Product Recommendation: Sauce Master Food Strainer

     As my garden production comes to an end, I wanted to share a piece of equipment that has made my life much easier.  First of all, I must admit that I can understand why our grandmothers embraced the advent of canned goods in the grocery store.  Having spent the last few summers canning the fruits of my labors out of my garden, I will tell you that it is exhausting work.  It begins with picking the produce; washing and cleaning it; oftentimes boiling, blanching and peeling it; cutting, chopping or slicing; washing the jars and rings; filling them with the fresh food; and tending the pressure canner for sometimes an hour and a half ..... you had better dedicate an entire day to the canning process.
     No wonder our grandmothers were willing to trade some healthy aspects of the food they served their families for a little convenience and extra time!  There is a price to pay for such healthy goodness, and it involves tired feet and an aching back.  But all my grumbling aside, I still enjoy the finished product and take great pride in my efforts.  That being said, I'm not above finding a tool or implement that will shave off time and make the experience even more enjoyable.  That's where the NorPro Sauce Master comes in.
     My yield of tomatoes this season was plentiful, and I couldn't wait to can a supply of spaghetti sauce and salsa.  But the step of blanching and peeling the tomatoes was my least favorite part of the process. The Sauce Master helped eliminate the drudgery of that chore.  It automatically separates juice and pulp from seeds and skin, with an easy continuous operation, which makes it ideal for home canning, freezing, and dehydrating.  You can use it for the production of tomato juice, fruit butters, fruit leather, applesauce, baby food, pumpkin pie filling, jams and jellies.  The best part is that there is no pre-cooking needed for soft textured fruits like tomatoes.  The Sauce Master includes a plunger, spout, standard spiral and stainless steel screen, recipes and instructions.... all you need to speed up your canning process.
     The following pictures will show you how easy it is to prepare your tomatoes and get either more pulp or simply sauce, depending on what you are trying to achieve.  The difference is in the use of the different screens ... a finer one will result in more of the tomato being discarded, while the Salsa screen allows you to retain more meat of the tomato and acquire a "chunky" consistency.

Tomatoes are put into the hopper.  With the Salsa screen,
skin is discarded into the pan on the left, while the meat
of the tomato is poured into the pan on the right.

Tomatoes are cooked with green peppers, jalapeños,
onions, garlic and cilantro.

Pints of Salsa after coming out of the Boiling Water Canner.

The Standard screen discards skin and seeds into bowl on
the left, and pulverizes tomato into pure sauce.

After adding appropriate spices, onion and garlic, I cook the
Spaghetti sauce until it boils for 20 minutes, pour it into
quart jars with a tablespoon of lemon juice and can it in
a boiling water bath.  It's beautiful!

          I have read some of the reviews on this product on Amazon, and I can honestly say I disagree with all of them.  I have found the parts easy to clean, the handle easy to turn, and the resulting tomato product had the consistency I was looking for.  It greatly improved my canning experience and made the whole process much easier and faster.  I am anxious to try and make applesauce and jams and jellies.  As far as I'm concerned, anything that encourages me to keep canning is worth any little imperfections.  And the more spaghetti sauce I have in my pantry, the happier I am!

Genesis 1:12   "The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good." 

Forging Ahead!

     In the aftermath of the election, this story should be an inspiration and a "kick in the pants" for everyone!  We had our little pity parties yesterday, so today it's time to get back to work and back on target.  God is in control, but we have our part to play.  Stay focused on Him and get back in the game! 

     About a week-and-a-half ago, PLW and I enjoyed a quick visit from some friends we hadn't seen in awhile.  They live in Santa Fe, New Mexico and enjoy an affluent lifestyle.  Unlike many in that cultured and prosperous town, they are soundly conservative in their political views, yet insulated against many of the concerns that we in the fly-over states share.
     They are interested in getting their Concealed Carry licenses (none too soon), so we did a little training and ran some drills.   I thought it was quite revealing and right on target when Mr. Santa Fe remarked, "I feel like I'm having to learn how to ride a bike all over again."  He grew up hunting and is quite comfortable around handguns, but like all of us, was amazed at the difference between target shooting and real gun training.  They are both eager for more of the latter.
     That night, after PLW grilled some fantastic T-bone steaks, we enjoyed a fine bottle of wine and discussed the state of our country.  Mind you, this was pre-Election, so we were all hopeful that our fears wouldn't materialize.  That being said, it probably won't surprise you to know that Mrs. Santa Fe was much more intuitive about what we are facing.  She just hadn't fit all the puzzle pieces together.
     An event the night before at a hotel in a major city had set her warning bells off.  Soldiers with "Homeland Security" written on a deuce-and-a-half-style truck, and sporting curt attitudes, left them with lots of questions, and provided our conversation starter.
     I could have gone into all the theories about the National Guard training for civilian unrest, the government buying up humongous quantities of ammunition, or any number of conspiracy speculations.  But I wanted to find out what they were doing about preparing for any kind of collapse.
     They live a fast-paced life, with both of them having a successful business that doesn't leave much time for scouring the internet and keeping up on the latest news.  While they both "feel" that things are headed in the wrong direction, they are not on the same page as to what to do about it.  We discussed our dire economic situation and all the scenarios that could result in a societal breakdown.  What were their plans to defend themselves against a total disintegration of services, law enforcement and food supplies?  Did they have a plan for evacuating the city?
      It was obvious that Mr. Santa Fe wasn't buying into the necessity of making plans.  (I'm sure that has changed after the election results last night.)  While not discounting that a collapse could happen, his attitude was "If all this is coming, why even go into work tomorrow?  What am I working so hard for?"  He couldn't see beyond an image of chaos to how to survive on the other side.  (Classic "normalcy bias".)

