Benjamin Franklin

"Here is my creed: I believe in one God, the Creator of the universe. That he governs it by his providence. That he ought to be worshipped. That the most acceptable service we render to him is in doing good to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points in all sound religion."

Shelter: Off-Grid Cooking

Even preppers who buy and store large quantities of pre-prepared food eventually may get tired of eating it at room temperature, and those who grow their own crops and raise animals for meat will need a way to cook what they produce. Properly cooking food is an important way of preventing food-borne illnesses, as this U.S. government food safety web page details. Additionally, as Practical Preppers consultant Scott Hunt notes, being able to enjoy a good-tasting, well-prepared and varied diet is an important factor in maintaining morale in difficult circumstances.

In order to eat well and stay healthy, you’re going to need the means to cook your food. But you’re also going to have to learn to cook without using some of the conveniences to which many of us have become accustomed. Without a utility company hookup, your standard gas-fired or electric oven and range isn’t going to be of much use. And depending upon your electricity-generating abilities, you may have to reconsider your use of appliances such as microwave and toaster ovens. (From Consumer Energy Center, here’s a chart of how much electricity various home appliances use.) Instead, you’ll probably find yourself having to rely more upon renewable sources of heat, such as wood, for your kitchen.

Here are some key points for setting up a sustainable kitchen in your shelter.

Get a Wood Stove: According to Hunt, a wood cook stove probably is your best option for several reasons. If your property is in or near a wooded area, you’ve got a reliable, sustainable source of fuel. According to a 1991Mother Earth News article on the subject, preppers who cook with wood as a heat source may need to learn different culinary techniques. The surface of the stovetop may not become hot enough to fry foods in a skillet, but it’s perfect for simmering and slow cooking, and the oven inside the stove can be used in a fashion similar to an outdoor charcoal grill to cook vegetables or meat. And in addition to providing a means to cook your food, a wood stove also can provide heat for your shelter during the cold months—a typical stove that generates 35,000 BTUs of heat will keep a 2,000 square-foot home warm, Hunt says. (For efficiency, the stove needs to be centrally located in the home, so that the heat radiates throughout.) To get a high quality stove that is versatile enough to be used for baking, broiling and stove-top cooking and also can provide home heat, you’ll probably need to spend upwards of $4,000. Wiseheat.com offers reviews of different brands and styles of wood stoves. Woodheat.org offers this Q&A about wood stove cooking.

Learn About Wood as a Fuel: For your stove to work properly, you need the right wood in the right amount, and you need to prepare it properly for burning and use good fire-building techniques. The Environmental Protection Agency offers this best burn practices page, which covers the key points. Ideally, you want to use hardwoods, and wood should be seasoned outdoors for six months before burning it. You’ll be able to tell, because it will be darker and have more cracks in the grain than freshly cut wood, and will make a hollow sound when you smack it against another piece. Additionally, according to the EPA, you should purchase a moisture meter, a device that allows you to test wood to make sure that the moisture content is less than 20 percent. You also need to regularly remove ashes from your stove to maintain proper airflow.

Propane: If you prefer cooking with gas, a propane-fueled stove is an option—though Hunt cautions that you’ll want to cook outdoors, to prevent the possibility of carbon monoxide buildup, which can kill you. “A large 100 gallon tank hidden in crawl space or basement can supply for months depending on outside temperature,” Hunt explains. You’ll also need equipment to transfer your fuel from the big storage tank to smaller tanks that you can attach to your stove or grill. From the Modern Survival Blog, here’s an article on proper storage of propane.

If You Only Do Three Things:
Get a wood stove. It’ll double for cooking and as a heat source.

Stock up on cooking supplies and equipment. A cast-iron griddle like this one will enable you to cook everything from steaks to pancakes on your wood stove top. Be sure also to stock up on supplies such as aluminum foil and matches.

Be wary of carbon monoxide. Hunt cautions that any sort of open flame—from candles to camp stoves—can cause a fatal buildup of this deadly gas. So never cook over an open flame indoors.

The Dollar Value of a Garden

One of the most self-sufficient steps you can make, is to start a garden and relearn that life saving skill at one time all Americans knew; how to grow your own food. But have you ever wondered if you are really saving any money working away the summer in your garden? I even hear preppers claim that they aren't really saving any money. Society has become so good at avoiding what seems like ‘work’ we can reason our way out of almost anything, can’t we? Even something as beneficial as gardening. So let’s address some of these issues.

