outside and sprayed bug spray directly into the garbage bag….BEFORE putting the bag into the main trash outside. Once you find the source of the culprits and clean out the cupboards, you may consider clearing the shelves and spraying the cupboards and cracks with a good bug spray. Yes, it can be a big job, but the surviving larvae get into the cracks, grow and develop into moths, and you will eventually have to repeat the same cycle all over again.

In order to control them, you will need to use a commercial product. After you have cleaned out infested packages and shelves, go to a store that has a good pest control section, where mouse traps, etc., are. There is a pest strip for flying insects. Mealy moth is one of the first insects listed in their "target" listing. I believe the product is made by Dow in a bright yellow package. It is a waxy cake form, approximately 2"x4" and is hung up with a hook. Simply hang several of them in your pantry and cupboards. They work quite well, though it will take more than one for a pantry or kitchen.

The bad news is that you can bring more home from the stores or they can come in from the neighbors. Another option is to adopt them and tell your friends that you are growing a new crop of house pets that require no special pet foods. Especially since you will be sharing yours!

Food Storage Once Again Is In The Panic Purchase Cycle

2009-03-31T18:10:00.002-06:00

Food Storage once again is on the high end of the panic purchase cycle. And with this being the case, so are all of the rumors and old wives tales of what to keep and how to keep it. May I kindly suggest that there are many individuals who have now become overnight professionals in the “food storage” business, who in fact have become overnight sales people of “so called food storage products.” This is fine and good, if they have been taught properly and are not just in the business for the business.

That means I want to discuss with you one of the most important parts of your preparedness program, “What do you do with it after you’ve bought it?” If you have succumbed to purchasing 10,000 pounds of the “good-for-you,” all organic, most nutritious pure blend of white wheat in the world; you had better know how to take care of it – properly.

The rumors – or sales pitches - that say, “because of how it is packaged,” or “how you should package it,”… all you have to do is buy it and put it on the shelf until you need it, or want it - are wrong.

No food’s shelf life is indefinite, no matter how it is packaged. The idea of “permanent storage” or “foods that will keep until the end of time” need to be eliminated from your mind and vocabulary!

The point is not to try to keep foods forever. “A better meaning for shelf life in a preparedness context is that you learn to store your food properly so that it will give you life after it has been on your shelf.” (Preparedness Principles, Salsbury, 2007, pp36.)

Let’s take a look at a few of the “storage rumors and sales pitches” you might be hearing as you try diligently to acquire your supplies and take care of them in the process.

New studies are revealing that many grains and foods have a much longer shelf life than previously thought. However, these foods still must be taken care of properly or you will lose them to bugs, rodents and deterioration.

DARK, DRY AND COOL are the key words to any long term, or in fact any length storage. Learn to follow the “Best” rule. Work as best you can to obtain the best of all three; then continue to do the best possible in your circumstances. Less than ideal light, heat and humidity means that the product’s shelf life is shorter – not impossible! These three factors encourage bacteria and mold to grow, can cause spoilage, and will vastly reduce the shelf life of foods, even canned goods. A rule worth repeating is, being aware of all that – do the best you can!

FOOD GRADE are two words you need to be aware of when it comes to containers that you intend to use for your food products. If you buy, wheat or rice, for example in bulk amounts and wish to put it into your own containers, use white, food grade buckets as one option. Using or buying foods in food grade containers is a number one priority. It eliminates any problems with absorption of chemicals from the container leaching into the food.

LINERS? Food grade buckets DO NOT need plastic or Mylar bags as a liner. That wastes money and time. I would suggest that you do not use food grade containers that have held pickles, vinegar or any other strong flavored foods, as those flavors may permeate the grain, flour or other product. Unless of course you really like pickle flavored muffins. A plastic bag will not prevent flavor transfer from taking place. Nor will a plastic bag prevent weevil or rodents from getting to the product.

Mylar- type bags are being promoted as containers for “food storage” products. Think of Mylar balloons with a big Happy Birthday on the side. It is the same product. They are a plastic bag that does not have properties that will keep products any longer than regular plastic. Mylar bags may be airtight and stack well, but they are not even remotely rodent or insect proof. Mice will appreciate your thoughtfulness in providing a tasty, accessible meal for them. Once opened, large bags are less convenient to use, less airtight, and more likely to spill than a container with a lid.

One or two more things need to be mentioned before we leave the bucket brigade.

What kind of lid should you use on your buckets of gold – oops, excuse me – foods? There are two key words that must define the kind of lid - tight-fitting. Now does that mean you must have the wonderful, colored, screw-type gamma lids in order for your foods to keep as long as possible? Not at all! The kind of lid you choose to put on your buckets is just that – your choice. The gamma-type lid does not ensure a better storage environment inside the container. For some, it may seem to be a simpler option to open. However, the standard white bucket lid that normally comes with a food grade bucket will suffice for proper storage. It requires a plastic wrench to remove the lid. Again, the keys are how the product is stored, the conditions that it is stored in as well as the kind of product itself. Personally I have used the white lids on my buckets for years. As with all products some of my buckets have been used so much that they have had to be replaced. So once again, I will emphasize the choice is yours. Budgets may well prove to be a key factor since the gamma – style lid is much more expensive than the standard lid.

Another question comes up a lot as to whether or not you need to put anything in the container with the food product such, as oxygen absorber packages. First you must consider what it is you are packaging. For example, dried fruit will oxidize and turn brown, so it might prove useful to use them in fruit. Personally I wouldn’t use them in grains or flours. If you have good storage conditions for your containers you really don’t need to add anything to your products.
By now, any of you who have read my articles or books definitely know that I will strongly advise that you do not use anything such as bay leaves in your containers full of food. My project is the famous one where I grew several generations of weevil in Bay leaf. So, no, Bay leaves do not help keep bugs out of anything!

GALLON JAR? For improved storage capabilities and longer shelf life, you might want to put items packaged in cardboard, foil, plastic, or paper bags – still in their original packaging – in metal, glass, or plastic containers with tight fitting lids. Your important trivia point for the month is that a gallon jar will hold approximately 37 pouch/envelope containers of gravy mix or seasoning packets. A sturdy container will help prevent bug and mice infestation, as well as helping to keep the moisture out.

Glass or heavy food grade plastic jars, such as the gallon sized containers work well to hold smaller bulk amounts. A gallon jar will hold approximately five pounds of dry product.
KEEP IT ALL OFF OF THE FLOOR. One of the keys to proper storage, no matter how small an amount, is to keep it off of the floor. Cans or containers placed directly on the floor can sweat or perspire causing mold and rust to grow, eventually penetrating a seam and causing food spoilage. Use wooden slats, pieces of carpet or even rolled or folded cardboard to allow air to circulate underneath the containers.

Next time I’ll share some thoughts with you on the Dastardly Mealy Moth, the creature that lives in your pantry. You’ll need to learn the Survival Skills of the Cupboard … so stay tuned to this Newsletter for your solutions.

Spring Is Sprung - Almost

2009-03-09T13:41:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I was enjoying weeding my tiny Indoor Farm. This year I mean tiny. And yes I recall writing in my book, Preparedness Principles that you should not have weeds in an indoor farm. Ah yes, and the next sentence said that would happen IF you used potting soil. Well, this year I didn't have enough potting soil to go around on the day I was planting, so part of the 'Farm Dirt" was garden soil. Yep, you can guess the rest. Real, live weeds grow well indoors. :-)

I have had a good crop of spinach, and several tiny "circulars" of green onions. No, no, not rows. I had to plant the onions around the edge of the flower pot, thus "circulars". My parsley grew well. And now that spring is coming the broccoli is starting to grow. Yes, there are challenges in being a "farmer".

But it is heads up time. Spring has sprung. Spring fever is attacking everyone - well most every one. The seed racks are appearing in the stores. The prices this year are already higher than last year. But we have been told they would be, so go figure. However, I would suggest that this year you plan some of your budget to go toward seeds.

This time of year to me is the time to plant the seeds in the peat pots and start the garden in doors. Yes it means the card table goes up in front of the window with dirt and water and a whole lot of watching. I can't wait for those teeny, tiny leaves to pop through the dirt. Then the challenge is to keep them alive until they can be transplanted. And no, the decor of dirt, peat pots and puddles most likely will never make the cover of a magazine edited by anyone named Martha, but what can I say?

Many people have suggested that you "store" sufficient seeds for an entire garden. That may be well and good if you understand a few points. First, you must have garden space and if you are planning to rely on a harvest from stored seeds, you must allow for a good four to six months of growing time for a "total crop." Storing seeds for a large harvest IS a positive and good thing to do, as long as your planning and understanding takes into account all of the factors, including time, climate, weather, energy, space and the whole nine yards that a "real garden" entails. Especially if you have not previously been a "regular vegetable gardener".

Now before you start sending hate emails, I'm not saying you should not do this. I agree, I think you should IF you can. If not then I have a few suggestions to fill in the gaps.

First, since we - the people - are being threatened with higher prices and more shortages, it could prove to be an intelligent thing to find seeds for those veggies you know you will use.

It also would be a prudent thing to have a sufficient supply of Indoor Farm seeds on hand so that if the economy gets tough in your area of the world you can get along by growing some of your own greens and salad veggies in pots, if you need to. And if winter comes around again, you will have salad seeds on hand, also to grow in pots - indoors.

Keep in mind that if you plan on growing your own greens it will take more than one package of the same seed, since you will constantly be sowing more than one crop. This is true whether you will be planting be in rows or "circulars". The more you plan on relying on your own greens, the more seed you will need to have on hand.

Another point for those of you who live in Condos, apartments, mobile homes or any home with exceedingly small "yard space" is a lot of veggies will grow UP. You can plant cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, tiny pumpkins, etc., etc. in pots and train them to grow up on twine, poles, trellises, railings, fences, etc. Your harvest will be just as good as it would be in a glorious flat, regular garden. You must pay attention to feeding and watering for containers not acreage.

My words of enocuragement for today is to pay attention as the seeds come into the market in your neighborhood. Start planning on paper now where and how you will and can plant what. Be creative in your assessment if you have never planted a "garden" of any size before and you will be relying on "this one" for a harvest. Now while there is room for trial and error is the time to start.

Radishes are easy. Green onions are easy. Zuccinni is supposed to be easy, but it may have a mind of its own. Spinach, chard and roamine are easy. Chives and parsley are easy.

Oh yes, my chocolate mint is doing well. I'm still working on a harvest of chocolate covered peanuts. You do know, don't you, that peanuts are a legume and very good for you (sans allergies). Therefore, just think of the benefits of chocolate covered peanuts in your own garden. I'm working on it.

Generically Speaking ...

2009-02-26T18:18:00.002-07:00

As the economy worsens and budgets start screaming more and more – or rather you and I are screaming more and more – we will most likely see a huge resurgence of generic products, and coupons in grocery stores.

I will deal with coupons in another article.

Food and grocery products labeled as “generics”, no name labels, black and white labels, or a variety of other indicators will most likely be found springing up on shelves and in ads. Generics are offered at what is perceived to be extremely reduced prices compared to national brands. Once again they will be introduced as a consumer pacifier, being offered as a counter-product to the much higher priced products.

Essentially they are produced to make national brands look good. Some of you may remember the last round of lots and lots of generics. The quality of many products was so poor that shoppers were quickly willing to pay the higher prices for brand products even though they were desperate to save money. Well, today many of us are – or will be – finding ourselves in similar desperate or rapidly shrinking budget situations.

You need to remember there is a difference between being a professional scrounge – like me – where you delight in finding marvelous bargains (YES!) or discover that you may have been tempted to waste your hard earned money because you were convinced the pork and beans, or whatever was a bargain. But it was not. Yes, you will get caught sometimes. A few guidelines may help prevent a landslide of errors as more “red herrings” are put out there. Awareness of what you are really seeing could make a difference in what you do or do not buy.

As you look for ways to make ends meet and stretch your budget until it screams there are a few words that need to jump out and grab you BEFORE you stock up in great amounts of those “money saving options.” Words such as “BEWARE,” “ CAUTION,” “LOOKOUT.” This is one of those instances where “cheapest” may not be the “bestest,” even for tight, tight budgets.

Do not confuse generic grocery products with house brands. They are not produced with the same standards or guidelines. Shelves of house brands are definitely the place to look for good prices and better prices.

Today, many stores will guarantee your satisfaction when you purchase generic products. Use of generics will most likely come down to personal preferences. For example, there is no reason why the savings could not be used with vegetables that will be part of a casserole, or no-name fruits as a budget stretcher for fruit drinks or fruit salads.

Though they were introduced many years ago and have faded somewhat in the last few years, generics almost always pop up when the economy is tough. And if the price looks right to you, follow through with the tried and true taste test. Buy one can or box. Try it. If it looks okay, smells okay, tastes okay … then you choose. Will you be using it as an ingredient in a sauce, such as tomatoes? Is it a generic generic such as salt, or cornstarch? However, generic pasta that is made from enriched white flour instead of Durham wheat/semolina flour may quickly turn to mush instead of spaghetti. And yes, it may have been incredibly inexpensive. Instead of spaghetti you may have to convince yourself and your family that you are serving tomato flavored gravy. It can sound funny here, but could be very disheartening at dinner time, especially if the infamous “picky eaters’ belong to your family.

Generic? Black and White label? Green and White label? Plain label? NO expensive advertising? Read and compare labels as well as price! Look at who the manufacturer or distributor is! Ask the store manager if it is a generic. Is it being promoted as a “new price reduction” item? What else is there to convince you that you have found the bargain of the day?

NOTE: Do not put generic medicines and vitamins in this discussion. Generic medicines are good, standards are high equal to the brand names and the prices are better. This is not the same area of discussion at all!

Now a truly important caution! Use all of your shopping skills and detective skills when it comes to considering generic chocolate. Can you imagine the disaster at the breakfast table if you have purchased a generic hot chocolate mix, not tried it, and it turns out to be the reject of the hot chocolate world? Oh my, a 6.5 could prove to be a mild crisis to go through, compared to inferior, awful, nasty hot chocolate. Sorry, for those of you who do not care for chocolate (I’ve found 3.) ignore this paragraph and just follow the shopping help found above. J

Generically Speaking

2009-02-18T13:02:00.002-07:00

As the economy worsens and budgets start screaming more and more – or rather you and I are screaming more and more – we will most likely see a huge resurgence of generic products, and coupons in grocery stores.

I will deal with coupons in another blog or two.

Food and grocery products labeled as “generics”, no name labels, black and white labels, or a variety of other indicators will most likely be found springing up on shelves and in ads. Generics are offered at what is perceived to be extremely reduced prices compared to national brands. Once again they will be introduced as a consumer pacifier, being offered as a counter-product to the much higher priced products.

Essentially they are produced to make national brands look good. Some of you may remember the last round of lots and lots of generics. The quality of many products was so poor that shoppers were quickly willing to pay the higher prices for brand products even though they were desperate to save money. Well today many of us are – or will be – finding ourselves in similar desperate or rapidly shrinking budget situations.

You need to remember there is a difference between being a professional scrounge – like me – where you delight in finding marvelous bargains (YES!) or discover that you may have been tempted to waste your hard earned money because you were convinced the pork and beans, or whatever, was a bargain. But it was not. Yes, you will get caught sometimes. A few guidelines may help prevent a landslide of errors as more “red herrings” are put out there. Awareness of what you are really seeing could make a difference in what you do or do not buy.

As you look for ways to make ends meet and stretch your budget until it screams there are a few words that need to jump out and grab you BEFORE you stock up in great amounts of those “money saving options.” Words such as “BEWARE,” “ CAUTION,” “LOOK-OUT.” This is one of those instances where “cheapest” may not be the “bestest,” even for tight, tight budgets.

Do not confuse generic grocery products with house brands. They are not produced with the same standards or guidelines. Shelves of house brands are definitely the place to look on for good prices and better prices.

Today, many stores will guarantee your satisfaction when you purchase generic products. Use of generics will most likely come down to personal preferences. For example, there is no reason why the savings could not be used with vegetables that will be part of a casserole, or no-name fruits as a budget stretcher for fruit drinks or fruit salads.

Though they were introduced many years ago and have faded somewhat in the last few years, generics almost always pop up when the economy is tough. And if the price looks right to you, follow through with the tried and true taste test. Buy one can or box. Try it. If it looks okay, smells okay, tastes okay … then you choose. Will you be using it as an ingredient in a sauce, such as tomatoes? Is it a generic generic such as salt, or cornstarch? However, generic pasta that is made from enriched white flour instead of Durham wheat/semolina flour may quickly turn to mush instead of spaghetti. And yes, it may have been incredibly inexpensive. Instead of spaghetti you may have to convince yourself and your family that you are serving tomato flavored gravy. It can sound funny here, but could be very disheartening at dinner time, especially if the infamous “picky eaters’ belong to your family.

Generic? Black and White label? Green and White label? Plain label? NO expensive advertising? Read and compare labels as well as price! Look at who the manufacturer or distributor is! Asks the store manager if it is a generic. Is it being promoted as a “new price reduction” item? What else is there to convince you that you have found the bargain of the day?

NOTE: Do not put generic medicines and vitamins in this discussion. Generic medicines are good, standards are high equal to the brand names and the prices are better. This is not the same area of discussion at all!

Now a truly important caution! Use all of your shopping skills and detective skills when it comes to considering generic chocolate. Can you imagine the disaster at the breakfast table if you have purchased a generic hot chocolate mix, not tried it, and it turns out to be the reject of the hot chocolate world? Oh my, a 6.5 could prove to be a mild crisis to go through, compared to inferior, awful, nasty hot chocolate. Sorry, for those of you who do not care for chocolate (I’ve found 3.) ignore this paragraph and just follow the shopping help found above . :)

Check out Beating the High Cost of Eating for a lot more help with stretching your grocery budget.

Just a Word of Caution

2009-02-02T17:22:00.002-07:00

Today's blog is just a word of caution.

The world of commercial preparedness is very cyclical. Right now the panic is on! All kinds of items, foods and "answers to all of your needs," are being offered in all kinds of stores and outlets, some that have never offered these kinds of foods before.

You can find all kinds of preparedness solutions on the web. Yes, even my web site.

I would suggest that you come back to one of my favorite sayings, "Use Wisdom in All Things," especially preparedness.

May I suggest that the majority of those individuals who work in preparedness stores are working at a job and that a good majority of them only understand what they have been told in order to sell a product. Very few have an understanding of nutrition, food preparation or precisely what might be needed in an emergency situation.

Also be aware that a lot of products are being offered for sale right now, just because the panic cycle has hit.

Keep in mind that "their" list of what you need and your list of "what you really need," may be worlds apart. Theirs most likely is computer generated. Yours hopefully will be need, budget and inventory generated.

A critical rule of thumb must be, "Do Not Buy a Lot of Stuff if You Don't Know How to Use It or Prepare It!" You will be wasting your hard earned and perhaps limited money. If you have not purchased or used dehydrated foods before, for example. Buy only a little bit. Figure out how to prepare it, then eat it. Yes you read it correctly; then eat it.

If you have not attempted to prepare a full meal on an emergency stove, now is the time to practice, more than one time.

A combination of new, untried foods and a different kind of stove could just be the ingredients for a different kind of disaster. One that could leave you hungry and disgruntled.

I have shared my story before about the first time I tried to cook dehydrated cabbage, not understanding what it meant to reconstitute this kind of food. We had dehydrated cabbage for almost a week. It makes A LOT!

My word of caution to you is to not panic! I've said it before, but it seems every time I go into a supermarket, or drug stores and even the discount department stores the "Get Prepared Now " signs and products filling the "SALE" shelves are crowding all entrances and many aisles.

Now that could be a good thing, if the prices are right and you have been looking everywhere for that miracle emergency stove that is right in front of you.

Just remember that miracle pills and miracle juices are NOT what you want in your preparedness pantry. There is no pill that can replace good food.

Take your time. Use wisdom. Stretch that budget until it screams. Enjoy filling those shelves. But don't buy in panic mode or sales person or sale's ad pressure mode.

And since Valentine's Day is coming, remember one of the best times to buy that chocolate will be AFTER February 14. Oh excuse me, I meant to mention how important it is to look for sales on pork and beans. How did chocolate get in there?

Can You Translate The Handwriting On Your Wall

2009-01-19T15:51:00.002-07:00

I think perhaps some of us may need to adjust our thinking. With the headlines and the economy and the wars and rumors of, some of us may be joining the ranks of the scared stiff and panicking. Of course some of the things that are lurking around the corners, that may attempt to totally consume what was left of our budgets as soon as the dust from the election settles, can be pretty scary.

Right now the TV, tabloids and rumor mills, in addition to the faith promoting rumors, are running rampant with all of the “WHYS” that one can possibly imagine – you know the “real why’s” as to WHY we need to be prepared.

Some are quoting “The Great Rapture,” some the absolutely-positively-definite end of the world that is to take place in 2012. Some are quoting prophecies and predictions popularized by noted proclaimed prophets from centuries past, which sells a lot of tabloids.

However, maybe it would be helpful to get away from the panic train and come closer to home in our thinking. If you happen to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormon Church, there have been prophets telling us to be prepared for quite a few years now. I don’t recall any mention of specific dates or reasons.

Therefore, once again let me share some Barbara doctrine with you. Preparedness is NOT just food storage, it is the ability to remain self-reliant, come what may and cope with it.

Looking at the handwriting on the wall in today’s world I would suggest that the likelihood of many of us being laid off or losing our jobs is much more realistic than the cataclysmic demise of all nations at one time. I would also suggest that the weather patterns of recent months as well as the major disaster occurrences are taking place in regional or localized areas. That is not to say that the huge purple clouds rumored to be lurking and waiting to drop the contagious heebie-jeebies over all the planet at the same time might exist after all! (Don’t quote the source for this rumor.)

Once again, let me use the Salsburys as an example, to help “localize” your thinking. Several years ago we had the “wonderful” experience of losing our business, existing on the edge of bankruptcy, and having the opportunity to pay off several hundred thousand dollars in business debt. This was no small disaster in our lives. However, with much sacrifice, pinching pennies until they screamed, extremely strict budgeting and a survival mode that meant eating exactly what we had in the pantry, we did survive.

Another example of being “blessed” with experience was the time, not too long distant from the above experience, when once again Larry’s job went down the drain. We were able to exist for a year and a half without any assistance from the Church, let alone the government. Now this was not easy, and soup and oatmeal got very old, very quickly. One more “truth” that we soon learned was that you definitely can’t put wheat in the gas tank!

Another time, when our children were much younger, was an entire year of many hospital visits and massive hospital bills and more soup and oatmeal. That kind of situation is called enduring to the end, and you can’t see the end in sight or the budget to get you there.

Even our experience of living through the incredible 7.2 Loma Prieta earthquake was local, not fun, but local.

Therefore, my sermon for the day is to get enthused about what you can do as well as what you need to do to enable you and your family to be self reliant … in your own neighborhood. Take a look around with a new perspective to see what it could be that you might face. Forget for little while how terrible the world is and check out your own backyard. It could be scary too, especially if you look up and see a purple cloud.

Return to the Neighborhood

Just A Few Thoughts About Spring

2009-01-16T21:35:00.001-07:00

Just a few thoughts … I noticed today that it is staying light longer. That means spring is coming. Well it is – eventually. I have to think positive thoughts, since the snow piled in the yard is starting to look less and less like the pristine white, sparkling park that I described in our Christmas newsletter. Yes, spring IS coming.

The seed catalogs have started to arrive and the impulse buying for anything that resembles spring will become an avalanche in the rush to order “flowers and spring and gardens.” Isn’t it amazing those catalogs never mention, digging, rocks, sore muscles, weeds, more digging and more sore muscles? They probably wouldn’t sell nearly as much.

