Homemade Cleaners

December/January 2012 Mother Earth News

Sanitize

Ah, the treasures of a disinfected home.  Do you store bleach in your supplies?  Bleach can be marvelous in an emergency.  You can sanitize drinking water and disinfect surfaces and clothing.  It's good to have on hand, but...  Did you know that bleach has a shelf-life?  In fact, in optimum conditions, the Clorox.com website states it should last only between 9 to 12 months!  If you are a chemist or have a salt-water pool, then you may know that eventually it will turn into just that: salt water. 

What to do?  What to do?  You can't store it long term, and even if you could, how much could you bring if you had to leave your home?

Let me introduce quaternary tablets.  These little wafers of germ-killing joy are used in restaurants to sanitize surfaces and washed dishes.  All you do is add one tablet to a gallon of water and you have an instant disinfectant.  Add the solution to a spray bottle for your food prep surfaces.  Fill your sink with water and add one to disinfect dishes if water treatment services are down.  (Remember, if you do not have clean water you should disinfect your dishes chemically or by boiling them.) 

These tablets are easy to pack and carry, bleach bottles are not.  And best of all, quaternary tablets are inexpensive.  Buy a case for about $5 for a bottle of 150 tablets with shipping here. 

Don't take sanitation lightly.  Find ways to better insure you can keep your environment clean for your family in a disaster.

Inexpensive Eye Glasses--Zenni Optical

There are a lot of obstacles a person can come across in an emergency situation for which no one can plan.  You'll be in the best position if you plan now for the problems you know you will encounter, especially in regards to medical and physical conditions of family members and yourself.  This includes impaired vision.

How is your eyesight?  Do you wear glasses?  Do your children?  How much do you depend on eyeglasses, and do you have extras packed away for an emergency?  Do you just wear contacts instead? 

In a worst case scenario, contacts may not be reliable--they tear, they require maintenance, and they are easily lost.  But eye glasses can be very expensive.  How do you stock up?

Go to ZenniOptical.com.  They are an eyeglasses retailer online and their prices are unbelievable.  All you have to do is have your eye prescription.  Not even the signed paper, but the reading--the numbers.  Make sure it is accurate and up-to-date!  You will measure your eyes, upload a picture of yourself and be able to "try on" a large selection of glasses, after which you input your prescription and any options you may want to add (like tinting, etc.).

And here is the best part.  These glasses will cost you $8 to $35 each... for a good pair of eyeglasses!  They have springe hinges and anti-scratch coatings, etc.  There is no catch.  They are not cheap knock offs.  The quality point of these glasses is the same as any place like EyeMasters, Lens Crafters, etc.  In fact, my daughter got a pair that we happened to have seen in a store for $80 with a half-price sale.  That same exact pair from Zenni Optical cost us $25.  AND all these prices are with shipping!

Google it.  Youtube it.  You will find lots of positive reviews.  In my household we bought 7 pair of nice quality glasses for one adult and one child, and it cost us under $150.  Do yourself or you family member a favor and order at least one extra pair for your emergency supplies.

Antibiotics

You need antibiotics.  Although this post is brief, it is very important for you to research this subject.  You must have an emergency medical kit, which includes medications.  Antibiotics should try to be required because, although not good for you when not necessary, they will save lives in the event of the unavailability of medical facilites for an extended time.  In a situation where sanitation is compromised and people have to perform unfamiliar tasks like chopping wood, injury and infection will happen.  Tragically, people have died, even in recent years, from minor infections that could have been contained by a simple antibiotic. 

