Alternative Heating and Keeping Warm without Electricity

Alternative Heating and Keeping Warm without Electricity

Wood/pellet stove/fireplace

Propane fireplace with manual igniter

Liquid fuel heaters: Kerosene, indoor propane heaters

**Be sure to follow safety guides, have adequate ventilation and carbon monoxide detectors

Limit area to be heated by closing off unused rooms.  Close doors, hang blankets

Select a room away from prevailing winds if possible

Eliminate drafts

Dress warmly and in layers

NEVER USE INDOORS

Range/oven to heat home

Gas or charcoal grill
Generator

Water Purification Guidelines

Water Purification Guidelines

If your water supply is not known to be safe or has become polluted, it should be purified before use. Water purification is generally a two-step process.

Step 1: Clarify

Cloudy or dirty water must first be made clear. It may be passed through filter paper, fine cloth, or other filter. It may be allowed to settle and the clear water on top carefully drawn. Filtered or clear settled water should always be disinfected before use.

Step 2: Disinfect

Boiling Method
Bringing water to a rolling boil for 3 to 5 minutes will kill most water-borne microorganisms. However, prolonged boiling of small quantities of water may concentrate toxic contaminants if present.
Bleach Method
Adding 1/8 of a teaspoon (8 drops) of fresh liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) to every gallon (4 liters) of water will kill most microorganisms. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used. The use of bleach does not address toxic contamination.
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Web site provides additional information about water purification.

Commercial Water Filters

Commercial water filters can effectively filter and purify water contaminated with microorganisms, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals. Their effectiveness depends on design, condition, and proper use. Water filters produced by Seychelle have been used successfully by Church missionaries for many years.
To learn more and to find local emergency preparedness stores, search the Internet for water purification and emergency preparedness supplies.
www.seychelle.com
www.katadyn.com

Water Storage Guidelines

Water Storage Guidelines

Commercially bottled water in PETE (or PET) plastic containers may be purchased. Follow the container’s “best if used by” dates as a rotation guideline. Avoid plastic containers that are not PETE plastic.
If you choose to package water yourself, consider the following guidelines:

Containers

• Use only food-grade containers. Smaller containers made of PETE plastic or heavier plastic buckets or drums work well.
• Clean, sanitize, and thoroughly rinse all containers prior to use. A sanitizing solution can be prepared by adding 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) to one quart (1 liter) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.
• Do not use plastic milk jugs, because they do not seal well and tend to become brittle over time.
• Do not use containers previously used to store non-food products.

Water Pretreatment

• Water from a chlorinated municipal water supply does not need further treatment when stored in clean, food-grade containers.
• Non-chlorinated water should be treated with bleach. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon (8 drops) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) for every gallon (4 liters) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.

Storage

• Containers should be emptied and refilled regularly.
• Store water only where potential leakage would not damage your home or apartment.
• Protect stored water from light and heat. Some containers may also require protection from freezing.
• The taste of stored water can be improved by pouring it back and forth between two containers before use.

Financial Reserve

Financial Reserve

"Establish a financial reserve by saving a little money each week and gradually increasing it to a reasonable amount." ProvidentLiving.org

"We encourage you wherever you may live in the world to prepare for adversity by looking to the condition of your finances. We urge you to be modest in your expenditures; discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt. . . . If you have paid your debts and have a financial reserve, even though it be small, you and your family will feel more secure and enjoy greater peace in your hearts." —The First Presidency, All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances, Feb. 2007, 1

President Gordon B. Hinckley has taught: “Set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts” ("To the Boys and to the Men," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 54).

Putting aside emergency cash is "an investment against the unexpected – situations where everything else has failed and I have no other options to turn to." TheSimpleDollar.com.

THINK ABOUT IT -
Emergency Scenario #1: You just went through a major disaster. You can't leave the city and need some supplies. The power is out and the grocery store isn't accepting ATM or credit cards.

