Why Food Storage and the like

FOOD STORAGE BASICS AND BEYOND!

This blog comes to help us all deal with FS questions and to build up from a starting place & build a more complete and full FS & how to be more Self Reliant. Let us all get Prepared & ready for anything that may come our way. You never know when Mother Nature, Man Made Disaster or Money Problems may come and you would need your FS to get you through! I will talk about Emergency Preparedness also!

Food Storage, Emergency Preparedness, Other tips and Ideas. Let me help you get ready for what ever may come!

I started Food Storage over 15 years ago. I have taught many classes and been a speaker and helped many people over the years. This is a place where I can state things or address issues I want to cover.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Gardening do not over water

The garden idea for this month is not to over water your garden. It is hot outside! But do not over water the garden. We all see people just turning on the sprinkler and letting the water for hours. One this costs money and two it is not good for the plants. Check the plants in the morning and in the cooler evening hours. never water in the heat of the day!

Hand check
Before whipping out the watering can, check your garden's soil moisture with that handiest of tools, your finger. Push it into the ground around your plants. You want the top 2 or 3 inches of the soil to be dry, and the soil below that to be moist. Oh, and don't forget to check your local weather forecast to see what Mother Nature has planned before turning on the hose.
Timing is everything
In warm weather, water in the morning to give plants a chance to drink up before the hot sun or strong winds evaporate the moisture. This protects plants from wilting in the afternoon heat, too. In a prolonged drought, cover more sensitive plants with a shade cloth to limit midday transpiration, suggests Cado Daily of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. If you can't water in the morning, try for late afternoon—but not too late; the foliage should have time to dry before the sun goes down so it doesn't develop fungal diseases.
 Deep and infrequent
Seeds and seedlings demand moisture close to the soil's surface, but more established plants need deep watering to develop roots that will find water in the subsoil when drought strikes. Just be careful not to over water! You want soil that's damp but not soggy down to 5 to 6 inches below the surface. In waterlogged soil, roots are deprived of oxygen and may lose the ability to take up water. If your plants' foliage begins to brown at the edges and fall from the plant, you may be over watering.

One thing that people do it hand water their plants, use a water can, or a hose with a water nozzle. another thing you can do is recycle 2 liter bottles, and fill them up with water and punch in at an angle to the roots of the plants. The water will come down as needed for the plants. Just make sure when you punch them into the ground you make it gurgle to make sure there is no dirt soil cork in the bottle.  I personally use old wine bottles. they have a longer neck and blend in to the plants.


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

National Sugar Cookie Day

July 9, 2013 is

National Sugar Cookie Day

It’s National Sugar Cookie Day! Today, we honor a cookie that is simple and straightforward, but totally delicious. Traditional sugar cookie recipes call for just six ingredients: sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and baking powder.
Although sugar cookies by themselves can be quite plain, they are incredibly versatile. Use cookie cutters to create shaped sugar cookies, and top them with frosting or sprinkles. You can also make cookie sandwiches with two sugar cookies and fillings like marshmallow, melted chocolate, or jam.
To celebrate National Sugar Cookie Day, make a batch of homemade sugar cookies to share with friends and coworkers. Provide a variety of interesting decorations and let everyone personalize their bite-sized dessert!

So use your favorite sugar cookie recipe today and bake up a few extra cookies and share with your neighbors. 

 Here are a few links for sugar cookie recipes just in case.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-sugar-cookies/

http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Dessert/Vanilla-Sugar-Cookies?utm_source=google-bing&utm_medium=search&utm_term=sugar_cookies_recipe&utm_content=Sugar_Cookies_Exact_recipelp&utm_campaign=bakingEG&k_clickid=5c2d6ba0-f5af-8f49-4ad8-00007b6f4e79


Monday, July 8, 2013

Non Food Item Hammers and Nails

This month we will add to the list of non food items to add to your storage is hammers, nails, roofing screws, wood screws, and the like.

Why: well we all need to hang something up, that is one reason. Another reason is you have some items to fix basic things around the house that saves time and money. Also in the event of an emergency you can fix the roof, board up a window, etc.

Really all homes should have some sort of these items for the what ever happens in life around your home.

