Paracord Survival bracelets, instructions!

Make a survival paracord bracelet!

 Video for bracelet making

These are all the rage!~ Not only are they cool looking BUT they are a essential prepper piece for everyone!

This cord can be used for dog leashes, dog collars, belts & key rings!
A GREAT item for everyone in your family!

ALSO, There is a site called "Operation gratitude"/http://www.operationgratitude.com/ they are looking for volunteers to make these bracelets to send in care packages for our troops overseas, It would be a cool thing if you were to make a few extra for this project, just saying!

Well, I hope this is something you may want to do for yourself and others!
I will be posting photos and instructions on how to make a "bug out bag" for your vehicle out of old Levis! I'm working on this!!!

Have you stored any water lately? And what about some food items? This is a NEW year! Make it a point to start or continue to put alittle food and water aside every week! A little at a time adds up!

Well, enough for now!
Peace! Sherry!

Happy New Year! Welcome 2013!

Wishing you and yours a "Happy New Year"!
Peace, Sherry

NEW Store opens in Lake Elsinore! Protective Bunkers Survival Center!

Protective Bunkers Survival Center
www.protectivebunkers.com

The Survival Center offers a very comprehensive line of Tactical gear, Water purification systems, Dehydrated foods and Custom steel underground Bunkers.

This is the outside of a Custom bunker 

This is a view of the kitchen area, lots of built in custom cabinetry 

Dining area

Bunk area

Last week Bill and I had the pleasure of taking a little field trip to Lake Elsinore. Bill had found "Protective bunkers survival center" on line and was interested in the custom made bunkers they were advertising.
Well, the trip was truly worth it!
We found the store to be very well laid out and stocked!The proprietors Josh and Rachel Jackling were very friendly and knowledgeable. You could really tell they were seeking and sharing everything they could find for helping others to become prepared as well! The items offered in their store were top of the line and very reasonably priced!
They also offer Free classes on different topics! Contact the store for dates and topics!
951-245-3920

We were very curious about the bunkers they make so we were very excited to see that they actually have one that you can tour! I have to say, They are much larger inside than they look! Very spacious! The photos above dont even give it justice! I especially liked the amount of storage in this bunker! The whole floor has large storage beneath it.

Josh Jackling says that he and his team can build a bunker to your specifications, your "home away from home". They are built to your protection requirements.
For more information contact:
Protective bunkers survival center
951-245-3920
www.protectivebunkers.com
or on facebook!protective bunkers survival center

If you get a chance to get there and visit the store I highly recommend it!
They also have hydroponics/Aquaponics started there as well!
I know im looking forward to going back and stocking up on a few things I still need!

Peace! Sherry

Mr Bill just wanted to wish you all a Purrrrrrrrrrfect Christmas season!

Mr Bill wishing you a "Fuzzy" Holiday!

Ok! My cat wanted to wish all of you a Happy, Warm and Fuzzy Christmas season!!!

But I better get off the computer before Gosha {My dog} finds out or she'll be jealous!

Fuzzy kids! Got to love 'em!

Warm wishes!
Peace! Sherry

It's December 22, 2012!

Well greetings all!
So glad we made it thru to the 22nd! BUT that doesn't mean that we can stop preparing for the future!
I spent the last few days with the flu and felt like i was gonna die anyways! LOL! Thank God im on the down side of it!
I hope this season just brings us even closer to one and another, to share what we have and know with others...To ask forgiveness where its needed and Forgive others. Lets all go forward in a more loving state of mind! To be forever thankful for everything and everyone we have in our lives! Live in a daily state of gratitude and grace!
Lets all go forward in preparation for a peaceful New Year!
Peace on Earth! Good will to ALL!

Sherry!

Home grown fish and veggies!

Greetings all!

Well, today we will be having Our own Home raised Talapia for dinner....It got very cold the past few nights and we lost one of the BIG fish from out side. They are tropical and really need a more milder climate (at least in the winter!) So we kinda had an idea that we would lose the bigger ones that were put in our pond. There was frost on the pond this morning. We figure we should get quite a bit of meat off of them.

Ill be posting some photos today to give you an idea how big they can get!

Also, will be harvesting some homegrown lettuce and tomatoes for a salad! Our winter garden is doing very well too!

Hope all is well with you and yours and you are getting your self ready for whatever comes your way!

Peace! Pray! And Prepare!

Sherry

Wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy holiday time!



Warm Holiday "Fishes" :)

This is just one of the many greeting cards that I had created...Strange I know! LOL!

I would like to wish you and yours a wonderful season of love, health and happiness....
Peace on Earth...
Sherry 

What are your "Plans" for 12/21/12? Bug out?

Plan on "buggin-out?"

