Being prepared: Water

Being prepared for emergencies is a very important topic to me. Living on the Gulf Coast of Florida we have hurricanes during the summer and fall and they can devastate people’s lives. Being prepared with essential emergency goods will help ease most situations and is just a smart thing to do. 

One thing I am always concerned about is water. You can pretty much go without food for a while but not water. I believe it was last May or June when I invested in a Berkey water filter. We purchased the Berkey Light.

This says it best (from the directive21 website):

 “The Berkey Light is so powerful it can be used to purify non-potable or unhealthy water in situations where electricity and water pressure are not available. For normal everyday situations or for hostile filtration environments, the Berkey Light is the most flexible and adaptable water filter available. The Berkey Light provides reliable, user friendly, powerful and economical water filtration and enhances the ambience of any environment”.

We have iron & Sulphur well water and this is what our Berkey water filter looks like:

If you look closely you can see the line of dark water in the top (our well water) and then down below you can see how pure and beautiful it is! I was amazed. It tastes wonderful too. I am saving on bottled water too. Don't even buy it anymore. :)(Don’t you love our colorful walls, lol)

I was not asked to review this filter, I just believe in what it does and think people should be informed about this as a possibility for good clean drinking water. Even if you can’t get this filter, maybe you could start with the small water bottles they sell. Those are awesome too. I you would like more information you can go direct to www.directive21.com website. Jeff is a great guy and will answer any questions you might have.

All opinions are mine. I have not been solicited to write this review, I just believe in the product.

This post is linked up to the Barn Hop & Preparedness Challenge! Click the button below to follow along.

Thanks for stopping by!

Score!

I scored this weekend.

I was looking around on Craig's list and found some brand spanking new canning jars! They were still in the boxes and the plastic wrap was still on them. I was able to get:

1 case of 12 jelly jars

1 case of 12 regular quart jars

1 case of 12 wide mouth quart jars

1 case of 12 wide mouth pint jars

...all for $35! Less than a dollar apiece. :) I am seriously thinking of going back tomorrow to get more if she has any left. 

My other fantastic find was a food dehydrator! I have been looking for one for so long I never thought I would be able to find one at a great price. It is only $25! The couple is moving to Georgia and has to get rid of some things and it is barely used, has extra trays and she even downloaded a recipe book along with the instruction manual. I need both believe me. ;)

 Mr. Coffee Dehydrator

I am so excited to get my garden going again this year and to be able to ‘put up’ some food for next year.  My little sis is growing her own garden this year too so she can use it too!

:) Have a nice week!

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Preparedness Challenge #22

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This week we were a little busy because had out of town company. I did get my hand crank emergency radio. This thing is very cool. It will charge cell phones, is an emergency radio (and was set on the emergency channel already), is a flashlight and it is solar powered. However, I had to get a converter to charge the cell phone. :) I just added it to my list, found one online and got it ordered it too.

I also went to Sams Club and stocked up on some of our rotated items; toilet paper, paper towels, etc. I also bought some bottle water (you can never have too much as far as I am concerned).

That is about it for this week though. Kind of slow, but steady is the course. :) Not all of my "roomates" (family members) are on board yet so sometimes I have to do a little sneaking. I do buy things that we will use though so it isn't like I am throwing away money. :) In these hard times, it is importnat not to get overwhelmed and just go slow.

Preparedness Challenge 21 - Sanitation

This week on the Preparedness Challenge I made a jar of refrigerator pickles! :) It may not seem like much, but I did it and now I know I can do it. The recipe is for the fridge or I can can them. I am going to give a try at preserving this month too. I have been reading all of your canning blogs and I am so inspired to get something done. I only have a water bath right now but I can preserve using other methods too. We are going to the market tomorrow to get some squash. It has been crazy delish lately so I am going to freeze as much as my freezer will allow.

I wanted to touch on Sanitation in an emergency situation so to help write this post, I Googled the subject. Luckily, my computer knows I am in Florida and brought up a document from my local County Extension office. After reading this, it is probably only good for a short to midterm sanitation problem. Here is what they say…

Supplies:

·         A medium sized plastic bucket with a tight fitting lid

·         Plastic garbage bags

·         Chlorine Bleach

·         Soap or liquid detergent

·         Toilet paper

Sanitation:

To build a temporary toilet…

Place a garbage bag inside the toilet bowl. If the toilet is backed up then use the bucket to make your own. Line the bucket with the garbage bag and then place 2 pieces of (smooth) wood parallel to each other to make the seat. If you have an old toilet seat you could use that, but I always throw mine out.

