Well, most of you already know what prepared means. Today, I thought I’d share my thoughts with you on being prepared for the unexpected. I started my blog in April 2012. I’m so thankful for all of you who follow my blog and join our comment forum. We can learn so much from each other in the comments, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
When I was young food storage was a closet filled with canned goods, boxes of cereal, extra jars of condiments, flour, sugar, and baking supplies. As I remember, I started sewing when I was six or seven. It was an apron that I made, my mother taught me the joy of sewing and quilting.
We didn’t have a lot of money, but we always had food on the table. My mother taught me how fun it was to make bread, dinner rolls, and cinnamon rolls. It gave me the knowledge of how to teach others to make bread at a Bosch Kitchen store when I was older. I got paid to make bread, what? And cinnamon rolls and so much more. It was a blessing to see others learn how easy it is to make bread for their families.
Of course, there is much more to being prepared for disasters and emergencies than making bread. But, at least it’s a start on your journey to feeling like you’re truly looking out for your family so they are protected from hunger, illness, and injury.
Cinnamon Rolls and Bread Making
My cinnamon rolls will melt in your mouth, if you have fresh ingredients. I’ve asked a reader if I can teach her to make bread 2000 miles away. I know it will save money on her grocery bill. Yes, I can hear some people say, “But I don’t eat carbs.” I get it, that’s okay. My Cinnamon Rolls
I love to mention fresh ingredients, why? Because you’ll always have success making bread, dinner rolls, and cinnamon rolls if the ingredients are as fresh as possible. In case you missed this, I highly recommend only buying white flour that you’ll use in the next 12-18 months. My best recommendation for yeast is SAF Instant Yeast.
Please store your yeast in an airtight container in the freezer. I have at least 6-8 packages that are unopened. Yes, just place the original packages in the freezer. I store the yeast I use each month in an OXO container, but a quart mason jar will work great. SAF Instant Yeast
Most families need to cut their grocery bills based on the high cost of food these days, and making bread for a growing family will help so much. I must be honest with you, I have cut way back on buying meat. I won’t cave to those prices. Mark and I sometimes go really early to certain grocery stores to find the mark-downed meat. It’s just frustrating what groceries cost. Here is my No-Fail White Bread Recipe
We Must Be Prepared For Disasters
Now, the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to disaster preparedness and emergency supplies is having water stored. Your location may be prone to storms of all kinds and too much water can be a real issue. You still need to have some stored for hydration, cooking, and sanitation.
Right now Utah is preparing for flood waters from all the heavy winter snow storms this year. The problem is we need the snow from winter for water for the rest of the year. Not just now because of the drought, but for sustaining life. The challenge is if it melts too fast the hillsides, streams, and riverbeds can’t handle the runoff. The ground becomes saturated and some houses are sliding off the hill they were built on. KUTV Flooding Story. Family members have been evacuated and their homes are now condemned.
Everyone in Utah is on high alert for flooding and filling sandbags. A community not far from our home had volunteers come together last weekend and they filled over 18,000 sandbags. Local officials are cautioning people to be aware of rivers that are filling up way too fast. This is when you need to have evacuation plans ready, my friends. Our Governor has declared a State of Emergency because of the anticipated flooding.
As of today, people are rethinking if they need flood insurance or not. Unfortunately, there is a waiting period of 2 weeks to 2 months. Every policy is different. Flood damage is so expensive to repair.
What are 9 Natural Disasters to Consider Preparing For?
- Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
- Winter and Ice Storms
- Landslides, SinkHoles, and Flooding
- Thunderstorms/Lighting
- Tornadoes
- Tsunamis
- Wildfires
- Earthquakes
- Power Outages
Hurricanes and Tornados
I’ve talked to a few of you who have made it through a tornado or hurricane. We all should know what we need to store as it relates to water, food, prescription medications, warm clothing and so much more. You’re blessed if you have a shelter on your property where you can go for safety in case of sudden emergency situations. I realize not everyone has a shelter and we have seen the damage to properties on the news. Some have lost everything and have had to relocate. Some families have had family members die from the disasters. I can’t even imagine the cleanup and the emergency responders having to deal with these disasters.
In some cases, if a hurricane or tornado hits your neighborhood, your food supplies may have disappeared in the wind, literally. Hopefully, you were able to grab the important documents that you’ve set aside in a binder like your home’s trust deed, social security cards, medical info, contact information, trusts, etc. This is when the houses still standing hopefully still had some first-aid kits and a radio to hear what was going on when the power was out.
What 15 Items are clearly necessary for survival?
- Flashlights along with extra batteries
- Paper Maps Where You Live
- Solar/Battery-Powered Radio with a Hand Crank
- First Aid Kit
- Games/Cards/Books to Help Keep Our Minds Clear
- Whistles
- Manual Can Opener
- N-95 Masks or Large Handkerchiefs to Keep From Breathing In The Dust – Hand Sanitizer
- Small Durable Tool Set
- Items Needed for Our Pets
- Toilet Paper
- Backup Cooking Options
- Family Evacuation and Communication Plans
- Matches and Fire Kindling
- Fire Extinguisher
This is a short list we all know we need water and food at the very least.
Learn Skills That Are Critical
- Baking
- Cooking From Scratch
- Raising Chickens, Rabbits, Quail, Goats, or Cows, if possible
- How To Sew or Quilt
- How to Mend Clothes
- How To Protect Your Family – When and Where to Evacuate – Family Emergency Plans
- How to Garden
- How To Grow, Harvest, and Preserve Food Safely
- How to Cook Outside/Start a Fire
- Repair Cars, Trucks, or Farm Equipment
- Chop Wood and Split and Store It
- Stock Food Storage Items
- Store Water Safely
- Learn to Fish
- Learn to Hunt
Final Word
We all know we must be prepared for whatever comes our way. It may be a loss of income from the breadwinner due to accident, sickness, or death, a loss of a loved one and the related expenses, shortages at stores, or gas pumps empty. The list goes on and on. I remember when Texas had that terrible snow/ice storm a few years ago, no one could buy propane or propane tanks. No one would ever have guessed that would happen in Texas, or anywhere else for that matter. Please be prepared. May God Bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Young Man Chopping Wood Depositphotos_158916070_S
The post Prepared: What Does That Mean? appeared first on Food Storage Moms.