Medicinal Uses of Chamomile, Chocolate Cake!

Check out the Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake at the end!

 

Saving water and rain barrels. You don't need to pay $75 and up for rain barrel systems. Purchasing an extended downspout adaptor at any box or hardware store will do the trick. Set your rain barrel right next to the downspout. Buy an adaptor that fits your 3 or 4" downspout, cut downspout with a hack saw (a section about 2 ½ to 3 feet long above your rain barrel), attach the accordion/extending-type adaptor top to the bottom cut of the downspout. When expecting rain, pull off the bottom end of the adaptor and adjust it over the open rain barrel. Great for collecting water for the garden or as a back up for boiling and drinking.

 

Medicinal Uses of Chamomile

There are two plants that are known as chamomile—German Chamomile (which is the most popular) and Roman (or English) Chamomile. Though belonging to different species, they are used to treat the same conditions. Both have been used to treat frayed nerves, various digestive disorders, muscle spasms, mild infections, and a range of skin conditions.

Other names these plants go by are: chamomile, chamomile, wild chamomile, sweet chamomile, German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile, mayweed, scented mayweed, and pineapple weed.

The ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks used chamomile for many medicinal purposes thousands of years ago, and it is still used for those and other conditions today, including:

• Chest colds
• Sore throats
• Abscesses
• Gingivitis – inflammation of the gums
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Psoriasis
• Acne
• Eczema
• Minor burns
• Ulcerative Colitis – Inflammatory bowel disease
• Stomach ulcers
• Chicken pox
• Diaper rash
• Colic

Internal Use:

Chamomile flowers have widely been used for herbal tea. It is so popular that it can be found in the tea aisle of most grocery stores. Chamomile tea has been used as a mild sedative and a tonic to calm the nerves. When a child is teething, chamomile tea can be safely used for both of these purposes. It will calm him and help to keep him from being emotional while cutting his teeth. Other uses for chamomile tea are:

• Anti-inflammatory – used for arthritis, and other swellings.
• Antispasmodic – used for intestinal and menstrual cramps, relieving gas pains, and a mild, effective laxative.
• Vasodilator – used for fever, sore throats, the aches and pain of colds and flu, headaches and allergies.
• Anti anxiety tonic.

External Uses:

Chamomile flowers can be made into an infusion, which is especially good for the hair. They can be added to cosmetics as an anti-allergenic or made into an ointment for treating wounds or hemorrhoids. Dried chamomile can be used as potpourri and for herb pillows, and burned for aromatherapy. Other external uses are:

• Compresses – for swellings, sunburns, burns.
• Added to baths to relieve muscle aches, sooth tired feet, and soften skin.
• Rubbed on the skin to repel insects.
• Water plants with the tea to feed them and prevent some diseases.
• Essential oils can be used as a flavoring, in making perfume, and to combat neuralgia and eczema.
• Made into a paste, use it to treat skin irritations, infections, and burns.
• Steam therapy for treating asthma, hay fever, and sinusitis.

Treatments

Paste:

Grind dried flowers in mortar and pestle, add some water or unsweetened chamomile tea, and slowly add oatmeal as needed.

Bathing:

Place a handful of flowers in a mesh bag, hang from the faucet by its string, and run the bath water over it.

Natural Hair Highlights:

Thoroughly wet hair with unsweetened, warm chamomile tea. Wrap head with plastic wrap and cover with a bath towel. Keep head warm for 30 to 60 minutes to bring out natural highlights. Dry and style as usual. This will add golden highlights to brown hair.

Steam Therapy:

Place dried chamomile flowers into a mesh strainer over a pan of boiling water. Breathe the steam deeply to ease respiratory symptoms.

Dosages

Children:

Children under 18 should use half of the recommended adult dose.

To relieve colic use 1 – 2 ounces of unsweetened chamomile tea daily.

Adults:

• Tea: pour 1 cup boiling water over 2-3 heaping tablespoons of dried flowers, steep 10-15 minutes. Drink 3-4 times daily between meals.
• Tincture: (1:5, 45% alcohol) use 1-3 ml (100-150 drops) three times daily in a cup of hot water.
• Capsules: 300-400 mg three times daily.
• Gargle/mouthwash: make the tea above and let it cool. Gargle as often as desired. You can also make an oral rinse of 10-15 drops of chamomile extract in 100ml warm water. This may be used three times daily.

Cautions

While chamomile is considered to be a safe herb, some people may experience allergic reactions such as hay fever, sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes. It may worsen asthma symptoms, so those with asthma should not use it. Those with allergies to asters, daisies, chrysanthemums, and ragweed may also have reactions to chamomile, as they are related.

Pregnant women should take care in using chamomile. It is a uterine stimulator and can cause contractions. Drinking large amounts of chamomile tea with high concentrations of the herb may cause vomiting.