To sanitize the waste…

After each use, pour some bleach into the container. It doesn’t say how much exactly, so use your own judgment. This prevents infection and stops the spread of diseases. Cover tightly when you are not using it. Side note: add bleach to your list of storage supplies if you haven’t already.

Dispose of waste…

Bury the bag of human waste to avoid rats and insects getting into it and spreading disease. Dig a pit 2 or 3 feet deep and about 50 feet from your water source. If the garbage bag can’t be buried soon strain any liquid into the emergency toilet and wrap the residue in several layers of newspaper. Store this away from the home and close up tightly in a can with a tight fitting lid until it can be buried.

Water substitutes for cleansing

Water should be reserved for drinking so you should have some back up methods for cleaning yourself. Following is their list.

·         Rubbing alcohol

·         Lotions containing alcohol

·         Shaving lotion

·         Face creams and lotions

·         Towelettes

·         Wet wash cloth – use to clean your teeth, wash your face, clean your hair and wash your body.

·         Makeshift shower – use a spray bottle to shower.

Disinfectants

From all I have read the best choice is going to be one part bleach and 10 parts water. Other commercial choices could be HTH (calcium Hypochlorite; available at swimming pool supply stores) and powdered chlorinated lime, which is available at big building supply stores.

Stomach Ailments

Eating or drinking contaminated food or water can cause diarrhea, poisoning and stomach diseases.

·         Keep your body, hands and utensils clean

·         Use paper plates or eat from original food containers if there is limited water for dishes

·         Wash & peel all fruits and veggies

·         Keep all food in covered containers

·         Prepare only enough food for each meal that you will eat.

Controlling Rodents and Insects

·         Keep your living area clear of all garbage and waste

·         Repair any holes to keep rodents out of your living area

·         Household pesticides will work in small and enclosed areas.

I know this is a subject that we don’t think about daily but you need to have some options in case you have this issue. We are on a well and would probably have a lot of these issues. I think if this was long term you would definitely have to think of something else; but in an emergency you will have to make that call.

Be prepared and link up to the Homestead Revivals Preparedness Challenge.

Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert on this subject. Check on your county's extension website and see what recommendations they have for you & your area.

Preparedness Challenge #20

This week on the Preparedness Challenge I have been working on more food Storage. There are plenty of reasons to worry about the future and they don't necessarily have to be about 'doom and gloom' scenarios. The employment market still isn’t recovering very well and the threat of unemployment & job loss is still very real. I have been unemployed for over a year & I can tell you, it is bleak. One of the best ways to prepare for shaky times is to create a long-term home food storage system.

photo credit

Why Should You Consider Home Food Storage?

Having non-perishables on hand for use in a variety of situations makes sense. You are providing a safety net for your family in case of circumstances out of your control. Here are three reasons to consider storing food in your home:

·         Emergency food supply. It’s conceivable that you might find yourself stranded in your own home, unable to get to the store and buy food. If you have food storage, you can easily feed yourself and your family for a few days in a pinch.

·         Financial preparedness. Lose your job, or have your hours cut? Stocking up now will let you to prepare meals for your family without needing to buy as much at the grocery store each week. I try to stock food that is only on sale at the store and then buy what we need for the week. It is really taking forever to get the food storage done to my satisfaction, but slow and steady wins the race, right?  Food storage can help you stretch your emergency fund further as you look to replace your income.

·         Combat food price inflation. You can reduce your spending to rising food prices by buying food now at lower prices. You can also grow & can your food and save costs there.

Where Should You Store Your Food?

Hopefully you will have decided to start food storage for your household; so now you need to decide where you’re going to put it. If you’re tight for space, you might only have enough room to store two weeks or a month’s worth of extra food, but every little bit helps. This is one of my issues. Non-perishables are easy, but food is another matter.

