Hi Carson Ward Family,
Congratulations Donna Janet! Donna won our February FREE Monthly Drawing. She won an Emergency Tri-fold Shovel and a Combination Hatchet, Crowbar and hammer for her 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag.
February is almost over, and Spring is just almost upon us! I love Spring! Everything is new, flowers, plants and trees are blooming, birds are singing and teach their young to fly, and the air is fresh and cool. March is gardening month! Time to get out the shovels and dig up a space for your vegetable garden and/or purchase containers for a container vegetable garden, add vegetable fertilizer, purchase vegetable plants and seeds and plant your garden. Remember, your vegetable garden needs at least 8 hours of sun a day. This month's Ensign (March 2011 issue) has a fabulous article about gardening, "Seeds of Self-Reliance", page 61. For those of you who do not get the Ensign see below how to access the article online. Remember, if you need help planning and planting your vegetable garden please ask me and I would love to help you. If you need help digging up an area for your vegetable garden, I am sure the Young Men and/or Priesthood would love to help you. Someday ,the only way to get vegetables may be to grown them ourselves, why not start now so you will know how when the time comes, it will be the only way to get produce. In the Summer we will have classes on how to freeze and can what we have grown. Let's all find some way to be Self-Reliant!
Quote:
"The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the Ark was to the people in the days of Noah." President Ezra Taft Benson
"We will see the day when we live on what we produce." President Marion G. Romney
""Let us be in a position so we are able to not only feed ourselves through home production and storage, but others as well." (President Ezra Taft Benson, October 1980 Conference talk or Ensign, November 1980, page 34)
Weekly Assignment:
72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
Please add the following:
1) compass (You will need this if you are away from home to help you know your direction with your street maps. You can purchase these at most camping supply stores, survival stores, department stores in their camping/sports section. If you have the 5-in-1 Survival Whistle form emergencyessentials.com it has a compass included (should be in your individual stressor kit in your 72 Hour Personal Emergency Bag), $2.95, on sale for February $.99 plus $6 shipping. Great to add some other items on the list from Emergency Essentials to off-set the shipping price.)
2) sun block (one tube or bottle, you may be out in the sun, you do not want your family to get sun burnt)
3) insect repellent (one tube, bottle or can, you may be outside in the evenings, you do not want mosquito bits or other insect bites.
4) pocket knife (you can purchase this at camping/sport goods stores, survival stores, department stores)
This finishes up our 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag except one item that will be up to you if you want to include it.
Each family should have one good set of Walkie Talkies. Why? You never know when you might become separated or have to separate. This way you can communicate with each other (adults) as far as the Walkie Talkies will work. Make sure you keep extra batteries with them. You have a choice if you want to keep them in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack or one in each of the two adult 72 Hour Emergency Individual Backpacks. When our daughter and her family moved to Missouri they were driving two cars. Sometimes cell phones did not work in some areas, but the Walkie Talkies did, it allowing them to communicate with each other. You never know when you might have to take two cars to evacuate or one needs to leave to check on other family members or ward members. Cell phones will probably not work if there is a major disaster, texting will probably work if you have texting on your phone.
Weekly Challenge:
Planting a Vegetable Garden:
"Seeds of Self-Reliance" by Allie Schutle--such a great article about how important it is, and that anyone can grow a vegetable garden, even a small one. I tried to cut and paste the article here but was not able too. If you do not get the Ensign, to read the article in this month's March 2011 Ensign, "Seeds of Self-Reliance", go to lds.org, click on Ensign, March 2011, scroll down through the table of contents and click on the article or go to "Seeds of Self-Reliance by Allie Schutle" on Google (2nd item listed).
This week's Challenge:
Continue to work on getting your vegetable garden area prepared for planting or purchasing containers. Do not put the vegetable fertilizer in until you are ready to plant. The article above has great ideas. We should start planting the middle of March. Plan out what you want to plant. Involve the whole family, children love planting and what them grow. Only plant what your family will eat!
Plants I buy: tomatoes: bell peppers, onion bulbs (green and brown/yellow ones), lettuce, celery, cantaloupe, cucumbers, and broccoli.
Seeds I buy: zucchini, pumpkin (they take a lot of room), cantaloupe, cucumber, carrots, peas, corn, beans (all types), green onions.
