Have you seen this list titled 100 Items to Disappear First? It’s a collection of items that, in case of serious emergency, are likely to disappear first. Now, I don’t know who created this list* or how accurate it is, but it’s worth a look. If nothing else, just to make you think.

I tend to be less “prepper” and more interested in living a more self-reliant lifestyle, so while I think some of these items are absolutely of value for emergency situations, others make me raise my eyebrows a bit. This topic came up on a local self-sufficient living list and I was impressed with what Sue Barnett had to say. It is a bit localized, but I think that no matter where you live you’ll find something to think about.

Unless were are under siege of war, I don’t see a lot of items just disappearing. But they surely [will be] more and more expensive to buy or maintain. There will come a point where you find you cannot afford them, and thus cannot afford to live here. Sadly many people have already reached that point and moved to the mainland. But those people are only putting off total bankruptcy by living some place where it is cheaper rather than learning to be more self-sufficient. Being dependent upon things like propane, lamp oil, generators and gasoline, canned goods and imported food, power tools, etc. is inviting downfall. In my opinion, it would be wise [to] gradually wean oneself from such dependency.

Case in point was the comment about using a water producing machine. Now you are dependent upon a commercial product that needs maintenance and uses electricity. That translates into cash expenditures. While one may be able to afford that now, do you know how to live comfortably without it? Having that knowledge and willingness to do it may become vital. Personally I prefer to store my water in glass one gallon and liter jugs. This frees up money in the budget for other things and makes me more self reliant.

While I indulge in the use of power tools and equipment now, I have taken the time to learn how to live without them. I have experimented with using other forms of power – animal, treadle, bicycle, etc. I currently use wood for cooking livestock food and could easily use it for my own meals, and often do! I use solar for electricity, and although that will require cash imput sometime in the future, it has taught me to be frugal with my electric use. Plus I have no monthly electric bills. I use catchment water even though I could hook up to county if I wanted to. I have learned about solar for cooking and water heating.

I have gradually cut my ties with imported food. If your are concerned about the future and are able to garden at all, I would suggest at least learning about it. Food will become costly, as prices are already going up.

Stockpiling: my suggestion would be to be careful. I made mistakes in the past by not taking into account that I was changing my lifestyle. As I weaned away from commercial food I found myself with boxes of canned goods I no longer wanted. So now I try to be more careful to stockpile only those things I’m sure I will need. Also be careful about items that deteriorate. Vog and moisture ruined some of my things and taught me to take extra steps in the storing process. On my own stockpile list are hand tools, basic resource items such as specialty nails, screws, latches, locks, chain, rope, lithium grease, oil, and things that I cannot make myself. Medicine and medical supplies for both humans and animals. Bleach, baking soda, soaps. I have a few slabs of paraffin. Buckets. Tarps and rolls of plastic sheeting (a pleasant indulgence on my part). Clothing and blankets. Kitchen pots/pans and kitchen hand tools. Lumber. PCV pipe. … I try to think of what items I use frequently that I cannot make myself. And I try to envision projects I may need in the future, such as a hoop house to grow food in, repairs to the house, etc. I already have a nice library of how-to books. And I have acquired a secure source of firewood.

I would suggest gradually switching your lifestyle to becoming more self reliant now instead of waiting until you’re at the point of fiscal disaster. Even little changes can free up cash better spent elsewhere.

I have to agree with Sue. If we continue to lead a lifestyle that includes lots of packaged foods, convenience items, and pretzels (see list item 82), then sure, it’s going to be hard to do without in the event of an emergency. It’s what we’ll be used to and anything less than what we’re used to will feel like a hardship. On the other hand, if we alter our habits so that many of our needs can be met locally on a day to day basis – from our own gardens, to knowing a farmer – it will be much easier to adapt in a less than ideal situation. Becoming more self-reliant is good for us in emergencies and day to day life – not to mention better for the environment.

Reprinted with permission.

*I’m linking to a pdf version of this list, though I see that it’s been copied and shared without credit all over the web. If you’re the author and I’m linking to the wrong site, please let me know.

This is what my lettuce looked like before today’s harvest:

This is what it looks like now:

Within a week, it will look like that first picture again.