However, yesterday I did see something that made me think that it is time to start planning, not necessarily buying. The racks of this year’s garden seeds and peat pots are appearing in the stores.

This is a good time to start saving money or setting aside a specific amount of money in order to have a garden in just a few months. It will only be a few weeks until it will be practical to start your own bedding plants. A few packets of seed per payday usually won’t break the bank as much as a splurge all at once does.

Of course if you live in California or Florida you are laughing now as you go out and check your year round garden and hug the broccoli.

For the rest of us, this may be the time to start thinking about what kind of garden you can have; containers, boxes, barrels, a patch, mixed in with flower beds, in the three inch wide strip along the driveway – everything growing up, or - what? Even two large pots with tomato plants will yield a summer full of juicy tomatoes that are well worth the effort.

If you plan on paper you can not only plot the place where you will plant, but keep track of the seeds you have, the seeds you buy next and the seeds you want in a few more weeks. You can also plan the bedding plants into the budget. For example we have a little patch where we grew corn last year. Well I certainly wouldn’t buy bedding plants for corn, but I definitely will plan to buy several tomatoes to get a head start.

I have almost as many container garden plants on our little deck as I have plants in the little patch we call our garden. Now is a good time, if you are going to have container plants to check the thrift stores or garden shops to have the containers on hand and ready to fill.

Most of all I think the few thoughts that I want to share is that as the economy tightens its strangle hold on our budgets, one way to counter attack is to have as many garden spots as you can fit in your yard, porch, driveway or window wells. Greens, tomatoes, all of the easy vegetables will extend your budget so that you can buy other things rather than produce. Of course you can go crazy and spend a fortune on gardening. But you can also be reasonable, using common sense, and have a garden with a limited budget as well.

Start now to plan what will work within your yard, space and budget. It is very rewarding, even if it does mean sore muscles, digging and weeds.

Right now I‘m working on a plant that is a cross between a very prolific vegetable and a weed. That should solve a huge bunch of gardening frustrations – or not. I already have chocolate mint, so now I have to work on chocolate covered peanuts.

Return to the Neighborhood

Words That Infer and Influence Your Buying

2009-01-12T21:25:00.002-07:00

One of today’s greatest concerns is the economy. Consistently more and more of you are being left with more month than money. You are struggling to be able to have the grocery budget stretch enough to not only buy food for the table, but also food for the pantry.

One way to be able to stretch your money, even with the economy playing a major roll as a roller coaster, is to know how to read the ads. You need to know how to read them, not just look at them! You need to read the ads as if they are the market report and you are a major investor … they are and you are!

However, did you ever imagine that the ads might not be what you think you see … but what you perceive? How do you think the ad layout affects your decision to buy at a certain store? Are you sure the accentuated prices are reduced?

Actually learning how to read the ads is worth the effort. You need to know how to recognize good prices not perceived bargains.

Ad Insight: Words That Infer
As the economy worsens, price war tactics between stores and between manufacturers will increase. It will become increasingly important as you attempt to purchase groceries for your pantry or groceries for everyday, that you sharpen you shopping skills.

During the next few weeks develop your awareness skills in reading local ads. List like and similar phrases used in the Best Buy ads. Don’t allow familiarity to cloud your insight as you watch the ads to see how many of the following terms are now being used.

Following are some of the words and phrases that are used in ads to influence how and what you buy.

Discount Foods: Infers lower prices – prices that are discounted

Lower Prices; Lower than what? Lower than whose? Lower than next year?

Super-Savers: Some might be, but are all the items in the ad super priced?

Percent (%) off: Percentage off of what price? It infers off the regular price. You need to be familiar with the regular price.

Bargain: The word itself is a lure to price conscious consumers. It may or may not mean a better than normal price. It infers greater savings.

Warehouse: The word infers a lower than regular price image. Warehouse infers that it is synonymous with discount. It also infers greater savings.

Buy and Save: It infers that in order to save you should buy now. It is used as a price war tactic. It infers better prices than competitors and that all items in the ad are “sale” priced.

Prices Slashed: Why? Were they previously too high or have they been inflated for several weeks to “prove” a specific store is more interested in the consumer’s budget than its competitor?

Sale: This becomes a magic word. It has power to draw you into the store and because the word is used shoppers willingly part with their money. It automatically infers lower prices, but could well mean FOR sale!

Bonus/In-Store Specials: Many times these prices are unadvertised and featured as added incentive to insure your return. A lot of “bonuses” could be waged as a price war tactic to infer better overall prices than the competition.

Case-Lot: The rule of thumb used to be – buy by the case for better prices. That is now inferred and it may or may not be the case. (No pun intended)

This is one of the ways you can learn to gain more buying power. It may surprise you, as you read the ads and your awareness increases, how many of the terms and words you have “not seen” or recognized as having any influence on how you have previously spent.

Maybe next week I should write a test … No, I’ll just be excited to hear all of the, “Did you see that?” Or, “You were right, Barbara, you won’t believe how many I found.” This will be better than a “word search” contest.

See Beating the High Cost of Eating for a lot more about reading the ads and saving money!

Return to the Neighborhood

Some More Food For Thought

2009-01-10T18:09:00.002-07:00

Here we go with some more food for thought. With all the blaring headlines and the scary events such as mass terrorism, earthquakes, and elections taking place in all parts of the world, I thought that perhaps a non-panic idea would be helpful.

One of the concepts that I teach can, and should, impact all of your preparedness. I have given the concept a name and an icon so that it is instantly recognizable. Soft Security has been established in Preparedness Principles and all of my workshops. And now you can make it part of your attitude and planning.

Soft Security permeates all facets of preparedness, from the planning stage to actually living through the event. Soft security is realizing that personal preparedness can be accomplished without panic or a doomsday attitude. You can do what needs to be done to feel secure. You can take it one step at a time, with a personalized plan of action. Once you begin and your plan starts to fall into place, the feeling of Soft Security descends as confidence. You know that you will be able to cope. Panic and fear are replaced with knowledge and skills, common sense, supplies and equipment and a symbolic teddy bear. World wide the teddy bear represents comfort and assurance. It does not lessen the seriousness of the situation. It just offers Soft Security! You can learn what you need to do to build your confidence, and that of your family and make the crises that occur in your life more bearable. The Soft Security teddy bear is not a toy; it is a symbol. It is a reminder. It is to remind you of the Soft Security that comes when your own personal preparedness program is in place. (Check out Preparedness Principles.)

Everyone needs that kind of teddy bear in their lives. Begin right now to design your preparedness program for protection and all the necessary “whatevers” as well as determining what kind of Soft Security that you need! Maybe it would be a good thing to actually go out and get a teddy bear to have on hand as your symbol and reminder; even more than one for your family members.

It is amazing how you are prone to hug a teddy bear in the aftermath of a huge earthquake or storm or major upheaval in your life. One of the TV news stories immediately following the Northridge, CA earthquake was of a young woman in her mid-twenties who was shown sobbing outside the ruins of her apartment. The next camera shot on the screen showed a fireman pulling a scruffy, dirty, what used to be white teddy bear from the ruins of her apartment and handing it to her. The late night news showed that same scene with a follow-up of her still hugging that bear hours later. Many firemen and police now carry teddy bears with their equipment because of the Soft Security factor, for all ages of human beings.

Of course by now you know that my teddy bear comes complete with a long burning flashlight, a good book and lots of good milk chocolate. Perhaps yours will have a box of lemon drops, corn nuts and a large economy word puzzle book.

Most importantly, no matter how scary the headlines get, or the world events become, find the faith you need to be consistent in your preparations, without fear, panic or doomsday. Keep a teddy bear in plain view to remind you that all crises can be made more bearable!

A Funny Bone

J.T. of Sandy, UT forwarded this experience to me.

“While moving from Ohio to Massachusetts, a mover asked me if we had a horse. Puzzled I answered that we had a rocking horse. He said, ‘Oh’, and walked away. I called after him and asked, ‘Why?’ He said he was just wondering why in the world we had a 50 pound bag of oats in our basement.”

Return to the Neighborhood

Do You Know Where Your Flashlight Is?

2009-01-05T06:00:00.001-07:00

Severe storms can make power outages a serious problem, especially on those days when it is almost as dark mid-day as at night. That’s when those creatures in thunder heads rumble and roar, and “dark” rules.

If you have never experienced a thunder and lightening storm that creates an atmosphere that you know must be similar to what the end of the world will be like, you haven’t really experienced a THUNDER STORM! The sky is dark, and then it gets darker. You check your watch, and sure enough it is still supposed to be early afternoon. You can smell the rain in the air. The rumbles seem to be getting closer – and yes it is getting darker, and darker. The cracks of lightening are getting closer and more ominous with every bolt. The wind begins to show its strength, and the trees suddenly recognize who will win the war of howling fierceness. And it continues to get darker – with billowing thunderheads, lightening and wind. Then, it really hits – the crackle and spitting of the lightening bolts, the shaking of the earth, while the tremendous crashes and booms catch up before you can count, “one-one hundred, two-one hundred.”

Suddenly, you realize it is as dark inside as it is outside – and you have to deal with it! If you close the blinds to “keep the lightening out,” it’s darker still. As you try to turn on the lights you realize that Mother Nature is throwing a temper tantrum and the switch no loner functions. There is no light emanating from those no longer reliable light bulbs. “Dark” rules inside as well.

Flashlight? The old stand-by the flashlight, you know you have one somewhere. Now where could that “somewhere” be? You say you can’t find it in the dark? If only you AND the kids weren’t afraid of thunder and lightening and the dark at the same time, things might be better.

Storms and darkness can be frightening for anyone, but as far as the fear factor goes, children are the most likely to need security. But during a crisis security for adults goes out the window as well. Sudden, total darkness tends to increase insecurity for all of us.

Since it is the season for severe storms and the accompanying darkness, let’s consider a few positive ideas to deal with it before the need arises. Acknowledge that the darkness you have to deal with may last longer than just an evening or so. This means that the time frame required might include what would normally be considered “daylight.” Take into consideration where you live and the kinds of storms that invade your local area. If daylight can be ruled by “dark” that could mean the light source you need to have on hand may need to be more than just a single flashlight.

However, for this blog let’s take a few minutes to discuss the importance of “that old standby, the flashlight.” Not just one, but some; yes every household should have more than one flashlight!

It is a good idea to make sure each member of your household has their own flashlight, with charged batteries. A standard flashlight with new batteries and bulb will yield about seven (7) hours of light.

It is also a smart plan to have flashlights in all of the major rooms of your home. They need to be secured so that shaking or severe storms don’t dislodge them, causing them to be lost when they are needed the most. This is one of those areas where if you think you know what needs be done and already have a flashlight or two in the house, you may need to think again. Making sure every person in your household has the security of reliable light during an emergency may put a different perspective on your situation; especially if you discover those flashlights that you are relying on have been in use for a while. If that is the case, they may not last long enough to provide much needed light as you try to deal with unexpected darkness, or longer than expected darkness.

Be sure that everyone knows where the flashlights are and can easily find them. One idea to improve on that security just mentioned, is while the light switch is still working have a practice session for finding flashlights in the dark. Explain where they are in each room, including individual bedrooms, bathrooms, halls, etc. Take the time to “walk through” finding the flashlights in each area – in the dark. (Note: If the multiple flashlight idea is new to your household, this can make a wonderful Family Home Evening activity – no matter the ages of those in the group.) After placing the flashlights, calendar consistent updating and changing of the batteries, making sure they are always working. Pay particular attention to those who may have physical needs and keep the flashlights within easy, but perhaps not usual, reach.

Board games, coloring books, or even a good book can make dark hours a little brighter if there are spare batteries for the flashlights. One way to find those “spare batteries” is to place those that are taken out of flashlights at the calendared “battery change time” in a box. Label the box “used, but not dead,” so that you don’t rely on those batteries for long-term light. For safety, place a piece of cellophane tape or masking tape over the ends to prevent contact, insuring that the ends cannot touch. If not a current can be created and a fire could start. (Remember, in a power outage there is no computer, no Internet, no chat rooms, no games!)

Note: Cyalume or bendable light sticks should not be considered a reusable light source or a particularly bright light source. Light stick head bands and bracelets don't count as a light source either.

Preparedness Principles has chapters to help you deal with darkness.

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Oats an All Around Winner that Tastes Good

2009-01-02T19:24:00.002-07:00

Hopefully you have oats in your pantry or cupboard. And hopefully after this blog you will take them out of your cupboard and begin using them on a regular basis.

Adding oats to your diet is fairly easy tastes great and can be very inexpensive. Of course oats have recently been in all kinds of headlines, with all kinds of health claims being attributed to them. Some of which may or may not be true. But for this blog, you know oats are good for you and I know they taste good. So with that combination we can’t lose.

Oats really are an easy grain to incorporate into your diet and they are so affordable. For example, even buying the name brand, standard sized container of oats, not on sale – if the price of the oats work out to about $1.36 per pound dry, and a pound of oatmeal will make 12 servings that equates to about .11 cents per serving. You can cut that price almost in half if you buy house brand oats, and in half again if you buy in bulk. (Bulk can mean that you find an affordable twenty-five pound bag and share it with one or more people in order to take advantage of wonderful prices.)

If you are trying to be frugal and watch your pennies, oats are the way to go. They can be used in just about any kind of recipe, from breakfast to main course to dessert. Try them today. Here are just a few ideas.

First, you need to have some oats on hand since oats are one of the most mild of the grains. When someone is ill and you need a bland diet forget the wheat and get out the oats.

Some people think they don’t like oatmeal for breakfast because it is too mushy. If you’re one of them, try toasting your oatmeal before you cook it. Stir a cup or two of dry oatmeal in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes until it begins to brown. Then make cooked oatmeal as usual with it. The toasted grains of oats don’t stick together as much as un-toasted grains do, so the texture is not as mushy.

Or add about ¼ cup of dehydrated apple nuggets or raisins and/or a little cinnamon and nutmeg, and then some brown sugar and butter. “Slurp,” it’s called dessert for breakfast or lunch or snack or dinner or midnight snack. You can put nuts on top to make it even better :)

For a change, try this sweeter, very healthy, version of breakfast oatmeal.

Butterscotch Oatmeal
2 beaten eggs
3 ½ cups of milk
1 cup brown sugar
½ tsp salt
2 cups quick cooking rolled oats (toasted or un-toasted)
¼ cup butter or margarine
In a large saucepan combine the eggs, milk, brown sugar and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes.) Stir in oats and cook just until mixture begins to bubble, (about 3 minutes.) Remove from heat, add butter, cover and let stand for a few minutes. Stir to blend butter. Serve with additional milk. Serves 4.

Left over oatmeal can be poured into a loaf pan, allowed to set up and then the next day or next meal fried or browned, as you would cornmeal or pancakes. I brown it until it gets crispy around the edges. For a delightful taste twist top it with butter and syrup or jam.

Instant Vs. Regular. Instant oatmeal is just regular oatmeal that been broken up so that it will cook faster. If you find a sale on regular oatmeal buy it. Go home and make your own instant version. Just put regular oatmeal in the blender and pulse it a few times to break it up. Not too much - you will see why in the next paragraph.

You can also make oat flour by grinding regular oatmeal in the blender. Just pulse it until it is very fine. Oat flour can be substituted for part of the regular flour in almost any recipe. Oat flour has all of the health benefits of regular oatmeal. It is an ideal ingredient in low-fat, low-sugar treats. It is naturally slightly sweet. Oat flour tends to be moist.

Oats, quick oats, oat bran, etc can be added to bread dough, muffins, cookies, meatloaf, pancakes, and on and on. I cannot make meatloaf without using oatmeal. Oats can be added even if the recipe has not called for oats and it increases the food value of the end product. Add at least ¼ - ½ cup oats to your regular chocolate chip cookie recipe, reducing the regular amount of flour by the amount of oats. Of course you can add coconut also. And then of course you must make a quadruple batch so that you can eat at least one batch as dough!

This week your challenge is to try at least two recipes with oats. Get the oats out of the cupboard and into your system. That way your preparedness is productive and healthy too. (Especially those cookies.)

Check out the Bare Bones Basics chapter of Preparedness Principles for more ideas on how to use those grains that may be sitting on your cupboard shelves.

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article for newsletter

2009-01-01T16:02:00.001-07:00

Be Ready To Take On The New Year – Recession And All

The following quote comes from a letter I received not too long ago. The concerned writer is a senior citizen from Sacramento, CA who is about to retire.
“In years past, including depression and recession, you could cut your food budget, even if it ended up beans and grains with cheap eggs and an occasional chicken. That’s not true any more! Everything (food) is so high. On fixed incomes it’s terrible. Utilities went sky high, rent’s up more than 10% per year, there’s little place to cut, but food! How? Signed: ‘Oh help!’ “

Across the nation the hue and cries are reverberating from border to border. We have been hearing reports where some are trying to say the economy is not as bad as “they” say it is. Yet most people are struggling with the dire affects to their paychecks and grocery budgets. For most, the grocery budget is usually the only place where there is any variance or flexibility at all. Yet so much seems to buy so little.

Therefore, your challenge once more is to become enthused about the challenge to Beat That High Cost of Eating and gain more buying power. What? Become enthused she says? How, let alone, why? Because in essence this affects all of your buying power; your preparedness foods and supplies, everyday items, provident living, special occasions, … in other words, in all practicality, everything besides those bills that you must pay!

So once again (or should we say still) we are facing uncertain economic times. Rumors, news projections and many analysts are at last admitting we are in the middle of or at least a good beginning of a major recession. Everyone, even those of us who do not comprehend all the ramifications of Wall Street, is going to feel the resultant tentacles of inflation, terrible rising prices and horribly shrinking buying power. It is no longer a maybe. It’s here!

In order for your budget to win in this type of economy I suggest you develop a positive plan for “defensive spending ”. As I have taught Supermarket Survival across the nation, people have repeatedly told me that many times they feel as if they are over a barrel and cannot do anything about high prices or inflation. This is NOT a correct concept. You CAN do a great deal. As the grocery dollar continues to shrink in purchasing power; management, awareness, knowledge and skills CAN boost the nutrition and satisfaction you buy, as well as slash dollars from what you spend. This applies to buying for preparedness, getting through the rough economy or just getting by everyday! A new perspective will be to look at grocery – or preparedness- or anything - buying as a business trip … not a shopping trip. As with any other major investment, most business oriented persons invest time in shrewd planning before spending.

In order to be successful, businesses and/or plans require a manual and projected outline of tactics that can be followed and referred to. Begin now by investing in the formation of a notebook/workbook in which to keep track of worksheets, concepts, resource information, etc. It will become a functioning resource and plan that will continue to expand as you become a more proficient and professional shopper. Your winning and savings will be determined by how many keys, strategies, and new ideas you incorporate into your business plan.

Organize with renewed enthusiasm! Plan now to be ready as January and another year loom over the horizon. Be ready to take on this new year and all of the economic turbulence and inflation it may bring knowing that you are planning and will be able to cope! Remember, rather than being discouraged at just a small amount, or a seemingly small change or adjustment, it all ads up! Consistent small amounts will make a difference!

As the news releases proclaim higher food prices yet another year in a row, determine that as much as possible, you’ll reduce the blows to your budget. It may take some adjustments such as a few food item changes, or substitutions; or it may require more intense comparison-shopping, and perhaps more minutes invested in pouring over the ads in order to accomplish tighter budget control than before.

Be particularly careful as you glean money saving ideas that they are not simply glorified advertising ploys presented as an inferred way of saving. (Coupons are a good example here.)

Your first New Year’s challenge is to do (an action verb!) all you can to deflate the effects of predicted higher prices on your budget! That means plan and plan again. It has been proven that the more you plan the more you save. Keep that list out, make it longer and continue to check it twice, thrice and more. Then you will come out ahead – or at least within your budget - which is a tremendous accomplishment.
##

WOW. What A Response!

2008-12-29T14:08:00.003-07:00

Once in awhile you discover that in some tiny way you may have helped someone. Once in a blue moon you get a letter that sends you dancing and bouncing in the streets. Did you hear the echoing "YAAAHOO" in your neighborhood? It wasn't the elves celebrating that the sleigh had returned and they got two more days off. The blue moon rose in my neighborhood and I am still bouncing down the streets.

I thought I would share this letter with you, not so that you would bounce in the streets, but so that you would be enocuraged to do something positive about your preparedness.

December 19, 2008

Barbara:

I love the new site. It is crisp and inviting.

I had just finished reading Preparedness Principles before I moved to Hawaii. One thing that caught my eye was storing seeds. After I recovered from my accident and was able to use my right arm, I started a square foot garden...and started to take seeds and store them. As my lettuce and greens were coming out, the spinach scare hit the nation. I had my seeds and I was fine. Women in my R.S. laughed because I killed the rosemary plant 5 times, before it was good. They were shocked that I would save 700-800 dollars a year in veggie, herb department as I get those from my garden. Yes, I did use the pantry principle as I became aware of Hawaii's food prices and cost of eating.

For a year I have done my Noah's Ark, and every week I have gathered things for my storage using the principles from your book. On Thursday, December 11th, it started raining and it rained hard and fast. Soon roads were flooded and closed. The BYU Hawaii was closed because all the roads were flooded. It continued to rain and faculty housing was flooded. I live on the beach and have a foundation, but the people on the other side of the road had little houses swimming in brown water. Banana fields were rushing mud rivers and the bright blue ocean turned brown. People did not have food and lost everything that was on the lower levels and floor, including cars, washers, etc.

Friday night I was ready to leave for a graduation celebration when I heard loud noise, as if an explosion followed by another explosion and blue lights flashing around us. A lamp pole with lots of electrical wiring broke and came crashing down. That meant that we could not leave our home and drive anywhere. Live wires were across to road and traffic came to a halting stop.

My neighbors were returning home when all this took place and left their car to the park parking lot. We all hiked there and went to the celebration. We returned later and lighting and rain was heavy. We hiked back home while people were still working on getting electricity back. Of course, I have my radio, lantern, candles, etc. and we were fine. I went to bed and could not sleep thinking of people stuck in their cars. I went to my storage, loaded a bag full of water and fruit and Markus and his MTC companion went off to the night to offer it to stranded motorists. They came home with beautiful stories.

It has been 25 years since I was first introduced to your books. There have been lost of snickering about my garden in a pot, storing supplies and food in the most innovative places, and living on pantry principles. I always learn something new from your books, websites, talks, and newsletters. I have used them and saved a lot of money just in my day-to-day living over the 25 years. I was prepared for the California earthquake in 1989. Who would have thought that this could happen in paradise, but it did.

Living the principle you teach gives knowledge, which is power, and peace of mind, which is comfort during challenging times and good times. Today, the sun came out for a few minutes.... I looked up, said THANK YOU...and went to my papaya tree (yes, I planted 2 of them a year ago) and picked a nice big yellow papaya for desert.

Thank you for all you do. It makes a difference.

Love,

Helena

(Published with permission.)

You can check out Preparedness Principles at www.solutionsforprepapredness.com

By the way, check out Your LDS Neighborhood Newsletter Featured Business for the week of December 29th. It is a very good article, and I am not prejudiced in any way :)

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Happy New Year And The Sales Are Coming, The Sales Are Coming!

2008-12-26T22:06:00.002-07:00

Isn’t it amazing, time just keeps marching on whether I have my to-do list accomplished or not. And whether or not I have my emergency cupboard filled the way I would like it to be. I have calculated the amount of milk chocolate that I need for my years supply, and I don’t know if I will ever be able to complete it. Of course it doesn’t help that the principle of eat and it disappears always applies to this particular shelf.