At face value, the National Gardening Association (NGA) estimates that the average garden plot of 600 square feet produces an average of $600 worth of produce. But some people would think that’s a fairly conservative figure especially if you take the value of ‘organic’ local produce into account. That figure may be closer to $2000 per 600 feet (Off The Grid News). Now if one uses those numbers; a single acre could theoretically produce nearly $50,000 worth of organic veggies, fruits, and nuts per season (Off the Grid News). How is that figure for you naysayers?! Now that figure isn’t based on 600 square feet producing a couple of tomatoes plants, and some cucumbers or squash you’ll snack on only during the summer, it’s based on that 600 square feet producing absolutely as much as possible and you preserving what it produces - eating that during the winter instead of running to the grocery store every week. Also bare in mind, that when food prices go up so does the value of a home garden.

“Water and irrigation costs money.”

Making use of rain catches, and/or a drip system you can significantly reduce your cost to water the garden. The rain gutters on your home can be run into rain barrels, when the spring rains slow you can then use that water to supplement what you are already using for your garden.

“Good seeds every year are expensive.”

Invest in heirloom seeds; learn the skill of saving seeds and you will have a renewable garden every year, except for specialty items. Hybrid seeds are what is most commonly sold in most stores unless they are marked as otherwise, hybrid seeds are not genetically modified seeds, but they are seeds that resulted from the crossing of two different inbred parent plants. So the resulting offspring may or may not reproduce. Therefore seeds may not grow and if they do, the resulting plants may not be as bountiful as the original parent plants that you enjoyed so much. So while there is no real harm in growing hybrid seeds, you can save heirloom seeds tend to be the better option for cost saving and sustainability. 

“Fertilizer and pesticides cost money too.”

By going organic you avoid chemicals that could be harmful to you and your pets in the long run, and you also lower your costs. Compost – the ‘gardeners gold’ can be made by you for nothing but a little time. A quick search over at the APN forum will provide you with all the information you need to have your own bountiful organic garden. It may take some time get your soil in line but once that is done you will reaping the rewards of a little hard work for years to come.

“My time is worth money too.”

Think of your garden as an investment on the above mentioned garden value. Nothing is free. Rather than spending your time inside on the computer, you could be outside enjoying the weather and getting a little exercise. Instead of running children around to activities that they don’t enjoy as much as they enjoy spending time with you , spend the time outdoors in the garden with them teaching them how care for plants, veggies and ultimately themselves. I don’t think you can put a dollar sign on an entire family learning a survival skill and spending time together. To me, that, is money well spent.

“Then I will have to spend money on all the stuff I need to preserve the food.”

You can find most of the equipment you need to freeze, dry, and can your own food at fairly affordable prices in thrift stores, on Craigslist, and at yard sales. Most of this equipment is reusable; there is no reason to buy new if you don't want to. Again, this will be an investment, every year you grow a garden and put away food that equipment will pay for itself.

When its all said and done, growing a garden and storing the food you produce is one of the best things you can do to bring your monthly food bill down, and to protect yourself from possible future food shortages. Don’t just store food away for emergencies, use it everyday. In the winter eat your home canned veggies instead of buying them at the store. Some experts say that the average gardener can cut their monthly grocery bill by more than half by making wise use of their garden produce.

During World War II, it’s estimated that over 20 million Americans planted Victory Gardens due to a massive effort to take the pressure off the food industry so they could produce cheaper food for military personnel overseas. Victory Gardens provided about almost as much vegetables produced during that time as the food industry during normal production. Gardeners who didn’t have room for their own garden made use of vacant lots, building rooftops, balconies and public spaces. Today, gardeners are starting to do the same again discouraged by skyrocketing food prices, tasteless pesticide laden food, and genetic modification.

Learning how to garden is easy once you make the decision to do it. Contact your local extension office and garden clubs for classes and free information on how to grow a garden in your area.

Click Here to See a Survival Seed Kit - having a back up seed kit stored is the next best thing to having your own garden now. While it's always important to learn how to garden first, a survival seed kit is there if you need it.

Water: Purification Methods

When Lewis and Clark explored the nation’s vast interior in the early 1800s, they actually obtained some of their drinking water directly from the Missouri River. Amazingly, they didn’t do anything to purify it, other than probably leave it sit in barrels so that the silt would drift to the bottom. Today, of course, if you did that, you’d become extremely ill; after a hard rain, the river is filled with all sorts of pollution, including poorly treated sewage overflow from waste water treatment plants. The upshot, for preppers, is that you have to get used to the idea that we no longer live in a pristine world, and even if civilization collapses, it’s not going to revert immediately to its unspoiled state. Thus, whether you resupply from a stream or from rainwater, it’s not safe to drink that water without treating it to remove harmful substances and pathogens that can make you extremely ill.