Next week I will share with you some great tips on planting the vegetable plants and seeds to have a successful vegetable garden.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Weekly Challenge and Assingment (Week of February 20th)
Hi Carson Ward Family,
Quote:
"Remember the counsel that is given," "...Store up all your grain, and take care of it." "...And I tell you it is almost as necessary to have bread to sustain the body as it is to have food for the spirit; for the one is as necessary as the other to enable us to carry on the work of God upon the earth." Elder Orson Hyde (Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 17)
Several years our daughter Penny and her young family were living in Atascadero, Central California. There was a huge fire in the area and they were told to evacuate. They had 15 minutes to gather their small family, the cat and as many of their personal belongs they could kit into their car. She called us panicked with what they should take. I told her to take all their important documents (which were in different places in the apartment, any computer disks they had important information on, family photos, journals, her wedding dress, things for the girls (clothes, diaper, etc) and other important things they would like to save. They quickly gathered things together, put the 2 small girls in one car with our son-in-law driving, the cat in the other car with Penny driving, and left. They could not communicate with each other, they drove through heavy traffic with others evacuating, through thick smoke making it difficult to see with fire all around them, and down through the mountain pass towards Moral Bay along the coast. After a very frightening experience they made it to the Moral Bay coast. Thankfully, they were alright and together. Thankfully, the fire never reached their apartment and they were able to go home after a few days. Why am I sharing this story with you?
This is why I encourage each family member to have a 72 Hour Emergency Personal Kit for each family member and a 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack. You never know when you might have to evacuate your home, with only a few minutes to do so. You also need to keep family photos, important papers, family heirlooms, etc together or easily to access in a few minutes. The event would still be frightful and stressful, but not as much if you had these things in order. "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."
Weekly Assignment:
72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
Please add the following:
1) hatchet (emergencyessentials.com has one with a hatchet, crowbar, and hammer for $4.95. Be careful when putting this in your Family Pack, it is very sharp, wrap a wash cloth around the blade for protection.)
2) small tool kit (flat head and Phillip's screw drivers, pliers and wrench. Put them in a large zip lock bag wrapped with a wash cloth around the points. The 99 Cent Store, garage sales, and swap meets may be a good place to purchase these items for a small amount of money if you do not have extra ones at home to put in your Family Pack.)
You should have the following items in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
1) duffel bag to put the items in
2) first aid-kit with a First-aid book
3) portable radio or solar radio with extra batteries
4) hand can opener if you have cans that will need opening
5) large waterproof tarp
6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord
7) roll of masking tape
8) heat cell fuel
9) flat fuel folding stove
10) water proof matches
11) 2 Mess kits (if more than 1-2 people in your family)
12) street map of local areas
13) utility knife with multi-functions
14) wet stone to sharpen your knife & hatchet
15) small sewing kit
16) fold up shovel
17) small hand mirror for signally
18) emergency flares and candles
19) hatchet
20) small tool kit (flat head and Phillip's screw drivers, pliers, wrench)
Weekly Challenge:
Continue to work on setting up your vegetable garden or contain vegetable garden. Even if it is a small herb garden in small Tera Cotta pots you can set on your window sill. We will start planting around the middle of March. See last weeks Challenge for instructions.
Remember: Post your name and comment (if you wish) at the end of this posting for our Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing to be held next Sunday, February 27th.
Quote:
"Remember the counsel that is given," "...Store up all your grain, and take care of it." "...And I tell you it is almost as necessary to have bread to sustain the body as it is to have food for the spirit; for the one is as necessary as the other to enable us to carry on the work of God upon the earth." Elder Orson Hyde (Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 17)
Several years our daughter Penny and her young family were living in Atascadero, Central California. There was a huge fire in the area and they were told to evacuate. They had 15 minutes to gather their small family, the cat and as many of their personal belongs they could kit into their car. She called us panicked with what they should take. I told her to take all their important documents (which were in different places in the apartment, any computer disks they had important information on, family photos, journals, her wedding dress, things for the girls (clothes, diaper, etc) and other important things they would like to save. They quickly gathered things together, put the 2 small girls in one car with our son-in-law driving, the cat in the other car with Penny driving, and left. They could not communicate with each other, they drove through heavy traffic with others evacuating, through thick smoke making it difficult to see with fire all around them, and down through the mountain pass towards Moral Bay along the coast. After a very frightening experience they made it to the Moral Bay coast. Thankfully, they were alright and together. Thankfully, the fire never reached their apartment and they were able to go home after a few days. Why am I sharing this story with you?
