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2012-02-26T15:45:00.002-08:00

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Ready Radio Days

2011-04-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

Ready Radio Days is a program that is selling weather radios at a discounted price.

Here is a list of television stations involved in the Ready Radio Days campaign:

WEAU-Eau Claire
Wednesday April 13
3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Walgreens at 1819 South Hastings Way

WLUK-Green Bay
Thursday, April 14
9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Mills Fleet Farm at 2460 Main Street

WKBT-La Crosse, WSAW-Wausau, WISC-Madison and WISN-Milwaukee will also participate in the program but have not set a date for their events.

See the pdf press release here

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Virtually Fat Free Cheesecake from food storage foods

2011-04-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

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State-wide Tornado Drill April 14, 2011

2011-04-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

To encourage citizens to be prepared for severe weather, Wisconsin Emergency
Management (WEM) and the National Weather Service (NWS) are once again
promoting Wisconsin’s Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week. The
statewide tornado drill will be held on Thursday, April 14, 2011. Many schools
and businesses participate in the annual daytime drill. Wisconsin Department of
Public Instruction, WEM and the NWS have distributed tornado and severe
weather information to schools. If there is actual severe weather on April 14, the
tornado drill will be postponed until Friday, April 15, with the watch/warnings
issued at the same time. Below are the scheduled times for the mock
watches/warnings. Keep in mind that you will not hear weather radio tone-alerts
for the mock tornado watch and warnings on certain weather radios. In these
cases you will have to manually turn on your weather radio in order to hear the
mock tornado watch and warnings.

1:00 pm - Mock TORNADO WATCH for all of Wisconsin

MOCK TORNADO WARNINGS

1:10-1:15 pm - National Weather Service Green Bay issues Mock Tornado
Warning for Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Forest, Kewaunee, Langlade,
Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Oneida,
Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, Vilas, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago and
Wood Counties.

1:20-1:25 pm - National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan issues Mock
Tornado Warning for Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green, Green
Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Kenosha, Lafayette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Ozaukee,
Racine, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha
Counties.

1:30-1:35 pm - National Weather Service La Crosse issues Mock Tornado
Warning for Adams, Buffalo, Clark, Crawford, Grant, Jackson, Juneau,
LaCrosse, Monroe, Richland, Taylor, Trempealeau and Vernon Counties.
1:40-1:45 pm - National Weather Service Minneapolis/Chanhassen issues
Mock Tornado Warning for Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce,
Polk, Rusk and St. Croix Counties.

1:50-1:55 pm - National Weather Service Duluth issues Mock Tornado
Warning for Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Sawyer and
Washburn Counties.

2:00 pm - END OF MOCK TORNADO WATCH/WARNING DRILL

Source - Ready Wisconsin

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Tornado/Severe Weather Awareness Week

2011-04-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

photo credit - American Red Cross

April 11-15 is Wisconsin's Tornado/Severe Weather Awareness Week.

In order to be prepared for this type of weather emergency you ought to have ready a disaster emergency kit - commonly called a 72-hour kit.

At minimum your kit should include:

- 3-day supply of water for your family (minimum subsistence level of 1 gallon per person per day)
- one change of clothing and footwear per person
- blanket or sleeping bag per person
- rain gear and appropriate outerwear to keep your family warm and dry
- tarp or shelter materials
- a first-aid kit, including prescription medications
- lightweight shelf-stable foods (and any dishes & cooking equipment that might be needed)
- battery or hand-crank powered NOAA weather radio
- flashlights and extra batteries or hand-crank flashlights
- fire starting materials (magnesium firestarter, flint and steel, waterproof matches, etc. in case you need to shelter outdoors)
- some cash
- extra set of car keys
- toys or simple games to keep children occupied
- any special items needed for infants or elderly family members

You should also prepare your family by having an emergency plan in place. Practice the plan by having regular drills with your family members. Know what county you live in and be aware of weather notices. Know what warning system is in place in your community. Keep tuned to radio, television, or Internet weather broadcasts.

Familiarize yourself with weather emergency terminology.

Tornado Watch: Conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms.

Tornado Warning: A tornado is imminent (based on weather radar information) or has been sighted by spotters. If a tornado warning is issued for your area - move to your pre-designated place of safety. Seek shelter immediately!

Severe Thunderstorm Watch: Conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms with damaging straight-line (downburst) winds and/or large hail.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Severe thunderstorms with damaging straight-line winds and/or large hail are imminent or are occurring.

In case of a tornado warning you need to take shelter:

• In a house with a basement: Avoid windows. Get in the basement and under some kind of sturdy protection (heavy table, work bench or stairs), or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag.

• In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Avoid windows. Go to the lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stair well or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands. Even in an interior room, you should cover yourself with some sort of thick padding (mattress, blankets, etc.), to protect against flying or falling debris.

• In an office building: Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building -- away from glass. Then, crouch down and cover your head. Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter. Stay off elevators- you could become trapped in them if the power is lost.

• In a mobile home: Get out! Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile homes. If your community has a tornado shelter, go there fast. If there is a sturdy permanent building within close distance, seek shelter there. Otherwise, lie flat on low ground away from your home, protecting your head. If possible, use open ground away from trees and cars, which can be blown onto you.

• At school: Follow the drill! Go to the interior hall or room in an orderly way as you are told. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.