How to you get antibiotics for your kit?  If you have a good rapport with your doctor, ask them if they will give you a prescription for your emergency kit.  Otherwise, you can get them online.  However, many online pharmacies require a prescription or membership to their site that requires you to purchase regularly.  Instead you may want to try CalVetSupply.com, which is a veterinary pharmacy and supply website.  There is a company called Thomas Labs that makes antibiotics for fish tanks which many people claim are the same substances that go into human prescription capsules, even manufactured in the same facilities.  In addition, they come in proper dosages, like 250mg or 500mg.  On CalVetSupply.com, look for "Antiobiotics" on the left of the page in the menu, and then choose "Tablet & Capsule Antibiotics."  There are many different antibiotics available here; you will find most of what you need.  They are also inexpensive!  Of note: pill forms will last many years past their expiration, but liquids do not.  Also, not all animal drugs transfer to humans, so remember that before you run down to the feed store.  But these in particular may be a great solution for your emergency needs. 

Don't forget to purchase a pharmaceutical guide like this to help you identify the uses of your medications.  Or find other resources of reliable information on usages and dosages to print out and put in an emergency notebook.  It is of extreme importance that you use these drugs CORRECTLY.  Antibiotics are not to be used lightly, and each antibiotic will have a different effect!  Do your research!

Storable Fuel: Instafire

Watch this.

Read this.

Order here!
(Regular price of $59.95, but FREE shipping at this site!)

Emergency Essentials also sells a similar product called Fired Up!  They both claim that 2 cups will burn 30 minutes, so I did a price comparison. 

• Fired Up! is in a 4 gallon bucket at 13lbs for about $47.95.
• Instafire is a 5 gallon bucket at 20lbs for about $59.95. 

• Instafire states their bucket contains 80 cups of product.  
• Emergency Essentials was not able to tell me how many cups are in a 4 gallon bucket of Fired Up!, but I can do simple math...  a 4 gallon bucket must have about 64 cups (16 cups in a gallon X 4). 

So dividing price by cups, that would mean Instafire is .75 cents/cup, and Fired Up! is... .75 cents/cup!

I'd go with the Instafire since you get free shipping at the website above.

Buckets and Barrels for Storage... How Do I Use Them?

BUCKETS:

For food items that you use often and go through quickly in the kitchen, consider packing them in bulk, in buckets.  You can go to restaurants or bakeries and ask for used buckets, which you can sometimes get FREE, but you may only get 1 or 2 at a time.  OR go to the donut shop like Shipley's... you can usually get a bunch all at once for about $1-$2 each, and they often have a variety of sizes.  Shipley's uses square 4 gallon buckets, which store more efficiently one next to another.  How much can buckets hold?  Shipley's buckets will hold about 30lbs of wheat, and a round 5 to 6 gallon bucket will hold about 37-45lbs, respectively.  Here is a print out with estimates for other food items. 

Clean them with soap and water.  If they have a persistent smell, clean them with vinegar or bleach and let them sit in the sun for a day or two to draw the residues out.  Your food isn't actually going to touch the bucket surface.  That's because, UNLESS you have a brand new unused food-grade bucket, you will need to purchase a mylar liner to keep oils and flavors from previous food from transferring to whatever you put in it.  This helps it store longer too, as some bucket lid seals may not be 100% airtight.  The mylar bag will ensure a moisture barrier--long term items need to be at or below a 10% moisture level... so very DRY--and an air barrier--although miniscule, there is still a transfer of air through the plastic wall of a bucket.  (However, if you are using a new sealed unlined bucket, you have at least 5 years before that would be a concern, ESPECIALLY with a hard-shelled kernel like wheat).  Still, instead of buying new buckets, the least expensive thing to do is buy used buckets and large mylar bags.  You can order these bucket-size mylar bags online at places like USA Emergency Supply or Emergency Essentials.  Also purchase oxygen absorbers (which are cheapest at the cannery... a pack of 100 for $10+ tax).  You will use at least 2 per bucket (more for less dense-packing foods, like dehydrated apple slices).  Then you will seal it with a flat iron (or iron against a flat, heat-safe surface like a board, see a video on that here).  When you've got it all together it will go like this:

1. Clean and thoroughly dry bucket and turn on your iron
2. Place mylar bucket liner into bucket, opened up.  
3. Quickly pull out two O2 absorbers and throw one into the empty bag, then reseal your absorbers bag.
4. Immediately pour your wheat or other food item in (as full as you can while still allowing room for the excess mylar material to fold down and the lid to fit on top)
5. Push the second O2 aborber into the food at the top
6. Pull the bag tight and flat and clamp your flat iron down along the top for about 3 seconds to begin sealing, starting at one edge of the bag and continuing, keep material taught.  Rather than dragging it across, clamp down for 3 seconds, then lift, move down, and overlap onto the part you just sealed just a bit and clamp again.
7. Once you have just a bit left open on the other edge, push all the air out that you can and then finish sealing
8. Make sure you have no folds in the material where you are sealing, it needs to be flat and at least 1/2" wide so you have a wide seal with no bumps or wrinkles
9. Don't put the bucket lid on until the next day--that way you will be able to see if it vacuumed properly
10. You can carefully cut notches at the sides of your bag under the seal you made (but not into the seal on the side!) so they can be ripped open in the event you have no tools.  When you are ready to use the food, cut off the seal just below or rip the bag open from the notch.  When your bucket is empty, you can refill and reuse the mylar lining! 

**I recommend packing several buckets or additional smaller mylar bags at the same time so that when you open those O2 absorbers you can get a handful out at once and process 6-12 containers at once, in quick succession.  That way you are not constantly opening your O2 bag and exposing the absorbers**

Stack buckets ONLY 3 to 4 high, or your bottom bucket can buckle.  For round buckets, you can purchase "Gamma lids," which are about $8 each and make opening and closing your bucket EASY and QUICK!

BARRELS:

In a humid climate, storing grains in barrels is not wise, but they are fantastic for water or non-food items.  For food or water, the barrel again needs to be food grade, and you should not set it on concrete where chemicals may leach into the plastic (slip a board under it or put it on cinder blocks).  55 gallon to 275 gallon containers are available on craigslist.org for about $18 to $100, used.  You will see a choice of bung top or open-top, which means you will have holes with caps (bungs) or the entire top will screw off.  The open-top (usually about $25) are much easier to clean, and are a must if you are filling them with anything other than water.

Once you acquire your barrel, you can clean it with pool shocking chemicals by partially filling it and rolling it around every couple hours to get all sides. If you cannot get your barrel 100% spotless, don't worry--if you are unsure you can use this water just for washing, or plan to filter it for drinking (which I will be discussing in an upcoming post!). However, after filling your clean barrel with 55 gallons of water, add 1/2 cup of unscented bleach and your water should be disinfected and no further microorganisms should growing while it is sealed. If properly disinfected, the water should be good for 3-5 years

There are accessories you will want to have on hand, like new clean bung caps (for bung tops), a spigot, a syphon, and perhaps a hand pump.  These items will make it convenient to get the water out.  Remember to place your barrels where you definitely want them and in the most accessible position before you fill them.  They will weigh about 400 lbs full.

Don't store them in direct sunlight, as this hastens the breaking down of the plastic into the water.  Do not store near chemical that may vapor. Keep them up off the concrete and out of the rain.

You can also store charcoal, clothing, etc. in these barrels.  Make sure you have a watertight seal.  Do NOT store anything that needs to "breathe," like cans of liquid fuels.  Propane, kerosene, gasoline, butane, white gas... all of these very flammable fuels need to be stored OUTSIDE of your house in a safely protected but well-ventilated container, like a vented locking shelf unit or garden shed, as any escaping vapors need to be able to safely disburse.

Stored water is one of the most basic things you should have.  Do not trust that you will always have notice before a contamination in the water system occurs.  You should store 1 gallon of water per person, per day, for AT LEAST 3 days BARE MINIMUM, but we are counseled to try to obtain a 2 week supply.  For a family of 4, you need at least one 55 gallon drum. 