This is why I encourage each family member to have a 72 Hour Emergency Personal Kit for each family member and a 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack. You never know when you might have to evacuate your home, with only a few minutes to do so. You also need to keep family photos, important papers, family heirlooms, etc together or easily to access in a few minutes. The event would still be frightful and stressful, but not as much if you had these things in order. "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."
Weekly Assignment:
72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
Please add the following:
1) hatchet (emergencyessentials.com has one with a hatchet, crowbar, and hammer for $4.95. Be careful when putting this in your Family Pack, it is very sharp, wrap a wash cloth around the blade for protection.)
2) small tool kit (flat head and Phillip's screw drivers, pliers and wrench. Put them in a large zip lock bag wrapped with a wash cloth around the points. The 99 Cent Store, garage sales, and swap meets may be a good place to purchase these items for a small amount of money if you do not have extra ones at home to put in your Family Pack.)
You should have the following items in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
1) duffel bag to put the items in
2) first aid-kit with a First-aid book
3) portable radio or solar radio with extra batteries
4) hand can opener if you have cans that will need opening
5) large waterproof tarp
6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord
7) roll of masking tape
8) heat cell fuel
9) flat fuel folding stove
10) water proof matches
11) 2 Mess kits (if more than 1-2 people in your family)
12) street map of local areas
13) utility knife with multi-functions
14) wet stone to sharpen your knife & hatchet
15) small sewing kit
16) fold up shovel
17) small hand mirror for signally
18) emergency flares and candles
19) hatchet
20) small tool kit (flat head and Phillip's screw drivers, pliers, wrench)
Weekly Challenge:
Continue to work on setting up your vegetable garden or contain vegetable garden. Even if it is a small herb garden in small Tera Cotta pots you can set on your window sill. We will start planting around the middle of March. See last weeks Challenge for instructions.
Remember: Post your name and comment (if you wish) at the end of this posting for our Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing to be held next Sunday, February 27th.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of February 13th)
Hi Carson Ward Family,
Quote:
"...If we are to be saved in an ark, as Noah and his family were, it will be because we built it.... My faith does not lead me to think the Lord will provide us with roast pigs, bread already buttered, etc., He will give us the ability to raise the grain, to obtain fruits of the earth, to make habitations, to produce a few boards to make a box, and when harvest comes, giving us the grain, it is for us to preserve it--to save the wheat until we have one, two, five or seven years' provisions on hand, until there is enough of the staff of life saved by the people to bread themselves and those who will come here seeking for safety." (Marion G. Romney, Quoting Brigham Young, April Conference, 1976)
Recently I received an email, and some of you may have also received it, stating food prices will rise significantly and some foods/crops may become short handled and/or unavailable due to the recent weather related disasters throughout the world. I am not sure of the source of this email article and how accurate it is. But let's say it is accurate, how prepared are we for these types of events that will affect our food sources?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made this statement:
"Every year natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, fires, earthquakes, and tornadoes, challenge agricultural production. Because agriculture relies on the weather, climate, and water availability to thrive, it is easily impacted by natural events and disasters. Agricultural impacts from natural events and disasters most commonly include: contamination of water bodies, loss of harvest or livestock, increased susceptibility to disease, and destruction of irrigation systems and other agricultural infrastructure. These impacts can have long lasting effects on agricultural production including, crops, forest growth, and arable lands, which require time to mature."
Brothers and Sisters, times are going to get tough and we need to be ready to provide for ourselves and our family. The Prophets and General Authorities have been counseling us for years to have Food Storage and Water. What are we waiting for? Later will be to late!