Fortunately, according to Practical Preppers’ Scott Hunt, water purification is something that preppers can easily accomplish, thanks to a multitude of technologies that are available, ranging from the old standby of boiling water, to ceramic filters and ultraviolet light. As prepper author James Wesley Rawles notes, various purification methods may remove one sort of contaminant or pathogen, but let others slip through. Treating water with chlorine will kill bacteria, but not all viruses, for example, and no filter system is 100 percent effective at removing herbicides and pesticides that may contaminate an open body of water. So if you filter water, you’d be smart to use distillation, ultraviolet sterilization, and/or chemicals as an additional precaution. One how-to manual that gives a detailed rundown on pathogens, contaminants and various methods of water purification is the Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family, by Arthur T. Bradley and several co-authors.

Here are some tips on how to make sure that the water you collect is fit for drinking and other uses.

• Know Your Water. Hunt recommends testing the water source in advance to determine what sort of microorganisms or contaminants it might contain, so that a prepper can have the right filters to deal with each problem.

• Master the Easy, Basic Techniques for Killing Bacteria.  Boiling is one of the safest and most effective methods of treating water, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In  a large pot or kettle, bring water to a boil—you’ll notice the bubbling and steam streaming out out the vessel—and keep it there for one minute. (Keep in mind that some of your supply will evaporate, so don’t let it boil too long.) Then let the water cool to a temperature that’s comfortable for drinking. Boiled water will taste better if you re-oxygenate it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. Another way to kill loathsome critters in your water is to treat it with bleach. Use a regular, unscented variety that contains 5.25 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite, and buy a lot of small bottles, because bleach’s potency diminishes after it’s opened. To treat water, add 16 drops (1/8 of a teaspoon) to a gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. Hunt notes that  ceramic filters provide good protection against bacteria, and they don’t require any energy expenditure—just gravity. “You just dump the water in the top, and it filters down,” Hunt explains. “The bacteria can’t get through the top.

• Use Distillation to Get Rid of Really Nasty Stuff.  Distilling water will remove microorganisms that somehow survive bleach, boiling, and other methods. In addition, it will remove heavy metals, salts, and other chemical pollutants that can harm your health. Basically, the process involves boiling water so that it leaves behind all the stuff that has contaminated it, and then collecting the vapor and allowing it to condense back into liquid water. You can create a simple distilling apparatus simply by suspending a cup by attaching it to the inside of a large pot’s lid, and then putting a layer of water in the bottom of pot and boiling it for 20 minutes. As the pot cools afterward, the water that drips down into the cup is purified. If you’re concerned about using up fuel, it’s also possible to build a solar energy-powered distiller. Here are some simple instructions on that from a prepper blogger.

• Get an Ultraviolet Light.  Large water treatment facilities have used ultraviolet radiation to kill pathogens for years, but small portable units for use in the home or out in the wild have only recently become available. Basically, an ultraviolet purifying unit is a bottle with a small light source that’s inserted into the water. After 30 to 80 seconds, the radiation kills most microbes. Ultraviolet treatment won’t remove impurities such as dirt, metals or chemicals from the water, however, so you’ll have to combine it with another method to get really clean water.

If You Only Do Three Things:

• Get a Basic Ceramic Filter.  This is the lazy man’s way to get rid of bacteria, but Hunt says it’s pretty effective.
• Stock Up on Bleach. It’s great for killing microorganisms that can may you really sick.
• Boiling Water is a Really Easy, Quick Method of Purification.  You can bring a pot or kettle of water to a boil and keep it rolling for a minute, let it cool, and you’re pretty safe from bacteria.

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith taught: "We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment: he must have been instructed in the government and laws of that kingdom by proper degrees, until his mind is capable in some measure of comprehending the propriety, justice, equality, and consistency of the same." (TPJS, p.51, emphasis added.)

Elsewhere he taught: "A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God." (Id.,p.217.)

He also taught: "if you do right, there is no danger of your going too fast. He said he did not care how fast we run in the path of virtue: resist evil, and there is no danger; God, men, and angels will not condemn those that resist everything that is evil, and devils cannot; as well might the devil seek to dethrone Jehovah, as overthrow an innocent soul that resists everything which is evil." (Id., p.226, emphasis added.)

Oklahoma Tornado Advice

 We just went through the Oklahoma Tornado and learned a few things, some which were surprising:

(1) Storing all of your preparations at home may not be a good idea. Police prevented homeowners from returning to their homes EVEN IF they could prove that they were residents.

(2) Don't depend on phones or cell phones. We have all become comfortable with cell phones and being able to call whomever we want whenever we want. Cell phone towers went down, and what little coverage was available was reserved for emergency responders.

(3) Have a family "evacuation and meet" plan. Our family was spread out across 20 miles.

(4) Use real keys, not garage door openers. My SIL was stranded OUTSIDE of his home because he uses his garage door opener instead of a key. If you can't carry a key, at least hide one somewhere safe in your yard.