• In a car or truck: If tornado is in the distance, drive at right angles to the tornado movement. If there is time, get out of your vehicle and seek shelter in a permanent building. If there is no time, you have a choice – you can stay in your vehicle with your seat belt on, or you can get out and lie flat and face down, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Either way you run the risk of injuries or death.

Sources:
Ready Wisconsin
National Weather Service
American Red Cross

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Free water purification kit from PUR

2011-04-05T10:09:00.001-07:00

photo credit - eyesore9 on flickr

As preppers we all know how very important water - especially properly purified water - is to us all.

This link will allow you to obtain a free water purification kit from PUR. It's designed as a learning aid for kids, but might also work to help you teach your neighbors, friends, and family about safe water purification.

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Flooding along Rock, Fox, and Mississippi Rivers

2011-04-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

According to the State of Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs Division of Emergency Management, "Currently, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flood warnings for the Rock, Fox and Mississippi Rivers in Wisconsin. Minor flooding is occurring along these rivers, mainly impacting parks, agriculture or other lowland areas. The NWS anticipates the Mississippi River will remain high for most of April as much of northern Wisconsin and Minnesota still have heavy snow that will melt and will eventually run into the Mississippi River. In addition, they are concerned that any additional heavy precipitation this spring could result in major flooding."

To read the press release click here
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Upham Woods Spring Explorer Program - Saturday April 2nd

2011-04-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

From the article,

"From 2:00-5:00 p.m. on April 2, the Spring Explorers program will lead family-friendly adventures around the camp. Spring Explorers, free and open to the public, is just one of many events at Upham Woods designed to bring people closer to nature.

Participants can learn to pick out the signs of spring during a guided hike or stay at camp to learn survival skills like building a shelter, starting a campfire and navigating the woods using orienteering. There will also be a spring scavenger hunt around the camp."

This is a family event and, while the survival skills won't be as intense as other events you might have fun and learn something new.

For more information, click here.
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rivers at flood stage or flooding

2011-03-30T14:16:00.001-07:00

Several Wisconsin rivers are at flood stage or experiencing minor flooding. Click here to see river levels.

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how does weather change affect you?

2011-03-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

I know there are plenty of folks out there who don't believe that we're facing major climate change and even some scientists who forward the idea.

This post isn't intended to be a discussion of that, but rather a reporting of information from the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service.

They have a recent article up about a report from the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI).

Here is a portion of the article,

"Here are some of the potential impacts of continued changes in Wisconsin’s climate that WICCI working groups have identified:

Agriculture

—While longer growing seasons may help boost agricultural production, hotter summers could reduce yields of crops such as corn and soybeans.

–Warmer winters and longer growing seasons will also provide good conditions for pests and disease.

Public health and safety

–Summer heat waves will become more frequent and last longer.

–Accumulations of smog and ground-level ozone could pose more frequent air-quality hazards.

–Roads, bridges, and urban areas will face greater risk of damage from intense storms, with more heavy rain events overwhelming storm drains and sanitary sewers.

–Diminishing ice cover, changing water levels, and higher winds over the Great Lakes could increase shoreline erosion and risks to shoreline property.

Water resources

–Rising winter temperatures will continue to shorten the average duration of lake ice cover.

–More frequent heavy rains will wash polluted runoff into lakes, triggering more algae blooms and other water quality concerns, and affect the biological integrity of wetlands.

Wildlife

–Earlier onset of spring will alter relationships between plants and pollinators, affecting reproduction cycles.

–Some wildlife, fish, and tree species now at the edge of their biological ranges in Wisconsin may move out of the state, while species more tolerant of warmer temperatures will expand."

To read the entire article click here.

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making greek yogurt or yogurt cheese with powdered milk

2011-03-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

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how to convince your significant other to prepare

2011-03-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

photo credit - automaton_be on flickr

One of the most vexing problems that face preppers is having an unsupportive spouse or significant other. How do you cope with it and what can you do to convince him/her to come on board and get ready with you?

Here are some ideas that have worked for folks in the past:

- remind your SO of weather emergencies in your area and convince him/her to at least help your family prepare for those

- some folks find it helpful to show their SO government sites like Ready.gov and show the SO what FEMA recommends people do to be prepared

- another tactic is to use your local Red Cross or similar aid agency to demonstrate how a family ought to be prepared for emergencies

- try using economic conditions as a reason to prepare. Unemployment is up and so many people have lost their jobs. Having food stored and other items prepared can be a safety nest if there is a loss of income.

- it's tragic, but sometimes world events like earthquakes or tsunamis can provide incentive for people to get prepared. You might use news reports as a conversation starter to help your SO understand how prudent it can be to be prepared.

- explain to your SO how prepping can be a hedge against inflation. You can take advantage of low prices now to save money in advance of price increases.

- if you SO likes to shop sales, use that to your advantage. Encourage him/her to buy in bulk when items are on sale.

- you might talk about history or your own family history and how beneficial it was for people to have a preparedness mindset. Some historical times/events that are helpful in this conversation are the Great Depression, World War II rationing, and the Dust Bowl.

- use your SO's interests or hobbies as a way to help your family get prepared. Hobbies like gardening, woodworking, sewing, quilting, hunting, shooting, fishing, camping, etc. can all provide ways to help your family increase its preparedness levels.