Weekly Assignment:
72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
This week please add the following:
1) fold up shovel ($8.95 on emergencyessentials.com)
2) small hand mirror (for signally)
3) emergency flares and candles
You should have the following items in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
1) duffel bag to put the items in
2) first-aid kit with a First-aid book
3) portable radio with extra batteries (or solar radio with extra batteries)
4) hand can opener if you have cans that will need opening
5) large waterproof tarp
6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord
7) roll of masking tape
8) heat cell fuel
9) flat fuel folding stove
10) water proof matches)
11) 2 Mess kits
12) street map of local areas
13) utility knife with multi-functions
14) wet stone to sharpen your knife & hatchet
15) small sewing kit
16) fold up shovel
17) small hand mirror for signally
18) emergency flares and candles
Weekly Challenge:
7-14 day Menu Plan Food Storage System--I hope everyone has set this system up and is working on storing 3 Months Food Supply. After the 3 months, work on 6 months and then 9 months and then a Years' Food Supply. Before you know it, using this system, you will be way on your way to storing your Years' Food Supply. Remember the scripture in Isaiah 28:10--"..., precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little", in other words, one item at at time and you will meet your goal.
This week's Challenge:
I am so excited, Spring is almost upon us! March is the time to plant your vegetable garden. Now is the time to work on setting a goal to have a vegetable garden and/or vegetable container garden. If you do not have room where you live, see if you can get together with another ward member to see if you can plant a vegetable garden with them. If you are a family ask one of the single members or a family to plant a garden with you. They are so much fun, work yes, but the blessings that come from your own vegetable garden are so rewarding! I loved this past summer, being able to go out to our vegetable garden and get fresh vegetables when I needed them, and how much money we saved in the process. We had so much I was able to freeze the vegetables we could not eat. We are still using them. This year I am going to learn how to can them. I even had enough to share with my family, friends and neighbors. It was amazing how much we harvested from the small amount of land we planted.
See the Vegetable Garden Posting regarding vegetables gardens:
My Challenge to you this week:
1) locate a place where you want to plant your garden and map it out, if you are doing container gardening, then decide how many containers you will need and where to put them, you need at least 8 hours of sun a day, purchase the containers
2) start getting the area dug up, pull out all the grass and weeds, if a container garden purchase the vegetable garden soil at your local garden shop. I will give you two weeks to accomplish this goal.
3) make a plan as to what you want to grow
ONLY PLANT WHAT YOUR FAMILY WILL EAT!!!
If you need help, please do not hesitate to ask me. I would love to help you plan and prepare your garden. If you are not physically able to dig up the area, ask the Scouts or Elders Quorum to help you.
NOTE: You feel you do not have enough room, even a small garden is better than nothing!
Remember: Post your name and comment (if you wish) at the end of this posting for the Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing to be held Sunday, February 27th. It is two items for your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag.
Quote:
"...If we are to be saved in an ark, as Noah and his family were, it will be because we built it.... My faith does not lead me to think the Lord will provide us with roast pigs, bread already buttered, etc., He will give us the ability to raise the grain, to obtain fruits of the earth, to make habitations, to produce a few boards to make a box, and when harvest comes, giving us the grain, it is for us to preserve it--to save the wheat until we have one, two, five or seven years' provisions on hand, until there is enough of the staff of life saved by the people to bread themselves and those who will come here seeking for safety." (Marion G. Romney, Quoting Brigham Young, April Conference, 1976)
Recently I received an email, and some of you may have also received it, stating food prices will rise significantly and some foods/crops may become short handled and/or unavailable due to the recent weather related disasters throughout the world. I am not sure of the source of this email article and how accurate it is. But let's say it is accurate, how prepared are we for these types of events that will affect our food sources?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made this statement:
"Every year natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, fires, earthquakes, and tornadoes, challenge agricultural production. Because agriculture relies on the weather, climate, and water availability to thrive, it is easily impacted by natural events and disasters. Agricultural impacts from natural events and disasters most commonly include: contamination of water bodies, loss of harvest or livestock, increased susceptibility to disease, and destruction of irrigation systems and other agricultural infrastructure. These impacts can have long lasting effects on agricultural production including, crops, forest growth, and arable lands, which require time to mature."
Brothers and Sisters, times are going to get tough and we need to be ready to provide for ourselves and our family. The Prophets and General Authorities have been counseling us for years to have Food Storage and Water. What are we waiting for? Later will be to late!