Other possible interactions include:

• Blood thinning medications – chamomile may increase risk of bleeding when taken with warfarin.
• Sedative – chamomile can increase the effects of drugs that have a sedative effect, including anticonvulsants – Dilantin and Depakote; barbituates; tranquilizers – Xanax and Valium; insomnia treatments – Ambien, Sonata, Rozerem;  antidepressants – Elavil; and alcohol.
• Herbs like kava, catnip, and valerian root.
• Other medications – because chamomile is broken down by certain enzymes in the liver, it can interact with other medications that are also broken down by the same enzymes, such as:  Saldane, statins (medications which reduce cholesterol, such as Lipitor and Xetia); birth control pills; and some antifungal drugs.

______________________________________________________

Disclaimer: Off the Grid News: We are not medical professionals. This article is for informational purposes only and not intended as a replacement for medical advice. We always recommend that our readers seek the advice of a licensed physician for any medical condition. Pregnant women should ALWAYS seek the advice of their obstetricians before using any medicine, whether prescription, over the counter, or herbal alternatives.

 

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake

There are two keys to success: really good cocoa and a springform pan with a tight seal.

8 large eggs
1 cup rich dark cocoa
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

1.    In your stand-type mixer and with the whip attachment beat the eggs for three minutes at medium speed, until they are bubbly and lighter colored. While the eggs are beating, melt the butter and measure the other ingredients.  Measure the cocoa by spooning cocoa into a cup—do not compress the cocoa.

2.    Add the sugar and cocoa and beat in.  While the mixer is running, drizzle in the melted butter.  Continue beating until mixed.  Scrape the batter into the pan.

3.    Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or an insta-read thermometer registers 165 to 170 degrees when inserted into the center of the cake.  Cool on a wire rack and then place in the refrigerator to chill.  The cake will become dense as it cools.  Dust with powdered sugar if you desire.

Yield: 12 servings. 

German Chocolate Cake Topping

3/4 cup canned evaporated milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 1/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

In a small pan, bring the evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter to a boil.  Boil for three minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Copyright © The Prepared Pantry, LLC

Hitch Up the Horse, Ma...We're Goin' To Town!

Hitch Up the Horse, Ma...We're Goin' To Town!

You may laugh at the above absurdity, but in all reality, with soaring fuel costs, oil-producing countries in civil turmoil, and our own government blocking any oil or gas explorations in our own country, the days of hopping into the car to go wherever you want at a whim may be drawing to a close.

Gas may be dropping a bit, but it's still around $4.00 a gallon in most areas. Our modern lifestyles have to adapt to emerging realities and empty wallets. You have to make your dollars and purchasing power go much farther than you've traditionally done before. It doesn't matter if it's turning off the cable, disconnecting the cell phones and keeping the land line (or vice versa), eating out less (or not at all!), or using coupons and "Double Coupon" days to stretch a family grocery budget...

...prosperity, as we've known it in modern times, may be at an end.

But it doesn't mean that a different prosperity isn't yours!

As a nation and society, we have always judged success by the toys and possessions that we have accumulated. Let's admit it ... we're a VERY materialistic society. One only has to witness the bludgeoning at Walmarts across the nation on Black Fridays to realize this. People will trample each other to death to catch a deal on a toy, for heaven's sake!

But the day is coming when a different type of possession will classify you as rich or poor. What am I talking about? It's not something that any big box retailer has in stock. It's not anything that any public or private school will impart to you in class. And it's something that is so rare, that few people in this country possess it...

That possession is a back-to-basics knowledge...

...and your success at this lifestyle will determine whether you prosper or not in an economically depressed future.

For example, when gasoline prices rise enough to make trucking foods cost-prohibitive, what you can get locally will be your only option. There are many areas of the country where small farmers are next to non-existent. Skills you learn about gardening and preserving food will be the skills that keep you and your family from going hungry. Gardening, however, is making a resurgent comeback, and more and more people are learning how to grow their own vegetables.

But what about livestock? Do you have even a rudimentary knowledge about raising ducks or chickens? What about goats or sheep? Could you shear a sheep and spin the wool for yarn? Did you know that llamas can be used for wool as well?

Or if you or a loved one got sick, would you know which herbs to use to help comfort them? Could you make a tincture of herbs or use them cosmetically? Would you know how to build a composting toilet if the public sewage systems were to go offline?

Do you know how to build a smokehouse or a root cellar? Or how to make pickles or which vegetables should be eaten fresh as they don't freeze well?

We've lost the arts and skills that those people knew, the knowledge about how to make it out of hard times alive, with food in our bellies and clothes on our back.

Don't wait until all hell breaks loose before learning these skills for yourself. At the very least, you should have a book or two in your library to study and for reference, even if you don't plan on putting the things you learn into effect right away. From Off The Grid.