     Now, Mrs. Santa Fe?  That was a different story!  She said, "We have a summer cabin up in the mountains, but we just shut it down for the winter.  We couldn't go there."  My response was, "Why not?  Let's consider it!"  At first she went through the list of all the things that made the cabin a poor choice ...... it was small; there was no electricity, so it would be freezing in winter; they would have no access to water since the cistern would be dry or frozen.  As I pointed out that the cabin might not be the optimal solution, it was all they had.  If Santa Fe is burning, where would she go?  I could see the light bulb go off over her head.

     I asked her, "Do you have a wood burning stove?"  The answer was yes, but they would need to get several cords of wood delivered in the next couple of weeks before the snows came.  I pointed out that the smallness and remoteness of the cabin made it a perfect "bug out" location, and there were people all over the country that would be envious of their situation.  I also told her that her cistern probably wouldn't freeze since it is underground, but in any case, they could melt snow for water, and in the spring and summer their small mountain lake could provide water that could be filtered through a Berkey water filter.  Another short-term problem solved.
     As we went down her checklist of concerns, she quickly became excited as she realized that first, there was a real need to begin thinking about this kind of scenario, and secondly, that she really could solve much of her logistical problems and make this happen.  Her biggest issue was food.  They had none stored and she would need to get it to the cabin as quickly as possible.
     We told her to start with beans and rice, peanut butter, canned goods.  She swung into action, making a detailed list and calling the caretaker of her cabin to get her cords of wood ordered and delivered.  She called her son in Colorado and was delighted to find that he was way ahead of her and has been mentored by someone who has him up to speed.  He was on board and eager to help with getting supplies to the cabin.
     She took down phone numbers for Emergency Essentials and planned on calling from the road as they made a few more stops before heading back home to Santa Fe.  She was on fire!  Now, I have to tell you that her husband thought we were nuts.  I asked him, "Do you just think we are crazy?"  And he answered, "No, I can see that what you're talking about could happen, but I just keep thinking, 'why am I working so hard' if it's all going to come crashing down?"  It's obvious that he's not there yet.  But she's not waiting.
     They left the next morning, and she made me promise I would keep her updated on things as she needs to know.  After they left us, they travelled and visited more friends, but she wasn't waiting until she got home to set her plan in motion.  The text messages and phone calls told us she was handling business.  She hit a snag when she was told that buckets of rice and beans were on back order for 3-4 weeks.  (In obvious anticipation of the Election.)  Her disappointment was compounded by an extremely rude customer service rep at Emergency Essentials. Not a good experience for a new Prepper!  But we are helping her to find alternatives.
     She knows she's behind the curve, but she's determined to get her ducks in a row.  They are fortunate in that they have the financial means to acquire all they need now.  It will just take a lot of time and effort to coordinate it all and transport it to their safe location.  But I have no doubt that she will accomplish her mission.  She has the ability to see things quickly and sharply, and she's not afraid to take matters into her own hands to secure her family.  I'm so proud of her!
     Now I want to caution others that might be reading this post, or who know someone who should be reading this post, that it is not too late!  The Election results should have set off warning bells for anyone who is even paying the slightest of attention.  But after Tuesday night, the window is closing fast.  PLEASE consider making plans to secure your family's safety and well-being.  If you have a strong sense that what I'm saying is right, then act on it!  Don't wait for everyone in your household to get on the same page.  Take the bull by the horns and make it happen!   The lives of your family members may very well depend on your efforts.

Postscript:   I got a call from Mrs. Santa Fe last weekend, and she sent me photos of all her supplies, her cords of wood, and the small storage unit she had delivered to her mountain cabin.  She has also scheduled a bulldozer to dig out her mountain pond to retain more rain water.  She has accomplished her goals in one week and once everything is in place, she will return to living her "normal" life, knowing she has secured her family as best she can.  She told me that Hurricane Sandy only served to accentuate the warnings we had given her, and proved that she was doing the right thing.  Then she called yesterday and thanked us for taking the time to educate her.  She said that if she had not taken the emergency steps to prepare, she would have been devastated on Tuesday night.  She said this is only the beginning, and she will be continuing to educate herself, while adding to her stores.  She is evidence of what one person can accomplish when they put their plan in motion.  You may not have the same financial means as my friend, but you can begin and take one step at a time.  Share her story with anyone who needs a reminder that time is wasting!  

Proverbs 1:5    "Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—"

New York: A Look At Our Future?

     By now, everyone has probably seen the images coming out of New York and heard the stories ..... long lines at the gasoline pumps that eventually don't work because there is no electricity to transfer the fuel from the tanks to the pumps to the cars ..... people dumpster-diving for food out of trash bins ..... no way to heat homes in the near freezing weather; the elderly and the young are suffering ..... no water, no food ..... tempers rising, looting beginning.