Weekly Assignment:
72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
This week please add the following:
1) fold up shovel ($8.95 on emergencyessentials.com)
2) small hand mirror (for signally)
3) emergency flares and candles
You should have the following items in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
1) duffel bag to put the items in
2) first-aid kit with a First-aid book
3) portable radio with extra batteries (or solar radio with extra batteries)
4) hand can opener if you have cans that will need opening
5) large waterproof tarp
6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord
7) roll of masking tape
8) heat cell fuel
9) flat fuel folding stove
10) water proof matches)
11) 2 Mess kits
12) street map of local areas
13) utility knife with multi-functions
14) wet stone to sharpen your knife & hatchet
15) small sewing kit
16) fold up shovel
17) small hand mirror for signally
18) emergency flares and candles
Weekly Challenge:
7-14 day Menu Plan Food Storage System--I hope everyone has set this system up and is working on storing 3 Months Food Supply. After the 3 months, work on 6 months and then 9 months and then a Years' Food Supply. Before you know it, using this system, you will be way on your way to storing your Years' Food Supply. Remember the scripture in Isaiah 28:10--"..., precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little", in other words, one item at at time and you will meet your goal.
This week's Challenge:
I am so excited, Spring is almost upon us! March is the time to plant your vegetable garden. Now is the time to work on setting a goal to have a vegetable garden and/or vegetable container garden. If you do not have room where you live, see if you can get together with another ward member to see if you can plant a vegetable garden with them. If you are a family ask one of the single members or a family to plant a garden with you. They are so much fun, work yes, but the blessings that come from your own vegetable garden are so rewarding! I loved this past summer, being able to go out to our vegetable garden and get fresh vegetables when I needed them, and how much money we saved in the process. We had so much I was able to freeze the vegetables we could not eat. We are still using them. This year I am going to learn how to can them. I even had enough to share with my family, friends and neighbors. It was amazing how much we harvested from the small amount of land we planted.
See the Vegetable Garden Posting regarding vegetables gardens:
My Challenge to you this week:
1) locate a place where you want to plant your garden and map it out, if you are doing container gardening, then decide how many containers you will need and where to put them, you need at least 8 hours of sun a day, purchase the containers
2) start getting the area dug up, pull out all the grass and weeds, if a container garden purchase the vegetable garden soil at your local garden shop. I will give you two weeks to accomplish this goal.
3) make a plan as to what you want to grow
ONLY PLANT WHAT YOUR FAMILY WILL EAT!!!
If you need help, please do not hesitate to ask me. I would love to help you plan and prepare your garden. If you are not physically able to dig up the area, ask the Scouts or Elders Quorum to help you.
NOTE: You feel you do not have enough room, even a small garden is better than nothing!
Remember: Post your name and comment (if you wish) at the end of this posting for the Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing to be held Sunday, February 27th. It is two items for your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of February 6th)
Hi Carson Ward Family,
Quote:
"We want you to be ready with your personal storehouses filled with at least a year's supply. You don't argue why it cannot be done; you just plan to organize and get it done." Spencer W. Kimball, August 1976
".... Great trails lie ahead...and we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually." Bruce R. McConkie
This past week has been a challenging time for the people in the middle states and east coast with enormous amounts of snow, wind, ice and below zero temperatures. They say this is the worst winter storm since the 1970's. We have family and friends who live in those areas that were hit hard. Our daughter, who lives in Missouri, had snow up to the back door door knob. The roads are undriveable, schools and business have been closed all week with more snow on the way this weekend. They have been shut in their home all week, not able to get out onto the roads. Other family members and friends are facing the same scenario.
Would you be able to take care of your family if something like this happened to you? Are you prepared enough to handle an emergency situation? Would you have enough food to eat, water to drink if no public drinking water was available, a way to heat and light your home if there was no gas or electricity? A way to cook your food? These are questions we need to ask ourselves on a regular basis. How prepared are we?
Ward Family, I am trying my best to get the information to you, to help you so you can be prepared for what ever may come your way. It is not only important we are prepared spiritually, but temporally too! This blog/website is to help you be prepared. It is not my responsibility to fish for you, but I will do all that is possible to teach you how to fish, so you will always be able to take care of yourself and your loved ones. This blog/website is dedicated for this purpose. It is an accumulation of 40 years of experience. Take advantage of it, use it to help you prepare!