- take a look at the distinct emergency preparedness conditions your family might face in your community. Do you have chemical plants nearby? If so, your family might be compelled to evacuate in case of a spill. This possible threat can be a great way to introduce having 72-hour kits or BOBs ready.

- remember that skills are as important as gear. If your SO isn't interested in setting aside the funds to gather the gear perhaps he/she is ready to build up skills. Don't discourage any interest he/she might have in becoming better prepared.

- if finances are the main concern, discuss with your SO ways to trim the family budget to free up some money for prepping or ways that you might be able to increase your family income in order to have the funds available for prepping.

What other strategies have worked for you? How have you been able to persuade someone reluctant to prepare to actually start preparing?

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Using powdered milk to make yogurt

2011-03-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Wondering what to do with that powdered milk in your food storage? How about making some yogurt.

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emergency or camping shower

2011-03-25T08:46:00.001-07:00

When our family went on our week-long camping trip this past summer we enjoyed using our camping shower that we purchased from Cabela's. We have a nylon shower "tent", a cedar "floor", and a cool stainless steel tank that can be pressurized along with a sprayer.

While we were camping I was thinking we really ought to have a back-up shower, but they're pricey and it really doesn't fit into our family's budget right now.

While reading an update post at Adventures in Self Reliance they linked back to their post on constructing an emergency or camping shower. This is the perfect back-up system for us and I just had to share it with you.

It has a number of uses - even if you don't camp.

Have you ever have your city work on water pipes and were unable to shower because the water was turned off? If you store water you can heat some up and put it in your emergency shower and have a nice warm shower!

For those of you with electric hot water heaters - have you ever had a power outage and found that you only had cold water? With this emergency shower you can warm up some water (outside on your camping stove or inside if you have a natural gas stove) and have a nice warm shower using your emergency shower.

Anyway, you get the idea. I think every family ought to have an emergency shower - even if they don't camp!

(disclaimer - the links out to Cabela's are NOT associate links and I receive no compensation for using them. All links used in this post are just informational to assist the reader in understanding the topic.)
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Creative ways to finance your prepping

2011-03-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

photo credit - Civil Defense Museum

Many people delay getting started on their food storage and emergency preparedness purchases because they feel that they don’t have the money to do it. It doesn’t have to be purchased in one sweep, folks, and even the tightest budget will often give up a few pennies if you squeeze it hard enough.

1. Barter excess fruit from your trees or vegetables from your garden for foods you don’t grow yourself.

2. Barter labor for food.
a. Talk to a farmer to see if you can work in exchange for meat, eggs, milk, etc.
b. Most CSAs offer reduced prices in exchange for working on the farm.

3. Barter skills and services you have for food items. Some ideas – sewing skills, haircuts, woodworking, accounting/bookkeeping, computer programming, web design, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting, etc.

4. Ask neighbors and friends if you can harvest the fruit from their trees. Offer to give them a portion of the fruit that you then can or dehydrate.

5. Cook with fewer processed foods. Learn how to cook from scratch instead. Use the money saved toward long term food storage. (you’ll end up eating healthier in the long run, too!)

6. Eliminate a high cost low nutrition food from your budget (common items are soda pop, cookies, other snack foods) and use that money toward long term food storage.

7. Eliminate a restaurant trip and use that money toward long term food storage.

8. Reduce your entertainment budget (turn off the satellite or cable tv, eliminate a movie night, etc) and use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

9. Reduce your reliance on costly cleaning solutions and make cleaning solutions yourself with inexpensive ingredients such as castile soap, borax, vinegar, and essential oils. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

10. Watch the grocery store sales and be prepared to buy in bulk when prices are low.

11. Consider a bulk purchase with friends or family members to buy food at a lower cost. Repackage the foods to store in convenient sizes for your family.

12. Learn how to preserve food yourself – canning, curing & smoking, dehydrating, etc. Foods grown and preserved yourself are usually much less expensive than commercially prepared foods.

13. Eliminate out-of-season foods from your menus and use the savings toward long term food storage. Food is always cheaper when it’s in season because less of the price involves fuel costs.

14. Consider using cloth napkins, cloth kitchen wipes (substitute for paper towels), cloth diapers, etc. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

15. Turn down your thermostat or turn up your air conditioner by a degree or two. Use a programmable thermostat to lower it while you sleep and raise it when you awaken and most people hardly notice the difference. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

16. Switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

17. Hang your laundry outside on a clothesline instead of using your electric dryer. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

18. Buy used items instead of new. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

19. Eliminate that second (or third) car. Instead use public transportation, bikes, or walk. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

20. Instead of buying expensive baby foods consider making your own. A simple food processor or blender can create pureed foods for your baby. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

21. Shop around and see if you can lower the cost of your auto insurance. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

22. If your checking and savings accounts have associated fees, switch to no-fee accounts. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

23. Consider buying your meat in bulk by purchasing a side of beef or a whole hog. The price per pound is much lower than buying in small servings at a grocery store. Not only do you save money, but you also have a head start on your food storage! You can contact farmers directly or consider buying at auction at your county fair.

24. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. The cheapest foods are often the least processed foods. Buy from the produce, meat, and dairy departments more and less from the inner aisles. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

25. Have a vegetarian meal once a week and save money by not buying as much meat. Use the savings toward purchasing preparedness items.