 

How are your gardens coming along? It doesn't matter if you're working an acre of dirt or a couple of container pots, this year may be the most important year for putting food by. Two extremes--droughts and floods--seem to be par for the course across the nation. If for some reason you can't garden because of circumstances, location, or the weather conditions, then begin buying canned foods in bulk now. Many farmers are reporting damaged and lost crops, and government regulations continues to turn perfectly good food into biofuel, lowering the availability of staples and increasing the prices on grocery items. Preparation is as much about keeping your finger damp and in the air, testing the way the economic winds are blowing, and then responding appropriately. Off the Grid.

 

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

8 boneless chicken breast

8 slices deli ham

8 thin slices Swiss cheese

1 1/2 cans cream chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 pkg. dry bread stuffing

 

Preheat oven 350 F. Place chicken in greased baking dish. Lay slice ham then cheese on top of each breast. Combine soup, sour cream, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix until well blended, pour over chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake 30 min.

 

Mix bread stuffing mix with just enough hot water to moisten. Spread over top of casserole and bake uncovered 15-20 min until browned.

"A bad attitude is like a flat tire. If you don’t change it, you’ll never go anywhere."

"A bad attitude is like a flat tire. If you don’t change it, you’ll never go anywhere."

 

I sent this out once before but as I was watching it again, I wanted to share it again!!!

All Is Safely Gathered In, by Irvine Stake

http://didiatreliefsociety.blogspot.com/2011/06/all-is-safely-gathered-in-by-irvine.html 

 

The Truth and Honor of Preparedness

 Preparedness is about honor!

http://www.preparednesspro.com/blog/the-truth-and-honor-of-preparedness/

 

From "The Off the Grid":

Have you considered what NOT having control of your food supply is costing you? In Germany right now, that loss of control has contributed to the deaths of thirty-nine people. The sad thing is that Europe can't figure out what the problem is. First it was cucumbers, tomatoes, then lettuce, then sprouts, then it wasn't sprouts, and today it is sprouts again.

 

The lack of ability to track down this source showcases the problem of allowing your food supply to become such a vast outward-spreading organism in which you have no control. Years ago, southern writers would encourage people to buy food from local sources because you had, not just knowledge of where your food originated from, but you had a relationship with the person that provided it. Local farmers were in an intimate relationship with each member of the community they served.

 

When you take away that personal, one-on-one accountability, you lose much more than the ability to hold the grower responsible for the food you consume. You automatically require government intervention in the food growing process and as we have seen, government intervention is seldom logical, quite easily corrupted, and an albatross around the neck of average citizens.

 

Think about what you will grow in your garden!!!!!!

 

 

Another article I found interesting from Off The Grid News :

 

Are you ready for a crisis?

Studies show that in a crisis, eight out of ten people will remain passive, relying on someone else to take charge. One out of ten will panic and endanger others in the process.

And only one out of the ten will take swift, decisive action to improve their situation. (When they do, they immediately increase their chances of survival.)

Are you that one in ten?

Are you ready for anything?
If questioned, most people will tell you that they're prepared for an emergency. They have a case of bottled water, a flashlight, and a dozen cans of soup in the pantry. If they also happen to have a battery powered radio and a few extra batteries in the drawer, they think they're living high.

 

They're kidding themselves. 

 

As a survival expert, if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's this: the people who take decisive action during a crisis are not reacting, they're responding. Their response is governed by the security of knowing they are well prepared and ready to do whatever needs to be done. They can respond successfully because they have done their homework. Thanks to careful preparations, they have exactly what they need, when they need it.

 

It might be a "go-bag" for every family member in case evacuation is called for. It might be supplies to purify drinking water after a major storm has knocked out the water treatment plant. It might be systems to light and heat their homes even if ice storms knock out the power for days or weeks ... or a year's worth of food in case of hyperinflationary food prices or food shortages.

 

You have only to read the headlines for the past couple of months to realize that every normal, uneventful day is a gift. Bad things can - and do - happen anytime, anywhere ... and all too often.

 

We're only halfway through the year, and so far, it's been a doozy. 2011 started out with flooding in Australia (whole towns were under water, and 38 regions were declared disaster zones). An earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand left much of the city uninhabitable. Egypt and Tunisia were awash in civil unrest as hungry people took to the streets demanding food, and foreigners scrambled to get on the last planes out of the country. A major earthquake shook Japan, tilted the earth's axis, washed a tsunami over miles of shoreline, and knocked the lid off nuclear reactors. Last month, killer tornados pounded the Midwest. Massive flooding followed not long after, washing away thousands of acres of once-rich farmland. And then there are the wildfires which have swept through Arizona and New Mexico in the past week or so, decimating over half a million acres.

 

Are you cringing right about now, wondering where and when the hammer will fall next? More fires in drought-stricken parts of the country? A bad hurricane season? A solar flare, a flu epidemic, or massive crop failure?

