Summer Harvest Benefits

My own tomatoes were started from plants and have been growing about six weeks on the back deck. There are a lot of 1-2 inch tomatoes that will come along in a while. A farm about an hour from here already has tomatoes harvested. I suspect greenhouse activity. =) Last weekend, a bunch of us went together and someone picked up our orders of 25 pound boxes of tomatoes. Thankfully, I only ordered one! I'm not able to work quite as hard as I used to and with half the box turned into salsa, I'm wiped out!

The first batch of salsa I made included 3 sweet banana peppers from my own back porch. Excitement! As I type this, I'm pausing to load tortilla chips with that salsa and it is so good! Even if I do say so myself. I modified a recipe given to me by a friend. I'm sharing it here. This recipe could be done using lots of the harvest from your own garden!




Sweet Pepper Salsa

Makes 4.5 pints

30-35 tomatoes (mine were small and medium sized)
3 sweet banana peppers (about 5 inches long)
1 each red, yellow and orange bell peppers
2 large sweet onions (Vidalia or Texas Sweets are excellent!)
3 teaspoons salt (I used two sodium and 1 potassium)
1 teaspoon pepper (I used a red/white/green/black combo in my grinder)
1/2 c. sugar (if you like it sweeter, use up to a cup, but no more)
garlic to taste (I could have used fresh, but didn't have any so I used a teaspoon of garlic powder.)
1 teaspoon of cilantro (or to taste, could be fresh)




I think that's everything. I used the directions in the Ball Canning book for blanching the tomatoes (though I don't do it until the skin cracks because I hate truly mushy stuff!). I mixed all the chopped up things, put in the spices, and boiled it a while. (How do you like those directions?) I think I let it simmer, not full rolling boil, for about an hour or an hour and a half, and it all fit in my 6 qt. Wearever pot.

My tomatoes were very, VERY juicy, so I skimmed off about a liter of thin juice from the top. I will use it in canning the tomatoes tomorrow, I think, or else put it in a soup pot soon. It has all the flavors, but it was more like watery juice and I figured it would take forever to boil away.

I ladled the salsa into 4 pint jars and the left over bit into a half-pint that I put in the fridge. The pint jars were water-bath canned for 20 minutes and they all pinged beautifully.

I have peach-pineapple-tomato salsa in the pot now and will soon get it into jars for the water bath, and then tomorrow finish the rest of the tomatoes as quarters canned.

So how does this fit into Provident Prep? Well, it's simple really. Having a garden or having access to summer-priced produce gives us the opportunity to preserve, whether by canning, dehydrating, making into jam, or freezing, things that will be delicious in the dead of winter and healthy for us and our families.

First Aid Kit

Do you have your 3-day disaster kit ready in case of emergency? Do you know where it is? =) Is there enough for each member of your family?

These are questions I had to think about when I attended two Emergency Preparedness fairs in this last year. I've worked hard on food storage, and I'm doing okay there, though it isn't complete, but there are a lot of other things to think about. A disaster could be a tornado (such as hit in Chattanooga a few months ago) or a flood (which we had in low areas of East Tennessee in the last few months), or maybe a hurricane or earthquake, if you live in areas prone to those things. It could be a forest fire like the one that raged behind my friend's California home in 2007:




The last post I did on this, in May, had very long lists of things that could be helpful. Most of the time, 3 days is the most we have to be away, but sometimes, it will be more. Still, if we are prepared with a 72-hour "bug-out" bag for each family member, we'll be in better shape than most people evacuating. So what should be in it? This is the light version.

I suggest starting with a backpack the size each family member can carry. Mom and Dad may have to carry extras for little ones, but you can figure that part out on your own.

Include:

• Towels, blankets and sleeping bags (there are some very compact sizes of things that will work just fine for the blankets and sleeping bags, thanks to the space program)
• Battery powered radio - and batteries for it!  You want one with the NOAA stations which broadcast updates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.  redcrossstore.org has a good one for about $35
• Sanitary supplies - I suggest wet ones or baby wipes.  Toilet paper and female needs should be included, too.
• Paperwork - photocopies, not originals, of passports, insurance papers and legal papers, including in-case-of legal papers
• Extra cash - about $150-200, but don't have it all in twenties!  Have a lot of small bills and at least $5 in change.  People aren't going to give change in an emergency!  Leave this cash in your kit at all times, in a hidden pocket or maybe in a box of bandaids.
• Water - you're going to need a gallon per person per day, and you can't carry that.  Have at least one 20 oz. bottle in your backpack, but have a 24-pack of bottles you can grab if you have to evacuate in your car, and maybe a water-filtration system if you are lucky enough to be where there is water that could be cleaned that way.
• First-aid kit - check the red cross store again, or other preparedness centers.  Don't forget any medications you have to take every day.  For safety, keep at least a week's supply and change it every year.  Don't forget contact lenses!
• Clothing - this could be old clothes you planned to donate, but be sure there are extra socks and comfortable shoes.  Foot injuries are the most common injuries in disasters!
• Food - Non-perishable items and lightweight, things that can be eaten without cooking, i.e., energy bars, pop-top canned foods, high-nutrition drinks in boxes.  Check your local dollar store for inexpensive snacks and things that would provide energy and nutrition, both.  Don't forget the family pet!
• Maps of your area - that smartphone will run out of energy, or the system could be unavailable!
• Clorox wipes - great for disinfecting surfaces
• Necessities such as flashlights (and I suggest the small wind-up flashlights - a few seconds of turning gets you an hour of light! about $5) matches, one of those all-purpose Winchester or Leatherman tools with knives, saws, pliers, etc. that pull out, sunscreen, extra car and house keys, travel cell phone charger - car and wall, if possible.

There are other things you could pack, too, but there's only so much you can carry. I hope this gets you started on at least a basic kit. This is all a process, not an event. You aren't going to complete everything in one day. Get things together as you can, and whatever you have gathered is better than if you gathered nothing!

In case you don't have to evacuate, but there are other issues, find out where your gas, electric and water shut-offs are to the house. Have the proper tools available for getting those shut off. It could save your life and/or your house.

Bug-Out Bag

The Anderson County Preparedness Fair on Saturday got me to thinking about a lot of things. You know how you hear something and think it's important? And then you hear it again from another source, and you think, "Yeah, yeah, I have to do that?" And you may hear it a third and a fourth and a fifth time? Well, I guess Saturday was the final nudge for me.

I am prepared for many things, but not for some of the most important things. I haven't made copies of important documents and stored them in a safe place or three. I haven't made my 72-hour bug-out bag. I haven't stored enough water. I still need to find out . . . blah, blah, blah.

I thought maybe it would help me get on the ball if I share with you some of the essential steps in disaster preparedness. Just this morning I was thinking, "What if everyone who was evacuated to wherever it was they put people in New Orleans - the football stadium? I don't remember now, but what if every person had a backpack to grab and it had two bottles of water and food for 3 days and all the other things that should be in a 72-hour bag? Can you imagine how different an experience that would have been for people?

There are hurricanes, hopefully NOT like Katrina, tornadoes (Birmingham, Chattanooga, Joplin, MO, 2011), fires (SoCal), floods (Mississippi River!) and all kinds of other natural disasters, where we may have only a short prep time, and then it's too late to think about all the things you need to take, because it's a maximum stress time! So, today's topic is 72-hour bug-out bags. This is Step One.

There are a lot of things you can stuff into a backpack (look at the thrift store for those!), particularly with the aid of modern discoveries. I have a sleeping bag in my tiny survival kit (that's about 6 x 8 inches and 4 inches deep and would help me for about 24-hours) - and it fits in a box 1" deep and about 4 x 5 inches. There's also a blanket in a mylar bag that's about 4 inches square, flat and weighing almost nothing. I have a flashlight with a winder on it - no batteries needed. 1 minute of winding is an hour of light and you can wind it over and over and over. It cost $5 and is about 2 inches wide and 4 inches long.

So, here's a list from the LDS church about some basics to put in your kit, for EACH person. Read the footnotes!