For best results, you want to store your food in an area that receives limited light and stays between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This is very hard to do in Florida so there may be some limits depending on the weather in your area. Cupboards or pantries are great or basements work too as long as there isn’t a lot of moisture. I have some non perishables put out of sight in my bedroom.

photo credit

What Foods Should You Store?

ONLY STORE WHAT YOU WILL EAT. One of the keys to successful food storage is to stock up on foods you will eat, since you will need to rotate your food storage anyway. My food storage includes items to make chili, spaghetti, and canned (and frozen) vegetables & I am still looking for a dehydrator for fruit & veggies. You will also need extra baking supplies (flour and sugar), as well as rice.

Here are some basic food staples you can start with based on your own families needs.

• Canned fruits and vegetables. Be sure and check expiration dates and rotate them out.
• Dehydrated fruits and vegetables. There are lots of foods you can dry. Fruits veggies and you can even make beef jerky.
• Beans/legumes. Lots of beans can have a shelf life of up to 20 years and they’re a great source of protein. You can cook them and eat them plain, or use them in stews & soup.
• Wheat. Properly stored, wheat can last decades. You can make your own flour from wheat. You will also need a grinder, and use it regularly in your cooking so that your body is used to it.
• Baking staples. You should definitely store baking staples, such as all-purpose flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda & baking powder. Stored them in airtight containers in a cool, dry location, many baking supplies can last up to five years. Again, check expiration dates & rotate out.
• Rice. Properly stored, rice can have a shelf life of 8 to 10 years. It’s a great staple to have on hand. It’s also reasonable priced and is a great source of energy.
• Powdered milk. Powdered milk will need to be stored in a cool no-moisture area. Some can be stored for up to 18 to 24 months; check dates! J We use ‘shelf-milk’ in our house but I will be adding powdered milk soon.
• Iodized salt. You need the iodine in this salt to survive. Stores well.
• Water. It’s a good idea to have some sort of water storage. You should figure one gallon per person per day at least. Keep it in an unlit place in food grade containers.

Some other foods you might want to add are powdered eggs, canned meat, granola bars, and some chocolate. Meal Ready-To-Eats (MREs) from military surplus and food storage sellers are also popular items to include in home food storage. Although you need to taste test them before you buy (in bulk) so you know you will eat them.

As you build your home food storage, it is important to know that you don’t need to stock up all at once. Start by calculating the amount needed to have on hand for a month; work on storing that amount. Then you can move up to three months and then a year (if you want). Your home food storage can make you feel relief at not having to do any crazy last minute shopping. We see that every time a hurricane is going to hit.

Have you begun building your home food storage? Do you have any additional food storage tips to add?

Preparedness Challenge #19

This week, I picked up more canning jars. I also stocked up on some food items. With the air conditioning getting put in next week, I checked into getting a plug put in for a freezer and it won't be happening in this house. This complicates my food storage a lot. :( However, it is fine & I will make due with what we have and it is ok. God is good all the time. :)

I have been doing some 'spring' cleaning this week too and have gotten rid of some things that we just don't need any more. If I had my way, I would get rid of a lot more. I am cleaning out my closet today and will go thru clothes, get the dust bunnies out and make room for my BOB's and just things I want to hold on to, but don't want to be 'out' in the room.

The History channel airs a show called Modern Marvels. Well yesterday they did a show called "built to last", and one of the featured companies was a company called Radius Engineering International, Inc. Have you heard of them? They build bomb shelters.  One of the most interesting parts of this segment was that they claim to have their product in almost every major city, with a bunch of these units in Washington DC! I went to the website and looked around. They had small shelters all the way up to what looked like a small commune. There was too much information to go in to on the site, but it was an interesting site, Google it when you can and check it out.

That is it for me, just plugging along. Enjoy your weekend. :)

Preparedness Challenge #18

This week for the Preparedness Challenge I worked on my food storage. You can never do enough and you will always rotate so this is a good thing.