26. Plant a garden. You will not only save money on your grocery budget that you can use toward long term food storage but it will yield food as well.

27. Plant berry bushes and fruit trees. Even the smallest city lot usually can fit in a few raspberry canes. Dwarf varieties of fruit trees don’t take much space and larger lots can handle full sized trees. You can also sell the excess fruit!

What are some of the ways you've been able to alter your budget to permit you to make preparedness purchases?

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Dial 511 for travel safety information

2011-03-22T11:12:00.001-07:00

photo credit - Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Did you know that you can dial 511 to get information about real-time travel conditions?

You can also set up your own personalized travel profiles to receive travel time and alert information.

It's a great tool to help you avoid construction delays or check up on road conditions while you travel.

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Travel Information web page to learn more.

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La Crosse area -Complex store system to affect area into Wed

2011-03-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

La Crosse area -Complex store system to affect area into Wed
Posted by MooMama

"Determining the type of precipitation is tricky due to a feed cold air southward into the system. Currently it appears most of the area should see rain tonight into Tuesday, then change over to a wet snow either Tuesday night or Wednesday as the cold air sinks southward. Sleet or freezing drizzle could also occur during the change-over process."

from the National Weather Service

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=arx&storyid=65566&source=0

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Preparedness 101 - the get home bag (GHB)

2011-03-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

Preparedness 101 - the get home bag (GHB)

From: MooMama
Website: MooSaidTheMama

So you might wonder what a "get home bag" is. It's just what it sounds like - a bag to get you home again. They're quite similar to the BOBs (bug out bags). A GHB is usually a day pack filled with basic supplies and equipment that you'd need in case an emergency strikes while you're away from your home. It's a basic emergency preparedness item.

Unlike the BOBs, though, you want to keep your GHB with you. Many people keep them in their cars. That works great if your car is always with you. In our household, though, the car is with me part of the week and with the Hubster the other part of the week. If we kept the Hubster's GHB in the car then he wouldn't have access on the days he carpools to work.

So think about how you live and work and decide on a system that works best for you.

For us the answer is to have a kit that stays with the car and also have a pack that stays with the Hubster when he's at work or away without our car.

So what should someone put in their GHB?

Like your BOBs, the GHB contents are going to vary depending upon your climate, your local weather emergencies, and other local conditions.

Some commonly included items are:

- emergency food. might include energy bars, electrolyte packets, peanut butter crackers, etc. the food should be ready to eat and not require any additional energy or hydration to use. Also include a spork - they don't take up much space and are handy in case you need to eat other foods.

- water bottle or water bladder. we pack both water bottles and CamelBak style water bladders in our kits. depending upon your local water situation you might consider adding in a water filter (Katadynand Berkey make some good portable models) or water purification tablets.

- protection from the weather. here you'll want a poncho or other rain gear, warm winter clothing (in season), extra socks, sensible walking/hiking shoes, perhaps an emergency blanket and/or tarp if you'll need to shelter overnight.

- tools. commonly included tools are small knife, Leatherman multi-purpose tool, flashlight, signal mirror, whistle, small alcohol stove or hobo stove.

- fire starters. waterproof matches, butane lighter, cotton balls coated in petroleum jelly, steel wool and a 9v battery (pack separately), hand sanitizer (high alcohol content makes it a great dual purpose item for emergency packs)

- comfort and personal hygiene items. sunscreen, chapstick, soap, hand sanitizer, bug repellent, camping towel, and baby wipes.

- first aid supplies. bandages, steri-strips, antibiotic ointment, alcohol wipes, moleskin (to prevent blisters), ibuprofen, anti-diarrheal medicine.

The most important things to consider when putting together your GHB are the weather conditions you'll likely be exposed to and the distance you'll likely need to travel. You also want to consider the route you'll have to use and the conditions you'll face on that route.

For me I also need to consider transporting children back home and their needs. The kit kept in the car includes a folding stroller and infant carrier to help transport our toddler and assist our five year old. For short periods of time both the Hubster and I can carry the toddler in a sling or mei tai style carrier. For longer distances the stroller becomes more important. If we need to return home on foot from the nearest big city we're looking at 45 miles and that means an overnight stay because our kids can't hike that in a day (and neither can I toting a 35 pound toddler on my back!). Our car kit also contains tarps and rope so we can assemble temporary shelters as well as lots of winter camping gear.

We tend to pack more food in the winter months (cold weather means more calories burned) and more water in the summer months. Our winter kit contains more heat generating materials like a hobo stove and candles than does our summer kit.

Here are some pictures showing you what the Hubster typically keeps in his GHB:

Day pack - this is just a simple pack to hold all your equipment

Clothing - the bags contain a Gore-Tex jacket and Gore-Tex rain pants. there is also a rain poncho, winter gloves, and an emergency blanket.

Light, fire, & emergency items - signal mirror, compass, whistle, flashlight, butane lighter, Buck 110 knife, 9V batteries, and steel wool.

Food - spork, granola bars, Emergen-C packets, tuna fish, protein bars, crackers & peanut butter.

First Aid & Safety Part I - Glide anti-chaffing stick, 30 SPF sunblock, chapstick, insect repellent, 50 SPF sunblock in stick form, N95 masks, and crazy glue.