(5) Have some preps in your car, particularly clothing. Daughter and SIL were both away from home and could not even pick up a change of clothing.

(6) Make sure you have phone numbers memorized, and that there is someone in another area with a LAND LINE that everyone can contact to relay and receive information.


(7) Be prepared to invite extras into your home. Glad we haven't down-sized yet - plenty of room to accommodate extra bodies for as long as necessary.

Space-Saving and Effective Sub-Irrigated Planters

Earlier in the Spring a friend of mine suggested I try out Sub-Irrigated Planters, also known as “SIPS” or sometimes “Self-Irrigating Planters.”  These types of planters can be purchased or improvised, and employ a reservoir of water that allows the plants to wick the proper amount as they grow.  My SIPS are mostly constructed from materials I had around the house or purchased from The Dollar Store, while many other effective designs can be found online.  I am amazed at how the plants thrive in these planters, and at how little space they require.

This Plant Spa was purchased at The Dollar Store for less than $5 as part of my experiment.  Please note the reservoir opening at the bottom.



I improvised two large SIPS by using standard hole-in-the-bottom planters.  The reservoir is made from a plastic colander and an inexpensive plastic dish tub (see below.)  The colander and tub prevent over-watering and root-rot by allowing excess water to overflow out of the planter.  The colander also allows for aeration as the plants “wick” the required moisture.




Lastly, I improvised a “colander” out of a juice bottle so that I could turn an ordinary clay planter in to a small SIP.  A hack saw was used to saw the bottle in half.



Next I used the awl of my Swiss Army knife to punch holes in the plastic, giving it the look of a colander.



The clay SIP ended up looking like this:




I stirred a dash of lime into my fertilized potting mix, then added tomato and pepper plants.  During the first week, I watered the plants from the top, ensuring that the reservoir below was always full.  Since then I only add water to the reservoir as the plants are clearly wicking the perfect amount.



After six weeks of growth, I am thrilled with the size of my plants!



My design was inspired by Jim Annerton’s detailed PDF, which can be downloaded here.  I am so thrilled with the results that I cannot wait to try more SIP designs next year!

Go Ahead and Buy Extra of These Foods

Sugar
Regardless of whether your sugar is white, brown or powdered, it will never spoil because it doesn't support bacterial growth. The challenge with sugar is to keep it from hardening into chunks. To keep sugar fresh, store it in an airtight container or seal it in a plastic bag. If your brown sugar is more like a brown rock, you can revive it with just a minute in the microwave on low heat. Or by throwing a piece of bread in the bag with it. The next time you grab it - it will be good as new. Brown sugar costs a bit extra so if you want to skip it you can add a little molasses to your white sugar (one cup of sugar to one TBS of molasses) and make your own brown sugar. As you may know molasses is the by-product from making sugar white crystals so you are just adding that back in. Sugar can also be combined with iodine to make "Sugardine" - a homemade antiseptic commonly used on horses and livestock for abscesses and thrush but theoretically could also be used on people. The theory being that sugar doesn't support bacterial growth and neither does iodine - combine the two you have an antiseptic paste that lasts forever.

Molasses
And yes, I would add Molasses to the list of Foods that will out last you. GO FOR IT. Its good for you as it contains

minerals like iron and magnesium. Its appealing to livestock and good for them too. Its a nice flavoring in recipes - you can't really go wrong with it, and its not going to go bad on you. if you see molasses on sale grab a bunch of it! If you see some that says "sulfured" that just means that it was the by-product of immature sugar cane plants and they added a little bit of sulfur dioxide to it as a preservative - its perfectly safe. "Unsulfured" molasses doesn't need a preservative. Molasses can also be added to garden soil in small amounts to promote "good bacteria".

Blackstrap Molasses is made from the third and final boiling of sugar cane to get sugar crystals and is the least sweet and most bitter but contains the highest amount of minerals and vitamins - you can usually find it at health food stores. It's this form of molasses that is usually used in "sweet feeds" for livestock. It's also is used to make rum and ethanol alcohol (a fuel you that can be used for cooking or light or,.... if you have "kahunas" you can drink ethanol - the 190 proof Everclear is an example of ethanol alcohol).

Pure vanilla extract

If you have real vanilla extract in the back of the cupboard, there's no need to throw it out because it lasts forever. It may be more expensive than its imitation counterpart, but its shelf life certainly outweighs the extra cost. Keep that vanilla flavor at its best by sealing the bottle after each use and storing it in a cool, dark place. Vanilla is really affordable right now, and it's also easy to make yourself but if that's not your thing try Sam's Club or Costco for nice bulk prices. Same goes for all the other extracts. Click here to see how to make homemade extracts.

