All About the Panic-Free Lifestyle of Self-Sufficient Living

The Skinny on the Beef Market

A little over 2 months ago, I shared in one of our updates that I would recommend folks taking the opportunity to stock up on some key products, specifically dairy products which I felt were going to skyrocket due to a domino effect of compromised harvests, droughts, and tainted resources that were relied upon to meet demands.  In that update I went further to urge all of our readers to anticipate that meats would be increasing significantly as the ripple effect of these issues would soon be felt at the grocery checkout. At that time I suggested that we could soon be paying as much as $6-$8 per pound for ground beef!  

By Preparedness Pro, ago

The Gourmet Deception

Let’s talk about this whole “gourmet food storage” phrase that I keep seeing all over the place. I’m really having a hard time accepting that anyone is falling for the concept of “gourmet food storage.”  Doesn’t anyone else see the oxymoron in calling something “gourmet food storage?”  Has someone figured out a way to freeze-dry roasted asparagus with a rum pear spinach salad served alongside roasted pork in a pear butter barbeque sauce? What exactly is it that qualifies a freeze-dried or dehydrated entrée as “gourmet food”? [caption id="attachment_9154" align="alignleft" width="160" caption="Chef Robert Irvine--Chef to the Queen--Knows Gourmet"][/caption] If you look up the meaning of gourmet in any dictionary you’ll see that the term is referring to a person who’s a connoisseur of food and drink. I suspect that chefs such as Robert Irvine, Scott Conant, Judy Joo, and Simon Majumdar could arguably be referred to as gourmet chefs. Clearly they are connoisseurs, and as such I really have a hard time picturing any of them lauding the taste, textures, and balance of any food made by Wise Foods or Daily Bread—or anyone else who claims to have “gourmet food storage.” I looked and looked but didn’t find a single episode in which the “secret ingredient” of Kitchen Stadium was freeze-dried food storage let alone “freeze-dried peach flavored apple pieces.”  I just can’t even imagine the Chairman dramatically whipping back the red silk cover as the dramatic music plays only to see that the Secret Ingredient is freeze-dried whole eggs.

By Preparedness Pro, ago

Hot Tip: All Natural Meat for Cheap or Even FREE!

Tonight I made the most delicious Chicken Parmigianino. It was plump, juicy, and just plain perfect and I’m suitably convinced that it had a lot to do with the chicken that I had to work with.  The chicken was only $1.49 a pound—natural, boneless, skinless chicken breast that has never been frozen. Why? Because it’s FRESH, really fresh. In fact, chances are my chicken was clucking away the week before I received it. They must have been chickens from Beverly Hills, though, because these chicken breasts were gargantuan!  I made FOUR pieces of Chicken Parmigianino using a single chicken

[caption id="attachment_9158" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Zaycon Chicken Breasts are HUGE"]meat[/caption]

breast!

By Preparedness Pro, ago

30 Minute Mozzarella Cheese

Frequently I’ve written on this blog as to how simple it is to make delightful dairy indulgences such as yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk, ice cream, cream cheese and other cheeses. So today I’ve decided to share with you just one of the many scrumptious dishes you can make—preferably from whole milk. After trying this yourself you might catch the same bug that pesters me—the one which entices me to move to big, green pastures where I can drink all of the raw milk I want, enjoy fresh eggs, and thick slices of ham knowing completely what Frankenstein-ian chemical additives are lurking behind my meals.

By Preparedness Pro, ago

When an Underground Bunker is Reasonable and Prudent

I am NOT a fan of underground bunkers in the name of preparing against a nuclear fall-out scenario.  In my opinion, it’s just plain overkill in light of what I believe to be practical. I recently watched a cast member of National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers” show who spent at least six figures just to install an empty underground bunker, located an hour and a half away from his home—which also means that he had to drop a pretty penny for the land as well. 

By Preparedness Pro, ago

Where to Store All That Water?

I realize I’m not apt to win any popularity contests when I suggest that a person really needs to store enough water to provide each member of the family with one gallon per day for an entire year. Yes, I realize that’s a lot when it’s just one person let alone 5, 10, 20 plus unexpected. But keep in mind that that’s what preparedness is about. I don’t really believe there is a “finish line” so to speak, when it comes to living a more self-reliant life. No one family, person, etc. can do it all; but if they are teachable and earnest in their endeavors to be independent in order to assure comfort and safety for their loved ones, they will gradually discover more vulnerabilities based upon sound information and will strive to make appropriate “course corrections” along the way.  We need to remember that the magnitude of work that may be involved in a task does not mitigate the reality of the need for that task. I mean if you really think about it, compared to reclaiming our  freedoms in our nation as beautifully intended by the founding fathers (and God Himself, I believe) getting sufficient water supplies for the realistic “what if” scenarios in life is not such a big task.

By Preparedness Pro, ago
water

Zeroing In On Our Drinking Water Needs

waterYes, I admit. I harp about water, water, water virtually non-stop. But I realize that perhaps I haven’t provided you with a thorough foundation as to why I’m so seriously convinced that a self-reliant water scenario is a serious issue for families of any and every size, regardless of what your water source is. Municipal, river, spring, well, etc. They all have some realistic vulnerabilities for which we should prepare in an effort of self-reliance.

By Preparedness Pro, ago