 

... Would you be ready?

It might not be a natural disaster. It could be manmade. It could be a dirty bomb in our nation's capital ... another 9/11 style attack on a large U.S. city (after all, the 10th anniversary is coming up in a few months) ... or an EMP weapon detonated over a major population center.

 

... Would you be ready?

It might not be a hostile act. It could be economic. You could lose your job, or your home could be foreclosed upon. Hyperinflation could hit, wiping out your savings overnight. The dollar could deflate or even collapse, and oil could hit $150 or even $200 a barrel.

 

... Would you be ready?

Poison ivy rash? Swimmer’s itch? Sunburn? Try oatmeal for relief

Poison ivy rash? Swimmer’s itch? Sunburn? Try oatmeal for relief

by Margaret Boyles

June 1 2011

But the humble oat (Avena sativa) has a long history of medicinal uses use that continues to this day.

Modern research suggests that oats or extracts of oats may reduces cholesterol, lower blood pressure, help prevent athersclerosis, promote wound healing, and slow proliferation of colon cancer cells.

For at least 4,000 years, healers have found oats especially valuable for skin care.

Check the labels on high-end soaps, lotions, and hair-care products. You’ll be surprised at how many contain some form of oats. Dermatologists often recommend oatmeal-based creams and body washes for patients with exzema, psoriasis and other skin conditions.

Researchers say the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory compounds found only in oats called avenanthramides are responsible for oat’s ability to soothe itching and irritated skin.

You don't need an expensive drugstore oat preparation to ease the itch of poison ivy, hives, swimmer’s itch, dry “winter skin,” and the sting of sunburn, diaper rash, and other minor skin irritations. Try a tepid oatmeal bath for quick, inexpensive relief.

The less processing the oats have had, the more avenanthramides the bath will deliver. If you have a grain grinder or blender, simply grind a cup of whole oats, available at a health-food store, to a fine flour. But ordinary rolled oats--even instant oatmeal--will work, cooked or raw. (Use the unflavored kind, though.)

Pour a cup or two or plain, uncooked oat flour or rolled oats into the cut-off leg of an old pair of pantyhose or a tube sock, tie it loosely, and set it under the faucet as you draw a tepid bath. Let the oats soak for a while in the water, periodically squeezing the stocking-bag to release the liquid,

As you soak in the tub, rub the bag of oats over your skin like a bar of soap to increase the soothing effect.

The tub gets slippery during an oatmeal soak, so take special care getting out.

Just pat yourself dry and you'll behind a protective, moisturizing barrier to continue the oats’ skin-soothing work.

 

Homemade Convenience Foods

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/homemadeconveniencefoods.htm

 

Government buying up food

Off the Grid News 

It really is a small world ... especially in the preparedness and survival industries. With a community that prides itself on staying informed, you can't really keep things secret for long. So it's no surprise that we were among the first to get wind of some very unsettling news. In fact, it was so disturbing that we felt it was only right to share with you what we've learned.

One of the nation's largest suppliers of dehydrated food has cut loose 99% of their dealers and distributors. And it's not because of the poor economy. It's because this particular industry leader can no longer supply their regular distribution channels. Why not? Because they're using every bit of manufacturing capacity they have to fulfill massive new government contracts. Look, the government has always been a customer of the industry to some extent. But according to our sources, this latest development doesn't represent simply a change of vendor on the government's part. It's a whole new magnitude of business.

And that's not all.

Apparently, even though they've cut off their regular consumer markets, the industry leader I've just mentioned still can't produce enough survival food to meet the government's vast requirements. How do we know? Not long ago, FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) put out a Request for Proposal, or RFP, for even more dehydrated food. The RFP called for a 10-day supply of meals - for 14 million people. That's 420 million meals. Typically, FEMA maintains a stockpile of about 6 million meals. Why the sudden need to increase the stockpile by 420 million more? (And that's in addition to whatever our aforementioned industry leader is supplying.) It almost seems like they're trying to stock a modern day "Noah's Ark," doesn't it?

By the way, just days after the RFP went online, it suddenly went "poof" ... vanished. Could it be that some high level official suddenly realized he was letting the cat out of the bag? That people aren't stupid, and would recognize the implications of 420 million emergency meals? Has the government removed the RFP from the public process and approached potential suppliers privately instead? We may never know.

But here's what we do know. This kind of spending by a minor government agency in this economy just doesn't make sense ... unless there are extraordinary circumstances behind it, circumstances we aren't privy to. Because of all the wrangling in Washington, D.C., over the budget these days, all extras are curtailed. Agencies are spending far less on travel and training expenses, for instance. And they certainly don't start stockpiling supplies.

In this economic climate, you would expect FEMA also to be minimizing expenses. But clearly, they're not. If you do the math, the approximate tab for 420 million meals comes to about a billion dollars.