One of my readers, Ray, is trying valiantly to grow carefully chosen tomatoes from seed. But he’s getting frustrated:

My plants were looking a little yellow so I figured they needed sun, but maybe I left them out too long. Some look basically dead…leaves are like blanched or something. How long does it take usually to get them used to the sun? Is it like an hour a day then two hours then 3 and so on or less/more? I feel frustrated because I put a lot of effort into selecting my seeds and getting the seed soil and everything else. I have my last bit of seeds in damp soil inside medium pots…I am pretty sure they are germinating…at this point are they better just planted outside you think??

Ray, tomatoes are something that I bought as plants for YEARS. If you’re new to gardening, I hate to see you frustrated trying to start tomatoes from seed. Do you have a local source for heirloom tomato plants? They’re more expensive, but way less frustrating!

As far as seeds go, I’ve found that you really need to keep the seedlings at a consistent temperature with consistent moisture (maintain moisture similar to a wrung out sponge). Once they’ve reached 3-4″ in height, start letting them spend some time outside. Too much hot sun at once can be killer, as can cold nights. I used to put mine out under an awning for the first couple of days for bright, but not direct, sunlight.

I wouldn’t move just-started seedlings, but if you have any seeds left, you might try direct sowing once the weather really warms up  (use a TP tube to plant in to keep bugs off). I’ve found that plants that start from seed in the garden in their own time (think: compost pile) end up fruiting at roughly the same time as those that I’ve nurtured from seed in inclement weather. Mother Nature really does know what she’s doing.

Try not to get too frustrated. Growing tomatoes from seed – even if you’re struggling with it – is such a learning experience!

These links might prove helpful:

• Growing Better Tomatoes from Seed
• Starting Tomato Seeds Indoors

Photo: Flickr user  Ian’s Shutter Habit

Anyone have more tips or words of encouragement for Ray?

This is what it looks like today:

The first blossoms have appeared and the plant remains free of tree hoppers, which plague my in-ground tomatoes. There is some slight browning on the edges of some of the leaves that I’m keeping my eyes on. I’m watering only about once a week, which surprises me. I’d expected this plant to dry out quickly, but so far that hasn’t been the case. I’m pleased enough with how it’s growing that I intend to plant a few more this way.

Want to try it yourself? Instructions here.

My friend, Brette Sember, has a new cookbook out! In The Muffin Tin Cookbook, she shares recipes for appetizers, side dishes, entrees, and dessert — all made in muffin tins. Today, though, she’s here to talk snacks. Here’s Brette.

###

My kids are in their teens now, but I swear I still have crumbs at the bottom of my purse from all the snacks I’ve packed over the years. I’m still hitting the pantry for portable snacks before picking up youngest from school and shuttling him to lessons, practice, meetings, and medical appointments. Easy on the go snacks are like gold in my kitchen. But I don’t want anything packaged, processed, or that is not “real” food. My solution is to cook snacks in my muffin tins. Yes, muffin tins. Not only do they allow you to make individually portioned snacks, but silicone muffin tin liners are non-stick, colorful, and reusable—the perfect way to transport snacks.

Muffin tin cooking is a great way to get kids interested in cooking and eating healthy foods, too. They love choosing the liners, arranging food in the cups, and seeing the transformation when it comes out of the oven. There’s something about food that is round, small, and perfectly shaped that appeals to kids.

Bring these handy snacks to feed your hungry kids on the go!

Smoky Popcorn Cheese Snacks
Makes 6

• 5 cups popped popcorn
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 6 jumbo muffin cups with silicone liners (use regular size silicone liners if you can’t find jumbo: the recipe will just make more servings).
2. Toss popcorn and other ingredients in a bowl, then divide among the muffin cups.
3. Bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
Makes 9

• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon light cream cheese
• ¼ cup skim milk
• 1½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped peanuts, plus whole peanuts for topping
• 3 tablespoons jelly or jam (any type you prefer)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and prepare 9 regular muffin cups by spraying with cooking spray.
2. Beat sugar and peanut butter until combined, then add egg, buttermilk, cream cheese and milk.
3. Beat in dry ingredients, then stir in peanuts.
4. Divide into 9 balls.
5. Use your thumb or finger to create a deep hole and place 1 teaspoon jelly in each hole.
6. Seal up the hole and place seam side up in the cups.
7. Lightly press 2−3 whole peanuts on top of each.
8. Bake for 12 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Brette Sember is the author of the newly released The Muffin Tin Cookbook, as well as The Parchment Paper Cookbook and The Organized Kitchen. Her web site is BretteSember.com and she blogs at MarthaAndMe.net and NoPotCooking.com.