Emergency Scenario #2: You've suddenly been asked to evacuate because of a fire on the mountain near your home. You hope you can eventually drive to your sister's out of town, but suddenly the roads are congested. Everything is at a standstill and you could only make it across town. You need gas, food and water, and possibly a hotel room.

Emergency Scenario #3: Your youngest child is very ill. You need some medication from the pharmacist, but you left your wallet at work which is about 30 miles away.

Emergency Cash Tips:
Put it in several locations
Keep it safe from water and heat damage
Nothing larger than a $10 bill (You could pay $5 for a bottle of water in an emergency.)
Keep about $20 to $100 hidden in your car
Keep about $20 to $50 in your wallet in small bills
Keep minimum $100 per person at home
Dave Ramsey, author of "The Total Money Makeover," recommends you start with $1000.
Consider how you might use it in 72 hours - food, hotel, gas, etc.
Convert collected coins to smaller bills. It needs to be accessible, but don't use it to buy your lunch.
Hide it in non-obvious locations, but make sure your trusted older kids know where it is. You may not be home when they need it.

Why Prepare?

If ye are prepared ye shall not fear

This is the promise from the Lord to the saints.  We are living in the latter days, there is no doubt about it;  it is a time where the world we live in is filled with contention, uncertainty and turmoil.  Yet it is also the fullness of times.  We are greatly blessed to have the gospel here in our midst.  There is great hope and guidance that can be had if we only partake.

It is our purpose, with this blog, to assist those within our reach with the information that they need to prepare their families for times of trial so that in a time of need they may in turn assist our Heavenly Father's children.

We will cover many aspects of being prepared, and it is our hope that you will find answers to all of your preparation questions here, or at least be directed to a source with the answers you are searching for.

3 Month Storage: Powdered Milk

Powdered Milk

May 2011

Goal:  Gather a 3 Month Supply

4 lbs per person

Spiritual Goal:  Read a talk a day from the May Ensign (Conference Edition)

Price Comparison

Fred Meyer                                     Wal-Mart                                 LDS Cannery

13.99 for 4 lbs(instant)                    13.98 for 4 lbs(instant)          8.60 for 4 lbs(non-instant)

Milk Conversion Chart

Milk Needed	Water	Dry Powdered non-instant milk (double if instant)	Evaporated Milk  12 oz.	Sweetened Condensed milk
1 cup	1 cup	3 Tbsp	1 ½  cup water	½ cup hot water
¾ cup	¾ cup	2 ¼ Tbsp	½ cup +_1 Tbsp	1 cup non-instant dry powdered milk(x2 if instant)
2/3 cup	2/3 cup	2 Tbsp	Non-instant powdered milk	1 cup sugar
½ cup	½ cup	1 ½ Tbsp	(x2 if instant)	1 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup	1/3 cup	1 Tbsp		Mix well in blender
¼ cup	¼ cup	¾ Tbsp

Easy Pasta Pizza

8 oz spaghetti, cooked, drained

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk(3/4 T dry powdered milk + ¼ cup water)

1/2 lb ground beef

1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce

1 envelope garlic & herb dressing mix

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Toss spaghetti, egg, and milk in large bowl.  Spread evenly in greased 12 in pizza pan.  Brown meat, drain.  Stir in tomato sauce and dressing mix.  Spoon over spaghetti crust.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake @ 350 fro 20 to 25 min or until cheese is melted.

You can use powdered milk in any recipe calling for milk  Either pre-mix the milk or add the dry milk to the dry ingredients and the water where the milk is called for.

Ultra Creamy Cheese Dip

1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup milk(3/4 tsp dry milk +1/4 cup water)

8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup red peppers, chopped

1 green onion, sliced

Crackers

Beat cream cheese and milk in mixer until well blended.  Add cheddar cheese; mix well.  Stir in peppers and onions.  Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.  Serve with crackers.