First Aid & Safety Part II - insect sting swabs, wipes, bandages, antibiotic ointment, sunscreen, insect repellent, molefoam padding, and case.

Water - stainless steel water bottle (that's duct tape wrapped around it), 2 liter water bladder, and water purification tablets.

Personal care & hygiene - anti-bacterial wipes, baby wipes, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, tissues, towel, and soap.

Do you have GHBs packed for your family members? If so, do you pack items other than the ones we mentioned?

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Storing Beans and Rice in Mylar Bags and Five Gallon Buckets

2011-03-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

Storing Beans and Rice in Mylar Bags and Five Gallon Buckets
Article Submitted by: MooMamma
Website: MooSaidTheMamma.blogspot.com

It's no secret to folks who know us that the Hubster and I store food. In fact, as member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we've been advised by our church leaders to be self-reliant in all ways and that advice includes setting aside a supply of food.

There are many reasons we store food. Job loss, inflation, a year without pay raises, and many more economic stresses and strains top the list these days.

Even though the Hubster's job has been pretty secure there are times when unexpected expenses arise and it's nice to be able to pay cash for those emergencies and rely on our food storage instead of buying groceries.

One way to store food and save money is to buy your dry foods locally and then package them for storage yourself. A major portion of the cost of foods ready for long-term storage is the shipping cost. If you can eliminate shipping costs then you can store food at a lower price.

Here we're going to show you how to prepare dried beans for long-term storage. Dried beans properly packaged can be stored for up to 30 years. Now I personally don't want to keep my beans for 30 years because we rotate our food and use the foods that we store. I'd hate to shock my digestive system by suddenly eating a lot of foods that I hadn't previously eaten!

The system that we use for most of our dried food storage is to first seal the food in a mylar bag with an oxygen absorber sealed inside. The mylar bag is also placed inside a 5 gallon food grade plastic bucket and the bucket is sealed with a lid.

The first step in the process is to assemble your food, tools, and equipment.

Here you see the dried beans and some brown rice in the 5 gallon buckets. The afternoon we took these pictures were were sealing up pinto beans, navy beans, and brown rice. As you can see from the picture these beans were just purchased at a grocery store. We checked unit prices to see which sized bags were the best value. For the pinto beans we found that 8 pound bags were the best value. For the navy beans the one pound bags were the best value.

These are the lids for the 5 gallon buckets. Make sure you're using new lids so you get a good seal.

These are mylar bags. They provide an oxygen barrier when properly sealed. Without oxygen the beans will stay fresh much longer. We buy our bags online from Sorbent Systems.

Here are the oxygen absorbers. We also buy these from Sorbent Systems. When we're not actively using the absorbers we keep them sealed in a vacuum sealed bag.

Here you see the rubber mallet, metal level, and iron. The mallet is used to pound down the lid onto the bucket. The metal level is used to heat the mylar bag and create a seal. And the iron provides the heat to create a seal for the mylar bag. They sell machines to seal bags, but we find that using these inexpensive tools does the job quite nicely at a lower cost. Oh, and don't use your good iron for this job! Pick up a used iron at a thrift store or garage sale that is set aside for sealing bags.

The second step is to place an empty mylar bag inside a 5 gallon food grade bucket. We purchased these buckets at a home improvement store. I wouldn't use these particular buckets for storing food that would touch the plastic sides of the bucket, but since we're sealing the food in mylar bags I consider them safe. For food that we store directly in the buckets (like rice and flour that we use daily), we order food grade buckets with gamma seal lids.

Next you'll open up a bag of beans and pour them into the mylar bag you placed in the bucket. You'll continue to do this until your bag is nearly full. We find that about 33 pounds of dried beans will fit in a mylar bag placed inside a 5 gallon bucket and still leave room to seal the bucket.

Here you see five buckets filled with food. We filled four buckets with beans (2 of navy beans and 2 of pinto beans) and one bucket with brown rice. That's a total of 132 pounds of dried beans and 33 pounds of brown rice.

Once you have your food into the bags (inside the buckets) you'll want to heat up your iron. Set it at the cotton or linen setting as you'll need a very hot iron for the sealing.

Before you begin to seal the bag you'll want to drop in your oxygen absorbers. When working with 5 gallon buckets we use two oxygen absorbers per bag.

Then you'll fold down one side of the top of your mylar bag and straighten it out.

Next you'll place your metal level underneath the folded over edge of the mylar bag.

Then you'll fold that top piece down over the level and hold it tightly against the level.

You could use any flat surface to iron your bags on, but we chose the metal level for two reasons. First, it also heats up a bit and the added heat helps to create a good seal. Second, this level has two surfaces and that allows us to make two seals at once. That gives just a little extra insurance that the bags are well sealed and airtight.

Then you'll iron across the top of the level along the edge of the bag. Be sure to remember to leave a small (maybe 3-4 inches) area UNSEALED so you can squeeze out the last bit of air in the bag before the final sealing.

Here you can see where the seal ends and the edge of the bag without a seal.

The next step is to push down on the top of the bag and squeeze out the last bit of air inside.

Then you'll bring up the corner of the bag where you have the unsealed portion.

And once again you'll use the metal level and iron and you'll seal off the unsealed part of the bag.

Next you'll use your rubber mallet to securely attach the lid to the bucket.