Volcano Stove

The Volcano 2 is your solution to cooking without electricity.  You can use almost any fuel: wood, charcoal, propane (you pay a little more for this attachment), even this product....  It is light weight (about 20lbs) and VERY easy to set up, clean, and take down.  It will hold all kinds of pots, and works great with dutch ovens.  It can set on the ground or on a table without overheating things around it.  You can buy a lid for it to convert it to an oven (~$25) so you can BAKE, although I haven't tried this and don't know how well it works.  Another cool thing about the lid is you can put it on over your dutch oven to keep it heating properly instead of setting coals on top of the lid.  Also consider the Handy Handle (~$12), a lid-lifter which will allow you to remove your dutch oven lid and rest it on the side of the Volcano.  When you catch a sale, expect to pay about $130 for your Volcano 2 with the propane attachment.  (By the way, it is called the Volcano "2" because the first Volcano was non-collapsing.)  Of note, I have read several times that you only need 300lbs of charcoal to cook with the Volcano for a YEAR.  Click here for a written review.

Check it out:

Homemade Electrolyte Drink

Most likely, you are aware of the dangers of diarrhea and dehydration, especially in the event of an emergency.  In fact, if you do not have clean water and proper sanitation, you can bet you will have to deal with it.  Diarrhea and dehydration is life threatening!  Here, from Rehydrate.com, is a recipe to making your own electrolyte drink, because plain water won't be enough! 

An inexpensive home-made solution (for adults) consists of:

• 1  litre of water (about 34 ounces or a little over 4 cups), mixed with
• 8  teaspoons of sugar,
• 1 teaspoon of  table salt.

A half cup of orange juice or half of a mashed banana can be added to each liter to add potassium and improve taste.

The amount of rehydration that is needed depends on the size of the individual and the degree of dehydration. Rehydration is generally adequate when the person no longer feels thirsty and has a normal urine output. A rough guide to the amount of oral rehydration solution (or ORS) needed in the first 4-6 hours of treatment for a mildly dehydrated person is:

• Up to 11 lb: 200 – 400 ml
• 11-22 lb: 400 – 600 ml
• 22-33 lb: 600 – 800 ml
• 33–44 lb: 800 – 1000 ml
• 44-66 lb: 1000 – 1500 ml
• 66-88 lb: 1500 – 2000 ml
• 88 lb +: 2000-4000 ml

Click here for a printable guide on rehydrating your children!


Don't forget zinc tablets!
"The best treatment for diarrhoea is to (1) drink lots of liquids and oral rehydration salts (ORS), properly mixed with clean water from a safe source, and (2) take zinc tablets or syrup for 10–14 days."

"Medical Corps" Website

Look through these safety handouts and print them for your preparedness notebook.

Also consider printing the medical info on this page for reference, especially this one on antibiotics.  I will be discussing the purchasing and storing of antibiotics for long term soon.

Basic Storage Recipes

Here's some resources for recipes with "basic" food storage, which is what most cannery items are considered to be. This may help some who do not know what to do with these items! The internet is also FULL of LDS blogs and resources for recipes. Try to PRINT whatever you find useful.

Cannery Cookbook "Deseret Recipes"

New Ideas For Cooking with Basic Home Storage

This is also a good resource, although it is not a recipe book. 
Essentials of Home Production and Storage

There are also some good books on my sidebar.  Usually cheapest at Amazon.

How to Can Ground Beef

LDS Preparedness Manual

One of the best guides on preparedness that I have looked into is the LDS Preparedness Manual.  It is not distributed or published through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but is many writings compiled by an LDS member.  You can download and print this 222-page manual for FREE (make sure to choose "duplex" on your printer settings to print double-sided!  Less paper, less bulk).