     In case you are one of those who have scoffed at the idea of storing extra food and supplies, take a look at the "real-time" picture of what that looks like when a crisis occurs.  Keep in mind that this is you, if you have not taken the time to prepare.  How much easier would it be on these folks if they had only a month's supply of canned goods, flour, rice, beans, and water?  Just think how much less stressful their lives would be if they had a little camper stove with some stored propane, or a Deadwood Stove which could be fueled with the multitude of broken limbs from the storm.  With their stored sleeping bags, extra blankets, Dietz lanterns and Berkey water filtration systems, they could manage their situation quite well and avoid the panic that is beginning to engulf their neighbors who are waiting for Big Brother to come to their aid.
     Whether this is a judgment upon our nation, or a blessing, is up to you.  You can either view this chaos as out of your control and something that someone else needs to fix, or you can thank the Lord that you have been given a vision of what you still need to do to secure your family's comfort and safety.  I'm sure there will be millions who will take on the mantle of "victim", but I'm equally positive that there will be others who will finally listen to that still small voice and be able to discern the steps they need to take.
     I plan on using this as an opportunity to, first of all, pray for my country and hope that those who have been indecisive will have their eyes opened and begin to take action.  Secondly, I will evaluate my own preparation plans against what I see unfolding in New York and New Jersey and make changes, accordingly.
     But the thing that has unnerved me the most was a comment PLW made this morning.  We were discussing the activities of the "sheeple", and he looked at me and said, "If I was China, Iran or North Korea, I'd be thinking, 'Yep, just one little EMP over the center of America, and we've got 'em!' "

     Watching the images coming out of the East Coast, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that most Americans living in big urban cities would be unable to survive the aftermath of an EMP.  They are totally unprepared to take care of themselves and have taken no steps to protect themselves or their families from starvation, lack of water or heat.
     They are sitting, paralyzed by their circumstances, and waiting for the government to come rescue them.  Guess what?  There is no guarantee that anyone will be coming, and if they do, you will not be living the life you were accustomed to.
     I pray that this will be the wake-up call that our nation has needed.  I realize that some will never think for themselves and will submit to martial law and even death, before they consider saving themselves.  But I'm hoping that those who have been sitting on the fence, or who have not completely bought into their partner's Prepper Plan will have the veil removed from their eyes and see the importance of having a plan in place.
     Use this heart-breaking situation to plead your case.  Ask your spouse or family member to see Hurricane Sandy as a precursor to a survival situation; a harbinger of what could come.  Show them this blog post, and then pray for a change of heart.  There's still time to execute your plan!

Psalm 94:8      "Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?"


   

For Us Meatlovers: Smokehouse Plans

     Thanks to my good friend, CZ, for bringing this topic to the blog.  For several months now, I've been trying to think of all the ways to store protein, specifically meat.  Your larder can be full of dried beans, and eggs from your chickens, and even canned cheese; but let's face it, there's no substitute for meat!
     I've shared my pressure canning process and believe me, it is an excellent method for storing meat.  But if you have the occasion to butcher a cow, or a wild hog, that's a lot of meat to process.  You would need multiple pressure canners and cases of mason jars to get the job done.  But if you had a small smokehouse, you could accomplish your task easily, and in a time-honored manner.

     Smokehouse plans abound on the internet, as do the methods of smoking meats.  The purpose of a smokehouse is to enclose heat and smoke, and reduce, but not entirely eliminate, airflow.  While you can do this with a charcoal grill or a metal barrel, grilling and barbequing meat is very different from smoking meat. For meats to be considered smoked they can only be cooked at temperatures between 52 degrees F to 140 degrees F.  This can be a process that takes anywhere between one hour and two weeks. Cured meats are cooked thoroughly both on the inside and the outside. The process of grilling and barbequing only sears the outside of the meat.  Here's another fact that's important to know:  The longer the cooking time, the greater the loss of moisture from the meat, which results in a saltier end product with a longer shelf life.  When TEOTWAWKI is a reality, longer shelf life will be an absolute must.
     While the design of your smokehouse can be as complex or simple as you want, all you really need is a source of smoke, a smoking chamber (or something to confine the smoke inside), sticks, screens or hooks to hang the meat, and a way to control the draft. I'm including a link to one of the most concise and easy to follow plans I found.  Check it out or adapt it to your own needs.  The nice thing about smokehouses is their adaptability; you can build them with removable wooden shelves to accommodate briskets, fish or whatever.  And they can be taken out for cleaning or to make more space for hanging. You can add hanging racks at the top to accommodate sausage, poultry and roasts or hams.

     Once you finalize your plans and build your smokehouse, you need just a little more information and you're ready to start curing meat.  You'll need to decide between cold, warm, hot or wet smoking; you'll need to decide how you want to create smoke for your smokehouse, and what kinds of wood to use.  This article will provide you with expert and easy-to-follow advice.
     So now you have one more method to help preserve food, and one more arrow in your quiver to help you survive hard times.  It seems like all the good methods take us back to a simpler and easier lifestyle, don't they?  A time when we were closer to the land and the elements.  For me, I'm actually looking forward to returning to a less sophisticated way of life; one that is free of computers and cell phones, and full of the rewards of my own labor.  Let the world scoff, but I know I will be equipped to handle it, both spiritually and mentally.  And I will have all I need!

Genesis 6:21      "You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them."

Summer Harvest Continues

     My baby steps into the world of home canning continues.  This last week, I was once again blessed with the gift of about 10 pounds of green beans.  While I'm learning, through my mistakes, about what works in my garden and what doesn't, I'm happy that others see fit to share their success.  I will try never to turn down free vegetables!