No matter what your thoughts are on the up-coming date of "12/21/12"
The one BIG truth is It is GOOD and WISE to be prepared!
As for me personally, I have no clue to what could happen on that day....OR ANY day as far as that goes!
I do know that the bible says that NO man will know the date or time the world will end...Only GOD knows...So, if you believe that the bible is true then that should be a comfort.
I believe that the 21st is not the end of the world but it may just mark the beginning of life different than we know it...
We are facing alot of earth changes and government changes...I am NOT political in any way, And will not be going there at all! I just
want to share with everyone who will listen to prepare for you and your families!

I know several people are planning to "bug out" to "safer" areas...And I agree with them, but sometimes its just not feasible to do that so we just need to hunker down where we are....

Please if nothing else get your Bug out bag ready, grab some more water and Pray for the best and prepare for the worse!

Peace, Sherry

 

Hydroponics and Aquaponics! Systems, kits and supplies!

Hydroponics

Aquaponics

I wanted to share with you about the Hydroponics/Aquaponics systems.
We have been blessed to find a great store here in our area called
Hydropatio.
The people there are very knowledgeable and friendly!!!!
We have been dealing with Nestor and he's been able to help us with information and supplies to help us get started on our Aquaponics set up.
Then this past Saturday we met the owner Jim. He' s like minded when it comes to preparedness.
Hydropatio designs and offers kits to get you started in providing your family with fresh organic food from Vegetables to fresh fish!
They will be adding more to their website SOON according to Jim. They also can help you with solar set ups as well!!
I HIGHLY recommend you take a peek at what Hydropatio has to offer!
You can start out small on your patio or go as large as you want!

WWW.Hydopatio.com

Tell them you saw them on Simply surviving Today! Tell them Sherry and Bill sent you!

Busy day at the Huffman fish farm!

Mr. Bill enjoying his "New Cat TV!"

Our Fingerlings in the tank

This is the smallest of the 3
Talapia that we got today!

Well, nothing like jumping into something with both feet! We were able to locate someone who had large full grown Talapia who wanted to re-home them! We picked up three of them...The largest one probably weighed over eight pounds! HOLY COW! these bad boys have enough meat on them for a whole family to enjoy!
I've named them...( Strange I know! LOL!) Baked~ Fried and Fish taco! LOL! We decided to get them and see how they would do in our pond with the Koi. They seem to adjust quite well so far, just hope they are still alive in the morning! They like warm water and dont do well when the temps drop to 50 degrees. They are typically native to more tropical climates, But here in southern California the weather is pretty even all year long.
Then we were able to buy some fingerlings ranging in size from a few inches to about four inches for our tank.

We also took a trip to the Hydroponics/Aquaponics store here locally, Like I had mentioned before if you have never checked this out you might want to! It's the most amazing way to provide fresh food for you and your family!!! I'll post more with links tomorrow!

Well, My cat "Mr. Bill" Is LOVING his new "cat tv!" He spends most of his day watching the fish! Oh, I forgot to mention that we had first added Comet goldfish to the tank to make sure things were all good before adding the Talapia....

Well, I'm one tired girl...Will get back on and post more!
Blessed night to all!
Sherry

Our attempts twords self reliantce! Aquaponics

Backyard Fish Farming

In our attempts to become more self reliant we have been looking into fish farming. Not on a large scale mind you! But in a large fish tank right here in our living room!
It's quite easy and can produce quite a bit of fresh fish!
We have been looking into Talipia. I was surprised to find out that they are illegal in some states! Hummmmm, BUT thankfully here in California you can have them in 6 counties, and thank goodness we live in one of them!
I've been very impressed with what we have found about Aquaponics! You can set up a tank for fish and recycle the water into other containers to grow your veggies without soil! The fish actually "Feed" the plants and keep them growing big and healthy! If you get a chance and havent looked into Aquaponics/Hydroponics I highly suggest you check it out!
There's a great site called "Talipia momma" She has tons of great info and even classes on backyard fish farming! You can do this on your porch even!
I really like the whole idea of having fresh food without depending on the grocery store! Every thing tastes so much better! Not only that BUT if the stores are closed down or out of stuff, wouldnt it be great to just "Shop" at home???
I will report back as we attempt to get the ball rolling! We have set up an aquarium in the living room for the "fingerlings" (baby fish)
And I will post pictures! So, with fingers crossed we will continue on! Just hope the cat doesnt think its all for him! LOL!

All for now! Have you put any water aside this week??? Just reminding you!
Have a good one!
Peace, Sherry

 

Christmas is coming! Preparedness gift suggestions!

Gift Suggestions!