Chocolate Lover’s Easy Mousse

1 ½ cups cold milk, divided(4 ½ Tbsp. dry powdered milk + 1 ½  water, chilled)

2 squares semisweet baking chocolate

1 pkg (4 serv. Size) instant chocolate pudding

2 cups whipped topping, divided

Microwave 1 cup milk and chocolate squares in large microwaveable bowl for 2 min.; stir until chocolate is melted.  Add remaining milk and dry pudding mix, then beat for 2 min.  Refrigerate for 20 min.  Whisk in 1 ½ cups whipped topping; spoon into 6 desert dishes.  Place dollops of whipped topping on top of mousse.

Drinkable Powdered Milk

3 cups dry powdered milk(double if instant)

1 gallon water

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

Place half the water in a gallon jug or pitcher.  Add dry milk, then mix with wire whisk.  Add sugar and/or vanilla.  Slowly add the remaining water and mix again.  At this point, the milk will be frothy, so you may not be able to fit all the water in the jug.  Just remember to add a little more water to the milk before serving.

You must serve the milk chilled.

3 Month Storage: Flour

Flour

March 2011

Goal:  Gather a 3 Month Supply

About 6.5lbs per person

Spiritual Goal:  Personally Read Scriptures 10 minutes or more each day

Simple Cheap Bread

2 cups warm water

2 Tbsp sugar

1Tbsp Yeast

1 Tbsp salt

4 cups flour

In a large mixing bowl-combine water, sugar

and yeast.  Let sit for 10 min.  Add 2 cups flour and salt.  Beat for 2 min.  Add 2 more cups flour or more to soft elastic dough.  Let sit for 15 min, then shape into 2 loaves and let rise in pans for 30-35 min or until double in size.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 min until brown.

It also makes good fry bread.

Butter Milk Biscuits

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

2 tsp sugar

½ tsp cream of tartar

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup shortening

¾ cup buttermilk

In a bowl stir together all dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center, add milk all at once.  Stir just until dough clings together.

On Lightly floured surface, knead dough gently for 10 to 12 strokes.  Roll or pat dough to ½ inch thickness and cut into biscuits.  Bake on a greased pan at 450 for 10 to 12 min.

Sausage Gravy

1 lb ground sausage

½ cup flour

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

3 cups milk

Fry sausage in frying pan.  Add salt, pepper, flour.  Allow to brown slightly, DO NOT BURN!

Gradually add your milk.  As the milk heats, the gravy will thicken.

Bread Stix(my family loves with spaghetti)

1/3 cup butter (melted)

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 ¼ cup flour

3 ½ tsp baking powder

1 cup milk

Mix all dry- add milk and stir to make a semi-sticky dough.  Put on floured surface and roll out to ½ inch thick.  Cut into 1 inch strips.

Pour melted butter on baking sheet, dip strips on both sides.  Bake @ 450 for 10 min or until golden brown.

Cream Puffs

½ cup margarine

1 cup flour

4 eggs

In a med saucepan combine margarine, 1cup water and 1/8 tsp salt.  Bring to a boiling.  Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously.  Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn’t separate .  Remove from heat.  Cool 10 min.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth.  Drop batter by heaping tbsp, 3 inches apart onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake @400 for 30-35 min.

Cool on wire rack.  Split and fill with pudding, whip cream or even chicken salad. Makes 10.

 Remember cooking from scratch is healthier and saves money.

Go to providentliving.org and use their food calculator to decide amounts your family needs to be storing.

3 Month Storage: Sugar

Sugar

Home Storage goal for the month of February

Acquire a 3 month supply of Sugar(S)

For your family

Fruit Crisp Topping Mix

1. Combine the first seven ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 year.

To prepare fruit crisp: Place pie filling in an 8-in. square baking dish. Cut butter into 1 cup topping mix until crumbly; sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm with ice cream if desired. Yield: 6-8 servings per batch.

