Farmington West Provident Living

 " A lot of food storage is ultimately wasted. That’s a shame since food-storage staples are so healthy for us and are often more cost-effective than processed items. To better use the food, I recommend the following basics. Rotate.  Remember the first-in, first-out rule, and try to use your food storage regularly. Though some items can be stored for years, keep in mind that their nutritional value diminishes over time. For instance, dry beans used within a year or two cause less gastrointestinal distress than old beans. Eating them several times a week also helps your body adjust to them. Whole grains.  The highly processed foods we tend to eat often contain a lot of sweeteners, salt, and unhealthy fats. And much of the product’s cost can be for packaging. It’s healthier and less expensive to use oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat, and other grains for nutritious meals, especially breakfast cereals. Dried milk.  You can improve the taste and consistency by using 1/3 c...

 That time of year is already quickly approaching for those that started herbs indoors early. Some of my Basil and Cilantro have already grown enough to begin harvesting. Luckily, with herbs, if you prefer only fresh, you can start them indoors at any time of year, so you can plant on a schedule to always have a pot of your favorite herb ready when you want it.   (photo cred: thefrugalgirls.com) For those that plant once a year, yet want to use in cooking all year long, there are several easy ways to preserve herbs by dehydration.   If you do not own, or do not wish to purchase an expensive freeze drier or dehydrator, there are simple ways to experiment with smaller amounts and then if you love it, purchase a dehydrator in the future.  Let’s start with some simple herb drying methods. If you have not planted any herbs, consider starting a pot of some basic varieties and when they reach a decent level of maturity, dry some for future use.    Following a...

We all probably have great memories of sitting around campfires telling stories or singing songs while roasting hot dogs or mallows for s'mores, but there are so many more great things you can cook over a campfire. Learning how to cook over a fire is a one of the many ways we can prepare for times when we have to cook without power during an emergency.   For campfire tips and recipes, click here ...  Read more... Click here for more information on Cooking Without Power.

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.  

Much of the planning and preparation that we need to focus on, or that we have become very aware of lately is that of a food supply that we can "live off of" in the time of need.  We have been counseled by the prophets for years to obtain and store a supply of food and necessities for when needed in times of unemployment or financial crisis, extended inclement weather, earthquake, power outage or as we have been experiencing this past year, pandemic & quarantine, etc.   During these type of struggles, just having "supplies" on hand is great, however, if an event includes evacuation from our homes, we need to have added another level of preparedness to our supply.  In the case of evacuation and "no place to go", we must consider the possibility of retreating to the hills, or maybe the city will allow use of the local public parks.  We need to be prepared to bring our own equipment, food and shelter. So this week, let's look at some ideas for shelter...

Remember this time last year?  If you didn't have a back up supply, you were out of luck finding Toilet Paper in the stores for several weeks.  A great example of why we need to be prepared.  The creative "wiping" alternatives got pretty creative and did not appear all that pleasant.  No thank you Mr. Pine Cone. Next to food and water, Sanitation is pretty high on the list of needs in an emergency.  Everybody needs something (or somewhere) to go on.  Purchase or make a bucket toilet kit.  Toilet seats are available at most  camping stores , or you can fashion a seat from a foam pool noodle for a DIY portable Loo.  Include TP, hand sanitizer, heavy duty garbage bags, twist ties and a shovel.... and don't forget to include something to keep the smell to a minimum such as kitty liter. You may want to create 2 buckets.  One for solids and one for liquids.  Some people label them simply PEE and POO (or color coded 💩 💛 for the youn...