What is so urgent that FEMA is spending a billion dollars on survival food?
Could officials be worried about extensive power grid damage from solar flares? (A big one hit a few months ago and took out communications in China.) Are they worried about riots and demonstrations causing gridlock in communities? (Even Obama supporter James Carville is talking about "civil unrest" being "imminently possible.") Are they worried about terrorist attacks? (Since the death of Osama bin Laden, intelligence agencies have been ramping up their vigilance even more.)

But here's the most important question. No matter what it is - are you ready for it?

Are the cans of soup and the extra jar of peanut butter in your pantry going to be enough? How long will it last you? Because let's face it, in a true emergency, forget about finding what you need at the store. You know what it's like when there's even a moderate snowstorm in the forecast - no bottled water, no toilet paper, no bread to be found anywhere. The shelves are stripped bare in hours. Most people simply don't realize how fragile the food distribution system is in this country. In order to squeeze out every penny of profits, most stores now use just-in-time inventory systems, which leave no margin for error. Any kind of natural or manmade catastrophe would cut supply lines to the stores and leave millions of people with no way of getting food. And it could be anything. Power outages. Riots. A terrorist attack. Flooding. Blizzards. Hurricanes.

If you've never gotten around to buying an emergency food supply,
now is the time.

http://www.solutionsfromscience.com/

Are you a bystander? 

 http://www.preparednesspro.com/blog/the-guilt-or-innocence-of-bystanders/

Hurricanes and "Hurricane food"

Q. Just what is a hurricane?

 

A. A hurricane is a tropical storm with winds that have reached a constant speed of at least 74 mph in the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of Mexico. A hurricane's winds blow in a large spiral around a relatively calm center of extremely low pressure known as the eye of the storm. Around the rim of the eye, winds may gust to more than 200 mph. The eye of a storm is usually 20 to 30 miles wide and may extend over 400 miles. The entire storm can be up to 340 miles in diameter, dominating the ocean surface and lower atmosphere for thousands of square miles.

The dangers of a storm include torrential rains, high winds, and storm surges. A hurricane can last for 2 weeks or more over open water and can follow a path across the entire length of the eastern seaboard, coastal areas, and barrier islands. All Atlantic and Gulf coastal areas are subject to hurricanes or tropical storms. Although rarely struck by hurricanes, parts of the Southwest and Pacific Coast suffer heavy rains and floods each year from the remnants of hurricanes spawned off Mexico. Islands such as Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico also are subject to hurricanes.

Q. Is a hurricane the same as a cyclone?

A. A hurricane is actually one of three kinds of tropical storms, or cyclones, that circulate over tropical waters. The circulation is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. Tropical cyclones are classified as follows:

• Tropical depression

  An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 mph (33 knots) or less.

• Tropical storm

  An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph (34 to 63 knots).

• Hurricane

  An intense tropical weather system with a well-defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 knots) or higher. In the western Pacific, hurricanes are called typhoons. Similar storms in the Indian Ocean are called cyclones.
  Hurricanes are further classified by rank according to how strong their winds are.

Q. How are hurricanes classified?

A. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a 1-5 rating based on the hurricane's present intensity. This is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the determining factor in the scale, as storm surge values are highly dependent on the slope of the continental shelf in the landfall region. Wind speeds are measured using a 1-minute average.

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale	Average Wind (mph)	Representative Hurricanes
Category One	74 - 95	Danny; 1997
Category Two	96 - 110	Bonnie & Georges; 1998
Category Three	111 - 130	Rita; 2005
Category Four	131 - 155	Charley; 2004
Category Five	156 +	Andrew; 1992

Q. What causes a hurricane to happen?

A. A tropical ocean and its atmosphere create the right conditions for a hurricane. Hurricanes draw their energy from the warm surface waters of the tropics (usually above 27°C, or about 81°F) and the latent heat of condensation. Powered by heat from the sea, they are steered by the easterly trade winds and the temperate westerlies, as well as by their own ferocious energy. Around their core, winds grow with great velocity, generating violent seas. Moving ashore, they sweep the ocean inward while spawning tornadoes and producing torrential rain and floods. When hurricanes move over cold water or over large landmasses, they can die out quickly because they lose the power of the heat and condensation.

 

Here is a helpful hint from someone who has been though a hurricane. Thought you would enjoy it!

One method of cooking that we found when we were in Hollywood and the power went out because of a hurricane, was an empty #10 can.  George used his snippers to cut down the sides about  1/2 of the way and bent the pieces outward.  This space holds a large frying pan or smaller pan.  Just put a sterno candle in the bottom and it is amazing how well it cooks meat or warms soup, etc.    We had to eat what was in the freezer so we probably ate better for those few days than normally.   Just another idea.

 

From our friends in the Weston Ward! 

Here we are beginning another hurricane season and I have LOTS of information for you today.