Struggling with gift ideas for the people in your life???
I think a "gift" of Preparedness is a gift of love :)
Like me I'm sure you have run across some type of "struggle" when it comes to talking to your friends and loved ones about becoming "prepared".
So, To give yourself and Them a peace of mind I suggest you give a gift of preparedness!
No matter how "silly or off the wall" they think you are (And trust me they will totally as well as secretly appreciate it!) It will show them how much you care!
So, with that said here are some suggestions of gifts
you may want to consider giving.

A first aid kit, either store bought OR homemade. I did this one year for my children and they still have it! I bought new gallon paint cans and filled them with some essentials. Plus taped a paint "key" to the side so it could be opened easily! These keep things dry and protected! You can decorate the outside with permanate markers!

A subscription to a good magazine like "Mother earth news" or any "Homesteading" or getting back to the basics type magazine.

Survival guides and workbooks, first aid books for family and pets, Gardening books and 'Do it yourself" books.

Gift cards for "Preparedness"sites.

Dehydrated Food kits and cook books.

A pre-packed 72 hour bug out bag.

100 hour candles.

There are so many things you can put together for gifts and make them "fun" and "merry!"

You can look back on some of the earlier posts for lists for kits and recipes for dry mixes!

So, these are just a few ideas! I know you can come up with even more!

And as always, Peace!
Sherry

 

Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce! EASY and QUICK recipe

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Well, if youre anything like me you're more than likely getting some "goodies" ready for your Holiday festivities!
I just made my Orange Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving and wanted to share this awesome recipe with you!
It actually takes less than 15 minutes and has a wonderful POP of flavors!
What you'll need to make 1 quart of sauce!

2 bags of fresh cranberries
1 cup of orange juice
2 cups of sugar
The zest of one whole navel orange

In a deep saucepan pour cranberries, orange juice, sugar and zest. On a medium heat stir and cook for about 10 minutes.  Your sauce will thicken and you can take a metal spoon and with the backside of it smash the berries. You dont need to smash all of them, some whole berries will make your sauce more full and colorful! Take of burner and cool.
This sauce can be used warm or cold! It's amazing with ham and Turkey!!!!!

Enjoy!
Peace, Sherry

 

So, What are you thankful for?

Give Thanks!The seasons are changing, our friends and family gather around us and we make plans for our Holiday feasts...
What are you most thankful for?

For me I'm thankful for my friends and family...The ones Ive been given as well as the ones I have chosen <3
I'm thankful to be alive everyday and healthy and to know real love!
AND I'm thankful for you ! You have given me a chance to share with you the things I'm most passionate these days!
My hope is that as you read this blog, just one or all of the posts the words will impact you, make you think and instruct you into being mindful of what preparations you may need to do to protect you and your family in case of an emergency.
I fear for all of us....Who really knows whats to come.
Prepare for the worse and hope for the best.
And PRAY!
I send greetings of Thanksgiving!
And my wish for each one of you is a time full of love and laughter!

Peace, Sherry

 

Survival 101 Blog Class #5~ Alternate Cooking Methods

Alternate Cooking Methods

     Ok, now most of you have your food storage, shelter plans, WATER storage and a great "Bug out" bag all ready to go! BUT do you have more than one way to cook? Now keep in mind....In case of a disaster all our electricity and natural gas will likely be shut off. So you'll need to have other sources for cooking and boiling water. This is IMPORTANT!

     90 % of all households own some type of a bbq or outdoor grill. This is great! BUT do you have enough propane or charcoal that could last you for a few weeks or more? In this Blog class I will be talking about several alternatives to use for cooking. From items you can make at home for just pennies to top of the line cook stoves!

    One of the things you'll need to consider as well is what you cook in. I firmly believe that cast iron is the way to go. It's durable and can stand all heat sources. It cleans up well and will last. Unlike most cookware we have available to us today. I strongly suggest a dutch oven. It can be used in so many ways!

Dutch oven

These are made of cast iron and can be used for everything! You can also bake in them!  they can be used on a grill, a campfire, a woodstove and even on the ground with charcoal!

     It would be a GOOD idea to purchase a cookbook on dutch oven cooking! This diagram above shows how to use it with the charcoal and can be done on the ground. This method has been around for a very long time! The cookbook will explain the number of coals you'll need for whatever you are cooking and explain the temperature regulation.

     I feel it would be a very good idea to have several different ways of cooking on hand. Keep charcoal in airtight buckets, dry firewood and extra propane on hand. These items are easily attainable now and can be stored and kept for a long period of time. In a time of crisis you will not be able to get these things because they will be the first of many things to be bought out!

    A good camp stove would also be a great investment! They are inexpensive and will be a easy way to cook! BUT remember these need Propane! So make sure to stock some cylinders! You can also purchase adapters to hook them up to larger cylinders. 