Here are a few links I thought were neat.

http://www.diylife.com/2010/03/04/hammer-tips-and-tricks/

http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Tools---Tips/DIY-Skills/Tool-Skills/hammers-aren-t-just-for-nails--101-ways-to-use-a-rip-hammer/View-All


Friday, July 5, 2013

National Fried Chicken day

Well tomorrow according to the Holiday list of fun things to celebrate, is National Fried Chicken day. So on July 6 it is a great day to have some fried chicken. So on that note I thought I would post a fried chicken recipe and such. Why, well why not. Fried chicken is good and we all can learn the basics and make our own!

Simple and easy Fried Chicken recipe

Recipe Ingredients:
  • 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of broiler-fryer chicken cut, cleaned and dried
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • vegetable oil
Cookware and Utensils:
  • brown paper or plastic bag
  • black iron cast skillet or heavy bottom skillet
  • paper towels
  • plate
Recipe Instructions:
  1. Mix dry ingredients in brown paper or plastic bag. Drop 1 or 2 pieces of chicken into bag at a time and shake until meat is coated. Continue until all chicken is coated with your flour and seasoning mixture. Set chicken aside for cooking.
  2. Over high-heat, heat about 1-1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a black cast iron skillet. Skillet is ready to cook when a drop of water added to grease snaps, crack or pops. Add chicken to skillet in a single layer, don't overcrowd. Unless you have a large skillet you'll have to do to batches.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered until meat is browned on both sides. Throughout cooking turn meat using tongs to avoid burning. As a general rule, cook chicken for about 15 minutes on each side and wings and legs takes he least amount of time to cook. Before serving allow chicken to drain on paper towels.

 here are a few steps to preparing your whole chicken for frying.
  • Select a fresh young broiler-fryer whole chicken
  • Have the butcher cut chicken into 8 pieces (2 breast, 2 legs, 2 highs, and 2 wings). Or learn to cut up a chicken, it is really easy to do!
  • Rinse chicken under running cold water and remove any visible fat
  • Pat chicken dry with paper towels

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy 4th of July

Today is July 4, 2013. Happy Birthday America!
The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is a federal holiday that celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of the Independence on July 4th, 1776.

"The United States is the only country with a known birthday".  ~James G. Blaine

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."  ~Erma Bombeck

Enjoy your families, have a great day! 



 

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Quote for July



As we all need to take time and enjoy our families. I thought this quote was fitting for this month.



"Some people are making such thorough preparation for rainy days that they aren't enjoying today's sunshine."

William Feather


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Blueberry Month

Since July is National Blueberry month here are a few recipes using Blueberries.

The blueberry may be small, but it’s no youngster. Botanists estimate blueberries burst onto the scene more than 13,000 years ago!

Blueberries are indigenous to North America and have deep roots in our country’s history. When Europeans arrived on the continent, the Native Americans were already enjoying blueberries year-round. They dried blueberries in the sun and added them whole to soups, stews and meat, or crushed them into a powder rubbed into meat as a preservative. According to legend, Native Americans gave blueberries to the pilgrims to help them make it through their first winter.

Blueberry Party Mix

 Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried blueberries
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup thin pretzels, broken
  • 1 cup granola or other cereal

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, walnuts, pretzels and granola
  2. Store in an airtight container
  3. Best if used within a week

Yield: 4 cups

Double Blueberry Pie

 

Ingredients

  • 1 frozen or homemade pie shell (9 inch)
  • 1 jar (10 ounces) blueberry jam or fruit spread
  • ¼-teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 cups fresh blueberries
  • Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (as needed)

Instructions

  1. Following package or recipe directions, prebake pie shell
  2. Cool
  3. In a microwaveable dish, combine blueberry jam and cinnamon
  4. Microwave on high until mixture liquefies, about 1minute
  5. Stir in fresh blueberries
  6. Spoon blueberry mixture into prepared shell
  7. Chill
  8. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/blueberry-recipes/?gclid=CLWJ4Lz_p7cCFUyY4AodUWMAdQ


Monday, July 1, 2013

Monthly Kick off for July


Today is July 1st. Let us welcome in the new month! Welcome July and the warm weather this month is supposed to bring to us for the summer months. This month of course we have the 4th of July and Family BBQs.

July is also National Blueberry Month... hmmm maybe some recipes for Blueberries are in order...
Well here is the link for some other fun days and such for July.  http://www.brownielocks.com/july.html

Well this month I will cover lots of the month ideas, come up with some news ones, add a few recipes. I will cover a value, pets, and maybe a random thought here and there. I have choose a few fun days to cover as well. Who know what this month has in store for us.


This Months goal is to Learn how to purify water. Try two or more ways to purify water. Add water to your storage, be sure to date water as it goes into your storage!