Storable Fuel: Charcoal

Even if you don't have a grill, consider stocking up on charcoal.  Look for deals on charcoal, especially near the end of summer.  You CAN store this great fuel source long term, so STOCK UP.  Keep in mind not all charcoal brands may be equal.  I've heard Kingsford burns the longest.  Store charcoal in a moisture-protected container.  Humidity is bad for it.  Use tight-sealing buckets or drums.

From the Homeland Security website:

Charcoal is the least expensive fuel per BTU that the average family can store. Remember that it must always be used out of doors because of the vast amounts of poisonous carbon monoxide it produces. Charcoal will store for extended period of time if it is stored in air tight containers. It readily absorbs moisture from the surrounding air so do not store it in the paper bags it comes in for more than a few months or it may be difficult to light. Transfer it to airtight metal or plastic containers and it will keep almost forever.

Fifty or sixty dollars worth of charcoal will provide all the cooking fuel a family will need for an entire year if used sparingly. The best time to buy briquettes inexpensively is at the end of the summer. Broken or torn bags of briquettes are usually sold at a big discount. You will also want to store a small amount of charcoal lighter fluid (or kerosene). Newspapers will also provide an excellent ignition source for charcoal when used in a funnel type of lighting device.

To light charcoal using newspapers use two or three sheets, crumpled up, and a #10 tin can. Cut both ends out of the can. Punch holes every two inches around the lower edge of the can with a punch-type can opener (for opening juice cans). Set the can down so the punches holes are on the bottom. Place the crumpled newspaper in the bottom of the can and place the charcoal briquettes on top of the newspaper. Lift the can slightly and light the newspaper. Prop a small rock under the bottom edge of the can to create a a good draft. The briquettes will be ready to use in about 20-30 minutes. When the coals are ready remove the chimney and place them in your cooker. Never place burning charcoal directly on concrete or cement because the heat will crack it. A wheelbarrow or old metal garbage can lid makes an excellent container for this type of fire.

One of the nice things about charcoal is that you can regulate the heat you will receive from them. Each briquette will produce about 40 degrees of heat. If you are baking bread, for example, and need 400 degrees of heat for your oven, simply use ten briquettes.

To conserve heat and thereby get the maximum heat value from your charcoal you must learn to funnel the heat where you want it rather than letting it dissipate into the air around you. One excellent way to do this is to cook inside a cardboard oven. Take a cardboard box, about the size of an orange crate, and cover it with aluminum foil inside and out. Be sure that the shiny side is visible so that maximum reflectivity is achieved. Turn the box on its side so that the opening is no longer on the top but is on the side. Place some small bricks or other noncombustible material inside upon which you can rest a cookie sheet about two or three inches above the bottom of the box. Place ten burning charcoal briquettes between the bricks (if you need 400 degrees), place the support for your cooking vessels, and then place your bread pans or whatever else you are using on top of the cookie sheet. Prop a foil-covered cardboard lid over the open side, leaving a large crack for air to get in (charcoal needs a lot of air to burn) and bake your bread, cake, cookies, etc. just like you would in your regular oven. Your results will amaze you.

To make your own charcoal, select twigs, limbs, and branches of fruit, nut and other hardwood trees; black walnuts and peach or apricot pits may also be used. Cut wood into desired size, place in a large can which has a few holes punched in it, put a lid on the can and place the can in a hot fire. When the flames from the holes in the can turn yellow-red, remove the can from the fire and allow it to cool. Store the briquettes in a moisture-proof container. Burn charcoal only in a well-ventilated area.

Vacuum Sealing Mylar with Your Foodsaver

You want to protect food from air, moisture, and light.  Home vacuum sealers and their respective bags can protect against the elements.  I still prefer mylar bags for long term, however.  Mylar is thicker and more impenetrable than plastic vacuum seal bags, and protects from light.  It is tougher to tear too.  But for many dry food items, you need oxygen absorber packets in order to seal mylar for long term storage.  Unused and sealed O2 absorbers only last 6 months to a year or so, so they have to be continually purchased. Sometimes you'll notice the next day it didn't absorb all your air and you have to try again.  If only you could just get that instant satisfaction like with a vacuum sealer.  You can't seal a mylar bag in most regular (external) vacuum sealers because it lies too smoothly to allow air to suck out when it is against the heat strip.  Chamber vacs allow mylar to be vacuum sealed but are extremely expensive.  While researching options, I came across several videos on YouTube on this very subject.  Check out this possible alternative to sealing your mylar bags...

