Farmington West Provident Living

  As a matter of fact, Canning Season is coming to a close in my household and I presume most of you that "Can" your garden produce are either right in the thick of it, or also winding down.  The cooler temps have been nice to slow things down just a little bit so we can catch up! If you don't already preserve foods by canning but would like to learn, check with your ward and inquire if you have a "Food Storage and Canning Specialist".  Many wards do. If your ward does not have a specific person to assist with this, I would bet there is someone in your neighborhood that does their own and most likely would be glad to give tips and share some tricks of the process.  I would be happy to help if you need me.  Just send me an e-mail! (you can find it on the Stake Blog.) T here are two different types of canning, water-bath canning and pressure canning.  Water-bath canning is used to preserve foods that have a higher acidity such as jams, jellies, and most fruits, in

It's a good time for everyone to take a look at just how prepared they are for any emergency that may arise.  Up to this point we have mostly talked about 3 day to 3-6 month supply and a few longer term solutions, i.e. dehydrated and freeze dried foods.   Most things we buy at case lot sales or grow in our gardens are short term solutions unless they are dehydrated or freeze dried and then packaged for longer term storage. In order to make the things we buy for our storage last as long as possible they all need to be packaged in a way that will ensure the longest shelf life.   For example, in order to make a bag of flour last for 20-25 years it would be best to put it in a 5 gallon bucket or mylar bags with the proper amount of oxygen absorbers in it.   Another great way to add long term storage to your food is buying it in #10 cans.  They have a long shelf life and the church offers great deals on these items.  These are a great solution for those that don't tend to use a lot

   Now is a good time to build or refresh your various preparedness kits. Check the Blog  HERE  to find several lists and types of kits, including what you may want to include in them. Since every household and family is different, their kits should be different too.  Adapt your kit(s) to fit your needs and each family member may have different items included.  Create an extra "Household Kit" to include shared items such as cooking supplies, shelter and fuel etc.  Don't forget your pets!

    Having a way to cook when the power goes out is important.    Here   is a list of different kinds of cooking apparatus'.  Decide which one(s) will work best for your family and then learn how to use them.  Figuring them out during an emergency is not the best idea.  Why add stress to an already uncomfortable situation. See the Resources Menu to find RECIPES to try.

  We have long been encouraged to build an emergency food and survival supply.  This has been taught to  not only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but has been suggested strongly to all residents by the city emergency planning teams throughout the nation.   This may seem like a daunting task to some, but if broken down to reasonable steps, it can be quite easily done.  Some things to consider are to not just stash a bunch of food in your basement or storage area, but to bulk up your pantry with foods you are use to eating.  Kids especially tend to have a hard time adjusting to change during an emergency and suddenly being forced to eat new and sometimes weird foods can just make problems worse.  So, consider having a 3 month supply that includes foods that your family regularly eats, then rotate those foods more often than the items in long term storage in your basement/food storage closet. Visit the  'Resources'  tab on this blog to find many suggest

  Have you ever wanted to plant potatoes in your garden but A . didn't have enough room, B . figured your soil was too hard and compact to allow for proper growth of potatoes or C. just weren't sure how to even go about doing it.  Well if any of these or other reasons apply then this post is for you.     Potatoes are a great thing to know how to grow in your garden.  We can and probably do use them quite often in most of our everyday cooking whether it be in soups, breakfast casseroles or skillets, fries, or just good old baked potatoes. So, why not try your hand at growing your own!     This post will teach you how to grow potatoes in a bucket.  One of the great advantages to growing them in a bucket is that you can bring them in your garage or other cold storage space over the winter and keep them "fresh" for use during the winter months.  What types of potatoes can you grow in a bucket? Any kind you want including sweet potatoes. So let's get started. The list

 We all spend a lot of time in our cars, we need to make sure we are prepared for whatever may come our way or even someone else's way. It is a good idea to  have a car 72 hr. kit in your vehicle.  You will likely be surprised how often you end up using it, not just for yourself, but other motorists in need.  Some things most often used are gloves, shovel, axe and portable jump starter. It's amazing how many people get stuck in the winter or have dead batteries. If you choose to carry a portable jump starter, be sure to take it out occasionally and charge it up.  Just because you have it, it does no good if you don't maintain it and make sure it is good to go when you need it. You can find several pre-assembled car kits out there that will work in a pinch and are a great starting point, but putting your own together, so that you know for sure you have the things you will need. You can find checklists that can get you started  here ,  here ,  here  and  here , but ultimately

  What am I supposed to have in my food storage? There are three main components of food storage: Food supply (three-month and long-term) Water supply Financial reserve Store foods that are a part of your normal diet in your three-month supply. As you develop a longer-term storage, focus on food staples such as wheat, rice, pasta, oats, beans, and potatoes that can last 30 years or more. Click HERE to read the entire article, complete with MORE links and great information!  (after clicking the link, scroll to the top of the page... I don't know why the link sends you to the bottom of the page.)