    So I dumped several rounds of beans in my large kitchen sink, washed them, and sat and enjoyed a nice afternoon movie while I sorted through them.  I snapped those that passed inspection and broke them into 2" pieces, ready to deposit in my pint-sized canning jars.  I divided the beans into two groups; one for regular green beans, the other batch for Dilly Beans.

     After pouring hot water over the first round, and adding a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, they were ready for the canner.  That was easy!

          While the first batch were in the pressure canner, I began preparing the Dilly Beans.

     I have to admit, I've never tried these, but everyone raves over them, and I'm a sucker for trying something new.  I made a brine of vinegar, water and canning salt.  Then I dropped a clove of garlic into each jar, along with some dill seed, and creole seasoning.  The canning recipe called for cayenne pepper, but I didn't have any, so I figured the purpose was to spice up the beans, so the Creole Seasoning should work ..... I hope!

     When I finished, I ended up with 7 pints of regular green beans, and 7 pints of Dilly Beans.  Not bad for an afternoon's work!  But I must confess, I am still learning.  I know that I am not packing my jars tight enough, although it seems I am stuffing and damaging the vegetables as I'm loading the jars.  And I still have trouble remembering the step to run a spatula around the edges of the jar to get rid of excess air bubbles.  

     I'm not embarrassed to admit that I'm a novice and I welcome all comments to help me become a better canner.  And I know this much .... I have more admiration and respect for my mother and grandmothers who canned all the time.  It is a time-consuming and fatiguing endeavor.  A day after I canned these beans, I was all day on my feet canning tomatoes and spaghetti sauce.  I was exhausted after blanching and peeling over 50 pounds of tomatoes and then chopping onions, bell pepper, garlic, and dried herbs for the sauce.  

     As I was taking my tomato peelings out to the chickens (which I discovered LOVE them!) I had to chastise myself for even thinking of my tired feet.  "Thank you, Lord, for this bounty of food", I whispered, and as I gazed upon my jars of beautiful, red tomatoes I was truly grateful.  Between God, good friends, and gardens we will be eating well this winter.

Psalm 65:10-11         "You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops.  You crown the year with your bounty, your carts overflow with abundance." 

   

A Bountiful Harvest!

     I have definitely been bitten by the canning bug!  Ever since taking the class a couple of weeks ago, I have been canning everything I can get my hands on.  Last week I canned 14 pints of meat; I cleaned out my freezer and all those chuck roasts and sirloin steaks that tend to get shoved to the bottom of the freezer are now sitting in my pantry.  Peace-Loving Warrior and I ate the initial pint that I canned in the class and we thought we had died and gone to heaven.  I simmered the meat in brown gravy and served it over brown rice.  It tasted like roast beef that had been slow-cooked all day!  It was so tender that it fell apart as soon as my fork touched it.  And I have to admit, it won't win any beauty contests in the jar.  Most people turn their noses up when they see it, but take it from me, they are missing out!
     Earlier this week I went on a canning binge...... once again I cleaned out my freezer and combined my frozen raspberries and strawberries and made jam.  I also canned jalapeños from my garden, home-made salsa, and spaghetti sauce.  My garden didn't produce as many tomatoes as I would have liked, so I was fortunate enough to be the recipient of my neighbor's largesse.  Thanks to Steve and Debbie, I was able to put their generosity to good use.  The photos below will give you an idea of how I spent my day:

Raspberries simmering on the stove

Jalapenos fresh from the garden

Salsa, ready to be canned

Spaghetti sauce bubbling in my husband's grandfather's pot.
He was a canner extraordinare!  He would be so proud of us!

(From left to right)  Raspberry jam, Salsa, Jalapeño slices, Spaghetti Sauce.
All in a day's work!

     It's amazing how fulfilling it is to spend a day in the kitchen slicing, dicing and stirring.  When you see those containers come out of the canner, you are seeing good health and well-being in a jar.  You know exactly what is in those jars and where it came from.  It's like it came straight from God!  So that's my tip for you..... in the midst of the chaos and the uncertainty, you can bring some stability and goodness into your home.  You've done something worthwhile for your family; both beneficial and nourishing.  And you certainly aren't getting that anywhere else!  Bon appetit!

1 Timothy 4:6       "If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed."

So Simple and So Rewarding

     As I told you last week, my friend Terri and I were going to a canning class.  I had some experience with steam canning spaghetti sauce from my garden vegetables, but I wanted to know more.  I can't tell you how excited Terri and I were, and we probably embarrassed ourselves by repeating it exuberantly and often during the class.  Along with seven other enthusiastic ladies, our small group were the recipients of time-honored knowledge on canning and preserving.
     Our class was led by a woman and her two daughters, and daughter-in-law.  They live in a homestead community and canning is a way of life for them.  They have the good fortune of gathering produce from the bountiful harvest of their community gardens, and they can it every day.  I was jealous!
     And I was thrilled to learn that we would get a taste of canning several different types of food, and today, I'm going to share with you the one that I was most interested in learning about.
     My husband made me promise that I would ask them about canning meat, since a grid-down scenario would render our refrigerators and freezers full of meat useless.  So guess what the first thing we canned was?  Steak!  I was so thrilled and couldn't wait to tell him that it was not as mysterious or difficult as I had imagined.
     We started with a nice, hunk of red meat -- chuck steak is what we canned, but any piece of meat will do (more about that later).  We simply cut the excess fat off the edges and cut the meat into approximately 1 inch x 1 inch cubes.  Then we spread out the meat on our cutting board, and added salt and pepper.  That's all!  You can add other herbs and spices if you desire, but I figured the simpler, the better.  I can flavor the meat when I cook my recipes in the future.
     Then we packed the meat into our pint jars, as tightly as we could, leaving about an inch of space at the top.  Then the lid was added and screwed down with the ring.  Our jars were positioned in the canner and cooked at 10 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes.  And the result were beautiful jars of cooked beef, afloat in their own juices.  The cooking process produced the liquid in the jar, without adding any extra.
     I was amazed that it was that simple!  The following pictures give you an idea of just how uncomplicated and effortless it was.