• Food and Water
  (A three day supply of food and water, per person, when no refrigeration or cooking is available)
  
  Protein/Granola Bars
  Trail Mix/Dried Fruit
  Crackers/Cereals (for munching)
  Canned Tuna, Beans, Turkey, Beef, Vienna Sausages, etc. *
  Canned Juice (Juice boxes will work if they don't get smashed.)
  Candy/Gum ** and ***
  Water (1 Gallon/4 Liters Per Person)
  
  You may substitute light-weight freeze-dried foods, such as GO foods for the cans. Of course, you will need more water if you do that! Maybe a combination would be best. Peanut butter is a good thing to have along, too. Don't forget some eating utensils! I saved some from take out food when I was eating it at home.
• Bedding and Clothing
  
  Change of Clothing (short and long sleeved shirts, pants, jackets, socks, etc.)
  Undergarments
  Rain Coat/Poncho
  Blankets and Emergency "space" blankets
  Cloth Sheet
  Plastic Sheet

To be split and divided among family backpacks:

• Fuel and Light
  
  Battery Lighting (Flashlights, Lamps, etc.) Don't forget batteries!****
  Extra Batteries
  Flares
  Candles
  Lighter
  Water-Proof Matches
• Equipment
  
  Can Opener
  Dishes/Utensils
  Shovel
  Radio (with batteries!)
  Pen and Paper
  Axe
  Pocket Knife (A Winchester multi-purpose one is great!)
  Rope (small and flexible, such as parachute cord)
  Duct Tape
  Maps & compass
  Pepper spray (protection)
  A plan, emergency phone numbers, etc.
• Personal Supplies and Medication
  
  First Aid Kit and Supplies
  Toiletries (roll of toilet paper- remove the center tube to easily flatten into a zip-lock bag, feminine hygiene, folding brush, etc.)
  Cleaning Supplies (mini hand sanitizer, unscented soap, shampoo, dish soap, etc.
  Immunizations Up-to Date
  Medication (Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, children's medication etc.)
  Prescription Medication (for 7 days)
• Personal Documents and Money (Have a lot of SMALL bills and coins! People won't have change or give it.)
  (Place these items in a water-proof container!)
  
  Scriptures
  Genealogy Records
  Patriarchal Blessing
  Legal Documents (Birth/Marriage Certificates, Wills, Passports, Contracts, etc)
  Vaccination Papers
  Insurance Policies
  Cash
  Credit Card
  Pre-Paid Phone Cards
• Miscellaneous
  
  Bag(s) to put 72 Hour Kit items in (such as duffel bags or back packs, which work great) Make sure you can lift/carry it!
  Infant Needs, elderly needs, disabled needs (as applicable)

If you are thinking that is a lot to fit into a backpack, you are right! However, a family wouldn't need all of those things in *every* backpack. Most families I know keep the backpacks in the trunk of the car. Yes, it takes up space, but when you want to grab and go, you don't want to look for it! Think about how scattered your mind can be in an emergency. If you keep it in the back of the car, you may want a small Sterlite or Rubbermaid drawer to store some of the things.

Some families keep them in the garage, near the door, so they can just grab and go. My advice is to practice the evacuation procedure often with your family, just like you do fire drills, so that each person knows what their responsibility is, and can carry it out easily.

At a very minimum, have the food, water, and clothing, then important papers copied and inserted in a pocket of the backpack. Have something to sustain you physically and emotionally and spiritually, in case you lose everything else. Be sure to check your backpack every six months, and rotate foods in and out.

If you have siblings, each of you should copy all important papers and photographs and exchange them, so someone would have copies of those precious moments such as first birthday parties. With digital cameras these days, a life-time of pictures can go on just a few CDs for safe keeping. Maybe you'll want a copy in a safe-deposit box, too. If you have no siblings, then exchange with a good friend.

Now, if you think that is all overwhelming, imagine how you will feel if you have to evacuate and you've not prepared anything!

You can compare this list to the Homeland Security backpacks and see which you'd rather have if you have to leave your home in a hurry.

Or watch this video of a man who puts his in a medium pilot suitcase. list and video

Footnotes:
*Pop-top cans are not as strong as regular cans and may explode in heat. Just be sure you have a small can opener - the kind my dad used to carry in his pocket always worked, was about an inch square, and weighs nothing. Finding one at a store may be tricky, but have a small one of some kind.
**Be sure your candy is in a snack baggie of its own. Jolly Rancher and some others may melt and you don't want a sticky mess.
***Mint flavored gum can, with time, make everything taste like mint, so wrap it in extra foil and then in a baggie to minimize the effect, or have a gum with little or no flavor.
****I like the crank one better, BUT it is limited lighting.

Dehydration

Have you ever thought about dehydrating your own foods for storage or cooking?  I have to admit that, other than herbs and onions, I hadn't really.  However, the thought has been rolling around in my head for sometime down the road when my debt elimination snowball has snowballed me out of harm's way.  Today, I was on everydayfoodstorage and they have a nice small dehydrator for about $300.  I'm going to research some more about dehydration, storage time for home dehydrated foods, and more recipes, of course!  I'll post about the things I discover.  Maybe you'll want to save toward one, too. 