Rice
White, wild, jasmine, arborio and basmati rice all keep forever so there's no need to throw them out. Brown rice is the one exception because it has a higher oil content so store it in the refrigerator or freeze it to maximize its shelf life.

Once you've opened a bag or box of rice, move it to an airtight container or resealable freezer bag to keep it fresh. Rice is wonderful, it is a perfect emergency food to keep on hand, its still cheap right now you can pick up 25 lbs at Cash and Carry or Costco for around $10.95. It's an expander - it makes a bigger meal out of everything you put it in and you can even pop it like corn or make dessert with it. Most white rice is enriched with B vitamins in the US - so even if you have a diet rich in white rice you are not at risk for any deficiencies. Rice is a source of protein but it is not a complete protein so you should always be pairing it up with nuts, meat, fish and other sources of protein.

Corn starch

You can thicken gravies and sauces for years with just one box of corn starch because it keeps indefinitely. Store this kitchen staple in a cool, dry area and be sure to reseal it tightly after each use. Sealing it well keeps critters out of it too. Any flour or starch you choose to buy extra of and store should be stuck in your freezer for a minimum of 3 days to kill any insect eggs that are most likely hiding inside (gross - but its legal because the eggs don't hurt you any, they are just annoying when they hatch and eat your food. Personally I take them out of the freezer and then in 24 hours stick them back in for another 3 days). Corn starch can be added to gluten free flours to help make gluten free bread, as a powder to sooth irritated skin, as a paste to help draw out the pain of a sting or bite, and as a binder in many crafts. It's also used make the white markings on a horse sparkle and is the grooming secret of many professional riders.

Honey
Whether you use it in your tea, on your toast or as an alternative sweetener, that jar of pure honey is good forever.

It may get grainy or change color, but it's still safe to eat — and delicious — because its antibiotic and anti-viral properties keep it from spoiling. You can help keep it fresh by storing it in a cool area, and you can improve the quality of crystallized honey by placing the jar in warm water and stirring it until the grainy parts dissolve. Honey will only have those "antibacterial and anti-viral" properties that are so useful for when we are sick, if it is "raw" honey and has not been pasteurized. Raw honey should not be fed to children under the age of 2. Honey does NOT require stirring to de-crystalize just let it sit there - it will happen on its own, if the water cools and the honey is still hard - warm the water back up again and repeat until clear and liquid. You can also stick a honey jar in an oven over night with the oven light on - and in the morning your honey will be good as new. This low heat will not ruin your raw honey, but high heat will as it will pasteurize it.

Hard liquor

Keep the bottles tightly closed and store them in a cool area away from direct heat or sunlight. High proof booze can be used to disinfect wounds or surgical tools, add flavor to recipes, vodka can fluff up pie crusts, and can be used as house hold cleaner. Ethanol alcohol, such as the 190 proof Everclear is also fuel you that can be used for cooking in alcohol stoves (these can be homemade and pop can and a soup can). And historically booze has ALWAYS been an item of barter.

Salt
The contents of your salt shaker will never spoil, regardless of whether it's basic table salt or sea salt. Simply store it in a cool, dry place and salt will keep indefinitely. 

With water, salt and sugar you also have homemade gatorade to administer in conditions of high heat, fever, or dehydration (6 tsp sugar, 1 to 1/2 tsp salt to one liter of water).

Twice daily salt water rinses are helpful to for sores in the mouth, bitten tongues, and tooth aches. Saline rinse for the eyes can remove debris and other irritants. Iodine deficiency commonly leads to thyroid gland problems, is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation, specifically endemic goiter, a disease characterized by a swelling of the thyroid gland, usually resulting in a bulbous protrusion on the neck. Iodized table salt has significantly reduced these disorders of iodine deficiency in countries where it is used. That being said *today* the average person gets more than enough iodine in their diet so iodized salt is not required in a healthy diet - however if you are storing salt for emergencies (5 lbs per person in your family is the MINIMUM recommendation) iodized salt is a GOOD thing.

Syrup
If you come across a years-old bottle of corn syrup in your pantry, don't throw it out. This sweetener keeps indefinitely as long as you keep it sealed and store it in a cool, dry area. You can also make your own.

What good are pancakes or waffles without maple syrup? Luckily, this flavorful syrup will never spoil if you refrigerate it or freeze it. For long-term storage, seal it in an airtight plastic container and freeze it. Even if Maple

Syrup does crystalize, as I have never heard of it "spoiling" - you can heat it back up to a liquid form much like honey so I would forgo freezing. If you are looking to make your own, you will need several mature sugar maple trees but you can also make syrup from other maple trees - sugar maples have the highest concentration of sugar which is why they are used, but if you had to you could boil almost any sap down to make syrup - its just going to take ALOT longer and you're going to need alot more sap. Let me put it this way, for sugar maples you need 20-50 liters of sap to make ONE. Liter. Of syrup. And you'll have to boil it for a couple of days. That's why other trees usually aren't mentioned. Grade B is the premium grade of maple syrup and also indicates a darker color and richer flavor than grade A.