I hope many of your New Years Resolutions include your preparedness program. If I could give you anything as this New Year approaches, it would be the enthusiasm and desire to do whatever it takes to help yourself become self sufficient. It brings such a marvelous sense of security and peace. The process and thrill of the hunt is so much fun. The filling of the space on a shelf is so rewarding. And the sigh of relief when the power fails, and you know that you and yours are going to be all right is one of the greatest rewards of all.

So may you have a great New Preparedness Year!

Now as you pull out that new calendar with blank pages that reads 2009 across the top I have another paper planning assignment to save you money and help you fill your preparedness pantry/cupboard. Look closely at the pages for January, February and March. – Because the Sales Are Coming, the Sales Are Coming. These are not the type of sales that we have just seen, with hype and promotion all connected to holidays. These are sales where if you learn to use them to your advantage, instead of the expected visa versa, you can fill a shelf or two in your preparedness cupboard.

Even with all of the distractions this time of year brings, you need to keep in mind the need to plan for future wise buying. Now is the time when you should be plotting and planning some strategies for January, February and March. These are the months noted for the sales on health and beauty aids and personal hygiene items. When that time arrives the newspapers will be filled with inferred bargains.

How do you recognize which is the best price? Let me recommend a homework assignment that will help. Start by assessing your cupboards and shelves. Decide what your needs as far as deodorants, shampoos, toothpastes and the like will be. (If you run out in the meant time, purchase only one or two to allow you to get by.) Use a small notebook, or several sheets of notebook paper. Start by jotting down specific brands or the items that you and your family frequently use. As you read the ads on Wednesday or on the day your local ads arrive., consciously note the prices of these items. Jot them down. Take a few seconds to read labels and compare ingredients as you shop. Include house brands in your comparisons.

Are you thinking this sounds like busy work and perhaps you don’t have the time? Keep in mind; it’s your budget! Is it stretching as far as you would like it to? To become a professional penny pincher does take a little effort. Just consider the rewards!

When February comes you will have knowledge and background. As the prices appear you can take out the results of your research. You will have done your homework. You will immediately recognize the best prices. And knowing that this will be one of the best times to buy, your budget stretching tactics will receive an A+!

Oh yes, one more thing to help you plan ahead and be ready to find good prices; the inventory clearances and sales will also be taking place, because the new season’s products will be coming in to the stores and the shelves need to be cleared.

Now, I think that should be enough incentive for all of you to go running to find that notebook and pencil! What is this noise? You are all yelling at me? Barbara, you say, how archaic can you be? Aren’t you aware that in today’s world all we use are computers? Some of us might not even remember what a small notebook or a pencil is (Ha Ha).” Well, a few of you may have mastered a palm pilot, but for the rest of you, carrying a lap top and printer so that you can keep track of all the lists, while making them and checking them twice, in stores, outlets, bargain stores, etc., in addition to your newspapers, does get to be a little cumbersome. Just a thought.

And no, those companies who want to make your lists for you as to where the best bargains are won’t work if you are going to consider all of the options that apply to you. I’ll do an entire column on that later for you.

Ok, You figure out your list control, and I’ll tell you how to stretch your money:)

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Does Hustle and Bustle Equal Real Bargains?

2008-12-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

The “next day” could mean savings – or not. If you can stand the crowds and the hustle and bustle (kind words for a lot of pushing and sometimes aggression), you’ll find some great deals for your budget the morning after a major holiday. A previous blog mentioned this a little bit. So today you will get some more details to arm yourself with. You just have to know how to sort through the hype.

As everyone knows, as "they say", the day after Christmas is one of the biggest “sale” days of the year. Many stores run fabulous sales for just one day, and sometimes for just a few hours in the morning of that one-day, to entice you into their store. They figure, and pretty accurately, that once they get you into their store, you’ll do most of your shopping while you’re there, and not just for the blowout sales items. You’ll pick up many regularly priced items at the same time, just to avoid the traffic and lines and crowds of another store.

If you are a brave soul that can tolerate the throngs of shoppers pushing and shoving for the best deals you will have the opportunity to save some serious money. The trick is to know before you go exactly what you want and not get sucked into the crowd mentality of buying everything you see, just because a thousand other people are buying it. Keep in mind, some of the product “for sale” may not be the store’s regular line “on sale.” It may be there just because of the “hype” of the “After Christmas Sale” and the incredible amount of impulse buying that will take place because of the atmosphere.

This year, because of the economy and the sales tools being used to try to take advantage of every opportunity to sell, some things have been marked down before the “last buying days” for the holiday, so the discounts after the fact may be deep – or not. I was in a discount department store immediately after Halloween this year and watched as the clerks put the Christmas decorations on the shelves. Immediately they placed “SALE” signs on all of the shelve – in red – proclaiming 30% off. That to me indicates several things: the item are already priced too high for the market, or the “sale” sign is used to give the impression of lower prices and increase impulse sales or it could be the store really wants to sell their products. You choose.

However, especially this year, remember the Barbara Rule of price consciousness! It is essential in the “SALES ARENA”. Santa is not the only one who needs to make a list and check it twice. Make careful plans, and detailed lists and then stick to them like glue. Then you can come out ahead … at least within your budget. Should you be thinking this is a lot of busy work, just remember it’s your budget. If you don’t need some encouragement and help, I do, write to me and tell me how you do it.

The morning after Christmas is a great time to save money, providing you’ve planned ahead so there is a little money left after Christmas shopping and activities are over. Or you can assess the other portions of your budget and do some creative juggling to allow your buying power go further.

The day after Christmas, and usually that weekend, is the time to pick up next year’s supplies: cards, wrapping paper, party goods, and decorations, even generic gifts for calendared occasions. You can usually save 50-80% on holiday clearance items, because it is cheaper for stores to sell for a fraction of the usual costs than return it to the manufacturer, pack and store it for a year, or throw it away. There is still a profit margin in it for them

Once again, you are the one that has to face the crowds, but with a battle plan in place, next to a sense of humor, the savings can be worth it.

Remember the chocolate sales! Red and green wrapped chocolates are red and green wrapped bargains. ; )

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Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays

2008-12-17T11:58:00.003-07:00

If you are like me the last thing you need is one more thing to do during the holiday rush. So I’ll give you a bit of preparedness advice here. Wait! Read it before you holler at me.

Here’s my advice: Get prepared … to have a wonderful holiday. There is less than a week left of the merry hustle and bustle. Make sure you set aside the stress and pressure for a little while here and there to enjoy this special time of year and share the real holiday spirit with your loved ones. That’s what it’s all about, remember?

The rule that starts to fit here is, “If it’s not done, forget it.” Who will know except you … and your guilt goblin.

Here is a recipe for one of my favorite holiday treats. It’s not a preparedness thing, although you do have to prepare it to eat it. Ha Ha. It’s not a money-saving tip. It’s probably not even particularly healthy. (However, it is all good-for-you-food!) But they are yummy! Consider the recipe a tiny, little gift from me to you. You cannot eat just one! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Yum Yums
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 C chopped dates
2 C crushed graham crackers
1 C chopped nuts
2 ½ C mini-marshmallows
1 pkg. (14 oz) coconut

Pour condensed milk over dates and let stand 10-20 minutes. Mix all ingredients, except coconut, in a large bowl. It is very sticky. Form into two-inch balls. Roll balls in coconut (If I am in a hurry, I just mix the coconut into the batter.) You can eat immediately, but they hold together much better if you refrigerate them overnight. If you can hide them, store in a tightly covered container.

Happy Holidays. Go hug your pantry/cupboards and count your blessings.

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What Happened to the Good Old-Fashioned Wish Books?

2008-12-12T06:00:00.001-07:00

What has happened to the good old-fashioned wish book, the catalog that you could pour over for hours and spin dreams and fantasies. It was a known fact that if you couldn’t find it in the store the catalog had it. Almost always the catalog price was cheaper. Long gone are the days when it was perceived purely for the rural individual because he/she lived so far away from town. Of course, “those” catalogs weighed a ton, were three inches thick and it took hours and hours to get through looking, let alone deciding what to buy. They were called “wish books” because you and/or your children could look and wish, making your Christmas lists from those pages, knowing full well most of the time it was “just a wish.”

Many of you may be contemplating a last minute rush of trying to beat deadlines. If you are willing to pay a little more all of your gift giving can be special ordered from those slick, colorful pages. Well …. First finish reading this, then go back to the catalog.

Whatever the case may be it’s time to take a revised look at the world of catalogs as it exists today. There are currently 6000 to 7000 catalogs published, with more coming. The average household receives about 40 catalogs a year. Many come unsolicited because of a specific target market for a specific firm, or your name is on a test market list. It will be permanently on all kinds of lists if you succumb and buy.

Part of the psychology behind catalogs is that you can be persuaded to buy in the soft security of your home. You may select anything from food items, right up to a $117 million dollar private jet, in the color of your choice. The catalog will be looked at again and again, sometimes wielding its persuasive power weeks after it arrived on your doorstep. Grocery shopping and food catalogs are on the increase as well, especially during this time of year. Mail order selling is BIG business.

Reassess your attitude about “wish books”. Catalog prices are not always the best or lower than those in retail outlets! Dream – but don’t impulse buy. Shop around, check out the items, whether it be food or furniture, in other catalogs … and even the old standby, the store. Take a second look at the cost of that cheese and crackers purchased by mail, with shipping and handling costs added. Compare products you are considering with similar products available locally. In fact, many of the specialty, gourmet, and holiday food items cost a lot more from the catalogs than the similar items in the store.

Some of the current propaganda from the invisible and silent salesmen lurking in the pages is that, “it’s so convenient to shop from your home, you don’t have to go out. Or, you can leisurely browse without having to put up with the crush and crowds in the malls. And so on …” Of course if the intent and purpose of purchasing a gift pack of specialty foods is that it is shipped for you, you may be willing to pay those additional costs.

Or have you been convinced and converted so that you are planning next year to avoid all the clamor and push of the stores by doing all of your shopping from the comfort of your couch?

Whatever you do, retain your comparison-shopping skills, even from the couch, before you send off your order with the check enclosed. One of the most difficult things about buying from a catalog is finding the time, effort and determination to return an unwanted item. One more way in which those silent sales people have won. Just a thought.

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Goodies To Get You Through The Dark and Dreay NIghts or Days

2008-12-08T20:18:00.002-07:00

Winter wonderland may now mean that everyone in the land is wondering whether or not there will be power if and when the next storm hits. Or may be it won’t be considered a storm – per se - just the wolf huffing and puffing enough to make the electricity in your light bulbs disappear. When we combine that with the terrors or challenges, depending on your perspective, of the winter that we have to face, in addition to the lack of power, it can appear to be a dismal situation.

Since Power Outages and Energy Crises are still on everyone’s mind, lurking behind the economic downturns, let’s do something positive about them. If we have to be without power for any length of time it might be a good thing to help one another get through it with a little snack here and there to boost morale. And of course you will have made a hard copy of recipes and ideas to keep on a shelf or in your notebook in preparation for just such a time. Another positive to this is that you will have an activity designed to occupy your time instead of just sitting and/or being bored.

I mentioned this in the last blog, but in today’s blog we are looking at it more from the preparedness point of view than the budget point of view. Oh yes, it’s the same kind of planning, right? M&M’s, Snickers and Reeses in their holiday packaging and colors will be drastically marked down. The holiday version – even if it is just the packaging – of pretzels, party mixes and nuts, bought at a bargain price will keep for a while in good container. This means for longer shelf life you may want to remove them from the cellophane or cardboard containers into a glass jar. They should then easily have a shelf life of several months. The pretzels and party mixes could be “crisped” in a low oven on a cookie sheet if they begin to go stale. Chocolate may turn white after a few months of storage, but it does not affect its flavor. (Yay) Candies or mixes with nuts in them will not keep as long as others because of the problems with bugs and rancidity.

Snacks and treat recipes that require little or no cooking may provide a few solutions. Following are a couple for you to try. They may seem familiar, but the circumstances in which you “cook” them will definitely be different.

Crispy Squares
¼ C margarine, butter or coconut oil
One-10oz Pkg. or 40 regular marshmallows, or 4 C mini-marshmallows
5 C crisped rice

Melt margarine over a low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until melted and cook approximately 3 minutes. Add crisped rice and stir well. Press into a greased 11" x 13" pan. If using your hands to press the mixture into the pan, grease or oil your hands and remember the mixture will be extremely hot.

Note if you prepare this during a power outage: If using an emergency cooking stove, such as a butane or Sterno stove, one suggestion to save emergency fuel, is to put the pan with the marshmallows in it on the stove itself, next to the heat source, stirring or turning in order to maximize the heat. The warmth from the flame or burner being used to cook with will most likely be sufficient to melt the marshmallows and then require shorter time on the actual burner.

No Bake Cookies
2 C sugar 3 C rolled oats
1 cube margarine or butter ¼ C cocoa
½ C milk (reconstituted works) 1 tsp. Vanilla
Optional: ½ to 1 C nuts, or raisins, or coconut

Mix sugar, margarine and milk together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil for one minute. Stir in oats, cocoa, vanilla and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls on waxed paper or aluminum foil, or a cookie sheet.

Smores
Of course you can always make Smores in a heavy frying pan, with a lid, over a Sterno or butane stove. Or if you have a fireplace that is working, use it.

Safety!
Always plan, think ahead and build safety into this kind of situation. You want to have a positive activity in a difficult time, but it will be different from ordinary cooking on an ordinary stove. Practice sessions will prove to be a very good thing.

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Holiday Baking Bonanza Take A Closer Look

2008-12-06T12:49:00.002-07:00

Today’s blog is part two, continuing the theme from the last blog, giving you a little more incentive and insight into holiday baking..

Food, Feasts, Goodies – Holiday Baking Bonanza or Budget Buster; what shall it be? As you glance at the calendar you are aware that the time fast approaches for all kinds of good smells to permeate kitchens and tempt the palates of even the most confirmed dieters. Suddenly ads abound with baking bonanzas. Every item even remotely related to baking is being promoted as an absolute essential ingredient. The supermarkets and discount drugstores are replete with displays and or tables piled high to capitalize on the holiday season’s tradition … HOMEMADE GOODIES!

Americans bake more than 70 million batches of chocolate chip cookies every year, let alone all of the other delicious items. (And I’m sure “they” are going to say that crumbs from 69 million of them were found in Barbara’s kitchen.) Displays of chocolate chips, nuts and other baking items are set up for maximum sales, profits and increased sales with high emphasis on impulse purchases. Become price conscious BEFORE you browse the stores and are delighted to find holiday decorations and tinsel, free recipes, gift suggestions and the most powerful persuader of all – free samples.

Let’s take another look at the pressures of homemade goodies. Do you have the time, budget and energy? Are there some affordable, realistic alternatives that you might take into consideration? YES! And what’s more there is a variety of alternatives among the alternatives! For example; an old fashioned “baking-bee” day or evening where you pool resources and energy with friends makes it go so much faster, easier and in many cases more economical. One thing our family has started doing is having a cookie-dough night. We get together and instead of baking cookies, we make batches of dough. Roll it up in single or double batches; wrap it in plastic wrap and label. We divide up our batches of batches to take home and put them in the freezer. Then instead of taking plates of cookies to our neighbors the dough is delivered for them to decide when to bake – or thaw and eat cookie dough.

Another way is barter. If your time and talents are in areas other than baking, arrange an equitable trade off with one or more friends who enjoy it.

Goodies from scratch are not the only way. Take an extra half-hour to browse and compare – BEFORE buying. There are all kinds of frozen dough and packaged mixes available that can be transformed with Christmas magic.

Of course the most expensive alternative - but still an alternative – is the bakery.

Naturally there must be a side for your preparedness pantry hiding somewhere in here. Of course there is. With the economy going crazy, retailers are offering superb prices on many items, including food products. With your professional price consciousness skills in place, watch for real bargains on any and all items that can be used throughout the rest of the year. For example, all sprinkles, confectioner sugars, decorations that are in red or green can be used for birthdays or other special occasions. Nuts can be super-bonus if you find them on sale. Buy and put them in the refrigerator or freezer in small useable packages. Keep an eye out for any specific items that you can use later and buy several when the price is right.

Pay attention after the holidays when all kinds of holiday candy will be at a 60% - 75% discount. I’ve said it before, red and green M&M’s, or Christmas foil wrapped kisses taste just fine in January and February, especially if they are bargain priced. These can fill your Morale Booster shelf in the pantry – well hidden of course.

Bonus Recipe for Your Holiday Bonanza
Just for the fun of it I have found a wonderfully simple recipe for a homemade No-Salt Seasoning to share. It is one of the things I have done for my family this year. Shop for the ingredients at Big Lots, the Dollar Store or the discount stores to make it even better.

I didn’t have curry and don’t use a lot in my cooking so I left it out. I didn’t use kelp either. I used a small grinder to mince and grind all items that were not small enough to go through a sieve so that the consistency of all ingredients was the same. Instead of tablespoonsful I used cupsful to make a large batch. Adjust and use the spices and seasonings of your choice to make this work. I then packed the seasoning in half-pint jars, and will tie raffia around the top. It took about an hour from start to finish. Of course the kitchen smelled like a witches cauldron full of natural foods for a while, but it was fun and very economical.
No-Salt Seasoning
Mix 1 tablespoon (or equal measurements) each of the following crushed, dried herbs:
kelp, basil, green pepper (I used dehydrated and ground it), curry powder, celery seed, dried onion, parsley, sage, marjoram, green onion (I used chives),
Mix all together and store in a tight fitting jar.

Enjoy! Happy Baking Goods Hunting – or not. And if you brew a batch of no-salt seasoning take a minute to enjoy the aroma.

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Welcome to My New Website

2008-12-02T14:22:00.001-07:00

Today’s blog is an exciting blog – for me. It is the official announcement of the launch of my new, revamped, revised, updated, website.

WWW.SOLUTIONSFORPREPAREDNESS.COM

Why another website? Why a website from Barbara? Why Solutions?

Since preparedness and trying to help others understand the difference between valid preparedness concepts and preparedness rumors or sales pitches or “whatever”, has been in my DNA forever and subsequently evolved into thirteen books and several videos, columns and so on, I felt that I should move forward into cyber space to continue my campaigns. Thus I now am putting forth the effort to communicate and teach with blogs and a new website.

The goal of the Solutions Website is to help you meet the ever increasing need for sound, common sense knowledge and skills of personal preparedness that will enable you to cope – and confidently live through - the technological crises created by man and/or Mother nature’s temper tantrums that take away the normal ingredients of our lives; such as power – heat-light-water- and sometimes the ability to “run to the store” for supplies.

Its purpose is to provide you with the know-how (and perhaps some encouragement and incentives) for setting up a realistic, organized program of personal preparedness: whether for an individual or a family…suitable to your circumstances, environment and budget …Just In Case.

One of the reasons for Solutions is to replace some of the panic and fear and overwhelming confusion – along with faith promoting rumors - that abound about how to be prepared or what to do to be prepared. The principles taught in Solutions (and my books) are not based on the theory that the world is falling apart, or that you need to stockpile arms. Nor will you be hearing anything from me about wilderness survival so that you can “head for the hills” for safety.

With Solutions you are going to learn the solutions for practical personal preparedness right where you are … in your own home! Your practical preparation now could very well make the difference between coping or chaos later. Our MOTTO? If you are prepared you can cope! Or to put it another way, you will be shown how to prepare in order to make most current crises – whether it be extremely difficult economical times or a disaster - more bearable.
With the new website, I am launching a campaign to help you help yourself be prepared in all areas of Personal Preparedness and have the ability to Beat the High Cost of Eating!

www.solutionsforpreparedness.com Here you will find the knowledge, skills and strategies necessary to master the many facets of self-reliance. The practical and applicable solutions provided on this site will help you deal with the affects of the hard-times and headlines.

You are invited to come browse, read a while, gather information to help you, share the blogs, check out the events, leave a comment or two. Check out Our Little Online Store – it is still under construction with bigger and better things to come. It is being designed to fill a special niche, with some very exclusive things just for you.

If you have visited the site before, check it out again. It is going to be constantly improving. Suggestions are welcome (as long as they are kind : )

www.solutiomnsforpreparedness.com enables you to eliminate the confusion of how – and what-to prepare AND how to afford it all!

Welcome to My New Website

PS. You have my permission to forward this most important announcement to all of your relatives, correspondents, friends, dentists, health care technicians, hair dressers, in-laws, vets, employees, employers, etal. :)

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Making Less More!

2008-11-28T15:40:00.002-07:00

It’s that time of year when for many, the baking and cooking bug hits. For some it could become a guilt trip, for others a several day marathon, for yet others a drudgery that has to be maintained because it is TRADITION. But for many it is fun and it is tradition. But for all the costs continue to rise.

So two important points today: first the rule of thumb for baking any cookies is that you have to make at least a three batch-batch, one to eat as dough and two to bake. (I think it is illegal in some places to only make a single batch of chocolate chip cookies!)

And second, there are some ways to stretch the budget and the groceries, by planning to make less more.

Let’s talk about a few ideas to make less more. Some of these, once again, might seem to be just common sense. And maybe they are. But common sense is not common sense unless we remember to apply it.

With the economy affecting us in so many ways, it becomes our responsibility to remember and do everything possible to stretch those pennies. It has gotten to the point, in some instances, where people have come to regard pennies as almost worthless. Well it still takes one hundred pennies to make a dollar and unless you begin with one, you won’t make it to the dollar. So perhaps today’s concepts can be the penny principle applied to common sense. (Common Cents? Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

As you think about baking or cooking it usually is the required ingredients that make a recipe unique where the costs begin to drastically rise. It almost always will be things such as nuts, or candied fruits, or chocolate, or coconut, let alone sweetened condensed milk or special flavoring.

In order to make less more you need to add some action words such as chop, cut, shred, grate, mince, and crumble. Also get in mind such words as stretch, extend, dilute, or water-down.

The principle idea being that you want to still have the flavor, taste or crunch, just perhaps not as concentrated. For example one-half cup of walnuts halves can be chopped or minced to equate almost the volume of one cup without losing the flavor or uniqueness of the taste. Candied fruit, which is very expensive, can be chopped and sliced to increase the volume, but still give the flavor and color. Cheese can be grated or melted or thinned to have the creaminess and flavor, but not use the volume. (This is the principle that a brand name “cheese spread” has used for years and guaranteed the flavor. This is also the principle behind “whipped butter and whipped margarine” – thin it down, spread it out and make less more!) Yes, even chocolate chips can be halved or grated if necessary to make them stretch.

Get out that dry milk and those dehydrated eggs and learn how to stretch your “regular” milk and eggs. Dry milk is still much more economical than regular milk. If the only place you used it was in cooking, you would stretch your budget – and your groceries.

Begin using your wheat, other grains and oats as fillers to extend ground meat, skillet dishes and soups and stews. And surprise, you will extend and expand nutrition at the same time. By using dehydrated eggs, dry milk and oats in your meat loaves and patties you can once again apply the principle of making more of less work.

Of course the principle behind stir-fry and skillet dishes is combining a “whole bunch of less” and making a complete meal out of it-thus becoming more.

It really is fun, you know, to be able to win these battles, make it all work and come up with more strategies and sneaky ways to keep winning!

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A Spending Game Plan For Holiday Shopping

2008-11-24T19:58:00.002-07:00

The news says that the economy should be improving, but once again – not in my neighborhood. And I think probably not in your neighborhood. With the holiday hype hitting very hard and fast right now I thought I would offer a little bit of help – or at least an idea of how to help your self

I’ll share with you a page out of my Spending Game Plan for Holiday Shopping

First you go to the government and tell them you really are a worthwhile cause and that you don’t need $700 billion. You would be happy with 1 (as in ONE) Billion, and in addition you have all kinds of relatives and references that will vouch for your qualifications to receive such a generous – ummm – errr- uhh. Let’s see just what is it we are getting? Oh never mind, on to preparedness and stretching our realistic budget! :)

As thoughts of holiday shopping and gift giving are becoming more prevalent, a spending game plan should be considered as an essential money management tool. A spending game plan, such as this one will help you control – yet enjoy holiday spending. If you already have a spending game plan in place give yourself 150 points and a huge pat on the back!