Cut meat into small squares

After seasoning, pack meat into jar as tightly as possible. 

Can for 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure

Meat is fully cooked in its own juices

     Now for the REALLY interesting pieces of information.  We were told that you could take any tough piece of meat, and by canning it, you will get a piece of meat so tender, it will fall apart on your fork!  Our instructors said you could take the toughest old rooster and can it, and you would think you were eating gourmet food.  Also, canning venison eliminates the game-y taste.  Plus you can quarter a chicken, and a quart jar will hold the breasts and legs/thighs.  Just think - a tender, juicy chicken in a jar! So my plan is to take the less choice meats in my freezer, thaw them and can them.  Otherwise, I know they would stay in the bottom of my freezer until they were burned, and would then be thrown away.  And I cannot stand the thought of wasting food when I know what we are facing!

     Needless to say, I invested in an All-American canner, which is the only brand I would consider.  I really couldn't afford it, but after realizing that I could provide organic, healthy, and superior food --- and know EXACTLY what was in the jar --- it just seemed a no-brainer.  No more wondering what additives have been thrown into the mix, or where the food came from.  But the best thing about learning this skill is that I can just imagine my grandmothers smiling down from heaven!

Psalm 63:5      "I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you."

      

        

Honey: A Prepper's Godsend

     I have to admit it.  I have a sweet tooth, and one of the things that actually concerns me should chaos or crisis enter my world, is the fact that I will be craving something sweet.  Chocolate goes without saying, but sugar for the sake of sugar is not really healthy.  And that's why honey is a Prepper's godsend.
     Besides the obvious benefit of being a sweetening additive to a variety of foods, honey has so many other advantages over the white, grainy stuff.  Just consider a few of these uses:

     Antiseptic -  Interestingly enough, all honey is antibacterial, according to Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.  "Bees add an enzyme to honey that makes hydrogen peroxide.  We still haven't managed to identify the active components.  All we know is that honey works on an extremely broad spectrum."
     I'm sure we all have ample supplies of hydrogen peroxide in our larders.  And now honey can be used for cleaning wounds and helping them to heal quickly.  When you apply honey to any open wound, the glucose, contained in the honey, is diluted and gradually releases hydrogen peroxide.  And because of its thick, syrupy consistency, honey prevents wounds from sticking to your bandages.  I've also heard that it helps with the appearance of scars.
     Immune System Booster -  A teaspoonful of honey to strengthen your immune system?  Now the skeptics will tell you that this claim cannot be "scientifically proven".  But this is the way I look at it; if God made it, then it is not bound by science's laws.  And besides, what have you got to lose?
     Treatment for Sore Throat - Who can deny the healing power of honey, mixed with the juice of a lemon, and a shot of whiskey?  I can personally vouch that this remedy has worked for many a sore throats, coughs and chest congestion.  In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, we won't be able to run to the nearest doctor's office for every throat tickle or winter cold.
     Parasite Remover - Honey, when mixed with vinegar and water, can remove worms and other parasites in your body.  What makes this combination work so well is the vinegar's acidity and the honey's therapeutic components.  If you suspect you might have worms, you will need to drink plentiful amounts of this solution regularly.  As I mentioned above, we may need to become our own physicians in the future, and these home remedies will be a valuable part of our medicine chest.
     Remedy for Burns - Once again, the hydrogen peroxide properties of honey will help clean the wound caused by a burn, and it will also soothe the inflammation.  Just apply honey to the burn, and watch the burn marks heal in a few days with less pain.  Use it as a dressing, when necessary, for maximum benefits.
     Skin Moisturizer - I don't know about you, but keeping copious amounts of my favorite moisturizer or serum on hand is not high on my larder list.  There are other things....oh, like food; and even toothpaste ranks higher in priority.  But it's nice to know that I won't have to suffer the effects of dry skin, when I have honey on hand.  You just mix 4 tablespoons of honey with a couple of egg whites and a few tablespoons of flour.  You can add more or less, depending on your desired consistency.  Just stir this mixture until it thickens, and when it's ready, you can use it as a hand and body lotion, or a moisturizing facial mask.

     These are just a few of the many uses for honey.  I'm sure you all can elaborate on its numerous benefits.  And I have one more bonus for you.  In keeping with my desire to buy long-term storage items for my larder, I have found a way to buy honey that I want to pass on.  While honey doesn't ever spoil, liquid honey is susceptible to physical and chemical changes during storage.  It can darken and lose some of its aroma and flavor.  And over time, liquid honey tends to naturally crystallize.  I'm sure you all know that a few seconds in the microwave will re-liquify your honey and you're good to go.
     But I want to introduce you to powdered honey!  I bought a few #10 cans from Augason Farms, and have been pleased with the product.  You can add it (in its powdered form) to iced tea, or reconstitute it to its liquid form by adding water and heating it.  Just pour it in a jar and store it like honey from the grocery store.  It's actually quite affordable.  (At $13.99 for a #10 can, you get 340 one-teaspoon servings.)  If you want to buy in bulk, I suggest buying a 5-gallon bucket (60 pounds) from Emergency Essentials.
     So now you are aware of all the advantages and tremendous value of God's sweet, sticky nectar.  And you also know that you don't have to sacrifice its many benefits should the world become an unfriendly place.  In Greek and Roman mythology, nectar is the drink of the gods.  I think I have to agree!

Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket

     Yesterday, I observed a conversation among a group of Preppers; one person was focused on food storage, another one on communications in a grid-down situation, and still another on firearms and self-protection.  But one voice stood out and offered a scenario that rarely gets mentioned  .....  is it wise to keep all of your stored items in one location?
     Simply put, say that one of the recent tornado victims in the South was a Prepper; they had ample supplies of stored food, camping supplies, fuel and firearms/ammo.  If their stored items were all located at their house, which was wiped off its foundation, then they lost all that they had prepared, for just such an event.  BUT if they had planned ahead and stored a portion, or even half of their supplies offsite, then they still had something to start over with.  At the very least, they would most likely have food, clothing, shelter (tent), a means to hunt, and a way to cook food (camp stove).
     One of the ways you could decrease your liability would be to store part of your larder at a relative's house, or rent a storage unit for a nominal monthly fee.  Then you have lessened your chances of a total loss; it is unlikely that both locations would be completely destroyed.  Of course distance is a primary factor.  You need to make sure your second location is within an easy traveling range.  It wouldn't make sense to store part of your larder so far away that you can't get to it, should the crisis be one where transportation is limited.

     Another possible solution is an underground storm shelter.  Personally, this is on my "wish list".  These small concrete or fiberglass "bunkers" can be purchased and act as a modern day root cellar for storing food, and double as a storm shelter during tornado and hurricane season.  They are not cheap, but offer you the ability to keep your stored items close at hand.  This might not make sense for people who live on small lots in the city, but if you have any kind of acreage, they are something to consider.
     If you live in the city, I might recommend 55-gallon barrels, tightly sealed and insulated.  You will need to check your water table, etc., as spelled out in this thread from a survivalist forum.  I am not an expert on this method, so please do your own research.  But this is really just a variation of the old-fashioned root cellar that our grandparents used, so it makes sense that it could serve as a secondary location for storage.
     And one more thing to consider:  should there be any kind of crisis, whether it be weather-related or due to civil unrest, you would not want to publicize your second location.  Looting and crime are unfortunate by-products of such events, and if you want to secure your prep items for yourself, or family and friends, then keep the fact that it exists to yourself.  You will stand a better chance of having the supplies you need, when you need them.

Isaiah 25:4     "You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.  For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall."

Got Milk?

     Deciding to store food items for the long-term is a real commitment.  For us, space was a prime consideration, along with determining exactly what we pictured ourselves consuming if we were faced with a weather-related emergency, skyrocketing hyper-inflated food prices, or a SHTF scenario.
     We discovered that milk was high on that list.  And since we are skim milk drinkers in our household, nonfat dry powdered milk was an obvious choice.  But it quickly became apparent that the usual powdered milk brands were good for a limited time period and were subject to becoming rancid.
     Then we were introduced to Family Home Storage, an affiliate of LDS (Latter Day Saints).  We are able to buy a 25-pound bag of Nonfat Dry Milk for $47.00 and a few pennies.  That bag translates into six #10 cans of milk with a storage life of 20 years.  We figured the cost at a little over 16 cents per gallon!  Compare that to the price at your favorite grocery store chain!
     And a rough estimate of how many gallons per #10 can?  I would guess approximately 16-18 gallons of milk can be made from one #10 can.  That means one 25-pound bag of nonfat dry milk could yield 6 cans, or in the neighborhood of 100 gallons of milk!  
     And what's even better, it passed the taste test for my very picky husband.  In fact, he likes the rich taste better than store-bought skim milk.  And at 16 cents/gallon, there is a lot of milk-drinking going on at our house!
     We experienced a few false starts at properly mixing the milk..... simple hand-stirring didn't break up the clumps of powder at the bottom of the pitcher, and since my blender is stored at the back of my lower kitchen cabinet, it was cumbersome to haul it out every time we needed a new container of milk.  Then I found the perfect utensil.... a hand-held blender.  Here's our 3-step preparation for perfect milk:

1 cup of Milk Powder per gallon container 

  

Fill up gallon container with milk and powder, then mix with hand-held blender. 

We then transfer mixed milk to glass container and refrigerate immediately.

   
 Milk is an important food item for your pantry, and this fortified milk product (Vitamins A and D are added) is perfect for long-term storage.  You can't beat it for the taste, the convenience, and the cost.  And I think we all agree that "man doesn't live by bread alone"..... and a cold glass of milk is just as necessary!

1 Peter 2:2      "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation." 

Dehydration Made Easy

 

      In my part of the country, we are preparing our gardens for Spring planting, which means it's time to start planning on how to preserve all the harvest.  Last year I began to experiment with dehydrating food and have been thoroughly pleased with the results!  After spending a lot of time in researching different manufacturers and models, I settled on the Excalibur, Model #3526, 5-tray dehydrator.
     It is lightweight, easy to clean, versatile, and perfect for small families with small gardens.  The adjustable thermostat and 26-hour timer that shuts off automatically make it the choice for those wishing to ease into dehydrating foods.  You aren't a slave to your process, as you spend a small amount of time, preparing your trays, turn on the timer, and go about your day.  You can dehydrate almost anything you can imagine...nearly all fruits, most vegetables, meats, fish, herbs and some dairy products.  And best benefit of all....it's made in the USA!