Same goes for Agave Syrup. Which has a lower glycemic index than corn, maple, or sugar and it a good choice for those keeping tabs on their sugar. Plus Tequila is made out of it, so how bad can it really be?

Distilled White vinegar
This wonder product can be used for everything, from making marinades and salad dressings to cleaning house and doing laundry. But the best thing about distilled white vinegar is that it lasts for years. Simply close it tightly after each use and store the bottle in a cool, dark place. If you use vinegar for canning like I do you may want to have as much of it as you can. My household cleanser recipe is one part water, one part vinegar, with a good dose of lemon juice thrown in for scent and extra cleaning power.

Baking Soda
Baking Soda is pure "sodium bicarbonate", it is primarily used in cooking (baking), as a leavening agent. It contains NO aluminum. Baking soda is one of the most useful things you can stock up on and it will last forever as long as it is sealed properly and stored in a cool dry place, preferable vacuum sealed and doesn't come in contact with anything acidic or damp.

The uses of it are too many to list. It is a miracle in the absence of yeast. It can be used with cream of tartar and corn starch *to make Baking Powder* (1 tsp. baking powder = 1/4 tsp. baking soda + 1/2 tsp. cream tartar + 1/4 tsp. cornstarch) and when you make it yourself there is no aluminum in it. In most brands of commercial Baking Powder there is aluminum, which as been linked to Alzheimer's disease and other disorders. Baking powder only lasts a year two - so when we last ran out, I switched to making my own and I am actually more happy with the homemade stuff.

Baking soda can be used as a household cleanser with scrubbing power, bubble power, and odor absorption power. It can also be used in first aid as paste to draw the pain out of bites, stings, to sooth itching. It can be used in baths to soften and sooth skin. It can be taken orally to ease heartburn, used as a mouth rinse, made into a paste with hydrogen peroxide to use as a tooth paste, and it can be used as a first line treatment for burns.

Baking soda is also a proven weapon against grease fires and it can balance the water in your pool - just go ahead and fill up a shed with the stuff, its amazing!

Other Items that Store Well

-Macaroni Noodles (dry canned in a mylar package)
-Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (dry canned in a mylar package for storage)
-Wheat Berries (dry canned in a mylar package)
-Dried Beans (dry canned in a mylar package)
-Dried Corn (dry canned in a mylar package)
-Popcorn Seeds (dry canned in a mylar package)
-Mustard (in a cool dark place)
-Super Dehydrated fruits and vegetable (dry canned)

EU PROPOSES NOW CONTROLLING…SEEDS?!

The European Commission proposed legislation that would restrict plantings for professionals to a specific list of approved seeds.

Backlash over the proposed regulation from growing groups resulted in some concessions but they worry the law is still bad.

The commission believes the package simplifies current legislation in the interest of protecting public health and the economy, but growing groups say it is an infringement that could lead to more expenses and less biodiversity.

The European Commission is proposing legislation that would have the government regulate what can be planted to its “tested, approved and accepted” list of seeds. Some worry the legislation, in addition to being over-regulation by the government, would lead to less biodiversity and that it could set a precedent that could someday criminalize the average gardener planting so-called banned seeds.

According to the European Commission, the Plant Reproductive Material Law seeks to update existing legislation by cutting down 70 pieces of law to five and reducing “the red-tape on processes and procedures for farmers, breeders and food business operators (producers, processors and distributors) to make it easier for them to carry out their profession,” the press release stated.

Th commission believes its package modernizes and simplifies rules “guiding the operation of the food chain” in the best interest of protecting health.

“The package responds to the call for better simplification of legislation and smarter regulation thus reducing administrative burden for operators and simplifying the regulatory environment. Special consideration is given to the impact of this legislation on SMEs and micro enterprises which are exempted from the most costly and burdensome elements in the legislation,” the press release stated.

As TechDirt pointed out, the intent to ensure plants grown in the EU are safe and that if any problems occur they can be traced back to the offending source is commendable, but growing organizations have expressed concerns that the legislation would ultimately add up to “forbidden seeds.”

The Soil Association in its press release regarding the proposed legislation stated it would have a “disastrous effect” on the availability of rare plant varieties and those used by farmers.

“This will not only affect farmers and growers in the short term by outlawing exchange of seed not currently commercially available, but in the long term will erode the diversity of species that even the large seed companies, who are driving the proposal, need to provide their future varieties,” the Soil Association stated.