PLAN: Set aside an hour or two to pour over magazines, catalogs and consumer information for ideas and price guides.

COMPARE: Check out newspapers, catalogs, mail order, discount outlets, discount department stores, discount drug stores, etc. Price differences can be astounding! Compare with a paper and pencil in hand. Your memory is not a reliable resource. Particularly as the season gets more hectic there will be more demands on your time, memory and budget.

CONSULT: Consult with your spouse, family members, co-workers, and friends to be
sure you agree beforehand on any joint gifts that may be in the plans. Make sure that a budget amount or limit is understood by all involved.

SHARE COSTS: Combine funds to stretch the budget.

NOTEBOOK/NOTES: Carry a small notebook in your purse, wallet or pocket. Jot down
facts, sizes, ideas and dollar limits per person. Use this information as an item comparison resource and decision list.

LISTS, Lists, and more lists: Lists will help keep things under control and can be fun.
Keep the holiday lists together in a notebook or folder. Planning well this year could give you a head start on next year if you keep the lists as a resource. Use your lists as shopping tools. Plan, revise and check off items as they are purchased or replaced. In the rush, crowds and pressure this one thing alone can help you maintain budget control (along with sanity control). Do not attempt to rely on your memory. (At this time of year it’s Ok to say out loud, “I can’t remember it all! Just don’t stamp your foot at the same time.)

PLAN SHOPPING: Spread shopping out over several excursions. Don’t wait until
fatigue and desperation set in. Keep in mind calculated shopping is one of the goals in the game plan. Early on, as you plan, ask if specific items that you may be interested in purchasing are scheduled to be sale priced before Christmas. Retailers are said to be cutting prices drastically this year before the holiday, so don’t be afraid to ask for specifics for that store. Mail order items should be an early priority.

BUDGET: Has your planning taken into consideration the entire holiday season or specifically Christmas? Have you thought about and PLANNED FOR ALL the categories? Things such as; foods – treats, meals, give-aways, donations to dinners, etc., cards and postage, wrap and ribbon, homemade projects/crafts, the tree, travel, tipping, last minute miscellaneous must-haves. Some individuals have mistakenly considered only gift costs as a Christmas budget. Be realistic, but use a budget. The more detailed it is, the better money management tool it becomes.

DOLLAR LIMIT: Set it! Stay within it! When it’s gone, that’s it! Remember to estimate high and include taxes.

CREDIT CARDS: Try to use only one and set a spending limit. Keep notes or use
3 x 5 cards to immediately jot down the amounts spent. Set it up as you would a checkbook. Look at the total before spending more. There are all kinds of very small calculators to carry with you. Don’t hesitate to use one!

THE AFTER CHRISTMAS SALES: You need to remember to actually plan this economic facet into the holiday budget as much as possible. By doing so you will be able to take advantage of the “after Christmas” sales. This in turn will boost the buying power for next year’s holiday budget.

I have known people who plan to buy for birthday parties, family birthdays, wedding showers and a whole gauntlet of special days with the reduced prices. You don’t have to buy specifically Christmas oriented items. However, this one idea may take planning all year. Start now to set aside a dollar or two or three every payday, in an envelope for this very thing. That way you can build a fund to give you better buying power at the right time.

Thinking about a Preparedness Christmas? May I suggest that if you are considering
giving preparedness items as Christmas gifts that you put out a few feelers first. Find out if there are any absolute dislikes or severe allergies. The whole wheat bread and cookie mixes are nice, but only if you can or will eat them. Find out if the person has any idea at all as to what to do with dehydrated food before you give them ten cans. Ask if a cheese making kit complete with regular dry milk is what the newly-weds would truly like to have. And be sure you know the difference between brewers yeast and regular yeast before you buy someone a three-month supply!

And of course by now all of you faithful readers can fill in the blank:

Remember the c____________________. :)

By the way thanks for all of the emails and comments. It is so nice to know that you are out there and at least a few of the things in the blogs are proving to be helpful!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I am so willing to give thanks for all of the blessings in my life!

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Triggers In Your Pantry?

2008-11-22T11:48:00.003-07:00

I’m sitting here with a face so swollen that anyone will immediately recognize I have a bad case of the “uglies”. Now this is not stated so that lots of people will say, “Oh No, you look just fine.” Nope, today it’s a really bad case of the “uglies”. And yes it has a HUGE connection with Preparedness. Today I will once again be a visual aid, (no I won’t run a virtual reality clip, you just have to believe me.)

In the last few years I have acquired a disease that has changed my outlook on a lot of things. It is a strange thing and has a very long impressive, but not very well known name. One of the complications of this “interesting” disease is that my face swells, and I look as if I were very badly burnt in a bad car wreck. Many times it is the result of a food trigger. And sometimes it triggers itself. But its impact on what and how I eat and the things that I can or CAN’T have in my pantry is amazing. Would you believe just a tiny overdose of healthy-for-you carrots can be lethal for me. Do you realize how many of those wonderful dried soup mixes I’ve had to take off of my shelves and give away? (I won’t let them test me for chocolate!)

Many of you deal with hay fever, known as an allergy. But today I want to talk to you about severe allergic reaction and food triggers. If you have one you know it – maybe. Food triggers and a severe reaction could cause death or a hospital stay to save your life.

There follows an excerpt from Preparedness Principles*, to create awareness for you. But this is not just your everyday, ordinary awareness. This is AWARENESS!

If someone in your family has gluten intolerance, there are often other grains besides wheat that are often acceptable and trouble free. Check with your health-care provider for suggestions and information. Because food allergies and triggers are all different, the grains that will be acceptable in your situation will differ also. In filling your pantry shelves, pay attention to grains, nuts or other ingredients that may be similar, but not the same as the exact allergen that you have dealt with previously. They may also be a problem for you. For example, wheat, spelt, and buckwheat are similar in makeup; if you’re allergic to wheat, you may have a reaction to the other two – or not.

Most tree nuts are also allergenic; an allergy to one often means an allergy to others. Even though peanuts are a legume or bean, they are highly allergenic.

Please do not share or rely on the cures or solutions that some one else swears by, especially in difficult times when it may prove to be difficult to get proper medicine or medical help. Their solutions may not work for you or your family member. For them it may just be an allergy; for you or your loved one the same food could cause a severe reaction or trigger.

Before you stock up on other grains, or potentially allergenic foods, make sure you are OK with them. If not, don’t buy or store them!

A major rule of preparedness must be – don’t assume that because times are hard and that problem foods are all there is to eat, that somehow you will be blessed and will be able to eat it. You won’t! That’s not to say I don’t believe in miracles, I do. However …

Back to my case of the “uglies.” There are now quite a few of “what I used to call regular or normal” foods that I had in my pantry. “Had and used to” – both past tense terms. I now must read labels even more diligently than I did before. If things were really tough and my disease broke through I could have a terribly difficult time – IF I did not have the remedies on hand. On the other hand I must not have certain foods that could contaminate or get mixed in or mistakenly used or I would have a serious crisis in the middle of another crisis.

Now is the time for you to check out the mixes, the contents, and the ingredients of the foodstuffs in your cupboards or pantries. Now is the time to see what causes the “sniffles” for a family member. Perhaps you have been saying, “Oh, It’s not a big thing, it happens every time he/she eats such and such a food, their nose runs like a faucet.” Don’t panic, but do you need to think again?

Now to make sure all of your priorities are in place you have been reading all of the recent nutritional reports that indicate how good chocolate is for you. Right? Right! (No, I don’t sell chocolate and my middle initials are not M&M. Yes I have done some family research and no ancestor is named Hershey either. Hmmmmmmmmm, maybe I could be adopted.)

Take a look at Preparedness Principles on the website www.solutionsforpreparedness.com

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Mirror, Mirror That Used To Be On the Wall

2008-11-17T18:31:00.003-07:00

With winter’s darkness, stormy day and night darkness and power outage darkness I thought it might be a good thing to talk to you about at least one solution for darkness.

I have one idea to share today that I know works – been there, done that. If you are planning and working on being prepared some of these solutions might seem to be just common sense – now. Yet in the middle of chaos and confusion that simple solution might be the last thing to enter the brain – unless it is in place in that realm of “prior to,” you know, the planning part.

I’ll call this “Mirror, Mirror That Used To Be On The Wall. That way if you happen to be super organized you can file it in an easy way to remember. If not, it’s a fun title.

In the category of darkness a simple idea that can double the lighting capacity of a temporary light source but not double emergency fuel consumption during a power outage is a mirror. It will reflect the light from your emergency light source giving you twice the illumination. This can more efficiently light an area with even one lamp or lantern and stretch a small amount of fuel or battery power.

In 1989, as darkness was descending, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck. During the aftermath of the quake we placed an oil lamp on the fireplace hearth and propped a 14” x 16” mirror (which had not broken) up against the fireplace behind it. This one small thing greatly increased the light in the room. (We could not use the fireplace for heat or light. At this point we did not know if the chimney was cracked or still going to come down.) However, I vividly recall sitting on the floor as it continued to roll, writing in my journal by the light of the mirror and lamp.

If no mirror is available - using masking tape – you could tape aluminum foil to the wall or backdrop behind the lamp or lantern. If all you have is a flashlight the principle will still work. Another option would be to use heavy-duty aluminum foil to wrap a sturdy piece of cardboard to use as a reflector. This could be made ahead of time and kept with your light source.

Such a simple thing as a mirror, or aluminum foil, when planned for and thought about ahead of time, can make a world of difference as a seemingly tiny solution with an enormous benefit!

Check out Preparedness Principles on our website www.solutionsforpreparedness.com for a lot more ideas to help you deal with the darkness.

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Food for Thought To Put In Your Preparedness Cupboard

2008-11-14T18:39:00.003-07:00

Today I thought I would just give you some food for thought. You can put it in your pantry if you can figure out how.

As this election year progresses and we get closer and closer to the New Year, many of us are not looking forward with great joy as to what the new year and years might bring. I’m afraid that the headlines that are causing fear and the struggles with the failing economy are not going to go away.

Personally all these things are affecting each one of us more and more as that falling economy continues to wreak its toll.

So far it doesn’t appear that any one of us has the solution to be able to turn things around. We seem to be floundering more and more in our thoughts and abilities to put positive action in place in our lives. As an individual, you nor I cannot resolve any of these situations. Nor can you or I resolve the situations in our state, city or county – let alone the national debacle.

BUT – what we can do is resolve to do something, to create our own safe haven in attitude and action in our own preparedness program. Even if you live in a small apartment there has to be one corner that you can set aside to hold a few things that will benefit you – in your home. If you can’t create a “safe room;” plan and create a “glorious safe corner.” I know I have talked about it before, but it seems as if conditions are continuing to swiftly ebb in a downward spiral so much so that panic and fear is entering our thoughts and conversations. I personally don’t think the “end of the world” is upon us, but there may be a huge bump in the road.

And so I would encourage you to do what you can, where you can, when you can! If you “have been thinking about it,” but haven’t quite gotten around to that positive plan of action yet”, don’t you think it’s about time? And if you have gotten around to it and have that first jar of peanut butter stashed on the shelf, good for you, keep working on it.

Preparedness and provident living go hand in hand. You can help yourself deal better in the nasty economic foray that we are facing and at the same time have things in your cupboard to get you through tight, tough situations.

Remember this is without panic and hype; just a little at a time – consistently, constantly and on going.

Being prepared does NOT mean there is no crisis as some would attempt to have you believe. Preparedness is not a project with an absolute goal of “having it all done”, no matter what “they” say.

Keep hanging on, keep trying, and of course keep praying!

Should you be discouraged thinking about all of “this stuff,” I thought I would toss out a “Funny Bone.” And since I was the one who witnessed this, you might say once more I’ll share an experience. :)

A year or so ago I observed a young mother standing in front of me, in the long line at the butcher counter of the supermarket, waiting her turn. She had the number of her turn in her hand. She was obviously very pregnant and very tired. Her two children were becoming more and more restless as they tussled around the shopping cart. Finally a voice called out, “55 --- 55.” “Here I am,” she called, waving her number. Her son immediately and emphatically stated, “But Mom, you’re not 55.” Without a second’s hesitation she responded wearily, “Today I am! Oh boy, today I am!”

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Questions and Answers and a Couple of Tips and Tidbits

2008-11-11T21:06:00.003-07:00

It’s time for another blog of questions and answers and a couple of tips and tidbits. You have sent the questions and I will provide some answers and those tips and tidbits.

Q. LS from Raleigh, NC says, "In trying to be prepared, how do I store adequate sizes of clothing for a growing family?

A. When considering clothing to be kept in an emergency kit; or to be set aside in case of a disaster, it is important to realize that warmth and protection are more important than style. (Yeah Mom, that's what she says.") If children and other family members are made aware of this principle beforehand, there is less likelihood of future problems, called contention in the middle of a crisis. Choose the kind of clothing where one size fits all. Sweats are a terrific item in an emergency wardrobe, as are drawstring pants and large T-shirts. Buy clothing a size or two bigger than each child’s current size. If it’s a tad too big or a tad too small, it’s still wearable in an emergency. (Yes it is! Even if it doesn't have a designer label! Have you ever heard of a Designer Disaster that you needed to have labels on your clothes as you ran for cover? I just thought I'd ask.)

For our personal “emergency wardrobe” I went to a discount warehouse-type store that sold seconds and irregulars. (For sure, no fancy label there!) I bought each of us two pair of sweat suits and matching extra large T-shirts. This way they would be suitable in a variety of kinds of weather. I keep them in a plastic tub that is labeled in the shed with our emergency equipment.

Q. As a Mom, I spend a lot of time in the car carpooling kids from one place to another. How would I cope if there were an emergency while in the car? I don’t mean an accident, I mean something like an awful storm or landslide or some such thing. Mary J., San Jose, CA

A. One solution is to keep one or two large plastic tubs with a snug fitting lids in the back of the car/van. Fill the tubs with some basic items. Water is the most critical item to have in your car. Individual water bottles work best for cars. For kids, try to have nutritional treats, tissues and scratch paper and crayons. Don’t forget a roll or two of toilet paper and a few baggies! The main objective is to occupy their minds and hands to keep them calm. A battery-powered radio would allow you to keep up on the progress of the situation without draining the car battery. A cell phone and cell phone charger is a wonderful blessing in such a situation. However, you must control yourself to limit phone calls for the emergency situation and not “just conversations”. This will help insure that what battery power you have can last as long as possible. Another important item to have is blankets. It could prove to be a good thing to have several of the inexpensive fleece throws. The number would depend on the number of children you usually have in your carpool as well as the size of your tubs. Blankets are important as first aid items as well as providing security and warmth.

The food in car kits does not store well because of the intense temperature changes that occur in a car. Make sure that you mark your calendar to change the foodstuffs about every six months. Note: The food in your car kit does not classify as a casual “snack”. It is in the car to meet a specific need in an emergency.

Other items to consider might be:
Several cyalume sticks. One per child if possible. (Not a reusable item.)
Hard candies – sucking on them could help relieve stress.
(Be aware of diabetics)
Moist towlettes
A storybook to read to younger children.
Word puzzle books and pencils for older children.

A Couple of Tips and Tidbits:

During lag-time after an earthquake or severe storm, a small tent might prove to be one of the most desired types of shelter to be found. One firefighter reported that in the aftermath of a
Los Angeles quake that many people were so frightened that they could not remain inside shelters – or even homes that were safe. As the ground continued it’s relentless shaking, they persisted in remaining outside and unsheltered. A small tent could have made a world of difference.

In one of my last blogs it was mentioned that the time had come to change our clocks and check our equipment. Here is one more reminder.

If you have put together evacuation kits and have seasonal clothing in them, now is the time to replace the clothing to fit the coming storm and weather patterns for your area. (You just might want to know if it fits you - who cares about the ocming storm !)

Once you open those kits it is also a good time to see if you have well fed families of weevil enjoying the food that you have provided for them. If so, you may need to convince them to move and replace your food while you have the chance.

Can you believe it? I wrote an entire blog without mentioning how important chocolate is. :-)

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Turkey ... and a POP Quiz?

2008-11-06T21:07:00.002-07:00

“Tis another blog aimed at helping you stretch your budget.

It is rapidly becoming the seasonal time of the year when we are once again going to see and hear the phrase, “It’s Turkey time”. Whether you like it or not, commercially turkey has become totally integrated with the promotion of fall and Thanksgiving. But if you are a wise shopper turkey can and should be a boon to the budget. As the seasonal sales progress a few pointers may help you recognize even greater bargains.

The nutrition in a C grade turkey is not much different than the one with extra fancy wrappings and a self-timer. But it’s almost a sure thing there will be a difference in the price! The A grading on poultry simply indicates the bird has all of its parts and there are no observable flaws. Whereas a B grade may be just as delicious, but have a broken wing tip. If you personally prefer the kind with the self-timer, it still is usually a bargain when compared with the price of other meats. Turkey freezes well. Generally you pay less per pound for larger turkeys, a 20-pound tom being cheaper than a ten pounder. You get more meat per proportion to carcass on the big ones. If a 20 pound turkey would be too large for you, ask someone in the meat department to cut it into halves and/or quarters. Wrap the pieces individually and put them in your freezer. That way you will be able to take advantage of the savings.

Keep in mind turkey and turkey sales are available year round now, with the most noticeably promotions at this time of year.

Turkey parts are economical and create good tasting budget meals. Even the carcass of the turkey is a bargain when used for good old-fashioned turkey and noodle soup.

Now let’s change the subject for an important message from your friendly blogger. Actually, it’s a POP quiz.

Today’s blog bonus is to remind you that the time has come and gone to set the clocks back. That means this is the time of year that you need to take the hour or two, or however long it takes, to make sure that your preparedness items and equipment are ready and functioning. They need to be ready to get you through whatever adventure may come your way during the stormy, windy, foggy, dreary, wet, cold, blustering, freezing … Let’s see I ought to be able to come up with a few more descriptive words to set the mood for you. Or you can fill in the blanks for your neighborhood __________, ____________, and _________.

* Do all of your flashlights work?
* Do you have relatively new batteries for ALL of them?
* Are your sleeping bags or additional blankets clean and full of “warm” as they wait on an accessible shelf?
* Do you know where all the tops and bottoms for the thermal underwear sets are that you plan on using to keep you warm?
* Do you know where the old-fashioned popcorn popper and old-fashioned popcorn is – just in case?
* Is your emergency cooking stove ready to work when you need it?
* Do you need matches for anything? Where are they?
* How will that first aid kit hold up if everybody needs a band-aid at once?
* Food? What about food? Do you have a sufficient amount of the right kinds of food?
* And most important of all – do you know where your chocolate is? (Well maybe not most important.)

And your score was?

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Some Insight From The Shopping Tutor

2008-11-04T12:34:00.002-07:00

As fall and November come into view, get a tighter grip on your shopping skills as well as your shopping lists. Many retailers look forward to the day AFTER Thanksgiving as their BIG day in November. The day after Thanksgiving hails as the biggest shopping day of the year, competing stiffly with the day after Christmas. Many Christmas holiday promotions will appear on the shelves along with the Halloween ghosts and goblins, some even before. (Locally, one super discount store was putting up Halloween AND Christmas in side-by-side aisles. The Christmas decorations had signs being posted, “NOW 30% off”. The price must have been really high before the box was opened! Hmmmm. What does that tell you about prices?)

Therefore, the suggestions for this blog, one of my Shopping Tutors, are to encourage you to intensify conscientious shopping skills. This cannot be emphasized too often or too strongly when it’s your budget that is at stake. Holiday hype will continue to escalate in all areas. The word SALE will appear more often with greater intensity and inferred urgency. More retailers than ever will try to convince you that they truly understand how tight your budget is and that they have all the bargains.

Price awareness is a must if your budget matters! So that a “Scrooge” attitude does not mar your holiday happiness and shopping pleasure, plan in detail the amounts you can spend and in what category. Happily stick to your plan!

As the ads and media blitzes try to convince you that you may not be properly keeping up with what “they” say or show as the “only” way to have a perfect holiday, remember this key
thought - ADVERTISING USUALLY IS NOT REALITY - even though you are expected to perceive it as such.

Bonus Paragraph: Some Food For Thought as You Shop

One of our holiday traditions, as a family, is to go shopping with wish lists but no money. It is fun to tease about how I always want a brand new, red Cadillac AND a flowing, floor length fur coat. Of course “someone” can always throw in a gorgeous opal ring – heavy on the blue and fire in the ring. Larry always wants the latest, fanciest model trains. The family motto on these trips: Need has nothing to do with want. :)

As we go through the large one-stop-shopping stores and malls, it is always brought to the attention of our noses, the smell of food, especially baking rolls or other baked goods.

The next time you are in the vicinity of a large supermarket, particularly on a weekend morning, “listen” to what your nose has to tell you. One of the most powerful lures and impulse areas in the shopping arena is the in-store bakery. The smell of baking bread and fresh doughnuts is not an accidental sideline. By a show of hands let me see how many of you have succumbed to “that aroma.” I thought so. Almost all of us have. Planning the purchases to be made at the bakeries may help curb the power of that genie in the bread.

Here we go again. Make your lists and check that budget total fifteen times. Remember one of Barbara’s mottos is, “It’s the thrill of the hunt!

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For Preparedness, The Economy, Or Just the Fun of It: Have Yourself a Wannabee-Mini-Root-Cellar

2008-10-31T18:00:00.001-06:00

Oh I love fall! I love the colors in the trees and bushes. I love the soft winds that bring the smell of fall. I love to scuffle in the street gutters and lawns full of drying leaves. I used to love the smell of bon-fires in Ohio, where I grew up. I love to watch the leaves raining down. (In my humble opinion, raking leaves is a small price to pay for the beauty and blessings of trees. Especially if one can get enough leaves to create a pile big enough to really shuffle through – or if you are young enough and small enough – burrow through.) I love it when the big thunderheads and cumulus clouds race across the sky, creating all kinds of images in grays and deep blues for the mind. And then there is the smell of rain …

Oh yes, this is supposed to be a blog about something meaningful. Or at least that’s the rumor I started.

I’m still going to talk about fall, only with the emphasis on squash and all kinds of neat and wonderful things that can be stored “root-cellar style.” There aren’t many of us in today’s world that have the opportunity to have a real root cellar. You know, the kind that grandparents used to not only talk about, but also had. The wonderful cellar or space under ground with a dirt floor, (spiders,) and walls that would stay cool and sometimes downright cold, all winter long. But all kinds of good to eat treasures could be stored there; such as squash, carrots, potatoes, apples, onions and on and on.

Well today I am going to challenge you to find a wannabee-root-cellar in your home. It doesn’t matter if you live in an apartment or mobile home or in the middle of a large city. I didn’t say, “find a place to dig a pit,” did I? Okay, then keep reading.

Wait, maybe you should get that proverbial notebook and pencil first, so that as the ideas come flowing in you can make some notes.

Assess you home for cool, dry space – or several spaces. You have to do this BEFORE I send you on the scavenger hunt for things to fill this space, or you will go crazy impulse buying and not have anyplace but in the middle of your living room floor to create your mini-root-cellar. Now there would be a conversation piece! You could always say, “But Barbara said.”

For both preparedness and economy this is a delightful idea that many don’t even know about, let alone do anything about. “Tis the season” for winter squash, apples, carrots, beets, apples and more. Do your homework and become price conscious.

Some items may only keep a few weeks. Some may keep several months. If they only keep a few weeks, you and your budget will still be ahead. However, you must get the picture, this definitely is NOT a “store and forget” storage situation.