Here you can see the rubber gasket inside a lid. When your lid is pounded down tightly onto the bucket this gasket helps to form an airtight seal.

The final step is labeling your bucket. We write the name of product sealed inside and the date we sealed it on the top of our lids.

And then you're done! Find a cool, dark, dry, temperature controlled space to store the buckets and your food will keep nicely for many years. Most families find that basement space is the most convenient location.

You can use this method for sealing any dried food. We've used it for beans, rice, sugar, and flour so far.

When we are ready to use a food we just cut open the bag and then replace the bucket lid with a gamma seal lid for easy opening and closing. You can find gamma seal lids at many online retailers.

What are some of the ways you store food? Do you have a favorite online retailer of dried foods or food storage equipment?

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Wisconsin Preppers Roll Call - All Preppers Please Check In

2011-03-07T06:53:00.000-08:00

The American Preppers Network is conducting a network-wide roll call. Whether you are a member or not please check in and let us know what you are doing to prepare.

This is a good opportunity to network with other preppers near you.

Wisconsin Preppers, to respond to the roll call please follow this link:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=449&t=9291

Reply to the Roll Call and let us know what you have been doing to prepare.

If you are not yet a member of the forum you can register here for free:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

How to dehydrate eggs

2011-03-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

How to dehydrate eggs

Article By: MooMamma
Website: MooSaidTheMama.blogspot.com

With all the canning tutorials on this blog I'm sure that most of my readers think all I do is can. NOT true! I also dehydrate some foods for long term storage and today we'll discuss dehydrating eggs to make a shelf stable powdered egg.

But first, I want to let you know about a book that I consider my go-to reference for all things dehydrated. The title is Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook.

We bought it at the same time we bought our commercial dehydrator and it's gotten a lot of use! We dehydrate fruits like strawberries, apples, and pears and we've also dehydrated potato slices, green peppers, chili peppers, and made fruit leather using the dehydrator. On my to-do list yet for the dehydrator is celery and carrots.

I don't usually do dehydrating tutorials, though, because it's so very simple. Usually you just slice the food thin and pop it in the dehydrator. Hardly tutorial-worthy, eh?

But eggs are just a teeny bit more complex. With eggs you have some safety concerns that you wouldn't have with fruits and veggies.

For instance, it's not recommended that you dehydrate raw eggs. The first step ought to be cooking them until they're dry.

I also consider the source of eggs. My first choice would be local eggs produced by free range hens. In my neck of the woods in February it's not so easy to come by fresh free range eggs in larger quantities and I hate to run the dehydrator for just a tray or two.

This time I used organic eggs purchased at Costco. Not my first choice, but an okay runner-up.

For this project I used a food processor, a non-stick pan, my gas range, and the commercial dehydrator. Feel free to substitute other equipment if you need to.

I found that working with about eight eggs at a time was the most manageable load for my equipment. I also realized in retrospect that a blender could have been a better choice for whipping up the eggs and resulted in a bit less mess!

So...I cracked open about 8 eggs and dropped them into my food processor and let it whirl a bit to whip them up.

Then I transferred the whipped eggs into a non-stick pan. I found that cooking them low and slow resulted in the best scrambled egg and the least waste. On my gas range that meant a setting of 2.

After scrambling the first batch I transferred the eggs into a bowl and cleaned the pan. It is important to clean the pan between each batch of eggs because you're not using any additional grease and the pan does get gunked up fairly quickly.

After all the eggs were scrambled I then began to spread them out on the dehydrator trays. I used the fine mesh fruit screens to minimize having small pieces drop through the trays.

Then I placed the trays into the commercial dehydrator. Four dozen eggs yielded 4.5 trays of loosely spaced scrambled eggs.

I set the dehydrator at 145 degrees F and set it for 18 hours.

After the eggs were completely dried then I removed the trays and put the dried eggs into the food processor. I let them spin a while to pulverize them into a fine powder.

Then I transferred the powdered eggs into a mason jar and used our FoodSaver to seal to remove excess air and seal the jar for storage in our pantry.

To use the eggs I'll measure out 1 Tbsp of dried egg and add in 2 Tbsp of water to make the equivalent of one large egg.
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Several states consider loosening raw milk restrictions as FDA tries to tighten them

2011-02-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

(NaturalNews)

As the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluates ways to further restrict Americans' access to raw milk and raw milk products, several US states are considering legislation to loosen the regulatory noose that limits freedom of food choice. Texas, Oregon, Minnesota, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin all have pending legislation to legalize raw milk sales, relax sale restrictions that make buying the product difficult, or for the first time decriminalize raw milk sales with restrictions.

Recently, the FDA decided to target raw milk cheese, suggesting that it is more dangerous that pasteurized cheese and thus may require increased limitations. But the very data the FDA is using to make this claim clearly shows that contamination often happen after production, both in raw and pasteurized cheeses. In other words, both raw and pasteurized milk products can become contaminated after production (http://www.naturalnews.com/031471_r...).

Despite this and other propaganda efforts to falsely demonize raw milk, consumer demand for the unpasteurized, unhomogenized, farm-fresh food continues to rise. And the rhetoric coming from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the FDA, and various state health agencies and officials hellbent on telling people what they can and cannot drink, is losing ground to the simple grassroots efforts pushing for more raw milk freedom.