ALSO, Stock up on lighters , wooden matches, water proof matches and get a flint with a striker! 

There are many excellent cook stove alternatives out there. I was really lucky to be able to get a "Volcano collapsible Stove"

    These are awesome! You can use propane, wood and charcoal with these! Plus not only do they have a few grill tops with it but you can set your dutch oven in it and cook or bake with it that way! There is also a fold-able cover that converts this into a oven! These are available at Camping stores and online at emergency preparedness sites. The cheapest I've seen them are around $150.

   Another cooking alternative is the 'Fire in a can" This can be made with a quart size "New" paint can with a lid. All you need for this is the can and a roll of toilet paper and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. I've found that the cheaper toilet paper that is single ply works the best. You will need to pull the cardboard tube out from the middle of the roll and place into the quart can. Then when you are ready to use this you pour in the bottle of rubbing alcohol into the can, saturating the toilet paper. The alcohol MUST BE 70%. This will burn the best!Then light and place your pot on the top of it. Make sure you do this outside and away from anything that may catch on fire! These little do it yourself stoves can burn for at least an hour! Then when you are finished with it CAREFULLY place the lid onto the can! I have made 8 of these and have them packed away!

Something else you may want to make is "Fire-starters" if you are planning a wood fire to be one of your chosen cooking alternatives you'll want to be able to get a fire started quickly. I've made quite a few of these and stored them in metal coffee cans. This is what you'll need:

* paper/cardboard egg cartons

* dryer lint

* Parafin wax, old candles or crayons!

* sawdust, dried leaves or pine needles.

               To prepare your egg cartons, make sure these are on a cookie sheet and DOUBLE them! I didnt put two together and the wax soaked threw all over! So make sure you dont do what I did! LOL! Put alittle bit of dryer lint and dried leaves or sawdust into each cup. In a OLD saucepan melt your wax. candles or crayons until melted all the way and pour into each egg holder. make sure to try to cover as much of the contents as possible . Let harden. Then with kitchen shears cut apart. Store in a airtight container. These last forever! When you need to start a fire you just light one of these on your wood and it will get it going!

Another item that is really something is a solar oven. You can either purchase one or there are many sites on line with the directions to make one. These are great because you dont need to provide any other energy source except the sun! The only downside to these is if the sun isnt shining!

Solar Oven

So, as you can see there are many alternatives for cooking! We personally have several of these items "Just in case"
I hope this Blog class was useful to you...And it's my hope that you pack in at least 3 different methods.

Please PREPARE! This could be the difference of life or death to you and your family!

And as ever Peace!
Sherry

Next blog class ~Survival 101 ~ #5 Will be alternate cooking methods



 

Alternate cooking methods

Next blog class will deal with different ways to cook.
Keep your eyes peeled!
Coming soon!
Peace, Sherry

 

Survival 101 ~Blog class #4~ Your "Bug out bag"

Your Bug Out Bag
So, you may be asking yourself "What's a "Bug Out  Bag"? This is a MINIMUM requirement essential for everyone for emergency preparedness!
This is a 72 hour (3 Day) survival kit that you should keep close at hand! Be it in your vehicle, by your front door , where ever you can get to it easily and quickly if you need to leave your home during an emergency situation.  Your 72 hour kit should include items to keep you warm, fed, hydrated, able to aid in minor first aid situations and safe. Keep in mind you may be stuck in your car, be evacuated to a evacuation center or told to stay in your home. You need to be prepared for all scenario's!

It should be easy to carry , like a backpack, duffel bag or a rolling case. You'll want to include these items:

* Water ~ for each person in your family , 3 gallons per person.

* Food~ MRE's , prepared ready to eat items and snacks.         

* A first Aid kit (Also any medications any family member may need).

* Personal care items IE: toothbrush, toothpaste, bath wipes, hair brush or comb, Tissues and toilet paper. Also a few heavy weight ziplock bags for sanitation purposes.

* Hand sanitizer                                                                    
    
 * AT least 2 changes of clothes, a jacket or sweatshirt and a pair of sturdy shoes .

*A flashlight and Batteries 
* You should have some cash on hand! You can not depend on being able to get to the bank or use a ATM.
* AN emergency blanket or sleeping bag, these are very light weight and easily put into your kit.

* A all in one tool (Like a Handyman)

* Light sticks.

* A printed out emergency "Family" plan with important info. Names and phone numbers of your emergency contacts, checkpoint contact, Any routes you may have planned for your family. When you are in an emergency mode you may not remember things being under stress.

Make sure you include pet items too and if you have children pack a few items that will help them fell comforted like a small stuffed animal, a favorite toy, a blanket...Crayons and a color book.