Look for a very cool place; as cool as you have available to work with at this time. Do not choose an area where your produce will freeze or you will lose it all.
* If you have a basement count your blessings. If you do not have an actual storage room find a corner you can use.
* Look for a closet where you can stack boxes or tubs in one end.
* If you have a carport storage shed check it out. If it is insulated you can have fifteen bonus points.
* If you have a garage or the carport that is not insulated, consider using your picnic ice chests from summer. You know, the kind that is insulated with an insulated lid. Only for this project you will totally omit using any ice, just the chest as great container for your wannabee-mini-root-cellar.
* f you have a deck that has a tool closet, rearrange the tools and create room for your wannabee-mini-root-cellar. The same rules apply to protect your product from freezing.
* What about space under your stairs? Is it dark and full of clutter or stuff? Rearrange it for your wannabee-mini-root-cellar.

In the grocery stores look for local produce that may be called a field run or just a local crop. Usually these squash or whatever will be allowed to ripen longer on the vine or plant than those that have to be processed and shipped. Generally the price is better also.

Check out the farm stands that just a few weeks ago were selling local fruit. They may now have the onions, potatoes and squash. Remember the blog that convinced you that pumpkin is a squash and good to eat? There still may be a few pumpkins available.

Check out the farmer’s markets. But be very careful and be very price conscious. The impulse-buy-bug is huge in a trendy farmer’s market atmosphere. The focus is not usually “farmer’s prices” but the atmosphere. Have you ever seen the huge farmer’s market in LA? That’s what I’m talking about. Of course you can always plan to buy and then that’s not impulse. What? Did you read that in my article? Seriously, set aside a specific dollar amount, stick to it for the “I have to haves,” or “I have to try.”

Here’s your beginning list to start your scavenger hunt for things to put in your mini-root-cellar: onions, potatoes, yams, and squash – all 9000 varieties of winter squash. (Well there are a lot and I haven’t counted them all lately. And there are different ones in different regions of the country.) Remember, you buy the great big squash only if you have someone to share it with once it’s time to cut it.

Then there are apples. Apples store extremely well. The colder you can keep them without freezing the better.

Carrots and beets store very well if you get the kind that have not been totally trimmed or scraped. Beets should still have their roots and not have the tops cut down into the flesh of the beet. Carrots should not be shaved or scraped. In other words you won’t buy the cello-pack to put in you mini-root-cellar.

All products should be firm without bruises or soft spots. There is a difference between a leaf or stone scar and a bruise. A scar is part of the skin or markings on the skin.

Just think of how much fun it could be, let alone how good it would taste, at Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner to have fresh, economical squash or yams or potatoes – or all of the above- from your mini-root-cellar.

You may think I’m strange, but it will only take the savings you’ve planned on, and one or two meals from that dark closet to convince you that it’s worth the effort.

And Cha-Ching Barbara has brainwashed somebody else J

Return to the Neighborhood

Another Money Stretching Strategy

2008-10-27T21:03:00.002-06:00

Scheduled Buying is one more way to stretch your buying power. This strategy is especially helpful when coping with fixed incomes, tight budgets and difficult economic times.

We all know the holidays are coming. Most of us have some sort of scheme for buying presents, gifts and all that kind of “stuff.” But many of us forget the cost of groceries when we plan our “special day budgets”. Oh yes, we remember the feasts the weekend of, or the shopping day of, or the weekend of. And then buying extra can break the bank when we try to buy the rest of the regular groceries . Why? Because most of the time these kinds of things ARE IN ADDITION to the regular grocery list. Oh yes, that comment at the beginning of the paragraph, about the holidays. Well, when do your holidays start? Are you thinking just Christmas time? What about families that do double duty of birthday and anniversary, or birthday and Christmas time? Yep, that’s what I thought – Happy Birthday and Happy Whatever day as well, all rolled into one. That’s OK if that is what you plan on. But are you “planning” this way because it’s the only way you know to stretch the grocery budget a little more?

Take the time now to look at your calendar. What special meals, foods, treats, snacks or combinations thereof would you like to have in the next several months. Make your lists and check them twice and start scheming, – oops carefully planning for success.

Start NOW planning that every payday or shopping trip you will purchase X number of the items that are needed for you festivities Even if you cannot find some of those items on sale or at a very good price. Start now to buy and stash all of the ingredients that will fill out the special menus and/or recipes. If a required item is perishable, set aside a specific dollar amount so that when that weekend does arrive, you will be ahead of the game and be able to afford all you want.

I don’t know about your house, but tradition says that it cannot be Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner unless we have tiny Kosher dills and olives. With prices going up and up they have become luxury items in a big way when we have to buy multiples of each for the size our family has grown. And have you ever seen a family that does not snitch three-fourths of all the olives before dinner is ready? That means you must plan on at least two more cans!

As the economy worsens this shopping method will not be a slight way of shopping to consider. In one of my Calendared Buying workshops, a young woman sat on the second from front row. As I taught this concept in detail I noticed that she was crying. I continued teaching and as I finished the workshop she approached me, sniffing and red-eyed. Her comment was, “These are happy tears. I am so grateful that you took the time to expand this idea of shopping out into an idea that I could apply. We have been out of work for many months now trying to get by on any part-time jobs that have come our way, until full-time employment comes through. By thinking ahead and being able to schedule buying a few things at a time, instead of not being able to afford any if I had to by it all at once, will allow us to have special meals again.”

This principle works for your Preparedness Program as well. If there are a few items that will make a difference in special events at your house, buy them. Only buy them one or two at a time. Mark your calendar that you have them and where you have hidden them. (You know, things like chocolate, light and dark.)

Learn this principle and apply it to all special days, weekends, family festivities and Whatever days throughout the year.

Budget a specific dollar amount into your shopping plans to start buying these items. Thus the cost of special foods, or special items – such as birthday candles – can be budgeted over several months. And should you think there could not be anyone who could not afford a box of birthday candles, let me tell you that I know what it is like to tell my children that we could not afford the collective .50-cent ice cream at the BYU Creamery AND birthday candles. It doesn’t matter the amount if it is lacking in your budget – or soon to be. It is the principle of it! There is a way to win the battle if you start working on the strategies now.

Get enthused and get scheming – oops, planning!

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Budgets In The Middle of Footbal

2008-10-24T06:00:00.001-06:00

Football Frenzy! What in the world can football and games have to do with beating the cost of eating let alone preparedness?

Well here we go again, Barbara will find a way to tie it in.

Of course I know it’s your budget and you may chose to spend it however you want. But sometimes a little insight to jog your thinking may make a difference in how much you spend. Or in actuality help you realize how much you have been spending.

Fall’s in the air and football is on TV as well as in the stadium. The push is on and there are cheerleaders in the stores as – leading the cheers as the scores go higher and higher. Of course the scores that are going higher are at the cash register not the goal post.

The saturation of sports on the airwaves and in the sports arenas as the bowl seasons converge will be used as a major thrust to promote all manner of commodities

Such concerted effort pays off! One store reports that sales were 10% higher for Super Bowl week than the previous week. Because the “football themed merchandising was so intense that shoppers could have played a game in the store.”

BEFORE the adrenalin starts to flow, no matter which is your favorite team, and you get caught up in the hoopla you need to make your own defensive buying and spending plans.

Impulse snacks and munchies purchased for one game night might not be too detrimental. However, if sports and watching sports activities are a high priority in your household, the number of games and events that are scheduled as the seasons gather momentum could put more than just a dent in your budget.

A good team captain studies the opposition’s offensive (or selling) tactics before the games begin. Get your own defensive spending tactics lined up; be alert and aware, plan well and then enjoy the sports events.

Again the economy will be taking its toll on your shrinking budget. Check out items, prices and the amounts you are thinking about buying. Check out the different outlets and eliminate bulk buying at the convenience stores. It may even come to the point of substituting one item over a more expensive one to stick within that budget. Oh, what was that comment?. Make a treat budget and stick to it? Hmmmm, what an idea.

The events on TV you can get around because you can make and take your own. You’re going to have to work harder on any event you attend in an area or stadium. But it’s doable – if you think, plan and scheme ahead.

Yes, tightening the belt is going to effect areas that some would consider small in comparison. Well in comparison to what; treats versus the house payment? Sure. However,figure out how many games, times how many people, times how many of how many treats and snacks and drinks – over how many months.

Could overindulgence and lack of planning use money that in today’s situation could be invested in staples for the pantry? Ow, Ow, Ow, hear come the nasty comments such as “get a life”, or “how fanatic are you going to be with this stuff?” I don’t know, I just thought I would ask. And if it makes you think a little more and budget a little more then we both have succeeded.

Maybe in the campaigns we are waging we should have the next blog be “Frugal Munchies Without Guilt J”. So let me know if your team wins. Or will it be your team winning. Rah Rah

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Grocery Prices Are Really Getting Expensive - HUH?

2008-10-22T10:47:00.002-06:00

Newsflash.Headlines on lead stories in the media.Nightly news is letting us know.
GROCERIES ARE REALLY GETTING EXPENSIVE!

My immediate response is,”Duh!” But I’m sure that that wouldn’t be considered polite. So I won’t write it. I will just think it strongly enough so that you think you see it.

With this in mind, you need to be aware of some things that most likely will affect how you buy.

PLEASE be aware that the faster the economy plunges and the higher the prices go, you are going to see,(and be sent) A Lot More Coupons. I may lose a few friends of the blog here, but read on before you jump ship … or jump blogs.

Coupons DO NOT save you money. Coupons will hurt your buying power. Coupons are a major marketing tool of the industry – not the grocers, the grocery manufacturers. And they have been positioned in your mind as a savings tool. That positioning has been so successful that many of you accept coupons as part of the grocery-shopping scenario. They are everywhere so they must be OK. Right? WRONG!

My study and research into coupons is one of the reasons that I appeared on all of the national talk shows. I was and still am, one of the few who will fight and campaign for your rights and understanding as to how to get more money for your buying power.

The grocery industry flatly states that,”During hard economic times coupons are used as a consumer pacifier. They are seen as the way to save money.”

Nope not even double coupons are the way to the best deals for your budget. Honest! Double coupons and a sale will help, but how many of those offers do you actually see anymore. And has anyone ever told you how much some of the “Coupon Queens” SPEND before they can go a shopping spree to buy $300. dollars worth of grocers for .02 cents. Truly, it is sometime for more than a year and they will spend $3.00 for every dollar they save! More later!

Do you think I have an opinion? Just to help you listen and keep reading, I thought you might like to know that I did ten years of research inside the grocery industry for my book Beating the High Cost of Eating. (What? You thought I did ten years? Hmmmm)

There are other options that will extend your buying power! Knowing how to shop is a great one. Yes, you may have been going to the store for years, but do you really know how to navigate a store and have your budget come out the winner? Do you really know how to read those ads when there is a “sale” and know which items you can afford and which are simply for sale?

Part of Practical Preparedness is knowing how to stretch those shrinking dollars until they scream. Part of the “fun” of hard times is being able to win a lot of the battles. I think I will jump on the bandwagon again and launch a blog campaign for you, to help you with some real, doable ideas to help you so that when you read those constant headlines about rising grocery prices – from everywhere will be a resounding “DUH!!” DO WE SAY IT OUTLOUD?

Get your notebooks and pencils ready, check out Beating the High Cost of Eating and get ready to go to the store without crying!

PS. Thought you might want to know, Ratatouille is still with us.

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Bread Vs bread

2008-10-18T18:13:00.003-06:00

Bread, somewhat of a common subject wouldn’t you say? Well it used to be. One could mention the word bread, and a loaf of some sort would appear in our imagination.But to make it more real, you need to smell the bread, you know, as in fresh from the oven. I’ve decided to help you with that.
BREAD

If you will lean closer to your monitor screen, and scratch lightly, the aroma of freshly baked bread will waft over the Internet and through the magic of cyberspace, surround you and your computer. Just scratch and sniff!

There, now that you are totally thinking about bread, let’s talk about bread. Just a loaf of bread. No, today we should say it, “JUST” a loaf of bread. The headlines are screaming about the U.S. economy. You and I are screaming about “Us” and our economy. One of the things that has absolutely skyrocketed in price is plain old bread. Well not necessarily plain, nor old, but BREAD! And not bread, as in bread – or money – but bread bread. Boy, this is getting more and more difficult to describe just bread; such a simple subject, right?

Bread - It’s now close to $4.00 to $5.00 per loaf for halfway healthy bread, and $2.00 to $3.00 for regular bread. It’s rapidly getting into the dry cereal category – totally unreasonable, totally unaffordable.

Some of us have a generation or two of children who refuse to eat the crusts of bread.If things keep going the way they are headed, we may be grateful for crusts of bread.

Therefore in the realm of both Preparedness and Beating the High Cost of Eating, I thought I would share with you a few options and alternatives to help you keep bread in your diet or cupboard. And yes, I am going to refer quite often to the old stand-by of making your own. But I also recognizing that time is a critical factor and many, many of us work. In recent years we have been brainwashed to think that homemade is completely out of the realm of alternatives or options that might be doable. I will strongly suggest you begin now to start rethinking and adjusting the ideas of what you can and can’t do to get by, or to be able to afford to get by. More and more “self-involved-options” may be the only options you have.

Consider the cost of bread. Consider the availability of bread. What can you do or try to do or plan to do that might make a difference? About now you could be thinking, how much change or option difference can there be in just a loaf of bread? Remember it’s JUST a loaf of bread at $4.00 a loaf. Well, at two loaves of bread per day, that’s only a minimum of $2912 annually, rising daily! (pun intended)

See if one or two, (or more) of the following ideas might work to stretch a few pennies in your budget. If there is not a specific need at this time put the ideas in a place where you can recall them at a moments notice, or perhaps share them with someone else.

Bread is bread is bread is bread. How you eat it and with what is usually what makes the difference. You need to think of bread as a kind of food category, rather than a specifically shaped product. It may end up as the main ingredient for many meals, rather than the accompaniment. The tougher the economic times become, the more people rely on bread as a staple, and in fact it could become THE staple. You must eliminate the fad diet descriptions of breads and remember they are very good and very good for you. They are nutritious and filling. They can be created in a myriad of styles, textures and tastes.

Yeast bread: Regular homemade bread is almost always less expensive than store bought. The more artisan or healthy the breads the more expensive they seem to be. However, there are easier breads to bake and seemingly quicker than some of the older stereotyped – all day bread making sessions that many of you dread just the thoughts of.

Bread mixes: Bread mixes designed for bread machines, at this point, are still less expensive than “from the shelf” bread, and much less expensive than bakery bread. You do not have to have a bread maker to use the bread mixes. They can be mixed with a hand mixer or mixer and baked in the oven.

Quick breads: They are called quick breads, quick as opposed to yeast breads that may take several hours to rise. However, as soon as the batter for a quick bread is mixed it can go into the oven to bake. Quick breads usually use baking soda and/or baking powder, rather than yeast as a leaven. Quick breads can vary from sweet to plain, to small to regular, to whatever will fit the bill.

Take a look at the list of just a few and see how one or more of these quick bread ideas can be worked into your meal planning … and/or budget stretching strategies.

Baking Mixes – Commercial or Homemade, this versatile all-purpose mix comes in handy to make everything from breads, to pancakes, to biscuits to dumplings to “that whatever.” This is easily stored in gallon jars with tight fitting lids. Whether buying or making it, it makes sense to have it in bigger batches, rather than small, in order to have it on hand and use it. Or you can consider specific mixes, such as those that come one type per box.

Biscuits - drop or rolled

Muffins - Note: Muffin batter can easily be made into bread by baking it in a loaf rather than individual muffins.

Pan bread, corn bread, and spoon bread

Fried, fry bread, tortillas

Fritters

Pancakes, crepes, waffles

Dumplings

And more …

Now scratch and sniff the monitor once more. The aroma of all kinds of breads will act as surround-sound, with positive ideas of breads and budget stretching that you might not have considered before. For example; biscuits and a bowl of peaches makes a perfectly good breakfast or lunch. Fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, with a vegetable makes a wonderful dinner. Remember toast! Good bread toasted and a banana is a good breakfast. Corn bread with bean soup is a natural.

See it works!

Start jotting down ideas. You can make a difference with JUST bread.

Return to the Neighborhood

Cats and Rats and Elyphants and sure as you're born ...

2008-10-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

No sorry I fibbed, no elyphants in this blog.

First came the cats, then came the kittens, then came more kittens … and then came the rat!

Now somehow for this blog I’m supposed to tie all of this into preparedness, being prepared, or homemaking, or some similar subject. Right? Right!

My last blog talked about the woodpile. This blog talks a little bit about our woodpile, so maybe that will have to be the tie-in.

Several months ago the people living in the house next door moved out in the middle of the night. Unknown to us they deserted five animals; three cats and two dogs. The cats found their way to our house crying and mewling. But you don’t feed a cat or it will stay. Right? Right!

We didn’t feed, but the cats continued to come, becoming more and more gaunt – except for two of them, which were gaunt and getting fatter at the same time. The two dogs disappeared.

One day a neighbor mentioned the disappearance of the next-door neighbors.

By now it had been almost two weeks. I finally gave in and fed the cats.

The grateful creatures became permanent residents. Two of them, (the chubby ones) are quite wild and frightened of humans.

The light dawned and I named the chubby calico Momma, the Tabby cat Tabidy, and the gray kitty- Kitty.

Kitty quickly became a house cat, Momma had a batch of five kittens which she kept hidden. About four weeks later Tabidy hid a batch of kittens somewhere.

We discovered that Momma’s kittens were living in our woodpile. They were roaming wild in our garden and woodpile, terrified of humans.

Terror did not keep the kittens from venturing into our house in pursuit of Momma. We got used to seeing small, furry streaks of fur heading down the hallway toward the door – which some human left open so that they could get out … or in.

A week or so ago my husband was sitting in his office working on the computer and caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Thinking it was one of the courageous kittens he kept working. More movement. So he looked. Staring back at him, in our house was a “cute,” black and white, teenage sized, pet rat. You read it right. A rat!

Turning his head to give the rat his full attention evidently got the rat’s full attention and it zipped around the corner under a dresser.

Thinking I could coax it out I tossed it morsels of cat food (naturally), which it blithely picked up and munched as would a hamster … or rat.

I then opened the outside door, found a yardstick and began prodding the creature to get him out. Finally, he came out, took one look at me, went racing out the back door, across the small yard – straight into the woodpile!

We assumed that was the end of our Ratatouille.

When what to our wondering eyes should appear two weeks later? In the flower garden, cavorting with the kittens, under the noses of three adult (but demented) cats – our Ratatouille.

Just last week, while I picked green beans a row or so away, Momma cat and two kittens lay down at the far end of the squash plants. Curled up on the other side of Momma was the rat.

In our yard, running towards the big cats, a rat. Greeting the rat, big cats. Playing with the rat, five wild kittens. Eating out of the same pans with cats, the rat.

We now have a cat trap to try to catch five wild kittens, rapidly turning into cats. Would you like to wager who will be first, second and third to be caught?

Now, how do I tie this into preparedness? I don’t know, but it has certainly been a fun adventure to watch. Our son says we must have a sign in front of our house in animal code that says, “free food” or “bed, breakfast and friends.”

Prepared? No we weren’t prepared to take on three cats, ten kittens and a rat! But what could I do? I’m really glad there was not “elyphant.”

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The Wood and Warm Connection

2008-10-11T21:05:00.002-06:00

Now that we know cold weather and winter are well on their way in most areas, our thoughts turn to keeping warm and dry. For most people that means checking the furnace, making sure the filters are clean and the parts oiled. But what about your preparedness situations, and what does it take to keep warm?

While those storms are still on the way, let’s consider a few points about wood, the woodpile or will it be just a wood bundle? Should you consider wood as a fuel? What if you don’t have a fireplace? What if you do have a fireplace? In an emergency situation will you attempt to heat an entire home or apartment? Will you just want enough to to cook over? Or are you going to be honest and admit that when times are tough you just want to be able to make some smores?

City and suburb dwellers have a much harder time than those who live on ranches or farms in finding resources for wood. If you happen to be a city person, even if you have a fireplace, consider how much a supply of wood may cost. If you are considering the local supermarket or convenience store as the place to obtain a sufficient supply to get you through any length of utility down time, I suggest you think again. Even a few bundles could set you back almost the amount of the national debt. The supermarket wood bundles are sold with the idea of convenience and allowing you to create the atmosphere of a “fun” fire in the fireplace – and you are willing to pay the price. You have to look again to see if you could even afford the option of having a fire for an hour let alone a week with a supply from the supermarket.

However, there are a few options where you might consider obtaining some wood. Keep in mind soft wood is found mostly in the west and hard wood is in the east. Soft wood is quick burning. Hardwood burns hotter and longer.

Check to see if there are any orchards in the outlying areas around you. Some times the trees are trimmed or pruned in the fall. If you contact the growers ahead of time some are willing to let you have the larger branches. You need to be willing to pay a nominal fee as well as work to cut the branches into logs.

Locate the tree trimming companies in your area. Ask about obtaining logs, or firewood from them. It probably won’t be free, but could be a source you had not considered.

Check the Yellow Pages under firewood. Some companies offer a variety of woods from a small amount to a cord to a pick-up full. A load or any amount of pure hard wood will cost much more than the same amount of mixed wood.

See if the BLM has an accessible area near you where if you obtain a permit you can get firewood. Sometime it is the fallen wood you are allowed to pick up. Sometimes it is the wood that the rangers have culled out.

Look at your woodpile as a source for heat that will allow you to get through a power outage or the aftermath of a major storm, when your normal heat source is not working. Wood is not usually the resource to depend on to heat a home for an entire winter.

Have on hand the long fireplace matches or the long fireplace lighters. They are much safer to use while you are trying to get the wood to catch. Pinecones dipped in paraffin wax make good tinder, or fire starters. If you use newspaper to try to start your fire, wad it very tightly and place it under the wood. Loose sheets of paper are not effective and will be wasted.

Should you not have a fireplace, short logs can be used in a regular charcoal barbeque grill to cook outside if necessary

No matter how small your woodpile is keep it dry. Wet wood has a difficult time burning well,or even burning at all. What good will it do to have a supply if when there is a need the wood will not function to provide the heat you need.

No matter where it is stored or stacked keep it covered and protected. It is an investment as well as a supply for that rainy day.

Black widow spiders love woodpiles. So do mice and other bugs. Wear gloves and carry a big stick. Learn how to scream softly so that you don’t interfere with the affects of the thunder and lightening.

I’ll talk about space heaters and indoor heating in an upcoming blog.

Meanwhile with the cold shivers season approaching make sure those long thermals still fit and are ready to put on.

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72-hours and a Disaster- What Are The Differences You Need To Know?

2008-10-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

With the headlines and media reports still reeling with the news of disaster after disaster many people are finally hearing the wake-up call and sincerely trying to become prepared. This time of year many times coincides with an onslaught of heavy rain, floods, more ice and snow and so on. So thoughts and plans toward preparedness are indeed practical at this season.

No matter what all of the rumors are saying; being prepared for a disaster and having a 72-hour kit are not the same. You need to know the differences.
There is a lot of confusion nowadays about what it means to be prepared. Being prepared at home does not begin and end with a preparedness kit, though having a preparedness kit is an important part of being prepared. To be prepared for a disaster you need to be ready to take care of yourself in your home and also away from your home, in case of an evacuation.