In Texas, House Bill 75 and Senate Bill 237 would eliminate the restriction allowing raw milk sales only on the farm, and instead allow them to take place at "any other location where producers customarily sell their products directly to consumers including a farmers' market, farm stand, flea market, food cooperative or fair." The Minnesota legislature is set to have a similar bill presented before it.

Oregon's HB 2222, also known as the Family Farm Act, would expand the maximum herd limits for producers of raw milk in the state, and would offer some tax and other exemptions to local farmers.

New Jersey's bill A743, perhaps the most aggressive of all, would fully reverse the state's current ban on raw milk. Farmers who obtain a valid raw milk permit under a new state program and comply with testing requirements would be permitted to sell raw milk both directly to consumers and in retail stores.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/...

http://farmandranchfreedom.org/

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031501_raw_milk_restrictions.html#ixzz1F7lWSYQN

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Anarchist Utopia

2011-01-22T08:38:00.000-08:00

Milo Nickels

Activist Post

What do you picture when you hear the word "anarchy?" Do you picture a mob of angry people smashing windows and looting televisions? Do you picture fire, destruction, and carnage? Do you picture idiots with T-shirts tied around their faces throwing rocks and tipping over cars?

If you are like most Americans, these are the exact images that pop into your head, and that is very unfortunate.

Although many people (correctly) believe that chaos would be the absolute end result of anarchy, it is important to remember that "anarchy" itself is not a synonym for "chaos" (although it is quite often and unfairly used that way).

Unfortunately, one bad apple spoils the bunch, and most people who openly call themselves "anarchists" are those bad apples. The ironic part is, most of these people are "anti-capitalists" and, therefore, support political systems where governments control economies. How can you honestly call yourself an anarchist if you support government control of anything?

To assume that all anarchists are riotous punks is no different than assuming that all democrats are welfare bums or all republicans are war mongers. We mustn't focus on the bad apples.

Anarchy, in reality, is nothing but a political philosophy. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines anarchy as follows:

a: absence of government b: a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority c: a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government.

a: absence of denial of any authority or established order b: absence of order: disorder anarchy of nature
Note: the word Anarchy itself is composed of two parts: An · archy, An (meaning without), Archy (meaning government or rule). The literal translation, then, is simply "without government"

Notice what is missing from those definitions. There are no mentions of violence, upheaval, riots, or chaos. The closest they come to any of that is definition 2b whereby anarchy can be thought of as "disorder," but disorder does not automatically or necessarily lead to violence either; nor is disorder always a bad thing. Without disorderly gene mutations we'd still be monkeys. In particular, you should pay attention to definition 1c. Anarchy can be thought of as a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom. This is the side of anarchy that everyone seems to forget, and it's a far cry from gas masks and Molotov cocktails.

If you are someone who typically equates anarchy with chaos, please challenge yourself to open your mind. Try, just for a minute, to think of anarchy from the utopian perspective:

Would you rather live in a world where police enforce laws, or one where people respect the lives, rights, and property of their fellow man to the point where police and laws are no longer necessary?
Would you rather live in a world where welfare is required to keep people afloat, or one where all people have the capacity and drive to earn their own way?
Would you rather live in a world where banks and businesses must be bound by government regulations and restrictions, or one where the bankers and businesses could be trusted to pay fair wages and sell goods at fair prices?
Would you rather live in a world where governments have to control the people, or where people are responsible, sensible, and thoughtful enough to control themselves?

Obviously, we don't live in such a world. And, sadly, we never will. Like virtually all utopian ideals, a completely free (anarchistic) society is an impossibility--constrained by human nature. Anarchy itself isn't bad; people are. Human nature is fraught with greed, aggression, lust, and ignorance. This dark side of human nature is the only reason that people require governments at all.

Although the vast majority of societal ideals and visions of utopia are unobtainable, simply because they are bound by human nature, this does not mean that we should stop striving for those societal ideals or seeking those utopias. Just as we will never wipe out all racism, all terrorism, all poverty, or all greed, we will never be able to eliminate all government. But the grim reality that we can never be perfect, should not stop us from striving as a people to be better. We can always have less racism, less terrorism, less poverty, less greed, and less government.

Please, if you are someone who automatically envisions destructive chaos when you hear the word "anarchy," try to think about what that word could actually mean. If you are one of the morons in the above picture, calling yourself anarchists but proving exactly why governments are necessary, stop acting like an idiot.

The real road to achieving an anarchist utopia is not through violence, disrespect, and chaos. All of these activities only lead to more government. An entirely free society, where government is no longer necessary, can only exist where people respect one another, accept responsibility, treat each other fairly, and have compassion for their fellow man. In short: we don't need government if humans are humane.

If you truly understand how wonderful our world could be without government, I hope that you will go forth -- and think like an anarchist.

Milo Nickels began blogging and cartooning about politics in the year 2000. After achieving some notoriety at that time, Milo took a break. Now, Milo has launched a new website, Five Cent Revolution where he continues to write about political issues. In particular, Milo focuses on constitutionalism, critiques of modern liberalism and progressivism, and defends individual liberty above all else. Milo wants the government out of our wallets, out of our business, and out of our lives to the greatest extent possible.