I testify to you, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." If Heavenly Father sees you are putting in a honest effort, he will bless you with the things you need, not wants, but needs. I testify to you of this!
Weekly Assignment:
72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag;
Add the following--
1) utility knife (12 function Army/Survival knife with scissors. I found this on emrgencyessentails.com for $4.95. They can cost as much as $50-$100 depending on the name brand, type you get and where you get them.)
2) wet stone--to sharpen your knife and hatchet (I found this at most sporting good stores, survival stores and Harbor Freight for $3.00.)
3) small sewing kit (Do not purchase this, but your own together. Wrap different colors of thread around a piece of cardboard, put in a couple of sewing needles, buttons and safety pins. I put mine in a small plastic container I got at the 99 Cent Store, comes with 4 of them.)
You should have the following in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
1) duffel bag to put the items in
2) first-aid kit with a First-aid book
3) portable radio with extra batteries (or a solar radio with extra batteries)
4) hand can opener
5) large waterproof tarp
6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord
7) roll of mashing tape
8) heat cell fuel
9) flat fuel folding stove
10) water proof matches
11) 2 Mess kits
12) street map of local areas
13) utility knife
14) wet stone
15) small sewing kit
Weekly Challenge:
Last Sunday I gave you the chart, "Food Storage Grocery List", to use to inventory your emergency food storage and to determine how much you have and how much you need to purchase if you are using the 7-14 Day Year's Food Storage Menu Plan.
Now that you have your families favorite 7-14 breakfast and dinner dishes on the two different colored 3x5 cards, have listed the ingredients and amounts of each one for each dish on the card (a separate card for each receipe), and have multiplied the ingredient amounts by either 52 weeks or 26 weeks (depending on if you are using the 7 day or 14 day weekly menu), you are ready to complete the "Food Storage Grocery List" chart. You should also have the ingredients "equivalency information" chart I gave you last Sunday.
1) List all the ingredients you will need alphbetically on the chart in the "Item" column.
2) List in the "Meal" column all the dishes (by name) that use this ingredient.
3) List in the "Need" column how much you will need for a year for that ingredient
4) In the "Have" column list where the item is stored in your house. Example: Under our bedroom bed or closet, etc. Then put down how much you have and the expiration date on the items.
5) In the "Buy" column figure out how much you still need to buy
Put these pages in sheet protectors and put them into a notebook. Each time you go to the grocery store take the notebook with you. When you see an items on sale that you still need you can purchase it and make the changes on your chart from "Buy" to "Have". Make sure you keep tract of when items need to be rotated. Take them from your Food Storage and put them into your pantry for current use and buy new ones to place the ones you are rotating.
Once you get into the habit of this it will seem so easy. I love this method. In stead of trying to store everything your family eats in a year, which is almost impossible, you are only storing the 7-14 breakfast and dinner meals. If you want to, on the dish card, on the back, include bread, side dish and a dessert. Make sure you include those on your chart.
You may be asking, what about lunch? When in an emergency situation you will need to do most of your cooking in the day light, especially if you are using an outdoors solar oven, so have your larger meal for lunch and make your evening meal simple, leftovers, sandwiches, soups, etc.
This may seem a little confusing right now. I plan to do a class on this at our Ward Emergency Prepared Fair I am working on to have either in the Spring or Summer. I am happy to sit down with you to help you with this great and easy plan to figure out how much to store for you and your family for a year.
Remember: Post your name at the end of this posting for the "FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing". The item will be 2 things for your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag. Good luck to all who enter!
Quote:
"We want you to be ready with your personal storehouses filled with at least a year's supply. You don't argue why it cannot be done; you just plan to organize and get it done." Spencer W. Kimball, August 1976
".... Great trails lie ahead...and we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually." Bruce R. McConkie
This past week has been a challenging time for the people in the middle states and east coast with enormous amounts of snow, wind, ice and below zero temperatures. They say this is the worst winter storm since the 1970's. We have family and friends who live in those areas that were hit hard. Our daughter, who lives in Missouri, had snow up to the back door door knob. The roads are undriveable, schools and business have been closed all week with more snow on the way this weekend. They have been shut in their home all week, not able to get out onto the roads. Other family members and friends are facing the same scenario.