The purpose of a 72-hour evacuation kit is to provide all the supplies you may need to care for yourself completely for a minimum of three days, and in many instances much longer, in case your are forced out of your home on the spur of the moment. For example, a chemical spill on some nearby train tracks could force the evacuation of several square miles of homes for several days until it is contained. A bomb threat could evacuate a neighborhood with only a few minutes notice. Earthquakes, floods, fires, and many other things can also cause evacuations. If you are evacuated from your home, you need to have a kit prepared that you can grab as you go out the door. It will become your home away from home. While it is likely that an evacuation shelter will eventually be set up for you to stay in, it may be a while before it is up and running with all the food and supplies you’ll need. Statistics show that it usually takes a minimum of 72 hours for authorities (the government or Red Cross, etc.) to get set up and organized after a major disaster. During those 72 or more hours you are on your own. That is why you have a 72-hour kit: to take care of yourself until help is available. Even after assistance is organized many of the items that would help you at a shelter during an evacuation are there on a donation basis. There may or may not be enough for everyone. So while your basic needs will be usually be met (food, water, shelter, basic first aid, etc.) there’s no guarantee more than that will be available. It’s up to you to be ready to care for yourself. And unfortunately we all have seen that indeed even your basic needs may not be able to be met.

Being forced out of your home is not the only problem you may face. Some disasters may occur that leave you within the safety of your home, only without power, or utilities or any means of obtaining supplies for days or even weeks. Preparedness for this type of disaster includes having on hand sufficient food and non-food supplies to last until the stores open again or until you are able to get to the store. This food should require little or no preparation or refrigeration. Think through the ramifications of being without power for any length of time and make plans to deal with that situation. Butane or Sterno stoves and fuel would allow you to heat the food you have or prepare simple meals. Lanterns, flashlights, a source for heat, extra blankets and water are some of the things to have on hand when you’re faced with a crisis.

Don’t be discouraged. Getting prepared can seem like a big job, probably because it is. But it’s not impossible. Start with a plan and work consistently to learn the skills and gather the supplies you need to be ready for whatever may come. The feeling of peace you’ll receive by being prepared is worth all your efforts. Just remember the chocolate. ##

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Mealy Moths - House Pests ? OR House Pets?

2008-10-06T21:00:00.003-06:00

In my part of the world it’s fall, it’s still hot on some days and that means bugs. But to make you feel better, for this column and talking about a preparedness pantry, it could be winter and that could still mean bugs. If you are not having a hot fall right now take advantage of the following information and be prepared because the bugs will love to visit you in any weather. In the fall they come inside. Isn't that a delightful thought?

One of the questions I'm asked the most is how to get rid of mealy moths. At one time or another, they invade almost everyone's cupboards. You know you have seen them, perhaps you just haven’t recognized them for the villain that they really are. They are small, beige and can be discovered in singular form, bunches, flocks or hoards. They're very persistent and can destroy a lot of food if allowed to remain unchecked. (It can be embarrassing when someone who is not a very close friend comes to visit and there are so many flying around that you can’t miss them. It’s happened more often than some of us will admit. That’s when you become extremely nonchalant and exclaim over the fact that your son’s baby butterflies have gotten out - again!)

You probably brought the first batch of mealy moths home from the grocery store. In order to get rid of them, you have to find out where they have "made their home". Pay attention to the cupboards where you see large numbers of the moths. As you look inside the cupboards or pantry, most likely you will see bunches of the moths clustered on the undersides of shelves or on the ceiling. The young are in the form of larvae, which will crawl from one box or package to another. One of the miserable things about the about the larvae is that they will actually crawl into jars of grain or cereal by crawling up the threads of glass at the top where the lid screws on. They can chew through plastic as well as cardboard. Such charming creatures!

You will need to go through the items in your pantry box by box. If larvae are in the product it will "bunch together" with webs and fine threads. There will be a "grainy dust" on the sides and bottom of the package, as well as throughout the product.

When you find packages full of the moth or larvae, please don't chuck them into the wastebasket in the kitchen. The moths are attracted by light, get out of the waste-basket and infiltrate any other food containers or cupboards that they can get into. When an infestation is really bad, fill garbage bags with the boxes and packages of infested food. Take them outside and spray bug spray directly into the garbage bag.. BEFORE putting the bag into the main trash outside.

Once you find the source of the culprits and clean out the cupboards, you may consider clearing the shelves and spraying the cupboards and cracks with a good bug spray. Yes, it can be a big job, but the surviving larvae get into the cracks, grow and develop into moths, and you will eventually have to repeat the same cycle all over again. Oh Joy!

WARNING! Should you decide it’s too much work, you really don’t have time or you actually only saw a few so what will that hurt? I suppose there are two points of view that can be taken, one, if you leave them they will multiply, and after all that could be considered high quality protein. Or, two, if you leave them they will multiply and you probably wouldn’t want to have food to eat anyway.

In order to control them, you will need to use a commercial product. After you have cleaned out infested packages and shelves, go to a store that has a good pest control section, where mouse traps, etc., are. There is a pest strip for flying insects. Mealy moth is one of the first insects listed in their "target" listing. I believe the product is made by Dow and comes in a bright yellow package. It is a waxy cake form, approximately 2"x4" and is hung up with a hook. Simply hang several of them in your pantry and cupboards. They work quite well, though it will take more than one for a pantry or kitchen.

The bad news is that you can bring more home from the stores or they can come in from the neighbors. Another option is to adopt them and tell your friends that you are growing a new crop of house pets that require no special pet foods. Especially since you will be sharing yours! What do you mean you've never considered homestorage for your bugs?

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Just Thinking ... HmmmWhat Should We Be Thinking

2008-09-29T20:01:00.003-06:00

Just thinking. You know its one of those days. The smell and feel of fall is in the air in my part of the world. Today I have been trying to focus on making a negative positive. In just a few weeks it will be dark by 4:00 PM. Some one who has more influence than I do, has decreed, for whatever reason that to them seems reasonable, that the influence of the sun should be changed and electric lights turned on. Which in turn means L O N G, D A R K evenings and nights. This could mean that if Mother Nature decides to throw a temper tantrum you or I could be in for some interesting times.

So as I have been thinking, I thought I should toss a hodge podge of ideas and thoughts your way. Many of us make a to-do list to get ready for the Holidays or special occasions. Why not start now by making a to-do list of positive things to take care of and get ready for long, dark nights and days, that may include some of Mother Nature’s best contributions of “nasty and miserable.”

Now is the time to assess, arrange and rearrange those things that you have on hand that may need to play a dual role such as transforming from summer fun to surviving –or existing indoors instead of in the forest.

It is time to clean and make useable those sleeping bags that may be stashed in a pile on the garage floor waiting for the elves to turn them inside out and empty the rocks, sticks, pine needles and mice nests. While the camp smoke smelled good outside and the “stuff” was acceptable in the “wilderness,” it will not be welcome in the middle of one of those “Nasties” during the damp and cold, severe “Nor’easter.” That could bring out the “Grumpy Gus” in just about all of us.

And those almost new flashlights … did someone else’s son that lives in your house; leave all of the switches on during that Scout sleepover? Could it be that you think you have reliable light sources in that box? What box? "Who moved it AGAIN? Why doesn’t anybody know how to put things back where they belong?” Ooops, you’d never hear that in your house. Nor, would you ever discover, when it is dark that the batteries are all dead … the ones that you knew were all brand new – just before that sleepover.

Have you cleared a space outside of your patio door or kitchen door or carport door so that you will be able to do outdoor cooking for indoor eating should there be a reason for a long-term power outage? Remember you cannot/should not use camping stoves or fuel indoors. And NEVER use a barbeque inside! Have you figured out how to protect it in case the weather is bad?

How much oats, flour, butter, (oil), brown sugar, and chocolate chips do you have on hand? What about cocoa, oats, butter and a little flour? How many batches of no-bake cookies can you make? Or how many batches of chocolate chip cookies can you fix?

Do you have regular popcorn and a regular popcorn popper? Do you remember how to make popcorn with a frying pan and not burn it black? Should there be a major power outage the microwave won’t work, neither will the computer.

Which brings up the subject, have you practiced what to do and how to react to several hours without electricity? Uh Oh,that means loss of instant entertainment and those computer games AND the Internet. Now there’s a challenge for you.

Have you planted pots of a few herbs to grow on the windowsill during the winter, such as parsley,chives and some mint?

Is preparedness part of your life,or is that what is in the box on the shelf,where you hope it will stay?

Let’s see what else should go on your list of to-do’s to make sure you are ready to meet Mother Nature and her Nasty Fits … Hmmmmm. I’m thinking. Are You?

What are your security blankets? What are your comfort foods? What will occupy your mind and hands during the in between times? Are you aware if there are any sleepovers on the horizon so that you can hide the flashlights now? Are those large bags of M&M’s back far enough in the dark cupboard to be safe or stay hidden, for a while anyway? What else really needs to be taken care of before you will need it to take care of you? Just thinking …

A Candle Blog or Is It a Light Blog

2008-09-26T22:35:00.001-06:00

Okay your assignment for today is to evaluate the “what-ifs” that could be lurking around the corners in your life. What other blog in the whole wide world gives you assignments, let alone expects that you will do something about it? Just me.

That means you have already gotten your pencil and your note book and are ready to do something more about being prepared, right? Right! So about those things that are lurking … no, no not under the bed, but in your area. Things like storms? What kind, wet, cold, freezing? Power outages? Blackouts? What about all of the ripple affects from a power outage? And more …

And you have answered yes, that some or all of the above could happen where you live. In that case what will your source of light be during those dark and dreary days and nights?

Next I would like you to re-think whether or not you want to have candles on hand or another resource for light. Here are some factors to help you think through your candle decisions.

Candles may be considered romantic for special occasions. Long-term power outages, combined with downpours of cold miserable slush hardly qualify as romantic. A candle may look like an easy inexpensive solution, but you need to consider some of the down sides to candles.

The conditions in which candles are used during a crisis or emergency are far from secure. Many times in just dealing with a power outage, not a severe storm, those things, which usually are considered normal, can go out the window. For example, being able to see what is going on beyond a foot and a half away from you will most likely be impossible. In other words a candle does not light a room, it sort-of lights a small, very small, space. A dinner candle projects even less light. Emergency candles are made from different ingredients than dinner candles, therefore they burn brighter and longer than regular candles.

One of the major problems with candles is that in order for them to work there must be a flame. Combining flame with an emergency and the chaos of an aftermath is not the best formula to follow. If you add frightened children and adults to the mix, the situation can deteriorate.

Here are a few more things to think about. What happens to the flame on a candle when you carry it while lit? What happens to the flame if someone hustles past a lit candle? You’re right the flame goes directly toward the person. What could happen if that person has long, flyaway hair? You’re right – tragedy.

What about bumping the table if the candle is not secured? Where is your attention focused if several, or quite a few candles are lit at the same time, and the kids and the puppy are not cooperating?

By now perhaps my concerns are coming through to you. Flames are not a good thing to be dealing with during a crisis.

While you have the opportunity, I would suggest that you obtain a few flashlights to begin with. The LED bulbs burn brighter and longer than regular bulbs do. The alkaline, heavy-duty batteries last longer than generic regular batteries. Naturally they will cost more. If budget is a problem, start with the ordinary, inexpensive plastic versions that come in red and black – or your favorite color.

Then do your homework and if you feel the need, gradually replace them with sturdier or brighter or better flashlights. Perhaps start with one large, heavy-duty lantern or flash light that could serve as a main light for all. Once again let me remind you to add more to your supply, as time and budget will allow. Spare batteries need to be a priority to have on hand. You may be thinking, “Duh, Barbara, we know that.” Sure you do, but have you taken the actions required, such as buying a sufficient number, so that if you have to use your flashlights for seven days and/or nights in a row, you will have enough batteries to continue having light for four more days? I just thought I’d ask. By the way do you remember how dark it is in the early afternoon, during a very bad thunder and lightening storm?

The thought for the blog of the day is use the dinner candles for dinner – or breakfast, and get a bunch of working flashlights on hand BEFORE you need them. That way you will be sure to be able to find the chocolate when the lights go out.

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Fall, Pumpkins and Such

2008-09-22T21:51:00.003-06:00

I love fall. It’ s got to be my favorite season – until spring.

With the economy falling, and mortgages failing we need to focus on wonderful things “fall-ing”, as in the gerund of conjugating a verb. Think about delightful things such as a gosling or a duckling. And thus, pumpkins are a “fall-ing.” (Never mind, by now with my blogs you know I like words :))

Pumpkins and acorns and oak leaves and hay bales and corn stalks and … you’d never know I grew up a city girl would you?

In today’s blog we are going to look forward to enjoying pumpkins.

Of course, for many, the first image that comes to mind is a jack-o-lantern, but I’m here to tell you pumpkins are a whole lot more than “just” jack-o-lanterns.

Have you tried pumpkin as a regular squash or vegetable? If not, you are in for a delicious surprise. Forget the traditional pie spices for some different tastes. The pumpkin prepared as a squash has a mild, sweet meat. Simply slice it and bake as you would banana squash, dotting it with butter (lots), and sprinkle with nutmeg and/or cinnamon. For a sweet side dish you can cube it and bake as candied yams, with or without the marshmallows. Or simply cube and microwave or steam as a buttered vegetable. It can be cubed and used as an ingredient in casseroles, skillet dishes and soups.

You can also cook it, puree it and use it for a variety of bread, baked goods, and of course THE PIE. It freezes easily in two-cup batches ready to pop into any recipe.

It is very easy to prepare, or get ready to prepare. Cut it in chunks. Scrape off the seeds and pulp. Dip it into boiling water, as you would to blanch it, for just a minute or two, and the skin comes right off.

It really is a winter squash. Buy it when in season. Store several on a shelf in a cool closet, or basement, if you have one. If kept cool, they will keep for several months. The skin just gets harder. If kept on the same shelf as green winter squash, the green squash will turn orange. It doesn’t affect the flavor though.

It is more economical to buy several small ones for eating, than very large ones. Once they have been cut, they need to be used soon. They will keep refrigerated for several days to a week. Or you can blanch and freeze them to use later.

If you want to use a jack-o-lantern, use it as soon as possible after Halloween. Use it while it still resembles a pumpkin inside, not a black, furry creature with gray fuzz, or homegrown penicillin. Simply wash the inside very well. Scrub or cut away any burned or blackened areas. The candle wax should just peel off. Rinse well and prepare whatever recipe you have planned.

Remember the seeds can be roasted or toasted and eaten as a snack. The biggest chore will be separating them from the pulp. Some times it’s easier to allow the pulp to air-dry and then separate out the seeds. You can dry roast or use oil. They do burn quickly, so watch them and stir often.

Pumpkin can be interchanged in any recipe that calls for squash. It adds color and good food value. The only problem is that it is available fresh for such a short time.

White or Orange – you choose. The white kind has a milder flavor than the typical orange ones. The little pie pumpkins are usually more expensive; yet taste similar to their big brothers.

You can always hollow out a pumpkin to use for a soup tureen. Or you can hollow one out and bake it with the soup in it. You must serve it on a large platter. As you scoop out the soup or stew, scoop out chunks of the pumpkin from the sides as part of your meal.

Picking out pumpkins is as traditional as picking out the Christmas tree in our family. Even if you use fake ones to decorate with, it is still mandatory to stroll through the pumpkin patches and pumpkin piles at the stores. After all you have to heft and hug, check out the stems, and find the bumpiest, ugliest or prettiest. Now this year, thanks to Barbara, there will be even more pumpkins you have to heft. You will be checking for freshness and deciding how many meals there are in one or two -or three. You can draw faces on the ones you are going to keep on the closet shelf. Then at night, after Halloween, when you think all should be quiet, you will hear giggling, and “tee-heeing.” Your pumpkins with faces will be “fall-ing” off the shelf, thumping and bumping as they snicker with glee, to be in the dark in your closet!

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One of the Best Parts of Preparedness is the Thrill of the Hunt!

2008-09-19T12:00:00.001-06:00

One of the best parts of preparedness is the thrill of the hunt. And if there ever was a professional bargain hunter, it’s me. With the crazy economy going even crazier I thought I would share some fun thoughts with you today. After all isn’t it really fun to stretch your money. And even more fun when you know you are getting a great deal. Well … at least a super good deal.

If you are in a rut of falling for the “one-stop-shopping-syndrome” let me tell you that is NOT how to save money!

There are discount outlets and then there are discount outlets. Be aware that the more the economy flounders the more store images will change to entice you into thinking they have the lowest prices. Start making notes now – even mental notes so that your wallet isn’t the target.

Two places that will allow you to stretch your budget are Big Lots and the Greentree Dollar stores. Even in these stores you must know what you are doing or hunting for bargains will break your budget. So first let me tell you, yes you can save a lot, on the other hand it’s VERY easy to overspend.

So here are a few guidelines.

Stores such as Big Lots specialize in items that are factory overages, have had label changes, are last year’s styles, etc. These items include all kinds of categories of products, such as foods, noon-foods, health and beauty aids, linens, etc. Consequently most of their products are sold at much less than comparable products in regular department stores.

Many of the items are recognizable brand name products. Some are brands from other regions or areas of the country. Some are house brands.

Impulse buying could be a major destructive factor for your budget. It’s easy to overspend when there are so many good buys. No individual item will break your bank but when you get to the checkout with a whole cartful of “good buys”, it can be disastrous.

It’s easy to overspend on items you didn’t even know you needed before you walked into the store. For example, the plastic soap dispensers you have at home may be perfectly acceptable until you see that cheerful flowered glass dispenser for only $1.99. Two dollars here and five dollars there add up quickly and can destroy your budget!

So how do you make the bargain stores work for you? First price consciousness is a MUST in any atmosphere that says BUY! Plan before you go in.

Control impulse buying! Understand before you go in that bargain stores consciously promote impulse purchases. Be aware of the power of impulse buying.

Shop from a list. Shop with a budget. Know before you go how much you can afford to spend and stick to that amount, no matter how cute “just that one more item might be.”

If you know that you always overspend on the bargains you find, set aside a dollar amount that you can spend on impulse to take advantage of those bargains, but use control! If you have to, leave your credit and debit cards at home and take only as much cash as you are willing to spend. That way you can’t be tempted to overspend.

And as a PS, here are a few more bargain store strategies and thoughts.

There is not a consistent line of products carried in bargain stores. Their stock consists of whatever is available to the buyers, and when the floor stock is gone, there won’t be any more made available. That makes the temptation to buy even greater, because you know that if you find something you like, you most likely won’t have another chance if you don’t grab it now.

Since you can’t plan on the specific item being available, at least plan on the general category. For example, you may not be able to count on buying Fruit of the Loom socks, but you can plan on buying some brand of socks at good prices.

Holiday décor is almost always more affordable here than in the regular drugstore or discount department stores.

If your children are constantly bringing home invitations to birthday parties, these types of stores make participation a lot more affordable. You can find bargains on nice gifts for just about any age friend.

Basic clothing such as socks and underwear is generally budget priced. Paper goods and school supplies abound at great prices.

Remember though price consciousness is the key. While you’ll find great prices in bargain stores, not necessarily everything is the best price you’ll find anywhere. Be aware of what things generally cost and don’t let impulse buying sway you.

About that crazy lady that is jumping up and down in the parking lot, by the little green car; just yell, “OK, Barbara what did you find today?”

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Solving The Oil Problem

2008-09-15T19:33:00.002-06:00

Today I’m going to solve the OIL problem for you. All the rumors and challenges that you have been facing are about to disappear. There are some economical alternatives that will absolutely work. By now you know that I’m going to tell you, you just have to re-think the solutions!

Oh no, wait a minute, not that oil problem. What could you be thinking? It’s the other oil problem, the one associated with foods and preparedness, the fads and rumors and trans fats. Oil in your cupboard, not oil in your car.

Are you still reading? There are some very workable substitutes and alternatives to the oils that you need to cook with. When it comes to preparedness sometimes the storage of oils has presented a few problems, such as rancidity; or on the other side of the coin, saturated fats. If you have tried to store oil, in the liquid form, it does not have a long shelf life. Of course, that depends on how you define “Long.” Twelve to eighteen months should be a good shelf life, but some of you would like to be able to have it stay on the shelf longer. (I’ve heard the rumors, the whispered words, “until the other millennium.”)

Then there is shortening, which has a tremendous shelf life, because the vegetable oil has been hydrogenated. (My stars, you wouldn’t be considering lard or animal fat would you?) The process of hydrogenation allows the shortening to keep for years. But by the same token, this process changes the fat to saturated fat with all of the trans fat problems.

Therefore, for whatever reason you might not be able to buy, have on hand, or choose not to use shortening or oil, let me offer a few suggestions.

First you will need to assess how you are going to use your “new found oil.” What is the process needed in the recipe you are considering creating? Is it going to be a necessary ingredient with a chemical purpose or reaction? Is it to be used for a cooking process? In other words there are different uses and different answers to the oil dilemma.

Consider if you will:
Water
Applesauce
Juice
Liquid from a canned product
Beans

What? Beans? Oh no, here she goes again, another wild idea. You read right. Beans!

You can find the bean solution in Preparedness Principles:
“If your oil supplies are running low and you aren’t able to replace them, you can make them last longer by substituting pureed (cooked) beans for some of the oil in baked goods. Up to half the required oil can be replaced with pureed beans and still have a successful end product.”

I recommend that you use a mild bean such as navy, small white or lima. It’s still a bean, not a miracle product, but better for this purpose than a heavier flavored bean.,

You can use plain water or juice. In your vocabulary you simply change the word from “fry” to “sauté” or “poach”. Once again, evaluate what the end result will be before you start. For example French Fries could end up being boiled spuds. That’s not exactly what we are aiming for. Fritters or scones could resemble lumpy bagels if you boil instead of deep fry.

Many breads will use just water as the liquid. A good change in bread recipes is fruit juice.

Meat, fish, vegetables all do well sautéed in a liquid rather than a vegetable oil. Instead of sauté, think steam. It works well for root vegetables as well as chicken or other meats.

Canned tomatoes used as a liquid to cook with work well. This is beyond the realm of only using them as a soup base. For example, use them for skillet dishes with pasta and vegetables, different from spaghetti.

Applesauce works well in quick breads and muffins; so does fruit juice or the liquid from canned fruit.

Turn your thinking cap on before a need or shortage arises so that you can be prepared to continue to fix edible meals. Practice to make the ideas work for you. Unless of course in your house you like boiled, shredded spuds and lumpy bagels.

A Money Stretching Idea or Two

2008-09-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

Many of us are truly noticing that budget tightening is not a rumor anymore. That makes me think that a money stretching idea would prove to be helpful.

As you work toward stretching your buying power in non-foods, consider evaluating your closets as well as your pantry. One money-stretching trend that is gaining momentum is houses brands in clothing. A recent purchase of house brand support hose proved to be a $2.00 per pair savings compared to the same brand name item, and almost a $4.00 per pair savings to what would be considered the same designer label item.

Take time to check out basic clothing items such as socks, underwear, etc. … in house brands. However, shirts, tops, blouses, pants and more are also appearing in house brand labels. What if personal preference dictates that for you … or a teenager in your household … a label that shows has to cost more? Maybe you can begin saving a significant amount on those items that won’t show. (And of course we won’t mention those individuals who purposely allow underwear to show. Ah yes, we are talking budget here, not fashion. Fashion? No you didn’t read that here:)

You might consider house brands for your preparedness program when it comes to blankets, sleeping bags, and other such items. Such savings gives you more buying power … more for the same amount of money.

Another money-saving idea is to make your calculator a power tool when stocking up or shopping sales. Use your calculator when you are reading the ads and planning to stock up on an item or two. This is especially true when you are trying to stretch a limited budget among several tweens for clothing purchases. The extra ten or fifteen minutes could mean added buying power. It could make the difference in saving money that you might spend “thinking” an item is sale priced, but not knowing if it really is or is not a bargain. For example, a recent ad extolled a “Bargain” on toilet tissue. A six-roll pack for .99 cents. At first glance it looked good. Further reading showed that it was 1-ply sheets, and would equate out to a 4-roll costing .66cents. A better value bargain would be to wait for a 2-ply sheet, 4-roll pack on sale at .69 cents or .79 cents. And of course these prices were factored a month or so ago, because the prices have already gone up. But unless you take the time to figure it out, you don’t know! I even carry a small calculator with me when I do major shopping, so that if I find a promoted bargain or better yet an unadvertised bargain, I will take the time to punch in numbers.