 

 Here is a friend we all should have...The National Hurricane Center (http://www.facebook.com/US.NOAA.NationalHurricaneCenter.gov?ref=ts&sk=wall). They will keep you updated with any changes. Facebook is also good to give status updates, as long as your particular tower wasn't affected. Remember to have a regular, NON cordless phone plugged in during storms too...they are often more reliable than cell phones because often the lines are underground and not as susceptible to wind damage.

 

Another great thing to mention is those power packs that charge your phone and camera's during an outage. I have one a medium sized one from home depot, it is like a little electric generator. I charge it when a storm is coming and I have something to plug my small electronics into for charging. It runs for four or five hours worth and was under a hundred. Your kid's ipod may save your sanity at this time! Here is a link to Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=Emergency%20Phone%20Charger&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AEmergency%20Phone%20Charger&page=1) that has emergency phone chargers, some with handcranked flashlights included! I can't vouch for any brand; I haven't tried them yet. They sound very handy though and I wonder about the shelf life!

 

FEMA also has a hurricane preparedness website which is worth a look, (http://www.fema.gov/). We are in region 4; right now they are busy with the severe flooding in Mississippi and Tennessee's severe storms. You can also receive FEMA updates HERE(https://service.govdelivery.com/service/subscribe.html?code=USDHSFEMA_153). It is best to rely on ourselves, but FEMA is a great organization that is really trying to offer support to those hit with disasters and they know a lot about disaster needs. The more sources of information we can read, the better prepared we will be.

 

Prepare now by getting some basic 72 hour kit items in case of power outages. We are urged to do a 3 month supply and long term food storage, but hurricane preparedness is something altogether different. We should have at least a week's supply of food that does not require refrigeration or lots of preparation. We will be stressed out and things will be chaotic. We need comfort foods, games for the kids and an adventurous, happy camper attitude! This will make all the difference! Some items that are indispensable at my house are individual fruit and/or applesauce cups, granola bars, snacks and comfort foods of all types. Hide them away somewhere for when a storm is inbound. Tuna and/or sardines and crackers are hits at my house, those bags of tuna are great; they store flat and are easy to throw away when trash service is stalled. Vienna sausages are great too. I also like to keep lots of fresh fruit and veges that can be eaten raw or roasted on the grill in the days following outages. Cereal can be eaten out of hand. Snack foods come in handy. I like to make a big pot of soup, granola and cookies when a big one is coming in...have a family party! Easy Mac is nice for kids and easy. Grilling is popular then, and you can take a lesson from your scouts and make foil dinners. Ensure you have propane and a side element is nice if you have one. You can boil water there, saute up some Clam Linguine, see below for recipe.

 

When a storm is coming, turn your frig and freezer to as cold as possible. Purchase a refrigerator thermometer and keep frig between 35-40 degrees for safety. Freeze gallon jugs and even individual water bottles and fit everything tightly in your freezer for best keeping power. THEN you can put your jugs in your refrigerator if need be and keep it for a time, just don't open the door much! When the temp dips, put your food in a cooler with your frozen jugs and eat camping style! Wash your tubs with bleach and fill them up, then keep a bucket near each one for flushing in case the water is off. This makes things so much more pleasant! Some people will turn off their hot water heaters so that the water in them is still good, and after the storm they are ok to use the water until the tank runs out. WATER is the most important thing to store and ICE is a blessed luxury. Store as many water bottles in your freezer as you can when a storm approaches.

 

Always keep your gas tank at least 1/2 full!!!!!

 

Generators anyone? They are great things, expensive, noisy and very dangerous...PLUS they need gasoline which isn't storable long term.  The best thing is to buy a moderate one to run a fan or a window ac unit and maybe your frig. PLEASE Keep it away from your house and AWAY from open windows and NEVER EVER EVER use it indoors. Entire families are found dead that way. Ask your local firefighter! Carbon monoxide is colorless and doesn't smell but can kill really quick. Take no chances., get a carbon monoxide alarm if you have one running near your house.

Clam Linguine (hurricane style)

Sauté some dried onions, dried basil and fresh garlic in heated olive oil. Add red spaghetti sauce and drained liquid from a can of clams, heat a few minutes to reduce and throw in clams. Serve over boiled and drained linguine and top with parsley. This is REALLY good!

 

Bean Burritos
2 c Cooked black beans -or- 1 can Black beans or food storage refried beans (YUM, and I'm not kidding. I use them weekly!)
1/4 md Onion Minced garlic (to taste)
4 c Steamed rice (opt)
2 tsp Black pepper

Bring the black beans to a simmer in their own juices. Use fresh garlic and slice it very fine so it nearly disappears when you add it to the beans with the pepper After about five minutes, add the onions. When serving, use twice as much rice as beans and about a third as much lettuce, all wrapped in a nice flour tortilla.