ALSO, if you can, and I realize this is sometimes difficult even on a good day, but try to keep your cars 3/4 to full of gas.

Find out from your city hall where your  nearest emergency evacuation centers are located in your town and have a plan in case you are separated from your family members.


PREPARE!
Peace, Sherry


                                                                                                                           

Next Blog class~ Your BUG OUT BAG! Coming soon!

Greetings all!

Our next Blog class is on your Bug out bag! What you'll need for a 72 hour personal kit to help you thru a emergency. I'm working diligently to get this up so stayed tuned!

Peace! Sherry

Our winter garden!

Hello friends!
 Hope you are finding my "blog classes" helpful! Just went out to check on the gardens, They are doing very well! Our Chinese peas are about 3 inches high! Th rest of everything is sprouting beautifully!And my tomatoes are coming back to full life! I even have several tomatoes coming out! Amazing! Gotta love the beautiful weather here in California! How is your winter gardens doing? What did you plant?
Peace to all!
Sherry

TOP 10 LIST ~Things to PREPARE to sustain!!!!

TOP TEN
LIST!

#1. You will need to learn some basic and necessary skills ! Skills like gardening, animal husbandry, plumbing, construction, hydoponics, aquaponics, wood crafting, soap making, candle making, sewing, leather crafting, First aid. Trades that will help others and can contribute to the rebuilding of a crushed economy. Trades that you will be able to barter with as well as goods.

#2. Improve your health! Now or never!!! Make sure you get your self in the best shape that you possibly can! Walk, exercise, yoga...You will need to be your own doctor! Learn about holistic ways to treat illnesses and herbal alternatives to medication where you can!

#3. Store food for you and your family! Learn to can and dehydrate. Grow what you can and share with others! Raise chickens, rabbits and other livestock! Raise your own fish to eat!

#4. Create a "How To" Library! Start collecting books to keep on hand like first aid, Holistic ways to heal yourself, woodworking projects, Canning and cooking, survival books, home handyman "do it yourself" type books! The electricity goes out you wont have the ability to "look it up and Goggle it!". There anything you would like to learn, get a book on it! Thrift shops and yard sales are an excellent way to build your library inexpensively!

#5. Start a HOME business! This will help you supplement your income OR be the main source of your income! You can also use your business as a "barter" tool for what you may need.

#6. Gather trade able goods! This may be the only way we will be able to get items we need! Things like health and beauty products, Extra food items, Alcohol, Ammo, building supplies and tools...These things will all be trade able!

#7. Build a community alliance what you live! Find those who are "like minded" with you and make a plan to help each other and others!

#8. Make sure you have alternative energy! Solar is awesome if you can get it, so is a generator, back up batteries, propane canisters, lamp oil, charcoal, fire wood!

#9. Water purification!!! A filter, tablets and bleach... Make sure you have stored clean drinking water for you and your family! Learn more about collecting rain water and using your "gray" water!!!

#10. Share this information to all! Show more love and appreciation to all and be giving of yourself and what you may have to share! Be your brothers keeper! A Good attitude and happy  and grateful heart will help many!


I had heard this on line and added alittle to it...:)
I thought it was more than noteworthy!
Peace and Blessings to each and everyone of you!
Sherry

 

Survival 101~ Part 3~ FOOD

"Food preparedness"
PART 3
In this "Blog class" I'll be talking about FOOD. Yes, I know that 99% of this blog deals with emergency food preparedness! BUT, Isnt it important!?

In our day to day living its so easy to just "run to the store" to pick up something for dinner. Or go out and "grab " something to eat at our local fast food place but think of this......
If there was a  major power outage...Your local market wouldnt be able to run their coolers, be able to use the cash registers or even open the doors! The whole area where you live would be in panic mode! Anyone who could get to the markets would buy everything they could get their hands on and more! That is providing they had the cash on hand! On any given day....How much cash do you have on you? If youre like most we keep our meager means in the bank and use debit cards. But what if you couldnt use your debit or credit cards? What if the stores could only accept cash? What then? What if this "Emergancy" happens before you got paid? Like most once again we are more likely one of the millions of families living pay check to pay check. I STRONGLY suggest that you keep some cash stashed somewhere you can access it quickly.

Another thing I'd like you to ask yourself....Do I have enough food on hand to feed my family for a week or at least 3 days without going to the market? You should be able to at least say YES to 3 days worth of food!
Red Cross and FEMA say you should have at the very least 3 days of food for you to sustain you and your family in case of an emergency. As for Bill and I we have a 6-8 month supply of food.
EVERYONE should have a "Bugout" bag with 3 days worth of food as well as other supplies you'll need for emergency evacuation. The next "Blog class" will be dealing with "Bug out " bags .