     My limited experience has been with vegetables from my garden:  onions, peppers (all varieties), potatoes, beans, tomatoes, etc.  It's as simple as blanching the washed, cut-up vegetables, dehydrating in the Excalibur, and vacuum sealing them for storage.  Then during the winter I add them to soups and stews and they are quickly re-hydrated in the liquid and broth.
     Another couple of my dehydration favorites are apples and bananas.  Soaking them in lemon juice for a few minutes keeps them from turning brown.  I add just a touch of cinnamon to the slices, and the results are so tasty that I have to admit, we end up eating them and not much gets stored!  They are a great snack to have on hand, and a good solution to those sugary, caloric alternatives.

     And of course, one of the greatest benefits is how much less you will spend dehydrating your own food, rather than buying dried foods.  One hint:  when your local grocery store runs a sale on fruits or vegetables, stock up and start drying!  Dried foods are easy to store and don't take up much room, especially if you vacuum seal them.  You can extend the life of dried foods if you store them in cool, dry temperatures; and if you have the space, storing them in #10 cans or sealable food storage buckets will increase their life for 10 years or more.
     I have seen many favorable customer testimonials on dehydrating jerky, and it is definitely on my list of to-dos.  The Excalibur is rated very high for producing consistent, tasty jerky and my husband can't wait to try out this option.
     At the same time I ordered my dehydrator, I also ordered a handy little source book, called Keeping The Harvest.  This handbook offers valuable information on methods of preserving, including freezing, canning and drying.  The instructions are easy to follow and cover a broad and comprehensive list of issues:  from the optimal time to pick your produce, to what equipment you'll need, to how much headroom is required when freezing fruits and vegetables.  You'll learn timesaving methods, as well as simple, down-home recipes for pickles and relishes, jellies and marmalades, and even how to make your own ketchup.
     This is a natural addition to your food preservation arsenal, whether you're dehydrating or not.  So, if you've been contemplating dehydration as a method of preserving your harvest, take it from me.  It was almost foolproof and worth the investment.  You won't be sorry!

Galatians 6:9    "Let us not become weary in doing good,  for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."   

Mainstay Bars: A Tasty Substitute For Those Bland MREs

   
If you have been on the Survivalist train for awhile, then Bug Out Bags (B.O.B.) and MREs (Meals Ready To Eat) are a standard part of your vocabulary and your provisions.  Being prepared to leave at a moment's notice has to be a part of your emergency plans.   The recent fires in Texas bear testimony to the necessity of a well-stocked B.O.B.   You don't always have ample time to grab everything you need to survive for the next 48-72 hours.
     My bag accompanies me everywhere I go.  It's always stocked and ready to be grabbed if I have to leave the house quickly.  And whether I'm making a quick dash to the grocery store or traveling across country, it's in my car.   I will post a more in-depth discussion on everything in my B.O.B., but today I want to concentrate on one staple in my bag.
     Most people would assume that MREs would be a main component of my bag, but I have found something that takes up less space, provides more calories, and (this is important to me)..... tastes great!  Mainstay Bars are a calorie-dense food, high in fortified vitamins, that come in small, packaged 400 calorie bricks.  I know what you're thinking..... "A small brick of condensed food.... that would be my last resort!"   But Mainstay Bars are far from that.
     They come in serving sizes of 1200, 2400 or 3600 calories (or in 3, 6 or 9 bar packages).  You just break off as many bars as you need to meet your needs.  These bars are not a solution to your long-term food storage, but are perfect for your B.O.B., day hikes, or anytime you need a quick intake of calories.

     I think of Mainstay Bars like gunfighters think of their pistols.  A pistol is a poor choice for a gun fight.  You use a pistol to fight your way to your rifle.  Mainstay is food to get you by until you can work up a real hot meal.  Food bars do have their place.
     One complaint I have heard from others of our persuasion, is that they wish the bars were individually wrapped.  Once you open the package, it's open, and there is no resealing it.  So consider including a ziplock bag along with the vacuum-sealed package to keep your opened bars fresh.
     And here's the good part---the taste.  The bars taste like a lemon butter cookie; like lemon shortbread.  Popular Mechanics actually did a blind taste test among 20 staffers, who were polled on the three leading food bars:  DATREX, The ER Bar, and Mainstay.  The bars were evaluated on texture and taste, and Mainstay won by 55%.  No more bland, chewy, hard-to-swallow "survival fare".
     These bars have a 5-year shelf life; they don't make you thirsty; they withstand extreme temperature ranges (-40˚ to 300˚), so you can leave them in your car in the hot Texas summers and the cold Montana winters; they contain no cholesterol; they are kosher; they are affordable (about 67 cents per 400-calorie bar); and they meet both U.S. Coast Guard standards and packaging guidelines for the U.S. Department of Defense.  And did I say they taste great?  Now if they would just come out with a Dark Chocolate version, I would be in heaven!

Psalm 111:5    "He provides food for those who fear him; He remembers His covenant forever." 
       