Chunky Humus

2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp raw tahini (or soy sauce)

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1tbsp dried parsley or more if you have fresh

2 finely minced garlic cloves

¼ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper

Place chickpeas in bowl and squeeze by hand until they are thick and pasty. Add oil, spices and then mash.

Nachos Supreme

Litter a large cookie sheet with tostada chips, scatter with canned, drained chicken, drained and rinsed beans, jalapenos if desired! Top with cheese and place on closed grill. Delicious if you have cheese to use up!

 

 

Learn to grow a garden

Learn to grow a garden. Whether it's a few herbs on a windowsill, containers on your back patio, a few square foot garden boxes, or a full on small home farm. The benefits of growing and eating your own food are enormous, and the skills you learn will be invaluable in a long term emergency situation.

 

Have you planned your garden yet?

"Let every Latter-day Saint that has land, produce some valuable, essential foodstuff thereon and then
preserve it: or if he cannot produce an essential foodstuff, let him produce some other kind and
exchange it for an essential foodstuff; let them who have no land of their own, and who have knowledge of
farming and gardening, try to rent some, either by themselves or with others, and produce foodstuff
thereon, and preserve it.  Let those who have land produce enough extra to help their less fortunate
brethren."  Conference Report, April 1942

"We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property.  Berry bushes,
grapevines, fruit trees -- plant them if your climates right for their growth.  Grow vegetables and eat them
from your own yard.  Even those residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a little food in
pots and planters.  Study the best methods of providing your own foods.  Make your garden...NEAT AND
ATTRACTIVE as well as productive.  If there are children in your home, involve them in the process
with assigned responsibilities..."  President Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, May 1976, pp12-25

 I watched three You Tube videos this week that I thought were very well done. Good information. Makes me so grateful for the Gospel and its teachings! Here are the links, parts 1 through 3.
Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFjFwHXqn1w
Part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBiTr…eature=related

Part 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGJHw…eature=related

“Home storage is not an event, it is a process.”

“Home storage is not an event, it is a process.”

 

“We are living in a very dangerous time.  There has never been a time when it has been more important to listen to the counsel of the Leaders of the Church.  It is all about Staying Out of Debt and Getting your Year Supply!  I encourage your serious attention to this subject!” Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Quorum of 12 Apostles, Richardson Texas Stake Conference, March 9, 2008

 

This next statement is from Safely Gathered In, an informative blog created to help you gather, organize, and rotate your food storage so you can have confidence knowing that you are prepared for whatever comes your way. http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/

"We have been told for years to 'be prepared'.  I hope that if you are safe in your home tonight, you are thinking about how you can become better prepared.  Where are you lacking?  Do you need water? More food?  Flashlights, candles, medicines, first aid kits?  All of the above?  It's overwhelming to think about, even for me.  Even though I have a food storage blog and share ideas with you each week, I'm certainly lacking in certain areas.  It's hard!  But I think that recent events have lit a fire in me and renewed my motivation a bit.  I hope it's done the same for you, too.  I'm not going to lie - it's difficult to do it all.  It's also expensive, which is probably what's keeping most people back.  And that's why we started this blog in the first place - to motivate people, to get them on track, to help them out step by step, a little at a time.  It's certainly benefited us, and we know it has helped many of you, too."

 

JUNE PURCHASES:  “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30)

1.  Cannery items of the month (buy extra grains, beans, & rice to add to your long-term supply).

2.  1 case (at least) of bottled drinking water.

3.  $5.00 cash every payday (at least) set aside in your HOUSE (NOT the bank).

4.  Don’t let your vehicle gas tank go below ½ full, and fill up a 5-gallon gas can to store (add a product to prolong shelf life).

5.  Don’t forget to buy extra groceries at each shopping trip to continue building up your EXTREMELY IMPORTANT 3-month supply of every day items.

6.  Big item of the month: Alternate method of cooking (Dutch oven, propane camping stove w/ extra fuel, wonder box, solar oven, apple box oven, alcohol stove, etc.)

7.  72 Hr. Kit:  Clothing!  (underwear, socks, diapers, jeans, sweatshirts, long sleeved & short sleeved shirts, etc.)  in each family member’s kit.

8.  Plus whatever else you feel inspired to do for your family’s needs.

9.  Have you been to the Temple this month?  Do you have prayer and study the scriptures daily?

P. S.  Do you have extra prescription medication?

Gardening

We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard. Even those residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a little food in pots and planters. Study the best methods of providing your own foods. Make your garden as neat and attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your home, involve them in the process with assigned responsibilities.

I hope that we understand that, while having a garden … is often useful in reducing food costs and making available delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, it does much more than this. Who can gauge the value of that special chat between daughter and Dad as they weed or water the garden? How do we evaluate the good that comes from the obvious lessons of planting, cultivating, and the eternal law of the harvest? And how do we measure the family togetherness and cooperating that must accompany successful canning? Yes, we are laying up resources in store, but perhaps the greater good is contained in the lessons of life we learn as we live providently.