So, where to begin....We talked about water in our last blog class. YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT!
You also want to make sure you have enough for cooking. Please reference that last blog class for the minimum requirements of water for each person and pet in your household.
There are Basic items you should keep on hand...As well as other staples.
You should have things that will be shelf stable for long periods of time and that will keep without refrigeration such as the following:
* Rice and pasta
* Canned veggies and fruits
*Spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce
*Powdered milk
*Powdered drink mixes
*Hard wheat (Can be cooked and used for a meat substitute, hot cereal, casseroles and ground for bread)
*Basic baking supplies (Yeast, salt, baking powder, baking soda)
*Cooking oils and shortening
* Spices and sauces
*Soups, canned and dry
*crackers
* Dried fruit
* Canned meats (Tuna, salmon, roast beef and ham)
*Dehydrated Vegetables ( Takes up less room, re hydrates like fresh and you have a better handle of portion control without waste!)
* White sugar
*brown and powdered sugars
*Honey
*Dried beans and peas
* Pre assembled sauce mixes (Chili, spaghetti, taco etc.)
*Canned milk
* Dried cheeses (Parmesan)
*Powdered eggs
*Peanut butter
*Jam and jelly
*Condiments
* Quick oats
* Salt, pepper, garlic ,Vinegar ANY spices that you would normally cook with.
* Granola bars, granola, dried cereals
*Juice . Canned, bottled or cartons.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A HAND CAN OPENER!
A well stocked pantry will assure you and your family a piece of mind as well as you being prepared!
When stocking up you should sit down and figure out what exactly your family eats...what it would take to create a whole meal and what it would be right down to how much water you need to prepare it!
In an earlier post on this blog I gave a 'Formula" that you can use to be able to figure out what you will need for each person for each meal. It will help you in planning what you need to get etc. This is a great plan! I know its very overwhelming if you are just getting started in Emergency preparation. But please dont let it detour you! If you ever have a question and need help please contact me! I would be more than happy to assist you however I can!
Now, I think the first thing you'll need to do is go and see what you do already have on hand. Make a list of it and see how many meals could you possibly make from what you have on hand. Then figure out your meal plan.
How I got started was just picking up a little here and there as I regularly shopped. If you see that your favorite soup is on sale, pick up 2 for now and 2 to store! I look for specials and closeouts on dry and canned items.And then try to buy a few.
Costco and other large warehouse type stores have great deals all the time! I just picked up a 8 pack of dehydrated hash browns in small cartons. I believe they were around $7. We love them and eat them quite a bit so that was a great thing to put in our food storage!
Emergency food preparedness doesnt have to cost a arm and a leg!
One of my FAVORITE stores is the 99Cent store!
I can go in and pick up so many excellent prep items for 99 cents each! We have stocked our first aid kits with items from there as well as personal health care needs and barter items!!!!
So look around! You'll be amazed at what you can get for very little that will be worth so much more to you when you really need it!
ALSO!!! Use your coupons! Thats a great way to get things for your emergency pantry for free or very little! PLUS, there are TONS of FREE sample products online!!!! It will only take a few minutes to request them and then you'll have those little extras!!!!
Another Idea would be buy in bulk and share with friends and family! That way you could get more of a selection without breaking the bank!
The way I look at it is make sure you have the the things that will sustain you, healthy food items that will keep you and your family healthy and alive! And something that you like and would want to eat!
PLEASE, make sure you obtain either a good cookbook pertaining to using the foods you are storing OR download recipes and compile a book. If you dont cook alot from scratch on a regular basis you will need it!

Another thing we will be talking about soon is alternative cooking sources!

I hope this will assist you in your preparations! Be diligent! And dont let this scare you into just being passive about this! It's TIME to be pro active in your families survival!
Remember Katrina? It took days for FEMA to even bring food and clean water to folks! AND now Hurricane Sandy! Look at all the households who do not have electricity OR water! And it's still roaring thru as I type this! I cant even think of all those people who havent prepared for a huge natural disaster or any emergency!!!! My God! This will be horrible!
So PLEASE!!!! I beg of you! Prepare !!!!!!!!
It dosent have to be big but at least you will have the knowledge and at least something on hand!
A disaster can happen at any moment!
Natural such as a storm, earthquake, floods, tsunami, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts you name it! No matter where we live something can and WIll happen!
Man made, pandemics, Nuclear...Mass power outages, civil unrest and even a economic crash! Even if its just a personal one like a loss of a job or a major illness! You have nothing to lose! And everything to gain!

Well, Peace my friends! I will be back with the next Blog class...Your "Bug out Bag"!