We don’t use a microwave, so all of our baking and food warming happens in our oven. My son cooks himself a hot lunch daily, so it’s not unusual for the oven to be warmed up to 350 degrees a couple of times a day. Even though I usually try to combine dinner preparation with a round of baking, it seemed like we weren’t exactly being efficient. After pondering it for six months or so, I finally forked out for a toaster oven, deciding on an Oster Six-Slice Extra Capacity Convection Toaster Oven. Yes, it came packaged with a couple of slabs of Styrofoam (cringe).

My son uses the toaster oven for making lunch, I’ve cooked many dinners in it (casserole dishes actually fit), and even baked a loaf of bread. It’s convenient and takes less time to warm up than the full sized oven, but I’ve been waiting to see if it would actually make any difference in my utility bill. The answer: absolutely!

Household energy usage this past month (the first full month with the toaster oven) is down by about 75 kilowatt hours, netting a $30 savings. In just two months, I’ll have recouped what I spent on the oven. After that, it’s pure savings for my checkbook, plus I’m using less of the diesel-powered energy provided by my local utility company. In the long run, I think I can be forgiven for that Styrofoam, yes?

My friend Toni asked the other day:

I am having a conundrum. Living in earthquake country as I do, I am nervous about having the bulk of my emergency supplies in glass jars. Earthquakes are not glass friendly. In the case of a large quake we are likely to lose power for some period of time. So counting on what’s in the freezer is not a great option either. So here is my question. Given the situation, does one of those Food Saver vacuum sealing bag things make sense? I have a dehydrator that I am fond of, but I need a long term storage situation for those dry items.

When I read this, I immediately thought of the Doomsday Preppers episode I watched* that featured a group concerned about the possibility of an epic earthquake. Fine and good to prepare for an earthquake, I say. But folks, if you’re going to have shipping containers full of food preserved in glass on shelf after shelf to survive an earthquake, open shelving with nothing holding those jars in place is probably not a good idea.

Toni is savvy enough to realize that things shake around – a lot – in an earthquake. But she’s aware of the conundrum:

See. I’ve been wrestling with myself over this for awhile. I could even throw pill bottles in the [Food Saver] bags and suck out the air and not have to worry about them getting damp out in the garage. But its a PLASTIC BAG!! I think you can reuse the “bag” after you cut it open, it just gets smaller with each use. But its a PLASTIC BAG. It does say they are BPA FREE. But…..

If you’ve been here long, you know I’m working to reduce plastic in my life. I’m not obsessive about it, but as Toni says, it IS plastic. So what can be done about safely storing food for earthquake emergencies? I totally get the fascination with the Food Saver – I know lots of people who love theirs – and honestly, if there’s an emergency that requires digging into food stores, I’m not going to be too worried if that food has been preserved in plastic. Health implications be damned if I’m starving. But buying a Food Saver means obtaining a brand new piece of equipment with lots of plastic parts. That new piece of equipment likely comes with packaging – possibly Styrofoam – and plastic bags for sealing food. That’s a lot of plastic and I think it’s unlikely that a cool tool like a Food Saver would be used just for earthquake supplies (oh, I’ll just use it to package these extra chicken legs!) meaning that the plastic use in a household could likely increase.

I think there are a fair number of alternatives that could work for someone who really wanted to avoid plastic.

• Slip each glass jar into an orphaned sock before storing it. This serves two purposes. It protects the glass from damage, and if there is breakage, the glass won’t scatter. You’ll be able to just pick up the jar inside the sock and dispose of it.

• Store glass containers only on shelves that have doors that can be securely latched. Shelves closest to the floor are best for this.

• If you’re storing glass jars on open shelves, run a 1″ x 4″ board across the front of the shelves to prevent the jars from crashing to the floor in the event of a quake.

