Farmington West Provident Living

Having fuel at the ready is an important part of preparedness.   From a simple light source, to heat, to fuel for cooking.   Following are some simple tips for obtaining and keeping fuel at the ready. Make sure you have candles and matches.   This is a great back-up to flashlights and batteries.    Keep your propane tanks filled for your BBQ or camp stove.   If you do not already keep a back-up tank, consider always having a full tank in your shed or garage.   Keep a supply of white gas or propane for your camp stove, whichever is appropriate. Also, if you have an outdoor fire pit, tuck away a supply of firewood for emergency use.   This may end up being used for more than just a S’more party. In addition to the above tips, store gasoline for your generators.   Be sure that you know the proper storage for fuels. Here is another source for proper fuel storage .    

Spring is in full swing and many gardens are planted or prepared.  If you have not planted yet, never fear, it is not too late! See the GARDENING link for tips and tricks for getting your garden started or managed.  Hopefully you will have some delicious  home grown produce within a few weeks and then canning/preserving season will be upon us before we realize. If you have children, gardening can be a great family affair and will leave them with a lifelong skill putting them on the path to their own "Provident Living". If you have limited space (or time and energy) consider planting some herbs in smaller pots.  These can be used in your summer cooking or preserved.  Most herbs are easily dried in your oven and stored in sealed bags or bottles for longer term food storage. This can save money and also contribute to that "I did it myself" satisfaction.

  Getting started on a longer term food supply for your family should be easy to do and not break the bank if you start small and gradually build it up.  Start with a 2 week & then month supply by purchasing a few extra items each week.  Work your way up to a 3 month supply and so on.  Check out this  3 Month Supply Suggestion List  . For more tips and food storage information, visit the Food Storage link from the Blog menu.  Don't forget to work in a plan to rotate your storage... oldest first and replace what you use. For longer term storage items, consider purchasing some of the bulk items from a Home Storage Center.  Many of the #10 can items have up to a 30 year shelf life.  See the   Home Storage Center  link for updated availability of products.  There are also links there to read more on purchasing online, which may be the way of the future as Home Storage Centers are phased out in certain areas.