Ben Raskin, head of horticulture for the association, explained that access to diverse varieties is important for adaptation to local environments and changing climate conditions.

“The proposed regulation will require every seed to be registered and an annual license to be paid for each variety,” Raskin said in a statement. “Under this law it won’t be possible to register old and new niche varieties and populations (e.g. conservation and amateur varieties, landraces and farmers’ selections) based only on an officially recognized description (ORD), without official registration and certification, as is currently practiced. If this regulation is passed, not only will we lose a huge number of plant varieties , we will lose the amazing diversity of appearance, taste, and potential benefits such as disease resistance and nutritional content.”

Raskin worried that while some have assured the proposed legislation would only apply to farmers that the text suggests every gardener could be subject to it as well.

An online petition organized through AVAAZ.org stated that the list of approved seeds is “60% dominated by big corporations like Monsanto, AstraZeneca, Bayer and others” (emphasis added):

The pros list are basically only hybrids – which means that you can not take next year’s seed from his crop. Furthermore, it not only be forbidden to sell other seeds than those already mentioned, but also to grow. “File sharing” in the area of seeds will become a criminal act. This means that people be even less able to influence what you eat, when you can not even decide what to grow. It also means that the varieties that are historically interesting will disappear, even varieties that can withstand our climate, because the market is too small for the majors to be interesting. This means that poor people who live off what they grow is referred to in the seedtrades discretion in terms of pricing, which can be costly where there are few players.

As of Wednesday morning nearly 43,000 people had signed the petition saying they don’t accept the proposed legislation and want the EU to let them “keep our seeds.”

Due to concerns being voiced, the proposed regulation was amended somewhat, but the Food Policy for Thought blog states that the EU is still ”trying to find a balance on where producer protection stops and regulatory oversight is necessary.”

As for whether the amendments adequately accounted for concerns, Food Policy for Thought wrote that when it comes to those “demanded by civil society” — that regulation not require registration of plants without intellectual property rights associated with them — it didn’t go quite that far.

Still, the amended draft “already looks much better than what was discussed previously.”

The Real Seed Catalog in the UK too wrote that the law is “still bad,” it is “much less bad” at this point. Real Seed Catalog broke down some of the concessions made:

Home gardeners are now permitted to save and swap unapproved seed without breaking the law. Individuals & small organizations can grow and supply/sell unapproved vegetable seed - as long as they have less than 10 employees.

Seedbanks can grow unapproved seed without breaking the law.

There could be easier (in an unspecified way) rules for large producers of seeds suitable for organic agriculture etc, in some (unspecified) future legislation – maybe.

Ultimately, Real Seed Catalog director Ben Gabel said there wasn’t a need for any new regulation on this front.

“We already had very strong consumer-protection laws that cover all this – seeds must be fit for the purpose sold, match their description, and perform as advertised. The old seed laws already covered health, traceability and safety. Anyone who produces seed is already inspected and certified by the Secretary of State,” he said in a statement.

“This is an instance of bureaucracy out of control. All this new law does is create a whole new raft of EU civil servants being paid to move mountains of papers round all day, while interfering with the right of people to grow what they want, and charging fees for the use of plants that were domesticated and bred by the public over thousands of years of small-scale agriculture,” Gamble said.

The commission’s proposal will now be considered by other EU institutions and could be implemented by 2016 if adopted.

Lay Up in Store - Keith B. McMullin - April 2007 General Conference

It is given unto many to know the mysteries...Alma 12:9-11

It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.

And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.

And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries:

Alma 12:9-11

Is Insurance Part of Your Preparedness Plan?

Many articles and plans for preparedness talk about fire starting, water, shelter, and food storage.  Those are very good topics that should be learned as part of our survival skills, but what about insurance?  When spending the money that we all do in being prepared doesn't it seem wise to invest in protecting it?

With the economy the way it is right now, the thought of the added expense of more insurance plans makes me cringe.  However, imagining what life for my children and I would be like if we lost my husband is even harder to imagine.  His check pays the mortgage, the car payment, utilities, all of our health/medical insurance and not to mention clothes, food, and basic day-to-day needs.  If something were to happen to him, *life as we know it* would end.  This thought sets us on a journey into the world of financial preparedness.

Wikipedia describes a financial plan as;

In general usage, a financial plan is a series of steps or goals used by an individual or business, the progressive and cumulative attainment of which are designed to accomplish a financial goal or set of circumstances, e.g. elimination of debt, retirement preparedness, etc. This often includes a budget which organizes an individual's finances and sometimes includes a series of steps or specific goals for spending and saving future income. This plan allocates future income to various types of expenses, such as rent or utilities, and also reserves some income for short-term and long-term savings. A financial plan is sometimes referred to as an investment plan, but in personal finance a financial plan can focus on other specific areas such as risk management, estates, college, or retirement.