Recently by Milo Nickels:

Dangerous Anti-government Revolutionaries!!
Explaining The Acts of Madmen...
Outlaw That Free Speech, Because It MIGHT Be A Threat

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How To Be A World-Class Survivalist in 5 Simple Steps

2011-01-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

Joy Paley
Activist Post

With the recent econopocalypse, it’s no wonder that people are becoming more interested in what it would take to survive after our current society has undergone a major shift. After all, if something we thought was intrinsically stable—our financial sector, and the guarantee of ever increasing wealth—is actually pretty flimsy, well, a lot of other things can be brought into question too. Take out a seemingly small piece of the puzzle, like access to gasoline, and you find that your local grocery will run out of goods within 2 days. Learning the basic skills to survive without the modern conveniences of society is a way to prepare yourself for these unpredictable shifts. And, the skills you’ll hone in the process—self-reliance, problem solving, and cleverness—are ones that will definitely benefit you in your everyday life.

1. Get In Shape
It’s not that exciting of a tip, but it’s probably the most important in terms of survival. Having an in-shape cardiovascular system will mean that you’ll be able to run, forage, and do any other intense aerobic activity that comes with living outside of society. Keeping your muscles strong is to key for chopping wood, building shelter, and generally being useful when physical brawn again becomes as important as intellectual ability.

2. Learn Basic Wilderness Skills
Before you hit the military surplus store for thousands of dollars worth of MRE rations, first put a little effort into really getting good at basic skills for navigating outside of your comfort zone. First, learn how to build a fire

, without a gallon of fire starter and newspaper. Review how to build a protective shelter outside and how to find water. These three most basic skills aren’t easy—but they are sure to come in handy when you’ve got no lights, heat, or running water.

3. Invest Wisely in Supplies
Now that you’ve shown your commitment to survivalism by knowing a few basic essentials, you can consider investing in the supplies that will make your life easier, after society’s collapse. Don’t head down to your local REI store though—you can burn through your entire nest egg on commercial wilderness and survival gear at those fancy places. Think utility and budget.

• Stock up a pantry of canned goods—think beans, tuna, veggies, fruit, and soups
• Get bulk basics like oil, sugar, salt, peanut butter, rice, lentils, and any other grains you prefer
• Pick up a rechargeable LED flashlight for every member of your family
• Get several 5 gallon jugs of water
• Create a comprehensive first aid kid
• If you don’t have one, purchase a firearm and stock up on ammunition

4. Learn How to Feed Yourself
No matter how many Costco jugs of peanut butter you buy, your food stock isn’t going to last forever. Any survivalist has to know how to feed themselves when the going gets tough. This includes growing food, foraging, fishing, and hunting. Stock up on seeds, and start with a small vegetable garden. Learn to identify and find edible and medicinal plants in your area. If you’ve never hunted, start small. Find, catch, kill, and cook a rabbit or squirrel to start.

5. Learn Antiquated Skills
Back before the days of Super Wal-Mart and excess income, regular people like you and me knew skills for surviving the year. In the winter when there weren’t any fresh fruits and vegetables, people depended on canned, pickled, smoked, and other preserved food that they had prepared in the summertime. Candles offered valuable light, and handmade soap kept them clean. These are the types of skills that will not only keep you alive longer, but will actually make living a little more enjoyable.

Joy Paley is a science and technology writer from Berkeley, California. She is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and writes on accredited online degrees for Guide to Online Schools.

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Panic Buying as Britain Runs Out of Food and Fuel

2010-12-28T22:04:00.000-08:00

Last winter, as blizzards hit the US and Europe, an earthquake hit Haiti and a Tsunami threatened Hawaii, we ran several stories pointing out the potential weaknesses in our just-in-time transportation delivery systems, utility grids and emergency response capabilities.

We have yet another example from England, which should be a wake up call to those who have never considered having at least some basic emergency supplies on hand.

Food and fuel were running out in some parts of Britain as the big freeze continued to make deliveries impossible.

Supermarkets were battling to keep their shelves stocked with staple foods such as bread and milk and petrol retailers were running low dry on fuel as lorries struggled to complete deliveries in the icy conditions.

The Independent Petrol Retailers Association warned that up to 500 independent petrol retailers in Scotland and the east of England risked running dry by the weekend.

It stated that road tankers have been unable to leave the main terminals from two refineries from the Total SA (TOT) refinery at Lindsey and from the Jet refinery at Killingholme, both on south Humberside, effectively “cutting the supply chain off at its knees”.

Panic-buying was also adding to the problem as consumers stocked up on essentials.

Consumers have also been stocking up on shovels, water bottles and thermals as the big freeze continues to bite.

Marks & Spencer reported a 121% increase in sales of thermal clothing in the past week while Sainsbury’s said it had increased its stocks of long-life UHT milk which has seen a 20% rise in demand.

Although the weather is expected to improve slightly over the weekend, further freezing conditions are forecast for next week.

When an emergency or natural disaster strikes, and for most of us it will at some point in our lives, you can either be prepared and have everything you need to survive at home, or you can be this person:



Panic-buying: No bread at Tesco in Tunbridge Wells as shoppers were urged to show restraint (left) and milk runs out at Sainsbury’s in Mansfield (right).

Hat tip Goldenfoxx

Author: Mac Slavo
Date: December 6th, 2010
Visit the Author's Website: http://www.SHTFplan.com/

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