What I Can't Do Without

     When you think of "survival food" what comes to mind?  Rice and beans?  MREs?   I have to admit I rarely go a day without two of my favorite gastronomical ingredients... butter and cheese!  And if refrigeration is a problem in a crisis situation, spoilage is an automatic concern.  And I can hardly think of any meal that is not made better by either butter or cheese.  Long-term storage of these essential items seemed to me to be a problem without a solution.
     Then a friend introduced me to Red Feather canned butter and cheese.  Canned?  You're probably having the same reaction I did.  Metal taste and rubbery in texture, right?  How could anything so rich and creamy be good in a can?

     Well, I was in for a surprise.  I have to admit, the packaging doesn't do anything to whet your appetite. In fact, it looks rather industrial.  But the taste is amazingly pleasant.  When opened, the butter reminds me of butter that is allowed to sit out at room temperature --- much like my grandmother used to do.  It's creamy, spreads easily and honestly tastes like store-bought butter.  The 12-oz cans are easy to store and have a shelf life of at least 2 years.  So Red Feather canned butter passed the test!
     Next came the examination of the canned cheese.  I'm pretty finicky about cheese that is processed.  Although I love Velveeta cheese, I recognize that it is not very healthy for you.  Surprisingly, this cheese is real cheddar cheese, and has a natural yellow color (unlike the fake color of other processed cheeses).  It tastes like a mild cheddar cheese, and can be sliced, grated or cut like other cheeses.  The only drawback I can find is that it doesn't melt into a creamy, fluid sauce, but I can live with that inconsistency if the taste and texture is there.  So again, Red Feather canned cheese outweighed my expectations.  And, amazingly, it can be stored indefinitely.
      I highly recommend both products for long-term storage, and they are easy to stack, so a minimum amount of space is needed.  And it's nice to think that if, confronted with an emergency or a crisis, you don't have to do without those comfort foods, like macaroni and cheese, and butter for your toast.  Stock up now!

Isaiah 55:2     "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?  Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the riches of fare."

A Different Kind of "Comfort" Food

Today I want to give you some information on a type of long-term food storage, and why it’s something you should consider. And I know there are some of you who think that’s going a little overboard, and quite unnecessary. I know what you’re thinking…."I have a refrigerator full of food, and the big grocery store chain is just a few minutes away.” Or maybe you saying to yourself, “The budget is tight and it just seems like a lot of trouble. My life is too hectic as it is!”

But consider this little scenario and see if you don’t recognize the wisdom of my words: I’ve been following a post thread on one of my favorite, and among the most informative and educational blogs, called SHTF Plan. (Stands for Sh—Hits The Fan Plan) – blunt, but to the point, right?

One of the posts was by Selco, a Bosnian man, who with his family, barely survived the Bosnian/Serb War of the early 1990’s. He wrote to warn Americans to pay attention to the signs of impending troubles. (You can read his entire story here.) He makes it pretty plain how fast societal infrastructure and your life can change. One day his family was leading a comfortable, full life, and in a matter of days they were breaking apart furniture to burn and keep warm. Can’t happen here, you say?

Now, consider this: All the economies of Europe are on the verge of collapse. And how does that affect us, you ask? Well, to begin with, 20% of our exports go to Europe. U.S. Officials suggest we have two options: 1) Bail out Europe with our tax payer dollars (I’m thinking, Yeah, that worked so well with TARP) or, 2) Let Europe go down and directly affect our economy (I’ve heard estimates that we could be looking at a $5 Trillion exposure – that’s our exports; the portion of your 401K that’s invested in European bonds and paper; and what their failure would do to the value of our Dollar – the whole shebang).

And while visiting debt-torn Greece on Monday, our Vice-President joked (Really?) that a member of his delegation “represents the Treasury Department. He’s brought hundreds of millions of dollars.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t find that joke particularly funny….and I’m sure the Greeks weren’t laughing either. And guess who would be providing that money? You and me!

It’s not hard to see the potential for a pretty bleak picture in the near future. Is there anybody whose economy is doing well? Oh, yeah---China. And they own America’s debt. I think the joke is on them!

But there’s no doubt that the unrest exhibited in the streets of Greece, Syria, Egypt and now the U.S. (and I urge you to take the Occupy Wall Street movement seriously) can result in, at the very least, a temporary disruption in the movement of goods and services.

So why not take the worry of an adequate food supply off the table? And it is really such an easy solution. My suggestion is to purchase 5-Gallon Food Grade Buckets, with Gamma Seal Lids from either CheaperThanDirt or Emergency Essentials, both two of my favorite suppliers.

The buckets stack nicely; are easy to manage, protect your food well; and best of all, are affordable. When used with Metallized (or Mylar) bags (to keep out the moisture) and Oxygen Absorbers (to keep the bugs out), you can safely store most food for up to 15-20 years. These buckets will store approximately 25 pounds of pinto beans (protein), rice (fiber), flour (good for about 3 years), sugar (doesn’t need an oxidizer), and corn meal (about 2-3 years). You can supplement these basics with canned goods from your pantry and satisfy any palette. It may not constitute a gourmet meal, but I guarantee if we encounter a blip on the radar, no one will be complaining.

These convenient Food Grade buckets are an easy solution, with “peace of mind” benefits. Just stick them in your basement or spare bedroom, and don’t think about them. They’ll be there when you need them. I see them as "insurance"; just part of my resources to provide protection against the possibility of shortages. And I do it out of a sense of security, not fear. Rice and beans, anyone?

2 Timothy 1:7 -- "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cringing and fawning fear), but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control."