A successful financial plan and monthly budget will allow you to see where costs can be trimmed to set aside money for the type of insurance you need to protect your family.

Different types of insurance your family can consider are;

• Life Insurance: Life insurance is a contract between an insured (insurance policy holder) and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money (the "benefits") upon the death of the insured person.  Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger payment.  The policy holder typically pays a premium, either regularly or as a lump sum.  Other expenses (such as funeral expenses) are also sometimes included in the benefits.
  The advantage for the policy owner is "peace of mind", in knowing that the death of the insured person will not result in financial hardship for loved ones and lenders.  It is possible for life insurance policy payouts to be made in order to help supplement retirement benefits; however, it should be carefully considered throughout the design and funding of the policy itself. ~ Source
• Health Insurance:  A recent Harvard study noted that statistically, "your family is just one serious illness away from bankruptcy."  They also concluded that, "62% of all personal bankruptcies in the U.S. in 2007 were caused by health problems and 78% of those filers had medical insurance at the start of their illness."
  Those numbers alone should urge you to obtain health insurance, or increase your current coverage.  The key to finding adequate coverage is shopping around.  While the best option and the least expensive is participating in your employer's insurance program, many smaller businesses do not offer this benefit.
  Finding affordable health insurance is difficult, particularly without an employer-sponsored programor if you have a pre-existing condition. According to the Kaiser/HRET survey, the average premium cost to the employee in an employer sponsored health care program was around $4,100.  With rising co-payments, yearly deductibles and dropped coverage's, health insurance has become a luxury less and less can afford, yet even a minimal policy is better than having no coverage.  The cost for a day in the hospital can range from $985 to $2,696.  Even if you have minimal coverage, it can provide some monetary benefit for your hospital stay. ~ Source

• Auto Insurance:  There were over 10-million traffic accidents in the U.S. in 2009 and 33,808 people died in motor vehicle crashes in those accidents, according to data released by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).  The number one cause of death for American's between the ages of 5 and 34 were auto accidents.  Over 2.3 million drivers and passengers received treatment in emergency rooms in 2009, and the costs of those accidents including deaths and disabling injuries was around $70 billion.
  While all states do not require drivers to have auto insurance, most do have requirements regarding financial responsibility in the event of an accident.  Many states do periodic random checks of drivers for proof of insurance.  If you do not have coverage, the fines can vary by state and can range from the suspension of your license, to points on your driving record, to fines from $500 to $1,000.
  If you drive without auto insurance and have an accident, the fines will probably be the least of your financial burden.  Your car, like your home is a valuable asset you use every day.  If your car is damaged in an accident and you have no auto insurance, you will have no way to replace that vehicle unless you have a large savings account, and you don't really want to tap into that savings when auto insurance could cover the cost.
  If you, a passenger or the other driver is injured in the accident, your auto insurance will pay those expenses, and help guard you against any litigation that might result from the accident. Auto insurance also protects your vehicle against theft, vandalism or a natural disaster such as a tornado or other weather related incidents.
  Again, as with all insurances, your individual circumstances will determine the price of your auto insurance.  The best advice is to seek out several rate quotes, read the coverage provided carefully and check periodically to see if you qualify for lower rates based on age, driving record or the area where you live. ~ Source

• Long-Term Disability Coverage:  This is the one insurance most us think we will never need, as none of us assumes we will become disabled.  Yet, statistics from the Social Security Administrationshow that three in 10 workers entering the workforce will become disabled, and will be unable to work before they reach the age of retirement. Of the population, 12% are currently disabled in some form, and nearly 50% of those workers are in their working years. ~ Source

• Renters Insurance:  An insurance policy which provides most of the benefits of homeowners insurance, with one notable exception.  Renters Insurance does not include coverage for the dwelling, or structure, with the exception of small alterations a tenant may make to the structure.  This way the tenant has liability insurance and the tenant's personal property is covered against named perils such as fire, theft, and vandalism.  The owner of the building is responsible for insuring it, but bears no responsibility to the tenant's belongings. ~ Source

These are a few of the more common insurance types that you can research and consider investing in.  Always check with your employer first and see what types of insurance they offer.  Only you can decide what type and how much insurance is right for you and your family  While insurance can be costly and require sacrifice of some of life's daily pleasures, the bottom line is that without it, you (or your family) could be financially ruined if you have a bad car accident, become disabled, lose your job or have a house fire.  You could also leave your family in a world of hurt if you do not take responsibility now and purchase life insurance.

There are many different options out there to pick from and many plans that are affordable.  Why not make sure you and your family are covered financially in the event of a disaster?  It is definitely something that we, as preppers, should consider a top priority in our plans.