“Chapter 11: Provident Living: Applying Principles of Self-Reliance and Preparedness,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, (2006),114–23

 

High Gas Prices Cause Massive Food Shortages

Off The Grid News May 25, 2011

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your local grocery store shut down? What would you do? Would you be able to feed your family? We as Americans have become so dependent on purchasing our food that we very rarely give any attention to the fact that our stores are fallible. Though most of us have given some thought to our futures, we often leave one of our most basic necessities (EATING!) in the hands of others. Why are we still depending on grocery stores to supply our food when recent events have proven that they are simply not reliable? 

Right now, America is facing the highest spike in food prices ever seen. Recently I read an AOL News article that listed many popular products whose quantities are being reduced in packaging due to a rise in the price, or a lack in availability, of essential ingredients. Companies faced with the rise in the price of food are passing it right along to us, the consumer. We're getting less but paying more.

 

And according to the UN, world food prices are also at a record high; after the announcement from the UN regarding the upward rise of prices in food, the USDA also came out with a report revising their outlook on the harvest of world crops. The article even went so far as to state, "The world is treading on dangerous ground.  Market forces are in place for another global food crisis, and, as the wheels keep turning, it will become harder for these to be put in reverse."

Fox News has also reported on massive food shortages in corn, rice, coffee, flour, wheat. These are basic staples to our diet! Look at the ingredients label on your packaged food and see how many of the ingredients above are included.

And let's not even get started on the price of fresh produce. Have you looked, really looked, at the chain store prices lately? If you've ever grown squash or tomatoes, you know just how prolific a single plant can be. Spend a few bucks on purchasing some seeds, grow a plant or two, and you'll be drowning in your own produce! So how is it that we're being charged upwards of $2.00 a pound for either?  Even if it wasn't a commentary on our current food crisis situation, it is most certainly a waste of our hard earned money.

 

In addition oil is also constantly on the rise, making the cost of shipping, plastic production, etc. rise right along with it. Oil prices are going through the roof, and many economists are predicting $6 to $10 a gallon fuel within a year or two. This ALSO gets transferred to the consumer in the form of price hikes. With all of this in mind, it is easy to see how our grocery stores are extremely vulnerable. If there is ever a situation that shuts down our grocery stores (say, a massive worldwide failing of major crops, a truckers strike, or a halt in America's oil intake--hmmmm, these all sound REALLY familiar...), are you prepared to feed your family? Right now, grocery stores only hold enough food supplies to last their area for three days. That's right, just THREE DAYS! So don't plan on making a mad dash to the grocery store if and when a crisis happens. Not only will you be waiting in a long line of scared and unprepared people, you'll also find out very quickly that there simply isn't enough of ANYTHING to go around.

 

These are just a few examples of the imminent threat of food shortage. Do a quick Internet search and you'll find that there is plenty of information out there regarding the current food crisis. With all of these factors in mind, you must ready yourself now so that you can provide for your family in the case of a catastrophe.

 

The world crops might be failing, but that doesn't mean that you and your family have to go hungry. Picture a lush acre of beautiful and delectable fruits and vegetables; picture bountiful harvests, harvests that not only feed you during the current season but also provide the seeds capable for reproducing more harvests in the years to come; picture a family well fed despite any sort of food crisis. In the face of food shortage, you can eat like a king: corn, beans, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, melons, tomatoes, cabbage, squash, radishes, eggplant...not only will you NOT go hungry, but you'll also be able to enjoy diverse and delicious varieties of foods, some you might not have ever even tried before! You'll be able to freeze or can your bounty and have winter stores. You'll be prepared for what could possibly become a very dangerous, worldwide food crisis event.

 Organic Cleaning Products of Organic Housekeepers

First you'd want to start with the ingredients that are either organic or natural. Things like baking soda, borax, vinegar, lemons, essential oils like eucalyptus oil. The air in homes is typically more toxic than the air in the middle of the city. Whether it's from chlorinated bleach, ammonia, phosphates and soaps, all of these are known carcinogens and are bad force.

So two cups of water, a tablespoon of borax, two cups of vinegar on which coincidently is very good for cleaning glass. And one last but not the least, we're putting some eucalyptus oil and add just a few drops. Give it a little bit of shake and we're ready to clean organic and non toxin.

Some sites to look at:

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_FG%20S011_A_name_E_Heirloom%20Seed%20Combo%20Pack

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_FG%20S200_A_name_E_Garden%20Seeds

http://eldoradoheirloomseeds.com/?gclid=CNr6pdvelKkCFRFU7Aodii3rfw

http://www.edenbrothers.com/store/vegetable_seeds.html

http://rareseeds.com/

Just run a search on "Heirloom seeds". there are oodles of choices....BUT make sure they are NON hybrid seeds!