Streusel-Topping for Muffins

In small bowl, blend 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter (softened), 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 cup chopped nuts or flaked coconut with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins before baking

Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

·    1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

·    1 cup butter

·    1 egg

·    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·     

·    3 cups all-purpose flour

·    1 teaspoon baking soda

·    1 teaspoon cream of tartar

·    3 tablespoons white sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar with butter until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; mix into the batter until well blended. Cover and refrigerate dough for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Divide dough in half and roll 3/16 inch thick on floured surface. Cut dough with cookie cutters and sprinkle with white sugar. Place cookies onto greased baking sheets.

3. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until delicately golden.

Sugar-Free Frosting

INGREDIENTS

            1 (1.4 ounce) package sugar-free instant pudding mix

            3/4 cups milk

            1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

                   1 (8 ounce) container lite frozen whipped topping, thawed

                   DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. Mix well and let stand until thickened.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pudding and mix well. Finally, fold in whipped topping.

3 Month Storage: Rice

RICE

Home Storage goal for the month of

January

Acquire a 3 month supply of Rice

For your family

(7 lbs per person)

Spiritual Goal – Hold Family Home Evening Each week this month

Spanish Rice Recipe

• ¾ cup rice
• 2 tablespoons fat
• 5 cups water
• 2 onions
• 2 cups tomatoes
• ½ cup chopped green pepper or pimientos
• Salt Pepper Paprika

1. Fry the rice in the fat until brown, then add water and boil until soft.
2. Drain.
3. Sauté the onions in a little fat; mix with tomatoes and chopped peppers or pimientos, and add to the rice.
4. Add seasoning and place in a greased casserole.
5. Bake for thirty minutes.

Day Before Pay Day Fried Rice

·    3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

·    3 eggs, beaten

·    3 cups cold, cooked white rice

·    2 cups chopped cooked chicken

·    1/2 cup sliced celery

·    1/2 cup shredded carrot

·    1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

·    2 green onions, sliced

·    3 tablespoons soy sauce

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the eggs; cook and stir until scrambled and firm. Remove from wok, and set aside.

2.  Put remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok and turn heat up to high. Stir in rice until each grain is coated with oil. Stir in chicken, celery, carrot, peas and green onions. Reduce heat to medium, cover and allow to steam for 5 minutes. Stir in scrambled eggs and soy sauce, and cook until eggs are heated through.

  Brown Rice can also be ground into flour

Waffles

• 4 cups brown rice flour
• 1 ¼ T. baking powder
• ¾ t. salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 ¾ cups milk or water

1.       Ground rice in grinder or in blender.  Measure and put in large mixing bowl.  Add baking powder and salt to flour.  Mix.

2.       Separate yolks and whites.  Put yolks into flour mixture, set whites aside.

3.       Add milk or water to the flour / yolk batter.  Stir until well mixed.

4.       Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and fold them into the batter, being careful not to over mix.

5.       Cook in waffle iron.

Breakfast Rice-To cooked rice add: raisins, cinnamon, sugar, butter and or milk to taste.   Serve it warm or cold.

Chili and Rice-Canned or homemade chili poured over individual bowl of cooked rice.

 Topping ideas: sour cream, cheese, salsa, onions

Storage- When packaged and stored correctly rice can stay good for up to 30 years.  This is one of the benefits of using the cannery.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

·    2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli

·    3 cups instant rice

·    1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

·    1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

·    1 1/4 cups water

·    1 (16 ounce) package processed American cheese, cubed

·    1 tablespoon butter

·    1 bunch celery, chopped

·    1 large onion, chopped

·    salt and pepper to taste

1.  Cook broccoli and rice according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.  In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, and 1 1/4 cups water. Gradually stir in cheese until melted. Be careful that the cheese doesn't burn.

3.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and saute celery and onion until soft.

4.  In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, rice, soup and cheese mixture, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

5.  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until bubbly and lightly brown.