Sherry

 

Stayed tuned for PART #3! It will be FOOD :)

I'm working on trying to get PART #3 Ready to post! So keep your eyes out! PLEASE Keep our friends on the East coast in your thoughts and prayers!!!!! AND PLEASE PREPARE!!!!!!! This is exactly why we need to be diligent for emergencies!!!! You never know! Better to be SAFE THAN SORRY!
Get your BUG OUT bags ready! Gather extra food, AND WATER!

Peace! Sherry

PART TWO~SURVIVAL 101~ WATER

Survival 101
part two
~WATER~

Today's Blog class is on WATER.
Of all the things on EARTH Water is the most important! Man can live without food way longer than he can do without water.

I will give you a few examples of different purification and filtration systems that are out there available to the public.

Lets start with the easiest and least expensive. For my family we have purchased gallon jugs of water at our local grocery store for a dollar a gallon. We have also gathered three gallon "Food grade" plastic containers from food establishments and filled them ourselves with water from our tap.If you live in the "City" your public water source has chlorine and is acceptable for storage without adding anything to it. Although at some point we may add bleach just for good measure! If you re-use any containers for your water make sure that they are FOOD GRADE. And any containers should be a non-clear plastic. Glass is ok if you dont plan to be taking it with you in a emergency. Glass is very heavy and you run the risk of breakage.
ALSO< I dont recommend re-using milk containers for your drinking water. BUT they are great for using for hygiene, laundry , plants or to flush your commode. make sure to use a waterproof marker and mark these jugs "Not for drinking"
If filling containers yourself make sure you "Rotate" your water every year. Bottled water that has been purchased will last without rotating.
Large heavy duty white or blue barrels are available, 3, 5, 10, 30 gallon and even larger .  These can be filled with your hose and stored on your property. When figuring how much water your family needs to store, figure one gallon of water per person for drinking per day. Plus 1 gallon for cooking and one gallon per day for your pets. So, for a family of four plus pets you will need six gallons per day.

There are several items out on the market today and they range in prices. The least expensive would be something I highly recommend that you have on hand in your First Aid kit. Would be water purification tablets. These can be purchased at any camping/recreational stores for under ten dollars.
The absolute best water filter system out there according to Joni Campbell, sales associate at Cabella's in Northern Idaho. Would be "Katadyn" Water filtration systems .They come in a small personal size up to large ones for businesses or schools. Ones for hikers and base camps. These can range in price from $3.95 up to $1200. These use a replaceable drop in filter.
Another is a "SteriPen" Emergency handheld water purifier. This uses a UV light to effectively destroys water bourne  microbes . These sell for under $45.
Something that is fairly new is a gravity fed "AquaPail" This is handy and easy to carry and store! It can treat Undrinkable to drinkable water at 12 gallons per hour.

As you can see there are several great products out there that you can purchase!
BUT whatever you decide on, PREPARE now! It's as easy as picking it up at your grocery store to filling your own containers!

Peace, Sherry

It's TIME to start your seed bank!

Get started
Gathering seeds for your own seed bank!
Sometime in the near future you may have to depend on your own ability to grow food for you and your family!
This is the perfect time to hit your stores for this years seeds going on sale!
Make sure you try to get "Heirloom"seeds when you can, that way you will have a higher rate of success for gathering seeds from your crop!
You can store seeds in an airtight container in a dark place or in your freezer!
ALSO, if you arnt familiar with growing veggies pick yourself up a book on basic gardening or download some info and put it aside!
I'll be sharing some awesome info on Hydroponics and Aquaponics soon!

have a great one! Peace! Sherry

 

TVP~ 'Chicken" Vegetarian Burritos! Home food storage!



TVP~ "Chunk Chicken" Vegetarian Burritos!

YUMMMMMY!
Thats right! Here ya go! EASY and yummy from food storage!

1/2 cup chicken chunks
1 teaspoon of each of the following:
onions
leeks
jalapenos
1/2 cup tomato dices
1/4 cup sweet corn
1/4 cup of tomato powder
1/8 teaspoon of each of the following:
garlic salt
cumin
chili powder

6 medium flour tortillas
1/2 cup 'tru roots"sprouted bean trio

6 green leaf lettuce leaves

Grated cheese (Optional)

In a medium mixing bowl put the following:
Chicken chunks, tomato dices, jalapenos, leeks, onion, sweet corn,

and cover with 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Set aside.

Cook 1/2 cup of sprouted beans as directed .

Go back to the chicken veggie mix and add the tomato powder and seasonings.

Then layer on a tortilla chicken mix and sprouted beans, cheese and 1 lettuce leaf. Roll burrito and enjoy!

Peace! Sherry

PLEASE CHECK OUT MOTHER EARTH PRODUCTS
FOR A GREAT SELECTION OF THESE DRIED
PRODUCTS!