I can see it would save a lot of money to dehydrate fruits and vegetables in the summer, when they are either plentiful or self-grown.  This gives me this year to see how well I do with a garden in east Tennessee.  I've only grown one in the desert, and it's bound to be different.  For one thing, I won't be planting peas in late February here to get them off the vines before the sun bakes them.  (smile)  My backyard is a hill, too.  The man next door didn't terrace last year, but I may need to.  Things to think about before planting.  What I can dehydrate would determine what I plant, too.  Can you dehydrate zucchini?  I'm not sure!  I'll let you know.

Nutritional Information on Wheat Berries

Quoting Denise Santoro Lincoln on Bay Area Bites:

Okay, here's the health info. According to a smarty pants nutritional study at Harvard (Susan's Note: You should really go check that out!), there is a "connection between eating whole grains and better health." Eating wheat berries and other whole grains lowers your risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. These grains additionally offer modest protection against colorectal cancer ... They are full of fiber, protein and iron.

Nutrition:

Per 1/2 cup:

• 151 calories;
• 1 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono );
• 0 mg cholesterol;
• 29 g carbohydrates;
• 0 g added sugars;
• 6 g protein;
• 4 g fiber;
• 265 mg sodium;
• 2 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 2
Exchanges: 2 starch

More Ideas for Cooking with Food Storage

Did you think I disappeared forever? Nah. I took a trip to South Dakota to clean out a store room of things that were left there the fall before Paul died. But now I'm back! I'm finding all kinds of opportunities to substitute food storage items for the things I buy at the store normally. The powdered eggs are about $1.14/dozen, which is cheaper than my local stores sell fresh ones. Since I do like the egg yolk, not just the whites, and since I don't like fried eggs, this works just fine for me. In scrambling the Thrive eggs, I can't tell the difference. I toss in my favorite additives, and they are yummy.

Cookies, breads, any kind of cooking that requires eggs, I haven't found a significant difference in taste or texture. To be honest, I haven't found any at all. I mix the egg first and then put it in the recipe.

The Taco TVP has replaced entirely the hamburger I used to use for tacos, for chili, and for anything else that requires cooked ground beef. I haven't tried it in meatloaf yet, but I'm contemplating replacing at least half the ground beef in that. The Ingles near me grinds up steaks each morning - not that they are old steaks or expiring, but they cut new ones each day - and the hamburger is 95% fat free. Still, I figure it can't hurt, and I'll have to figure out the cost to see how that works out.

Freeze-dried vegetables work wonderfully in soups, stews and casseroles. The fruits and the yogurt bites make great snacks. I'm still not convinced I want to stock the freeze-dried ice cream sandwiches. No you don't add water to those. It's just that I don't think I'll get that desperate for ice cream. I know people who love them, though, not as ice cream, but as a sweet snack - almost a cookie.

So I'm finding more and more ways to use the food storage, and I want to move further and further in that direction. It requires planning ahead, because I don't live in American Fork and can't run over to their facility if I let myself run out of something. But planning? Yes, I can do that!

Shelf Reliance Party

I had a Shelf Reliance/Thrive party at my house a week or so ago (and then took a trip to South Dakota, hence the long time span before I posted about it!), and it was delicious. My friends and I enjoyed the sample foods our consultant fixed, and seeing how easy it is to incorporate the foods into our daily cooking.

We had scrambled eggs with sausage and peppers, all Thrive products. We also had chicken salad. That was interesting because she mixed all the dried ingredients and it was warm. Then we stuck it in the freezer to cool while she made the eggs, and then she just added mayo to the cooled ingredients. I can't put the recipe up here, because it isn't mine, but I do have a wonderful one I'm going to put up tomorrow - a Christmas cake!

We also tried the dried ice cream sandwiches - very interesting textures - and yogurt bites. If I order those, I'll be eating the whole can in one sitting, I'm sure! I'd have to measure out a quarter cup, then put the rest under lock and key and give the key to my neighbor!

You know the time of packing on the pounds for the holidays is coming. I'm looking for recipes which will be healthy, delicious, and made from home storage foods. Let's see how many I can find!