If it’s cool to carry a cell phone, we can make it cool to carry a calculator and use it! How cool is it to stretch your budget!

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What Will Your Stash Be?

2008-09-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

In today’s blog I want to present a practical part of preparedness. Having been through many different kinds of disasters, including being without employment or a paycheck for over eighteen months,I have a different perspective than many on what is needed to really be prepared. But prepared for what?

For hard times and down times it is extremely important that you are able to have comforting things, and that includes comforting things to eat. (This is above and beyond – or perhaps before - the requisite “preparedness supplies.”)

With that in mind will you ask yourself a question? What will be your stash? Before any emergency arrives at your door, consider having a “stash” of goodies. (Not to be confused with supplies on the pantry shelf. “Stash” meaning kept in reserve, or as in kept from view or common knowledge.) Know what your comfort foods are whether they are chocolate covered raisins, hard peppermint candies or granola bars. Then after the onslaught of the crisis, when the worst of the panic calms down, and the dust begins to settle, you can sit for a moment and take stock of the situation with a comforting treat to help get you through. A rule while you munch is to be sure to count your blessings!

A storage tip is to remember that chocolate or anything with chocolate as a main ingredient will melt, mush and warp if exposed to heat. Even an especially warm cupboard will be considered “being exposed to heat.” A stash in a box, large gallon bottle or large plastic bucket, labeled and kept in the coolest closet corner will keep your “comfort foods” much longer. Another keeping quality key is to make sure the items you are relying on are edible. Stash only items that are without nuts for longer storageablitiy. Nuts have a high rancidity factor as well as a high “bug factor”. If you are counting on a treat to help lift your spirits, bugs and bad taste are not what you want to find.

Of course the hard part of this is keeping your family members and yourself out of the stash until it is needed. Perhaps you will need to specifically qualify need. (In my house need many times equals chocolate. Plan carefully.)

That’s what you need to do, as you try to be practical in preparation. Have something “stashed” or prepared to lighten your tough times, something that is a comfort food for you. Believe me, it will be needed.

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Have You Ever Seen A Spiritual Zucchini?

2008-09-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

It’s that time of year when people start to realize that some might consider zucchini a weed. Or else reality sinks in and you have forgotten that last year you made a solemn oath that you would not plant a row of six squash plants this year. But you did it again because they are so cute when they are small. I’ve mentioned before that some of you may have heard that there are people who put zucchini on porches in the middle of the night and run. But of course that is only rumor.

Today I would like to change your thinking about abundant zucchini and its willingness to provide so much for so little.

And of course you know by now that this blog will eventually get around to discussing preparedness. Today’s firm, solid rule for hard times, tight budget times, economically correct times – in other words being prepared times – says that you eat what you have on hand, whether you happen to like it or not. It is a rule to live by.

When my husband and I went back to school with two tweens, to live among the land of non-living as students again, our preparedness program and abilities were what sustained us for the long haul. Most of the time we ate what we had on hand because we couldn’t afford to do otherwise. Did we always relish how delicious it was. No!!! But were we blessed? Yes!

One of the most touching and spiritual experiences that I can remember during those “back to school as adults” days was a Sunday afternoon when we were invited to dinner at a friend’s house. The meal consisted of zucchini bread, sautéed zucchini and battered deep-fried zucchini, with water to drink. A couple of zucchini plants were what the garden consisted of. With a little bit of flour the zucchini was stretched into bread. The prayer of thanks was heartfelt and the gratitude of having squash to share was real.

I remembered that day today as I picked my baseball bat squash that had remained hidden until now. I remembered our motto with our preparedness to always eat what we have and count our blessings.

So today I picked all of the overgrown squash, the green beans that were getting tough, the yellow squash that was now bumpy and some tomatoes that had rested on the ground and were not quite perfect any longer.

Don’t throw out the squash that has gotten too big. You can always make bread, or soup or shred it and freeze it to bake with later. I know, I know, many of you work and that elusive thing time is hard to come by. But on the other hand you have been given produce. Make a quick casserole – double batch- and share it. Call your Relief Society President and find out if there is a need that you can donate to anonymously. Or … ?

Eat what you have and make it tasty!

Today I created a “throw-together” recipe for you as a remembrance, that in the process of becoming prepared we might be grateful and recognize the blessings that may be hiding right under our very noses – or a squash leaf.

Summer Garden Soup
Squash, yellow and/or zucchini (2or 3) 2”X7” long, cubed = about 2 ½ - 3 Cups
A handful of no longer tiny and tender green beans, chopped = about 1 Cup
2 med. potatoes (from someone else’s garden) cubed = about 3 Cups
2-3 sm.– med. tomatoes, cubed = about 2 ½ C
½ large onion, chopped = ¾ Cup
¼ head of cabbage, chopped = 1 ½ cups
left-over cooked chicken, chopped 1 ½ cups
1 can chicken broth
¾ Cup pasta, tiny shells
Water, 2 –3 cups
Seasonings – thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram

Combine all in large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Cook to the tenderness you prefer in the vegetables.

If you use a larger squash that has a lot of seeds you may scoop them out, or simply cube them with the rest of the squash.

Adjust these ingredients to whatever you have on hand or in the garden.

This made a very large batch, enough for two days or enough to share or enough for a good-sized family.

All of these ingredients I had on hand. I did not have a specific recipe.

I thought about “using what we have on hand” all the time I was picking and preparing. The principles of being prepared need to be a part of our continued thoughts and thankfulness. It would seem that if this principle can be applied to summer’s over abundance of zucchini it can be applied anywhere.

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How to Make Grab-and Go Foods Affordable and Available

2008-08-28T22:41:00.002-06:00

Everyone knows that making all of your own food from scratch is a great way to save money. Anytime you pay another person to prepare your food, though, you’ll pay more than if you do it yourself. But what if there just isn’t time to cook from scratch? Often there isn’t time to cook, period. How do you balance saving time with saving money? The answer, unsatisfying as it may be, is doing the best you can. You save time when you can, and you save money where you can and with enough effort, hopefully you’ll achieve that balance.

One food group that can really put a dent in your budget is grab-and-go foods. Yet, if you need grab-and-go food, your time is obviously at a premium also. To give you an example, I have two grandsons who are involved in everything from sports to music to jobs to you-name-it. Being teenagers, they are always starved and always on the run. They don’t have time to sit down to a meal until late in the evening, and they don’t have money to grab a burger from a fast-food place if they are hungry in the meantime. There is a shelf in the pantry that their mother keeps stocked with single serving foods that they can just grab a handful of as they run out of the door to keep them going until they have a chance to eat a real meal. But if you have to buy grab-and-go snacks at the store, they will break the bank in no time at all. What do you do?

First of all, you have to know the prices, and you have to know how much you are willing to spend. Set a price for each item (not for the whole package), and then don’t spend more than that. You may be willing to pay and average of twenty cents each for granola bars or fruit roll-ups, and maybe stretch to twenty-five cents occasionally for something special, but no higher than that. (Of course, you will be adjusting as prices keep rising L )There are lots of things you can buy that you can eat on the run if money isn’t an issue, but if finances are tight they aren’t an option. When you see grab-and-go food on sale that fits your budget, buy as much as you can afford to stretch the savings through times when the items are only offered at full price. (Just don’t pull it all out at one time. Find a place to hide the extra supplies that stock your grab-and-go shelf to make them last longer.)

Shop around, and look beyond traditional supermarkets. Often membership clubs like Costco or Sam’s Club will offer large packages of grab-and-go snacks for prices you are willing to pay. Take advantage of these if you have access to membership stores. Deep discount stores like Wal-Mart and Target can frequently be sources for grab-and-go snacks also. Don’t forget day-old bread stores. They will often carry brands of snack foods at discount prices.

Package your own. Buying individually packaged bags of chips or cookies may be out of the picture, but you can make your own quite easily. Buy cookies or raisins or any snack food in a regular package, and them divide it up into individual zipper sandwich bags. You can usually get ten to twenty little bags out of a box of cookies, which brings the cost down to a dime or so for each portion. Dividing up a package of cookies doesn’t take more than three or four minutes. Even bags of dry cereal make good grab-and-go snacks.

Grab-and-go foods can be perishable items also. String cheese and yogurt are often, though not always, affordably priced. When they are, tape a note to the snack shelf saying, “Yogurt in fridge –don’t forget spoon” or something similar. (Buying a supply of plastic spoons when they are on sale is much cheaper than having your good silverware disappear.) Fresh vegetables can be chopped and sorted into zipper sandwich bags so you can take something healthy with you on the spur of the moment. And apples and oranges are always ready to stuff in a pocket as you head out the door.

So don’t despair if your family eats on the run – some of the time. With just a little effort, you can be ready as they race by, and you don’t have to break the bank to do it.

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Frugal Feature; Dry Milk

2008-08-26T01:00:00.000-06:00

Most of you who have even a small amount of preparedness items in your pantry usually have at least one can or package of dry milk. Many times it is there because someone or some list has specified that you must have at least some dry milk on hand. But for some unknown reason we hesitate to use it on a consistent basis. It remains in our mind as a storage item. Then too for many years dry milk has had a bad rap regarding its taste. Some of you (or your family) would almost gag – or croak - rather than drink straight dry milk. (* See below for the usual reason.) The dry milk of today is definitely a much tastier product than that of years past.

Today let’s eliminate some of those negatives and focus on the positive points of dry milk.

First let’s do away with one of the rumors; neither regular non-fat nor instant dry milk is more nutritional than the other. Instant dry milk is made from regular non-fat milk.

Dry milk is a budget bonus that is often overlooked. One reason is perhaps we don’t know how to readily use it in recipe preparation. It’s really quite simple. In any recipe that calls for milk, add measured dry milk to the other dry ingredients, and then add the proper amount of water with the liquids. If milk is used for drinking, either straight or with varying proportions of liquid “regular” milk, chill it thoroughly. If used “straight” you may wish to replace some of the sweetness that was removed during the processing. * This is why it usually tastes “blah” when compared to regular milk. One to two teaspoons of sweetener or sugar, or one-fourth to one-half teaspoon of light corn syrup or honey per half-gallon of milk should do the trick. (The word is OR not and J). Adjust the amount of sweeteners to your taste. Sometimes even a scant drop or two of vanilla will do the trick. Note: Do not use brown sugar or dark corn syrup, it will caramelize the milk, giving it a brown color.

To increase flavor and nutrition you may simply add dry milk to such dishes as casseroles, skillet dishes, meat loaves, etc. Dry milk automatically enhances and enriches quick breads, waffles, pancakes, muffins or biscuits. Dry milk is easy to use to enrich gravies, simply mix a small amount with the flour. It browns very quickly because of the milk. Then add your water, a small amount at a time to desired gravy consistency. A cup of tomato soup is delicious with a teaspoon of dry milk stirred into it.

You can make cottage cheese and cheese spreads. If you have or make a press you can even make harder cheeses.

Dry milk should be kept in a container with a tight fitting lid. Keep it as cool as possible. No, you don’t have to refrigerate it. If you leave it in a cardboard box or paper bag it can absorb the moisture from the air, becoming as solid as a brick. It can also absorb other flavors as well.

Make the most of the nutrition, convenience and economy of dry milk. With the budgets shrinking and buying power going out the window, dry milk is certainly one way to beat the high cost of eating!

Today’s challenge? Rethink dry milk; get it off the shelf and into your recipes. It will help your diet as well as your wallet. And of course, you can make chocolate milk very easily with dry milk.

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Grains, Beans And Has Beans Or Is It Have Beans?

2008-08-22T23:59:00.000-06:00

If you are thinking preparedness you should be thinking grains and beans, and winter and soups. Or else you should be thinking what a tremendous bonus grains and beans can be to your budget. With the economy playing games that might be a good way to be thinking.

However, are you thinking, what in the world can Barbara be thinking? Its still summer. It’s still time to play. It’s still time to shop and vacation. Why is Barbara thinking about grains and beans? With all of this thinking going on there must be an answer somewhere.

And of course there is. Once again there is a different slant to your preparedness program that perhaps you haven’t thought of - yet. Now is the time to be planning ahead, even for a short term of cold weather and winter, let alone a long-term pantry program.

Start paying attention to the grains and beans available in your supermarkets. Even more importantly start thinking about the variety of beans and grains that you use. Or is it a lack of variety that you deal with? Do you fall into the habit of only one bean, one recipe and perhaps rice and three recipes.

In Preparedness Principles I talk about the Bare Bones Basics and how critical the concept is of understanding what variety can do for your preparedness pantry by enabling you to have better nutrition and taste with just a few more grains and beans than you have been used to using.

In today’s blog I am including a few ideas to expand your recipe potential as well as your inventory. The reason that you need to think about grains and beans now is that harvest is coming and sales will be taking place between now and the end of October. Once the holiday season hits with the onslaught of impulse sales and “an other than food focus” the prices may change, and even the availability may change.

Increase your awareness of varieties that are available in grocery stores and the alternative supermarkets. For those “new to you” grains and beans that look inviting buy only a small amounts to try first.

One way to expand the varieties you use is to consider the ways that you have used rice. Begin now to think of all of the other grains as alternatives or additions. If you are used to cooking with just minute or instant rice, may I suggest that you start now cooking regular rice more often. It only takes twenty to thirty minutes to cook and by the time the rest of the meal is prepared the rice is ready. Then in favorite recipes start converting some of the regular rice to brown rice, barley, or other kinds of rice such as Jasmine, Basmati or Arborio. (I am absolutely converted to Jasmine and Basmati rice. They are wonderful.) Consider using part whole wheat or cracked wheat along with your rice.

Try making your own rice medley by combining a number of rices in equal proportions and then add a small amount of wild rice to the mix. Keep the combination in a container in your pantry for easy use. A wonderful oven pilaf is 1 ½ to 2 cups of your “combination of rices” placed in an oiled or sprayed 9x12 pan or casserole dish. Then pour 3 to 4 cups of chicken broth over the rice. Stir to make sure the rice is distributed evenly. Add the spices that you like such as salt and pepper, garlic salt, or season all. Place in the oven at 350˚ and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Stir occasionally as the rice absorbs the broth. Bake until the rice is done, even if that means adding more liquid, a little at a time. You can bake it covered with aluminum foil until the last 15 or 20 minutes. Remove the foil to crisp the top layer.

Beans have many uses besides just soup. They can be cracked and added to casseroles. They can be soaked and cooked in advance and then added to skillet dishes or salads. They can be pureed and added to breads for variety and more nutrition. Grains and beans can be combined in casseroles or skillet dishes.

Please note, if you are attempting to work with soybeans for the first time be aware that they almost never cook to a soft bean. They will always have a crunch.

Start now to look at your favorite recipes and see how they can be tweaked by adding a different bean or grain or two, or more.

Start now to add to your inventory of grains and beans as summer salads fade and seasons begin to change, so that it is not a “has bean,” but have beans in your house.

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Squash Blossoms, Bumble Bees, and Cinnamon

2008-08-18T20:13:00.004-06:00

In the early morning it is a marvelous thing to wander among the squash plants and watch the incredible bumblebees and honey bees on the brilliant orange squash blossoms. It is such a beautiful sight.

In pondering the beauty and realizing that these were zucchini plants that I was oohing and awing over, and what was going to be on the other end of that blossom in a few short hours – well maybe a day, I began to ponder once again the age old question of what else can I do with ALL of this squash. The neighbors now know who is leaving it on their porch at night and running. You see for the last couple of years I couldn’t get any squash to grow for whatever reason. So this year, the adage that took root is, more is much better than none. Right? Send me your address and I will send you squash.

However, by now you know that a lot of my thought processes turn to preparedness, especially on blog days.

Therefore, what to do with squash also means how in the world do I fix it? Which in turn means what do I flavor it with? Which in turn means what are the spices on my shelves that will work with squash?

(Drum roll) And of course, all of this means I have tied it in to preparedness.

One of the things you should/could be working on year round, but especially now while you have the opportunity, is to make sure that your spice and seasoning shelves are well stocked.

This blog is about spices and spice related seasonings, not the foil wrapped sauce mixes and seasonings.

The rule of thumb is that seasonings are a combination of spices to create a specific taste, as in taco seasoning. Spices are a product of a plant, root or tree, one item per container, as in cinnamon.

Wherever you keep them, DO NOT store spices or seasonings in the cupboard above the stove/oven, the place normally appointed for this. The heat and steam from cooking will destroy them in short order.

If you are a bargain hunter check out Big Lots and the Dollar Stores or house brand labels for better than regular prices. Watch out for the “health food store” bulk bins, if your budget is in jeopardy. Also beware of the warehouse/discount/bargain basement outlets if the products are from freight damage loads. Spices are food and you don’t buy damaged food containers!

Should you purchase spices and seasonings in bulk or cardboard cartons, repackage them when you get home. Put them into glass jars and be sure to label them immediately! Do you know how similar nutmeg and cinnamon look? If you don’t repackage, then when you create a recipe, use the cardboard and throw out the ruined spices.

Having a well stocked spice and seasoning shelf can make the difference between success or - “Oh Help” – if it comes to attempting to survive on your “survival stash.” You know the foods you thought, and prayed, that you would never have to eat.

A well-stocked spice and seasoning shelf can help you extend your budget much further if you can create fifteen recipes from that rice instead of one.

And about that zucchini, count your blessings that you have it. Find the right spices and make breads, cakes, casseroles, soups, more breads, muffins, steam it, batter it (as in eating not abuse), fry it, put it in stir fry . . . and more.

The cinnamon works in the breads, muffins, rice dishes with squash, and other recipes you discover.

The bumblebees are there just because they are beautiful and cause more squash to grow!

Should we have a contest to see how many ways you can fix zucchini that really taste good? For the most submissions you can win two large bottles of the spices of your choice. And no, you cannot submit an already in print zucchini cookbook. Let’s be fair here, it is recipes you use and like. Entry deadline is August 30. No entries will be accepted that include a real zucchini and arrive by snail mail. I will post the name of the winner in the blog and send an email spice list to them to choose from.

For the rest of the season (no pun indented) enjoy the squash blossoms, bumblebees and cinnamon.

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Should I? Or Can I? It's Not A Grammar Lesson.

2008-08-14T01:00:00.001-06:00

For many of us this time of year brings memories of gardens and canning. Some good memories, as in assembly lines and family projects, others bring back thoughts of how tired we were.

Since this time of year does bring thoughts of bushels, peeling, jam and bottles I want to eliminate one word from your vocabulary … guilt. Following are a few pointers to help you decide – Should I? Can I? Do I want to? Is it practical? And I am really not a “Molly Mormon” – Do I have to?

Home canning is one of those skills that should be part of our training. Training? What training? Let me rephrase that – canning is a very good, very valuable skill to have. If the need arises and things are so tough that the only way you can have jam or jelly is to make it yourself, it’s nice to be able to make it yourself and have it be edible.

Rumor and news stories are saying that people are already feeling the budget crunch to the point that canning supplies are flying off of the shelves. But before you run out and buy a ten-year supply of supplies there are a few things you might want to consider.

If you don’t like hard work canning is not for you. Rewarding work? Yes? Difficult work? No. Time consuming and tiring? Yes, but it depends on your energy level and how much help you have.

If you have to buy all of the fruits and vegetables, jars and equipment – at top grocery store prices and then factor in the cost of your time, you might be better off finding a good case-lot sale. That is the rule if you know your prices and know that you still have the opportunity for good prices.

However, the jars and equipment are reusable year after year. If you or your neighbor has fruit trees or a garden, then you can save money. If you live near a farmers market or vegetable stand (not the kind of farmer’s market that is the trendy tourist trap with all organic and natural products) then you can save money. Even if it is a few batches of jam or peaches that you put up and you don’t plan on spending every waking hour all summer long canning, you can still save money.

A few rules of thumb – or canning – must be followed!
* The first absolute rule is to follow the rules!
* Canning, toxins and bacteria are nothing to cut corners or play games with.
* Lids cannot be reused. Rings can and jars can, but not the metal lids.
* Do not use mayo jars or jars that are not designed for canning. The non-canning
jars are not made to withstand the heat and pressure.
* Do not use a jar if it is cracked, before or after processing.
* Proper timing is a must – no shortcuts here!
* Zucchini, the wonder vegetable is a vegetable and must be processed as one, no
matter if you have turned it into jam, salsa or the newest fad of pineapple
marmalade – or whatever.
* Do not, under any circumstances, can in the oven!!!!

Your state university extension has canning booklets, books and recipes, obtainable at their offices and online. Their information is current and reliable. You can call your extension service if you have any questions.

If you have never canned before start with something easy such as peaches, tomatoes or jam. Follow a reliable recipe. The joy of seeing full jars on your counter, hearing the lids pop, and then seeing those jars on your shelves or under your bed is indescribable.

Canning can truly be a boost to your budget. It is not only an investment for the budget; it is an investment in gaining self-reliant skills.

Some of my most spiritual conversations with Heavenly Father have been sitting on the floor of my pantry or by my cupboard and being so thankful that a kind person let me pick tomatoes or peaches. To see the full jars and know that once more I was blessed in being able to provide for my family caused my heart to swell and tears of gratitude to flow.

My husband and I grew close together year after year gleaning and canning to fill our pantry shelves. It was part of our summer and fall events as we worked together and listened to the symphony of the popping lids.

So should you? Assess your situation, your ability to find produce, your time to be adjusted and squeezed, your budget, and your willingness to put forth the effort while the produce is available.

Can you? Of course! If I can learn to can so can you can!

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Are You Related To Ms. M. Hubbard?

2008-08-10T00:50:00.002-06:00

Do you remember, somewhere in the news recently, there was a rumor – excuse me- story of cupboard neglect, or actually animal neglect? What? It really was about your neighbor Ms. M. Hubbard and her dietary deficient dog? I bet it wasn’t the dog’s fault that he had to go hungry. Have you ever wondered why Ms. M. Hubbard had not taken advantage of the case lot sales on dog food? I’ve talked about the Hubbard family cupboard before. So today I start a campaign in order that history and this sad tale of cupboard neglect won’t repeat itself in your neighborhood.

A rumor recently being discussed on a lot of blogs (or news) is that there are some of you reading who have to go to the store on the way home from “where ever” in order to be able to prepare dinner – at least four times a week. Of course, that’s just a rumor!

Instead of discussing anymore about that Ms. M. Hubbard’s cupboard, let’s discuss another kind of cupboard, one that needs more than dog food on the shelves. Of course, if the previously mentioned cupboard resembles your emergency cupboard, it won’t count, even if the dog-milk bones are yogurt covered.

In today’s rapidly escalating prices the thought of being able to find additional money to stock a cupboard seems nearly impossible. Let me share a thought with you that hopefully will influence your actions. It is possible to create an emergency cupboard that holds the things that you need to sustain you and/or your family.

I need to set the boundaries as to what we really will be talking about – or not. This discussion is about a disaster preparedness cupboard, NOT, home storage, or long-term storage items or a having a ton of wheat under the stairs. In a serious disaster situation you will most likely be without all normal utilities, but still able to be in the shelter of your home.

Usually in a disaster situation, such as an earthquake, you will be living in a powerless situation. (Pun intended). The old stand-bys of dry, uncooked beans and grains could leave you mighty hungry for a long time. Even then, the drastic thoughts of chewing on grain leave a lot to be desired.

Balanced meals, planned menus and counting calories are not necessarily the main concern as you prepare to deal with a disaster scenario.