• Instead of storing glass jars on shelves, reuse the boxes that those canning jars came in or pack them in boxes with a protective piece of cardboard between each jar. As long as they are down low and not situated below your bowling ball collection, the likelihood of breakage should be minimal, I would think. The space under a bed would be ideal for this.

• I’ve spoken with several people who are recycling plastic drink bottles as emergency food storage. Thoroughly washed and dried, the bottles are filled with dry items like rice or beans and taped closed. The addition of an oxygen absorber helps to extend shelf life. This method does use plastic, but it’s recycled plastic and doesn’t involve a piece of equipment. Someone like Toni, who has dried fruit and such to store could probably use a similar plan, using wide mouthed bottles (Gatorade?) or even plastic peanut butter jars. Ask around – there are plenty of people who would be all too happy to save their containers for you.

What’s your system for emergency preparedness? Do you throw concerns about plastic out the window? Have you figured out a safe way to store glass?

Photo: Noah Sussman

*Yes, I watched it. Once. I found it interesting to see what some people are doing, but the whole sense of panic that National Geographic seems to be trying to instill in people is a little over the top for me.

Fact: Cheez-Its are crap food.

Fact: Cheez-Its aren’t even a food really. More like a food product.

Fact: In spite of the fact that I haven’t eaten Cheez-Its in years, if I were stranded on a deserted island with only one kind of food, Cheez-Its would be right up there at the top of my wish list. So sue me.

Awhile back (inspired by a recipe sent by Amanda from High Prairie Homestead) my sixteen-year-old son took it upon himself to try his hand at making homemade cheese crackers. He deemed them “awesome,” not to mention really easy to make. Trouble is, I follow a gluten free diet. And let me tell you: just smelling those homemade Cheez-It-like crackers just wasn’t cutting it. So I decided to attempt a gluten free version.

The results? I would totally take these with me to a deserted island.

Homemade Gluten Free Cheese Crackers
makes roughly the equivalent of a small box of Cheez-Its (otherwise known as enough for me)

• ½ cup sorghum flour (plus more for rolling out dough)
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup cheddar cheese (sharp or mild)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 5 tablespoons cold water

Combine flours and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times, then add cheese, salt, and cayenne pepper. Pulse until crumbly. Add almost all of the water and process just until the ingredients come together, adding remaining water as necessary.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Sprinkle a baking sheet with sorghum flour. Use your hands to form dough into a ball, sprinkle liberally with flour, and then gently roll dough out into a thin sheet (Use more flour to prevent sticking if needed). Aim for no more than 1/8-inch thick; too thin is preferable to too thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut into one-inch squares. For a more authentic looking cracker, poke a hole in the center of each with a chopstick. Sprinkle with coarsely ground salt, if desired.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until crackers are lightly browned and crisp. Break the crackers apart and cool. Any that don’t feel crisp enough should be popped back in the oven for another five minutes or so. Crackers not eaten immediately (ha!) can be stored in an airtight container.

This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday.

In Wild Fermentation, Sandor Katz has a recipe for fruit scrap vinegar and, well, these were surely fruit scraps. I mixed the tangerine peels and the pulp in a big plastic container with about a gallon of water (enough to cover the fruit scraps) and one cup of sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolved. (Katz suggests 1/4 cup of sugar for each quart of water.) I covered the container with cheese cloth and set it out in my garage for about a month. Fruit flies managed to get into the container, but I since I didn’t plan to use this vinegar for cooking, I didn’t worry too much about them.

After a month or so, the concoction was smelling very orange-y but not so vinegar-y. I drained the solids from the liquid and let it ferment for another three weeks or so. By this time, my ‘vinegar’ had a creepy floating surface – the mother. (See the curved edge? That’s the mother, not a shadow.)

Still not much vinegar smell, but I decided it was time for my experiment. (I am impatient. If I’d let it go longer, would it have been more vinegar-like? I don’t know.) I removed the mother and strained the liquid several times, first through a fine sieve, then through cheesecloth. I put the liquid into my pump sprayer without diluting it at all, and sprayed several different patches of weeds.

