get ready......

I'm........ a rebel. I'm not consistent with my blog posts because.....I don't want to!

The truth is I'm busy, but with the world in disarray I've decided it's time to post, AND because my "Farm Girls" club has inspired me. I've been busy planning my garden, expanding the farm, reading :), coaching, mothering, wifing?, saving, couponing, researching and praying. Blogging seemed....not so important.....I guess. But I woke this morning excited to up-date. I won't have any pictures to keep you stimulated, just.....words;)

I have felt an urgency in my soul (for those of you who know me personally I'm sure you are rolling your eyes, but you love me anyway) Urgency to prepare. For what? I don't know exactly, so many things are hanging by a thread right now and if your an informed person you already know.

Self-reliance has been a passion of mine for many years now. Learning skills that have been put to sleep. Standing on my soap box and sharing with like minded people. We are so disconnected, with people, the earth, our food, and most importantly our God.

So now the real reason for this post, you guessed it...FOOD STORAGE! I've been researching and researching some more! Everyone should have some form of food storage. The average American has 3 days worth of food in their home, that's pathetic! I know it can be overwhelming but I have put together some helpful tips to get you started.

There is something thing called "The Mormon 4" I'm not Mormon however they have the food storage thing down!

*The Mormon 4*

Wheat
Milk
Honey
Salt


1. VARIETY...is the key to successful food storage and storing what you eat. So you have 200lbs of wheat don't you think your family will get sick of it? What if you have an allergy to wheat and you don't know it until your forced to eat it as a main staple several times a day. Eat what you store, store what you eat. A large variety of spices will help make anything taste different or better. Eating plain beans and rice for a month would be taxing on mind, body and spirit in a stressful situation, however if you had some spices it could be different every meal.

2. EXTENDED STAPLES....don't put all your eggs in one basket...so you have 200lbs of wheat, what are you going to make with it? Don't wait for a disaster to learn how to cook with what you have stored. It will add stress to an already stressful situation if you don't know how to prepare what you've stored. Stock up on store bought freeze dried and dehydrated foods, home canned and store bought canned goods. Cooking oil, baking soda and powder, yeast and powdered eggs (if you don't have a flock of hens) You cant make a basic recipe with out these.

3.VITAMINS....my hub is nervous about scurvy... I know it sounds funny, but we live in Oregon if gas is done for or it's 10.00 a gal how much do you think an orange will cost? Good quality vitamins are a must!

4.BALANCE.......stock up in balance, you never know when your going to need that storage. Don't buy 200lbs of wheat this month then wait till next month to add something else. Try to buy a little in each category at a time. Buying 25lbs of wheat, 5 lbs of sugar and oil, 25 cans of green beans, corn, tomatoes and fruit is a better buying plan then just the wheat.

5.FOOD CONTAINERS......never store in bags. Use food grade buckets, cans or barrels. All food stored will store a very long time if stored below 70 degrees in a dry place, longer if it's colder. Also make sure your storing your food with oxygen absorbers. Oxygen turns food rancid.

I'm about 6 month out with my food storage, this IS NOT where I want to be, I would like to have at least 5 years stored.

RICE- brown rice is better for you and packed with amino acids, however these acids go rancid if not store properly. Brown rice stored in "normal" conditions will keep for 6 months. If it's air tight and stored below 70 degrees it will keep for 2-4 years maybe longer. White rice has had much of the "good stuff" stripped out of it so it will store much longer, 8-10 years in airtight container below 70 degrees.

BEANS-10-12 years in airtight container below 70 degrees.

GARDEN SEEDS- 4 years in the fridge or a cool dry place.

HONEY, SALT, SUGAR-indefinitely

OATS- 8-10 years in an airtight container below 70 degrees.

You should have everything in an airtight food grade container with oxygen absorbers in it and stored below 70 degrees. If you have a colder place the food will last longer.
Canned goods stored in the proper temperature can last 10 years. Just remember cool, dry and little if no oxygen for everything.

Hopefully this will help you get started. I have only just scratched the surface. I know this task can be VERY overwhelming but what would be more overwhelming, facing a disaster without being ready or being somewhat prepared for whatever is waiting around the corner weather it be job loss, sickness, the fall of the dollar or world war 3-blessings