EASY homemade tomato basil bisque!

FRESH TOMATO BASIL BISQUE

Here's a wonderful and EASY recipe!
Since our summer is STILL going hard! I have a ton of fresh tomatoes! So, I thought I'd make a Tomato bisque recipe that would be easy and use up my tomatoes!
It was DELICIOUS!


2 pounds of fresh tomatoes.
2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped OR dried basil
4 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chicken base

In a food processor put tomatoes and garlic cloves. Make into a puree.
Put tomatoes and garlic into a large saucepan and put on low flame. Add chicken base, salt, sugar and basil. simmer for about 25 minutes, stir occasionally.
In another saucepan melt 1/2 cup butter and add 1/2 cup flour to make a rue. Mix well until all flour has soaked up the butter to make a paste. Slowly add 2 cups of milk. stir until thickened.
add your cream soup base to your tomato mix and stir well. Keep on a low heat and continue to stir until thickened. Add a little more milk if its to think.
Serve and enjoy!!!! Also can be frozen!

Peace, Sherry

 

PART ONE: Survival 101 ~ Shelter

SURVIVAL 101
"SHELTER"

Well Here we go! Grab a pen and take notes! This is the first "class" in Survival 101.
Today I'm going to talk about "Shelter". This is VERY important and not likely something you may have even thought about when putting together your SURVIVAL kit!

The very FIRST thing you will need to think about is where you live. Do you live where theres snow? Or are you in a more temperate climate? What about the desert? This is important to what types of emergency shelter you need to consider when planning your emergency shelter.
ANY extreme weather can be fatal! If not prepared!

Hopefully you can at least prepare a few items that could save your life and the lives of your family.That and knowing a few emergency tactics before hand can be extremely important!

Several items that you can have on hand would be the following:

* A Tent that is big enough for your family or a couple of small ones. These are usually compact and can be put along side your preparedness items.Self standing Dome tents are great because you can set them up in a building if you and your family need to or are able to get to a eveacuation center.

* Tube tent. These are very affordable, usually around $4-$5 and can be found online. They fit up to 2 adults are lightweight and can be carried in your Emergency kit or backpack!

* Reinforced Blue Poly Tarps. These can be bought at any hardware store. You can use these to make a lean to or a tent. Very inexpensive and will last for some time. Make sure you have at least one for a flooring! These will keep moisture out of a tent from the ground.

* Metal stakes...Can be long screws. about 12 inches long.

*Nylon rope! YOU can not have enough of this! You can string it between two trees and use a tarp for a tent! PLUS if needed you can lace two or more tarps with this using the reinforced eyelets together for a larger shelter.

* A small hammer or mallet
*Emergency Sleeping bags, These are lightweight and will reflect body heat back to you. Very inexpensive and compact. Make sure to have on for each family member!

* Emergency blankets, these are made of the same material as the above sleeping bags.

We have purchased a couple of really good sub-zero sleeping bags from Wall mart, they are Coleman brand and didnt cost a arm and a leg! BUT, you NEED the emergency ones as well! You dont know if you'll be able to get to anything thats not with your emergency bug out pack! And you NEED shelter as well as warmth!!!!

Make sure you PRACTICE putting a tent up! While in an emergency situation you will be stressed and may not be able to do this as quickly if YOU dont know before hand how to do this!

SO....Think of these things.....
If it's raining...Keep dry! Cold and wet will result in illness...Make sure your shelter is waterproof! You can add a blue tarp to the top of your tent for added weatherproofing!

If its windy...Make sure to put your shelter where you can  block the wind when possible and stake it down securely! Stay inside!

Snow and blizzards....Make sure you STAY inside your shelter! wrap yourselves in all available clothing, blankets and sleeping bags. You can use wood and boughs for insulation in a case of emergency. ALSO, did you know that newspapers and cardboard can be a great source for insulation.

Extreme heat. Make yourself a shade with a tarp , stay out of the direct sun up til the evening.

In most cases you will probably be at home. You will be able to set up in your yard and be able, maybe, to gather resources from your home.
Something to think about....Making a specific place in your yard for a "outdoor" kitchen. A makeshift fire pit, concrete blocks to set coals  on for dutch oven cooking. Not close to your structure in case its unstable because of an earthquake or any disaster.

Other items to perhaps keep on hand could be wooden pallets, poles, plywood. nails.
These things you may have on hand already. Think about it and look through your garage or home for items that you may already have on hand!

I hope you were able to get some ideas from this first class...
Please be diligent and PREPARE!

The next class will be on WATER, types of filtration and storage.

Speaking of water, have you been storing water for you and your family???


Peace and Blessings, Sherry