How To Vacuum Seal Mylar in a Foodsaver

You won't be able to use cannery bags in some Foodsavers because the heat strip is too short in some models for the bag width.  In that case, however, you could cut the bag in half or just thinner and heat seal the cut edges to create a smaller bag, then proceed to vacuum the top.  Note: models that require the ends of the bag to be inserted into a slot for vacuuming and sealing may not work at all, you'd have to try and see.

Foodsavers are also good for resealing your mylar bags once they are opened.  For example, if you have a bag of oatmeal you plan to go through within the month, just heat seal it closed (forget vacuuming) so you can throw it back in the freezer(or wherever you store it) without it spilling out.  Another option is to open the contents of your mylar bags and pour them into empty #10 cans for convenient opening and closing.  

Another tip for sealing Mylar bags, whether with and O2 absorber or without, is to use a flat iron (for hair).  It easily seals if you slide the tool along the opening slowly but continuously; you just have to use a steady hand.  I’ve had great success with this method!

Peggy Layton Articles

Peggy Layton is an author of several food storage and preparedness books.  Here is some recommended reading!

Build an Outdoor Oven

This article is from last spring's Mother Earth News magazine.  This would be great for emergencies or anytime!  

Click on each page to view larger.  You should then be able to click on it to zoom in for reading or to print.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Or see this link.

Whole Egg Powder Review

Eggs are an essential ingredient in baking and cooking.  They add texture and taste, as well as fantastic nutrition!  If you often use fresh eggs, you should consider powdered eggs in your emergency supply.  You can purchase Whole Egg Powder, Egg Whites Powder, or Egg Yolks Powder, but Whole Egg Powder is the way to go for general baking and cooking.  It does not need to be refrigerated, and stored 75 or below egg powder will last 5-10 years sealed and 6 months-1 year opened, depending on brand.  It is pasteurized and can be used in recipes in which you use raw eggs, which means you your kids can eat that cookie dough with a clear conscience.

How much does it cost and how much do you need?  Well, you have to pull out the ol' calculator.  Different brands list different serving sizes as equaling one egg, with different quantities of eggs claimed in each can.  This gets tricky because, for example, Augason Farms eggs say 56 eggs per can at $17.45, while Shelf Reliance state 236 eggs per can at $23.29.  I haven't inquired about their methods of processing, but even with adjusting serving sizes, weights, and volumes for a side-by-side comparison (which I totally did not do), according to that claim, Shelf Reliance would be by far the biggest bang for your buck.  However, in my observation, they are MOST OFTEN NOT the best value in terms of quantity--being one of the most expensive food storage brands--so to me that is all kind of a big WUH?  (Some guesses on an explanation can be read here.)  But how much you need will come down to approximately how many eggs you go through in a week x 52 and then check the can quantity, etc.  The brand I currently have is Provident Pantry from Emergency Essentials, which states that each #10 can is 2.25 pounds and equals about 80-90 fresh eggs.  When purchased at $14/can as they are priced currently with group orders, you are getting a dozen eggs at about $2.  Not bad considering the current price of eggs is about the same and you can't store them long term.  (Unless you try mineral oil!)

But how do they taste?   If you've never used egg powder, it may sound like some pretty kooky stuff.  Truth is, is does smell "interesting" and has a texture that reminds me of Moon Dough.  But it's not so mysterious.  In baking you simply add it to your dry ingredients (per the specified number of tablespoons listed on your brand of egg powder), and then add water (per the specified number of tablespoons listed on your brand) with your other wet ingredients.  In my experience there is no noticeable difference whatsoever when using egg powder vs. fresh eggs in baking.

