100 Pounds of Potatoes for a Buck!

Last night as I was perusing our grocery store mailers, one in particular was advertising a 10 pound bag of potatoes for one dollar. I was pretty tickled about that price. Why? Because that means I can have ONE HUNDRED POUNDS of potatoes for only 1 dollar. How? Because it’s easy to convert 10 pounds of potatoes into 100 pounds of potatoes, even if you don’t have any more space than a deck or a small patio.

[caption id="attachment_2720" align="alignright" width="267" caption="You can even grow potatoes in the middle of an old tire! Photo c/o Hip Chick Digs"]You can even grow potatoes in the middle of an old tire! Photo c/o Hip Chick Digs[/caption]

It’s all about layered potato growing.

Just In Case

Today I’m going to provide you with just a few “just in case” words of wisdom. These aren’t necessarily the most important or the most commonly forgotten “just in case” things I think about. But they would probably be the first ones I teach to any client. So here you go.

[caption id="attachment_2635" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Photo c/o Jupiter Images"]Photo c/o Jupiter Images[/caption]

Always keep your gas tank as full as possible. Set the half full mark as your “refill mark.”  What if you need to bug out of town, or dash for an emergency of some other kind? The last thing you want to do is stop and get gas.

Resources for Mental Preparedness

The second most important aspect of preparedness is your Mental Preparedness. This category isn’t just about attitude, it’s about knowledge as well. Today you will receive some resources for mental preparedness that I have found incredibly useful, all in one article.

[caption id="attachment_2576" align="alignright" width="300" caption="James Wesley, Rawles, author of www.survivalblog.com"]James Wesley, Rawles, author of www.survivalblog.com[/caption]

To start with, yes, there is an abundance of information available on the internet. However, a word of warning. In order to get the most reliable information for your mental preparedness,

Preparedness Priorities

This will be a short one, folks, as I have 5 hours of teaching and 3 hours of traveling to do today. Which brings me to my point.

There seems to be a mythical view of how I get prepared… as if I spend every waking moment doing so. And as a result I perhaps have more time than others.

Photo c/o blogs.zdnet.com

Photo c/o blogs.zdnet.com

Well, let’s be clear. I have a JOB, just like all of the rest of you. My JOB involves teaching, writing, researching, and communicating. I easily work (more…)

Diatomaceous Earth

[caption id="attachment_2540" align="alignright" width="181" caption="Diatomaceous Earth photo c/o shadowridgedonkeys.com"]Diatomaceous Earth photo c/o shadowridgedonkeys.com[/caption] So what’s in my buckets of wheat? Diatomaceous earth! Don’t worry. You don’t have to pronounce it. Just USE it. What is diatomaceous earth? Well, it’s a HECK of a lot better than oxygen absorbers. It doesn’t suffocate wheat and it easily takes care of the weevil eggs that are inherent in all wheat. (The better the quality of wheat though, the less you have.) Oh, and it’s good for you too!

The Secondary Kill

[caption id="attachment_2448" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Sumatra, Indonesia, was hit hard by the December 2005 tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Jennifer Rivera.) "]Sumatra, Indonesia, was hit hard by the December 2005 tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Jennifer Rivera.) [/caption]

A true disaster brings with it much death and destruction. Whether the disaster is an earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, or a long-term power outage, preparedness is not about standing up to the impact of such an event. After all, you will die or you won’t. There’s not much you can do against the forces of Mother Nature or a nuclear warhead right in your midst. But what we must prepare against and CAN prepare for is what is called the “Secondary Kill.”

Morning Moo’s Foods Coming Near You?

[caption id="attachment_2431" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Morning Moo's Cans photo c/o everyday_something "]Morning Moo's Cans photo c/o everyday_something [/caption]

If you’re in Las Vegas, NV; Henderson, NV; Gilbert, AZ; Southeast Gilbert, AZ; or Mesa, AZ you should feel pretty darn special cause you’re getting a product that isn’t available anywhere else. Costco now has 2 special 6-packs of the Morning Moo’s/Blue Chip foods that they are selling.  In one 6 pack they have “breakfast items” and in another 6-pack they have “dinner items.”  The 6-packs contain 6 #10 cans. Some of these items are SO dang good I can’t believe they are freeze dried!

The Honor In Being Prepared

Preparedness is a full-time job for me. I live it, breathe it, and think about it constantly. Obviously I teach and write about it regularly as well. I used a Saturday this weekend to learn about how I can be better prepared. Then I spent some more “spare” time reading a novel that illustrates other possibilities I may not be prepared for yet. Why? Because I believe that preparedness is about honor.

[caption id="attachment_2326" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="US Military in Iraq, February 2008. Photo by Patrick Baz/AFP/Getty Images"]US Military in Iraq, February 2008. Photo by Patrick Baz/AFP/Getty Images[/caption]

Many people would label those who strive to be better prepared as paranoid lunatics. And yet they would not think of calling our honorable men and women who serve in the military, who are on night watch with AR-15s in hand right now, “paranoid.”

What’s the Shelf-Life of Wheat?

wheat-investment

How long will your wheat last? What’s the best way to store it? How do I keep insects out of it?  What do I do when it smells like the can?

Today I was doing a training which involved going over the shelf life of various foods. One woman in attendance incorrectly stated to the entire class that “wheat goes bad easily because it has oil in it, and so it goes rancid if you’re not careful.”