A Year in Gardening April

Gardening in April

"That God once loved a garden we learn in Holy writ.And seeing gardens in the Spring I well can credit it." -  Winifred Mary Letts

Here are some ideas for gardening in April:

·        It's the ideal time to sow cool-season crops( these are your half-hardy plants that can tolerate a little frost). Most half-hardy vegetable can be sown outside in April.  The wet April helps with some of the root crop germination (carrot, beet, parsnip, turnip, radish).

·        Put out your onion sets and seed potatoes

·        Put out seedlings: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower

·        Anytime in April-you will want to start your tomatoes, peppers, eggplants under grow lights, to be put out in the cold frames by Mid-May and then out in the garden when it is warm enough.

·        Late in April-you can plant squash, cucumbers, pumpkins and gourds under a cloche.  You can plant them under grow lights if you use peat pots and do not disturb the roots when you transplant them in late May-early June.  If you do not have grow lights then they need to be covered(cloched) until the weather is warm enough(soil temperatures of 70).

·        You can start your basil indoors and put it out in June or when the weather is warm enough-basil also likes the warm soil temperatures and does not handle frost at all.

Organic Fertilizers

·        Fish Emulsion(aka fish fertilizer)- it is high in water soluble nitrogen.

·        Manure Tea(made from fresh manure)- use one grocery size sack of manure to a 20 gallons of water.  Make sure you dilute it down before using on plants.

Manure Teas are used in the spring for heavy feeding.  You can apply once a week once the plants reach full growth.  Manure tea and liquid fertilizers are also useful to transplants to compensate for shock.  For transplants apply teas twice a week till plants are set and appear to flourish.

A Year in Gardening March

Gardening in March

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.

-          Benjamin Franklin

Here are some ideas for gardening in March:

·        March is a fickle month with one day bright and wonderful and the next dark and brooding or just plain rain, rain, and more rain.  So you will still be working on the tilling and beds, in between the weather. 

·        You can plant some of the hardiest leafy greens and spring peas.  They will germinate slowly this time of year and you need to watch out for slugs.

·        In late March you can sow potatoes, so you should be preparing the beds the first part of the month.

·        You can get a jump on spring and plant half-hardy vegetables under the protection of a cloche, this will speed up the germination and growth.  This would be your carrots, brocolli, cabbage, oriental greens, beets, lettuce  or you may start these inside under grow lights to be transplanted out in April.

General Vegetable Fertilizer Recipe

4 parts fish or seed meal

1 part sweet lime(dolomite)

1 part bone meal

1 part kelp meal

Apply 4 pounds per 100 square feet.

A Year in Gardening February

Gardening in February

“A Garden is a Friend You Can Visit Anytime”

Here are some ideas for gardening in February:

·        February is a good month to finish planning your garden and cleaning up beds and garden when the weather permits.

·        Deciduous shrubs and trees are still dormant enough to transplant this month, once the buds have begun to swell, it will be to late.

·        Mid-to-late February is the time to fertilize shrubs and evergreens. Use an acid type rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias.  Use an all-purpose fertilizer to feed roses and other deciduous trees and shrub

·        Canes (raspberries and blackberries), with the exception of ever bearing, should have all the canes, which produced fruit last year removed.

·        The vegetable garden should get its first tilling (if weather permits) to allow the weather to aid you in breaking up the dirt clods. Exposed weeds and seeds hopefully will perish.

·        You should finish up any seed orders and have all your seeds gathered up. 

What can be planted in February:

·        Start indoors(anytime in February): Artichokes, Leeks, Sweet Onions, and Oriental Greens

·        Start indoors(towards the end of February): Asparagus and Parsley

·        Direct seed:  Radishes at the end of February when the ground isn’t frozen

·        Strawberries can be planted as soon as they become available.

.

BE READY TO PLANT YOUR EARLIEST PEAS THE 1^st PART OF MARCH