Would you be able to take care of your family if something like this happened to you? Are you prepared enough to handle an emergency situation? Would you have enough food to eat, water to drink if no public drinking water was available, a way to heat and light your home if there was no gas or electricity? A way to cook your food? These are questions we need to ask ourselves on a regular basis. How prepared are we?
Ward Family, I am trying my best to get the information to you, to help you so you can be prepared for what ever may come your way. It is not only important we are prepared spiritually, but temporally too! This blog/website is to help you be prepared. It is not my responsibility to fish for you, but I will do all that is possible to teach you how to fish, so you will always be able to take care of yourself and your loved ones. This blog/website is dedicated for this purpose. It is an accumulation of 40 years of experience. Take advantage of it, use it to help you prepare!
I testify to you, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." If Heavenly Father sees you are putting in a honest effort, he will bless you with the things you need, not wants, but needs. I testify to you of this!
Weekly Assignment:
72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag;
Add the following--
1) utility knife (12 function Army/Survival knife with scissors. I found this on emrgencyessentails.com for $4.95. They can cost as much as $50-$100 depending on the name brand, type you get and where you get them.)
2) wet stone--to sharpen your knife and hatchet (I found this at most sporting good stores, survival stores and Harbor Freight for $3.00.)
3) small sewing kit (Do not purchase this, but your own together. Wrap different colors of thread around a piece of cardboard, put in a couple of sewing needles, buttons and safety pins. I put mine in a small plastic container I got at the 99 Cent Store, comes with 4 of them.)
You should have the following in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag:
1) duffel bag to put the items in
2) first-aid kit with a First-aid book
3) portable radio with extra batteries (or a solar radio with extra batteries)
4) hand can opener
5) large waterproof tarp
6) 50 foot nylon rope/cord
7) roll of mashing tape
8) heat cell fuel
9) flat fuel folding stove
10) water proof matches
11) 2 Mess kits
12) street map of local areas
13) utility knife
14) wet stone
15) small sewing kit
Weekly Challenge:
Last Sunday I gave you the chart, "Food Storage Grocery List", to use to inventory your emergency food storage and to determine how much you have and how much you need to purchase if you are using the 7-14 Day Year's Food Storage Menu Plan.
Now that you have your families favorite 7-14 breakfast and dinner dishes on the two different colored 3x5 cards, have listed the ingredients and amounts of each one for each dish on the card (a separate card for each receipe), and have multiplied the ingredient amounts by either 52 weeks or 26 weeks (depending on if you are using the 7 day or 14 day weekly menu), you are ready to complete the "Food Storage Grocery List" chart. You should also have the ingredients "equivalency information" chart I gave you last Sunday.
1) List all the ingredients you will need alphbetically on the chart in the "Item" column.
2) List in the "Meal" column all the dishes (by name) that use this ingredient.
3) List in the "Need" column how much you will need for a year for that ingredient
4) In the "Have" column list where the item is stored in your house. Example: Under our bedroom bed or closet, etc. Then put down how much you have and the expiration date on the items.
5) In the "Buy" column figure out how much you still need to buy
Put these pages in sheet protectors and put them into a notebook. Each time you go to the grocery store take the notebook with you. When you see an items on sale that you still need you can purchase it and make the changes on your chart from "Buy" to "Have". Make sure you keep tract of when items need to be rotated. Take them from your Food Storage and put them into your pantry for current use and buy new ones to place the ones you are rotating.
Once you get into the habit of this it will seem so easy. I love this method. In stead of trying to store everything your family eats in a year, which is almost impossible, you are only storing the 7-14 breakfast and dinner meals. If you want to, on the dish card, on the back, include bread, side dish and a dessert. Make sure you include those on your chart.
You may be asking, what about lunch? When in an emergency situation you will need to do most of your cooking in the day light, especially if you are using an outdoors solar oven, so have your larger meal for lunch and make your evening meal simple, leftovers, sandwiches, soups, etc.
This may seem a little confusing right now. I plan to do a class on this at our Ward Emergency Prepared Fair I am working on to have either in the Spring or Summer. I am happy to sit down with you to help you with this great and easy plan to figure out how much to store for you and your family for a year.
Remember: Post your name at the end of this posting for the "FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing". The item will be 2 things for your 72 Hour Emergency Family Pack/Bag. Good luck to all who enter!
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