Just like the other sections of personal preparedness, the food you choose to keep on hand – just in case - will be based on individual factors. These factors make your selections appropriate for your own situation, and different from what your neighbors might select. There is no one type of food or food program that is “best” or better than all of the others for everyone! The best food choices for you are the ones that suit your needs. (And of course I always choose chocolate.)

Foods that require no refrigeration, little or no cooking and little preparation are a must. It is extremely important to assess the individual needs of your household members. Will you be providing for an infant, invalid, elderly person or someone with a severe allergy? (I’m not talking about simple hay-fever, but life threatening food triggers.) These considerations will make a huge difference as to what kind of food products you keep in your emergency cupboard.

Don’t be misled into complacency because you happen to have several candles and one container of canned-heat. Remember to choose food and food preparation methods that will get you through tough situations where you have to do without those essential services that we take for granted, such as power, running water, light and a supermarket on the corner to run to for supplies. In an emergency situation you may be limited to cooking on a Sterno-type stove by the light of a flashlight. Your fuel usage may be restricted, your water cautiously rationed, and you may be dealing with these in the middle of chaos. Your food choices should be a comforting relief not an added catastrophe. Note: Disaster relief should not be interpreted to mean the store on the corner has food.

And be sure to remember the goodies. During crises, especially on going ones, treats are not a luxury! The morale boosting power of something that tastes good and cheers you up is not to be underestimated. I guarantee chocolate covered wheat will not work. I would even suggest that you begin with your next shopping trip, and as you fill the emergency cupboard, consistently fill boxes on the treat shelf. They should be kept up high, out of sight and difficult to access. Label the box in bold letters, such as – Pepto Bismol or Tums or Metamucil. That will insure that there is something in the boxes when the need arises. If you buy chocolate, buy double, just in case you can’t resist the temptation. After all you are the only one who knows what is really in those boxes.

Oh yes, don’t forget the dog. I’ll know you and your cupboards are doing okay when I see you in the store with a large bag of M&M’s and an empty Alka Seltzer box in your cart. That is in addition to the box of yogurt covered milk-bones (Chocolate is not good for dogs.)

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One Or Two Preparedness Questions and Answers

2008-08-02T21:34:00.002-06:00

Sometimes when we are wrapped up in our little corner of the world and have questions about our preparedness program, we might think we are the only one with questions. Or we might think that what we have to ask is dumb (printed in a whisper). So to put your mind at ease and to catch up on mail (method to my madness) I thought I would answer one or two questions in the blog, then everybody could benefit. (At least that is what I hope.) And just as an after thought, I would like to receive your questions. And if I might say so, I would suggest that in this wide, wide bunch of blog readers you are not the only one wondering the same thing. Ask away.

S.T. of Orem, UT asks – How do I make food storage foods palatable when the family is used to sugary, instant foods?

The first rule of thumb to follow, unless you are planning on using the food as an inheritance for your grandchildren, it should be in your pantry, but NOT stored! The best way to grow accustomed to the taste of food storage items is to consistently work the food into your daily meals. Oh No! She means Eat It. Isn’t there some other way? Not unless you are in the hospital on an IV, and that really is not a good option.)

For many people, one of the most commonly stored foods is wheat. If you and/or your family are unaccustomed to eating wheat, you can experience allergic reactions and sickness,if all of a sudden the menu is wheat and not chips and Twinkies.

You can get your family used to it by keeping a container of soaked wheat in the refrigerator. Then use it! For example, when a recipe calls for ground beef, add several tablespoons of wheat to the mix. You can also add small amounts to recipes that call for rice. Of course if you are making any recipe with flour begin by adding a few tablespoons of wheat flour. That means using real whole-wheat flour not caramelized white flour. Then add ¼ C and then ½ C and so on, continuing to replace the white flour by that amount of whole-wheat flour. Pretty soon you can get brave and use a whole cup. If your recipe is for regular flour you may have to make other adjustments such as the liquid, because whole-wheat flour is heavier. Be brave and try anyway.

Always make sure when you are using grains and beans that you cook them with the spices and flavors your family enjoys. Individuals are much more likely to eat something when it tastes familiar.

Try to introduce the food that you are calling “food storage” into your daily menus one or two items at a time. Don’t overwhelm everyone with large amounts of new textures and tastes all at once or you will lose the campaign. Continue to use them in a variety of familiar recipes until the family gets used to them. (And even likes them, surprise!) Then the next rule is to add more and different items to the old standby recipes. Chocolate chip cookies are a good place to start.

Question from S.C., Dallas, TX - Someone convinced us to store water in a 55-gallon water drum. It’s way too heavy for me to tip. How do I get the water out of it?

You are right. A full 55-gallon barrel will weigh several hundred pounds. Go to a local hardware store, a well-equipped supermarket, or to a company that sells the water barrels (you can find them in the yellow pages or google them) and ask for a manual siphon-hose. It should cost about ten dollars. Most water barrels are created with a fitting on top to attach a siphon-hose.

Stay tuned to this blog for more question and answer sessions.

Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.

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When It's Hot, It's HOT

2008-08-02T07:28:00.002-06:00

When it’s hot, it’s HOT. Without power it can be beyond miserable!

Okay, so what does being hot have to do with preparedness? Nothing if you live north of Alaska. But just in case there are a few problems accompanying the “hot,” let’s talk for a minute or two.

Heat can be as dangerous as cold when it comes to extremes. If you have an infant, someone who is confined to bed or a wheel chair or someone who is elderly and not able to get around or care for themselves, extreme heat can be deadly. Or if you are like me and become dysfunctional and wilt when it gets above 75°, heat can be a problem!

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion can turn an uncomfortable situation into a disaster.

When you combine extreme heat with a long-term power outage flashing red lights will really start to go off, (battery powered of course). Warning – Problems, even severe problems, are at your doorstep.

In planning ahead and trying to think of things that might work – without power- let me suggest a few “old-fashioned” remedies. Keep in mind there most likely will not be ice, ice cubes, slushes, or fans, let alone air conditioners to solve the situation. Even when power starts to come back on you are usually requested by the authorities to use bare minimum amounts of electricity sometimes for an extended time period. This most likely would mean essential power only, not air conditioning, until the electrical grid can get back up to normal distribution capacity.

Old-fashioned means using no electrical power at all!

Staying out of the sun as much as possible is a good rule to follow. Sunburns are painful and the pain is intensified with extreme heat. A rule of thumb to follow with children is to limit exertion and exposure to sun. That could mean having to put forth the effort to come up with “quiet-games,” or quiet activities. This, of course is without videos, TV or computers. Now is the time to think ahead and create a stash of age-appropriate games, puzzles, crayons, books, and what ever you can come up with such as craft supplies. These should be not only for “children,” but for all members of your household. If you are not dealing with on going storms, floods or other trauma – just long-term power outages and heat will try your patience. The days will be long and exhausting, and the nights most likely will be long and exhausting as well. But please don’t take it lightly; there could be serious consequences.

Make sure you have soothing lotions and burn relief in your first-aid kit,

Frequently soaking ones hands and wrists or feet in bowls of water will help. If water is rationed or in very short supply, keep the bowl of water and reuse it for more cooling.

Another alternative is frequently “sponging” yourself or a child or the person in your care with water. Even tepid water will bring relief.

Draping wet towels or cloths around the neck and letting them hang there while the water evaporates will help cool you. Repeat, keeping the cloth or towel wet. This is one of those times when care of yourself is more important than appearance or “being cool.”

Drink lots of water, NOT sugary soft drinks. Juice crystals, such as lemonade, are a good thing to have on hand, Even if there is no ice for the water, it can be a thirst quenching change.

Creating hand fans with folded sturdy paper, or using sheets of paper or what ever can be hand held. Thick magazines, etc. get very heavy, very quickly is someone is frail or not feeling well. (Remember, heat exhaustion makes you feel sick.) Besides, with the perspiration from hands print ink will smear onto skin.

Eat lightly and don’t exert yourself by attempting to cook or warm foods. Now this may seem like a redundancy to some of you, but to others who think there is only one way to fix “meals” and that is to “cook,” this could prove to be an “Ah Ha” moment.

CAUTION: If heat is combined with thunder and lightening, playing in puddles definitely is NOT a way to cool off. This should not be taken lightly or something we assume everyone knows. Children need to be told over and over what not to do, and why, when it is something they want to do.

Keep all chocolate as cool as possible or be prepared to lick fingers constantly while trying to hold it and eat fast.

Part of the preparedness principles in dealing with extreme heat may just be a few reminders, and making sure you have a bucket or bowl big enough to fit feet in

Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.

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The Squirrel Syndrome I

2008-08-01T01:00:00.000-06:00

One definition in the Squirrel Syndrome means to put away foods and supplies for the future while they are available today. Work at it consistently, no matter how many times you have to climb up and down that trunk. The positive side of this syndrome is that your pantry most likely is not a tree, or in some cases a flowerpot on someone’s porch where peanuts are buried. (If you or any of your neighbors have ever fed the squirrels, then you know what the local flowerpots look like.)

In order to maintain – let alone obtain- the supplies you need to have to rely on for whatever reason, you must have somewhere to keep them all.

Lack of space is one of the problems most often cited in my surveys and workshops as a reason that people think they cannot even begin a preparedness program.

If you think that way, think again. If you look around and think your current shelf space is not sufficient for you to be able to have “enough,” think again. If you were a squirrel I’d say check your tree more closely. Since it’s you, assess your kitchen and closets more closely.

This time let’s evaluate just your cupboards. First, eliminate the old tradition/myth of thinking your pantry must be located in only one place. I strongly recommend that you assess and take advantage of your entire home in your shelf search . . . including a garage and/or basement. Yes, absolutely the garage! (More, lots more, about that later. Or check out Preparedness Principles, Chapter 4, The Pantry System: Finding A Place For Everything.) In other words, you create a mini-pantry-system wherever it will fit! But today, the pantry search takes place in the ordinary kitchen.

Revisit your cupboards with new enthusiasm and perception. Reorganize and group like items to create space. First, what kinds of items are in those cupboards that could be “stored” elsewhere; such as high on shelves in the garage or carport. These could be things such as canning kettles, large roasters, popcorn poppers, waffle irons or like items that are used at holidays, family gatherings or special foods. You may seldom use them, but they are still needed. Simply relocate them to allow for pantry space in the cupboard..

Make shelf space more useable, especially those areas that are hard to reach such as, those deep shelves or those crannies back in the corner that are filled with “stuff” or else half empty. They usually stay that way because they are inaccessible and impossible to use efficiently. If drawer “roll-outs” fit in your budget, they come in varying sizes that will transform that wasted space into an efficient workable area. Or use more budget friendly cardboard apple boxes from the produce department to create custom drawers. Insert the bottom half, upside down, into the top. Then cut them down, making them as high as will easily slide in and out on the existing shelf as a drawer. By doubling the box it will be serviceable and actually function. You can use these “custom drawers” to recover space in those dark recessed ends or corners. They will be sturdy enough to hold canned goods.

Look up. Do you have the style of cupboard where the top twelve or so inches is used for the cookie jar collection or fake plants? If so that is wasted pantry space. A valance can be placed right up against the ceiling – neutral or color coordinated – to cover the pantry-type things you place there. Or you could use color coordinated baskets, boxes, or crates to utilize that space. Paper products, cleaning supplies, soaps or even kitchen utensils, etc. can be kept up there, opening up more easily accessible shelving to become pantry space.

Take another look at the cupboard shelves. Can you double the functioning shelf space by adding shelves halfway between the existing shelf and the next one? Even if they are not as deep, such as 8 to 10 inches rather than 12 inches deep. That one adjustment alone would provide quite a few more working shelves.

Now, while you are still in the kitchen area, take another look at that broom closet. Consider how much more pantry space you can create if you take half or more of that closet from top to bottom and fill it with shelves. Place them at workable distances for a pantry rather than the normal three shelves in all of that space.

Of course it’s work. Of course it will take time. Yes, you may have to budget for it for six months. You don’t have to budget for “custom drawers.” They are free at the grocery store. Yes, it takes work to cut them down …however J. No one is saying that you have to empty all of those cupboards at the same time. Make a fun sketch (No, it does not have to be award winning.) and put it up so you can keep the goal in sight.

Think how much fun it will be when you fill the shelves of your new mini-pantry. Think how much fun it will be when there is a sale on canned peaches and you can now buy seven cans instead of three, take them home and have a pantry to put them in.

Have you caught the vision? This is just the kitchen, can you imagine what "we" can do in the rest of your home? Mini-pantries are everywhere!

Preparedness Principles, has the details to create some of the “impossible dream” pantries that really are possible.

Watch this blog and www.solutionsforpreparedness.com for more about the Squirrel syndrome.

Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.

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Summer Checklist

2008-07-28T21:19:00.002-06:00

Here we go again. Barbara is about to burst another bubble. I don’t know how to break this gently for you, but summer is NOT just for fun and games, or vacations, or full of lazy-hazy days. Sorry.

Summer is a time for:
Homework
Putting Security in a Box
Getting Ready for the Rainy Day
Being Brainwashed by Barbara.

OK, I’ll give you part of summer. The other part of summer needs a Summer Checklist. Now is the time to start developing the “Squirrel Syndrome.” Now is the time to prepare for cold, winter, storms, miserable cold wet rain, and different kinds of storms. (You choose.) Knowing that winter and all of the above are coming, now is the time to put the verb “prepare” into high gear. I’m not the rocket scientist telling you the theory is that preparation usually happens prior to the event! I’m sure it is now more than a theory.

(Pause – this is where you go and get paper and a pen that works or a pencil with lead… …… ……. Hummmmmm ….. Okay!)

So then, let me help you with just a few reminders to add to your Summer Checklist. There are more, but these should get you started.

First thing to do is to get your list of needs in place so that when right prices comes along you can grab those items. This also means it would be a good idea to stash a few dollars each payday to have a “preparedness fund” to draw from instead of totally devastating the grocery budget or plundering the piggy bank, (especially one of the kid’s)

Evaluate your storm patterns. How long do you estimate you will need emergency light. Do your lanterns, flashlights or equipment need mantles, wicks, gaskets, oil or batteries? What about those tiny, little, often overlooked bulbs? Are the ones you have reliable? How old or how dim are they? What else will you find that you really need as you scrounge through that box?

Batteries, even though they are getting more expensive, can be added to every shopping list between now and the first snowfall or hurricane to insure you have needed power on hand.

Wicks, mantles and gaskets can sometimes be found in yard sales and/or flea markets, as well as department store sporting goods sections, hardware stores and camping supply outlets. Make sure you know the size and kind you need before you buy.

Camping gear is often offered at “clearance sales,” at the end of fall, just before the holiday craze hits. Sometimes the best sale prices are found as a side aisle or end of aisle for products that won’t fit into “present categories.”

How cold does it really get in your area? Do you have enough sleeping bags or heavy blankets that are not scout outing reject ragbags? (You can tell we’ve had scouts in the family.)

Sleeping bags, and camping blankets are often put on clearance sales after the “outdoor summer season.” If winter sports and hunting gear are part of the sales in your corner of the world, watch for “loss leader items and prices.” This means a price so good it will get you to go to that store. In order to have buying power, go in and buy only the sale items you need and have planned for . (Or I will haunt you J )

Your second home could be a tent. If you already have a tent, make sure that it is in good shape, patched and ready to use – in an emergency. Many times if there is a violent storm or earthquake and you have such a “second home,” you can stay in it and protect your property while using the supplies on hand. This type of situation could be if there has been damage and you need to have authorities say that your home is safe to occupy. Sometimes just the security of being able to be “at home” is comforting. And of course, it would mean that the weather is cooperating and it is bearable for you to remain outside. A lot of people stayed in tents in their yards until the violent shuddering stopped and they knew the walls weren’t coming down in the aftermath of the Loma Prieta earthquake.

Know the difference between a Case-Lot Sale and a Sidewalk Sale. This time of year there seems to be a lot of both. Your money does matter, so take the time to evaluate what you are buying.

Case-lot sales are usually food items or products carried in the grocery stores that are brands and products you are familiar with. The rule of thumb used to be that case-lot sales were seasonal, occurring the same time every year. Anymore with the economic roller coaster going crazy, price wars are going on between stores and case-lot sales are popping up multiple times a year. You need to do your pricing homework ahead of time to take advantage of them when the sale prices are good prices. Keep in mind some items are “on sale,” many are just “for sale.”

Many times, especially with Back to School promotions, sidewalk sales spring up in malls and of all places on the sidewalks or mall walks in front of stores. Be aware that some retailers bring in inferior merchandise to promote large “perceived” price reductions. This often means that sometimes the products, clothes, supplies, health and beauty aids, you name it, are not products taken off the shelves or racks and brought out to be “on sale!” They are for sale! Pay attention, especially if you are trying to stock up on things such as socks, underwear or basics such as
T-shirts. Markdowns could be because all – or most- of the items are irregulars. And that is okay for underwear – usually.

Get enthused now. Start your lists now. Check them twice or even three times in order to stretch your buying power. Then when I’m in the stores in a few weeks and I hear “Yahoooo” echoing through the aisles I’ll know someone else just found the bargain of the week and bought fourteen cans of pork and beans and three pair of socks at real bargain prices! (That means they had enough left over for some chocolate, doesn’t it.)

Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.

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When it's hot!

2008-07-25T16:15:00.003-06:00

When it’s hot, it’s HOT. Without power it can be beyond miserable!

Okay, so what does being hot have to do with preparedness? Nothing if you live north of Alaska. But just in case there are a few problems accompanying the “hot,” let’s talk for a minute or two.

Heat can be as dangerous as cold when it comes to extremes. If you have an infant, someone who is confined to bed or a wheel chair or someone who is elderly and not able to get around or care for themselves, extreme heat can be deadly. Or if you are like me and become dysfunctional and wilt when it gets above 75°, heat can be a problem!

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion can turn an uncomfortable situation into a disaster.

When you combine extreme heat with a long-term power outage flashing red lights will really start to go off, (battery powered of course). Warning – Problems, even severe problems, are at your doorstep.

In planning ahead and trying to think of things that might work – without power- let me suggest a few “old-fashioned” remedies. Keep in mind there most likely will not be ice, ice cubes, slushes, or fans, let alone air conditioners to solve the situation. Even when power starts to come back on you are usually requested by the authorities to use bare minimum amounts of electricity sometimes for an extended time period. This most likely would mean essential power only, not air conditioning, until the electrical grid can get back up to normal distribution capacity.

Old-fashioned means using no electrical power at all!

Staying out of the sun as much as possible is a good rule to follow. Sunburns are painful and the pain is intensified with extreme heat. A rule of thumb to follow with children is to limit exertion and exposure to sun. That could mean having to put forth the effort to come up with “quiet-games,” or quiet activities. This, of course is without videos, TV or computers. Now is the time to think ahead and create a stash of age-appropriate games, puzzles, crayons, books, and what ever you can come up with such as craft supplies. These should be not only for “children,” but for all members of your household. If you are not dealing with on going storms, floods or other trauma – just long-term power outages and heat will try your patience. The days will be long and exhausting, and the nights most likely will be long and exhausting as well. But please don’t take it lightly; there could be serious consequences.

Make sure you have soothing lotions and burn relief in your first-aid kit,

Frequently soaking ones hands and wrists or feet in bowls of water will help. If water is rationed or in very short supply, keep the bowl of water and reuse it for more cooling.

Another alternative is frequently “sponging” yourself or a child or the person in your care with water. Even tepid water will bring relief.

Draping wet towels or cloths around the neck and letting them hang there while the water evaporates will help cool you. Repeat, keeping the cloth or towel wet. This is one of those times when care of yourself is more important than appearance or “being cool.”

Drink lots of water, NOT sugary soft drinks. Juice crystals, such as lemonade, are a good thing to have on hand. Even if there is no ice for the water, it can be a thirst quenching change.

Creating hand fans with folded sturdy paper, or using sheets of paper or what ever that can be hand held. Thick magazines, etc. get very heavy, very quickly is someone is frail or not feeling well. (Remember, heat exhaustion makes you feel sick.) Besides, with the perspiration from hands print ink will smear onto skin.

Eat lightly and don’t exert yourself by attempting to cook or warm foods. Now this may seem like a redundancy to some of you, but to others who think there is only one way to fix “meals” and that is to “cook,” this could prove to be an “Ah Ha” moment. (You can always tell the spouse or teen agers, "Barbara says." )

CAUTION: If heat is combined with thunder and lightening, playing in puddles definitely is NOT a way to cool off. This should not be taken lightly or something we assume everyone knows. Children need to be told over and over what not to do, and why, when it is something they want to do.

Keep all chocolate as cool as possible or be prepared to lick fingers constantly while trying to hold it and eat fast.

Part of the preparedness principles in dealing with extreme heat may just be a few reminders, and making sure you have a bucket or bowl big enough to fit feet in

Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.

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Is the Food In Your Pantry an Inheritance for Your Granchildren?

2008-07-21T01:00:00.000-06:00

Food storage or home storage was never meant to be an inheritance for your grandchildren. Now that may come as a shock to some of you. You might be getting a glimmer of thought that I’m going to tell you that you should be planning on eating it – someday. Yes, after all of your scheming and planning of how and where to store it you need to plan to eat it. Now you know you are in trouble.

One of the key words or phrases that one always hears or uses upon entering any store that sells “food storage products” is, “what is the shelf life?” Herein is the magic formula. If you can buy a food that you can hide under the stairs and bed forever you have kept the commandment. Right? Right! Haven’t you heard, “You must have your food-storage? Therefore it only makes sense to want to know what the shelf life is of the magic elixir or wonder grain or deluxe freeze-dried phenomenon. Then you can store it!

Well I’m about to burst another bubble. I’m going to give you some definitions for shelf life. Even though you may have heard the fairy tales of wheat being found in the tombs – it has been suggested that it was taken there by pack rats only a few years before discovery, not several thousand years before. Sorry.

What exactly is shelf life? Even with the excellent methods of treating foods to extend its shelf life, food does not last forever. Proper care and rotation of the food items in your pantry is essential. To have to discard and then repurchase things due to spoilage is to forfeit your original savings and defeats the purpose of preparedness. No food can be stored without eventual deterioration even under the best of circumstance. (Yes, most of us will learn the misery of discovering a can that has burst its seams and leaked on our shelves. Just be grateful if it’s only one.) Proper storage conditions, though, will minimize deterioration, and ward off contamination and insect damage as well as changes in flavor and appearance. Each food has an ideal shelf life, beyond which nutrition , taste and texture slowly but surely decline. For example, canned vegetables have a shelf life of approximately 1-2 years from the time you purchase them at the store. That means that the manufacturer guarantees that your can of green beans will have the same quality, texture and nutrition two years after you buy it that it had the day it came off the conveyor belt at the cannery. The shelf life estimates published by manufacturers, the government and other sources are extremely conservative since they can’t account for the many different conditions under which consumers will store the food. Their figures are based on the time beyond which nutrition cannot be guaranteed. That doesn’t mean that if you eat your can of green beans two years and a day after you buy it that you will die of botulism poisoning or that the beans will have deteriorated beyond recognition. It just means they won’t guarantee that you’ll get 100% of the food value and quality the beans had the day they were canned. You still may, but they won’t guarantee it.

No foods shelf life is indefinite, no matter how it is packaged. The point is not to try to keep food forever. The shelf life of a food does not mean how long you can keep the food on a shelf without having to actually eat it. A better meaning for shelf life in a preparedness context is that you have learned to store your food properly so that it will give you life after it has been on your shelf!

So today I will be really bold and suggest that you replace some of the “storage mindset” with rotate and use or replace and enjoy.
(Check out Preparedness Principles for more details about keeping foods in your pantry.)

Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.

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