In the place of fresh scrambled eggs, they do taste different.  I whipped some up tonight and here is how it went:

First I scooped a couple eggs-worth of powder into a sealable container (this is so I can shake the mixture, which is supposed to produce a better, fluffier mix than whisking).  This brand from Emergency Essentials requires 2 tbsp of powder to 3 tbsp water in order to equal one egg.

Here's that texture:

Below shows the aftermath of the measured water added and a good shaking given in a closed container.  It's somewhat thickish:

But mostly thinnish:

So here's what I concluded...

It's just not the same, but it's not the worst thing I've ever eaten.  I didn't like them, but I could see how someone could.  To be fair, I did nothing to season them so as not to mask the taste.  I'm thinking yes on the masking of the taste.  Surely there are things you can do to come out with a usable recipe.  Alone these had a bland batter-taste and didn't come out fluffy, but had a texture more like pancakes that are too thin and too eggy.  What I've done in the past is mix egg powder in with fresh eggs, which works much better.  Below is a visual of what we ended up with this evening.  Left to right:  Fresh eggs, Half-and-Half fresh and powdered, and Whole powdered eggs.  The more fresh mixed in, the more fluff and familiar the taste.  All-in-all, I will continue to primarily use powdered eggs in baking, but it's nice to know we have eggs to cook in times of need.

Summary:

According to online reviews of powdered eggs, there are those who like 'em, those who don't.  Some brands may be better than others as well.  My opinion on the EE eggs:

Baking, yes!  In place of fresh, meh.

Medical References?

Thanks to another blog, I found these printable references: Where There Is No Doctor and Where There Is No Dentist. You can also purchase them on Amazon.com.  These are 2010 editions.  I cannot speak for the correctness of the information, but this is something you may want to look into for your emergency library!

Some of the basic topics of No Doctor include:

• How to properly administer medicine and dosage instructions
• The proper methods of injecting medicine
• How to deliver a baby
• How to heal without medicines
• Guidelines for the use of antibiotics
• Home cures
• Medicinal plants
• Homemade casts

Some of the basic topics of No Dentist include:

• How to properly examine and diagnose dental issues
• How to treat cavities, abscesses, infected sinuses, and more
• How to prepare and insert homemade fillings
• How to inject inside the mouth
• How to safely and correctly remove a tooth

LDS Cannery Prices

Prices everywhere are rising.  Prices at Home Storage Centers have already risen twice this year.  Check out the current cannery prices here.  The cannery remains one of the most inexpensive suppliers for the staple items available there!  Stock up!

Introduction...

We are living in such unusual times, and there are plenty of disconcerting events transpiring worldwide. But as scripture professes, "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30)  There is no better time than 2011 to build your food storage, your preparedness, your confidence and ability to care for your loved ones in times of need, and ultimately, your testimony!  "Food storage is one of the few instructions from the Lord that we can nearly all fulfill completely and perfectly." (Author Neil H. Leash)  Obeying this counsel with faith brings spiritual benefits.  This is the time to get moving, organize, fill in the holes, ask questions, gather new skills, and get your hands "in the dirt."   

HOW IS YOUR FOOD STORAGE?

How long could your family live normally w/out going to a store?

How long might your family survive without going to a store?

How much non-perishable food do you have on hand?

Do you have equipment/water to support your food storage?

Do you have a garden or other renewable food sources?

Do you want to rotate through your food storage regularly?

We can all benefit from better educating ourselves in preparedness. The goal of this blog is to assist individuals in the endeavor to become better prepared and more self-sufficient!

"The degree of our preparation will equal the extent of our obedience, which will determine the measure of
our peace of mind."

Neil H. Leash, Author of Prophetic Statements on Food Storage for Latter-day Saints