And here’s what happened overnight. The broad-leafed vine type weeds and the invasive kava turned slightly brown on the edges. Not much to talk about at all. But the crabgrass actually shows a difference.

Before (what is that little string thing and why is it in my picture?):

After (Ooh, different camera, different color):

Here’s another shot of dead weeds (no before picture at this spot, unfortunately):

It’s not Roundup, by any means. And it wasn’t as successful as Kevin at A Garden for the House’s experiment. But I’m thinking this idea has potential. My guess is that if the acid content were higher, I’d have had more success. I’m definitely going to try making vinegar again – we’ve got no shortage of citrus peels and the stuff from the store is, as we’ve discussed before, likely full of gmos. But I think a little research is in order to figure out how to achieve a higher acid content.

I’ve been reading books to inspire my lifestyle lately and these really impressed me.

Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter

The idea of creating a productive urban farm in the less desirable parts of Oakland, California is mind boggling to me. But while the location freaks me out a little – I’ve been lost in the seedier parts of Oakland. It is a scary place. – the story is an honest look at the author’s efforts to raise her own food. It’s not always pretty, but her determination and resourcefulness move her toward her goal and will certainly give those interested in adopting this sort of lifestyle an intimate look at what it’s like to raise poultry in a small space, scrounge for materials, and create something from nothing.

When I mentioned this title on Facebook, The Metropolitan Homestead said:

I’ve read it, and honestly, it was one of the things that pushed me into seriously starting our homesteading activities. I always wanted to get back to this lifestyle, but didn’t’ think we could in the city. Her book changed that mindset for me.

The author has just released a second book, The Essential Urban Farmer, co-written with Willow Rosenthal (who makes an appearance or two in Farm City). Adding that one to my wish list immediately.

 Solviva: How to grow $500,000 on one acre and Peace on Earth by Anna Edey

Years ago someone told me about this book, describing a Martha’s Vineyard woman who had dealt with plumbing issues by tossing urine out into her yard, only to discover that the plants that had been alternatively watered thrived. It sounded interesting to me, but life intervened and I forgot about it.

Last month, my neighbor asked, “Have you read Solviva?” I told her that I wasn’t familiar with it, and she went on to describe a woman from Martha’s Vineyard who accidentally discovered that urine was a great fertilizer. Oh, yes! I had heard of that book! I borrowed her copy and discovered an entirely alternative method of living. And I’m not just talking about pee.

Martha’s Vineyard gets cold in the wintertime, complete with snow and blizzards. But the author’s greenhouse maintains a balmy temperature all winter long without the use of a traditional heating system. Solar gain and the warmth of animals in the greenhouse allow her to grow vegetables year round without any energy from the grid.

Her “solar dynamic, bio-benign design” offers a better way to live more inexpensively and without leaving a big carbon footprint. The author no longer tosses her urine out into her yard, but she’s designed an amazing system to filter waste and utilize the valuable water without harmfully impacting the water table the way cess pools do.

I highly recommend this book for a look at someone who’s figured out some innovative alternatives both for city and country living. The author’s website has detailed information about her wastewater systems as well as a fun and telling comparison of two hypothetical cities.

Folks, This Ain’t Normal: A Farmer’s Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World by Joel Salatin

Joel Salatin is the visible face behind Polyface Farms. You might have seen him in Food, Inc. (If you’ve not yet seen Food, Inc, please do) or met him in Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma or perhaps you caught his TED presentation (Mid Atlantic). I am a huge fan of Salatin, so it’s no surprise that I loved his book in spite of his occasional crotchety outbursts. He’s a wise man who is willing to say some of the things that other people just won’t. First and foremost in this book is the fact that our food system, one that trucks and ships and flies our food thousands of miles just ain’t normal.

Salatin covers the politics of food, but he also spends a lot of time discussing what works on his farm and why community based food sources make so much sense. The book will likely anger you when you read about some of the difficulties that farmers face in bringing good, wholesome food to the table, but more often, I think it will inspire you to make changes in the way you source your food, whether that’s growing your own or seeking out a CSA or local farmer. You can see Mr. Salatin in action, talking about his pigerators and other topics on the book’s website.

What have you read lately to inspire a more sustainable lifestyle?