I purchased a few of the Gamma Lids. I have been collecting the 3 and 5 gallon (food grade) pails and am excited to see them work. I have been getting the pails for free at my local grocery store bakery. They don't mind, but they are far and few between so it has taken a while to collect some. I think someone else has the same idea, lol. Here is the 'skinny' on the lids:

The Gamma Seal Lid:

• Fits Universally on 3.5 to 7 Gallon Buckets/Pails
• Re-seals Your Bucket Quickly
• Stackable
• Simple Color Organization
• Easy Opening Lid
• Airtight & Leak proof Gaskets
• Heavy Duty and Durable

They come in a lot of different colors too. I purchased white ones. I can't wait to put the rice, flour, sugar and oats in them and see how they do for our family.

I also scoured the grocery flyers, but they weren't very good this week and we are good with what we have. I will continue to work on food this week.

I have been looking at pressure canners. I have a water bath canner and can can the tomato sauces, jellies and jams, but I want to put up other vegetables. I have had real good luck finding jars at garage sale lately too. I have to buy the lids and rings, but so far, the jars have been perfect.

 These are all the instructors pressure canners!

So, a couple of Saturdays ago I took a canning class. It was at our local county extension office and the class was very full. It was advertised to be for meat and/or vegetables and she did carrots. I have taken the class before but for some reason, this time, I got so much more out of it and feel totally comfortable using a pressure canner.

filling the jars with carrots

She was patient with all of us and answered all our questions. We went about a half an hour over the class time but she didn’t mind at all.  So now I am on the hunt for a good pressure canner. I am leaning towards buying new though. I just want to make sure it is in proper working order and would hate to waste money on one that does not work right.

some veggies she had done before

Thanks for reading and click the Preparedness Challenge button above to join in the fun!

Have a great week!

Preparedness Challenge #16

This week for the Preparedness challenge I continued to take advantage of the BOGO's at the grocery store. I also checked some more books out of the library on preparedness and emergency kits.


I am taking a Meat Canning class later today at our County Extension office. I have found all kinds of good canning jars at garage sales and hope to find some more tomorrow when I am out in the "country" for the class. I am also going by an organic farm that is nearby to get some produce to can. My little garden did not do much this year and I want to practice canning something even if it is just a few jars of ground beef or tomato sauce. It is basic until I can get a better grasp of what I am doing. :)

photo credit

I will continue to read the many books I need to read and stock up on food items for my pantry.
I hope everyone has a great week.

Link up here for the Preparedness Challenge!

Preparedness Challenge #15

I have been remiss the last few weeks as far as my blog goes, I apologize. But I have continued to work on being prepared. Thank goodness.

I have been reading lots of books on homesteading and medicinal herbs. I live on a small piece of property and I am sure there are medicinal herbs growing somewhere on this property. My goals this next month is to hunt them down and identify them, possibly drying them out for storing.

I have started a small library on books that I have checked out of the library. If I like the book, I buy it online and keep it for reference in the future. My latest discovery is Homesteading: A Back to Basics Guide to Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy, Crafting, Herbal Medicine, and More (Back to Basics Guides), Abigail R Gehring. I absolutely love this book. It covers everything from gardening to herbs to building a root cellar. It will make an excellent addition to my little homesteading library.

My garden is pretty much done. It is so hot here that nothing did very well. I have learned a lot this season and really have high hopes for my fall garden. Today I am actually going to go through my seeds to make sure I have what I need to get started. Perseverence is mine. I do have one little moon & stars watermelon, but I don't think it will make it. It is only the size of a nickel, lol. I also have potatoes ready to harvest and will be doing a post on those soon! We had a lot of cool and wet weather this spring and everything went in too late (I believe).

My food storage is lacking a little bit but since the reading of the new book above, I have lots of ideas. I have been looking for a dehydrator and ball jars on Craigs list and have found some jars, but no luck on the dehydrator. I may have to break down and buy one. Also, Likewise Ye Older Women is giving away her ebook on stocking your pantry. It is a free download and you can go here to get it. http://likewiseyeolderwomen.blogspot.com/2011/07/dear-readers-as-those-of-you-know-who.html

We are having a lot of friends and family in this month so I may not be posting much, but will continue on with the preparedness and gardening updates. It is summer time after all and we have another tubing trip planned for this coming Tuesday. Everyone is looking forward to it and there are about 14 of us going (so far). You can be sure there will be pictures to follow.

I linked up to the Preparedness Challenge, will you? Thanks for reading! Have a Happy & safe 4th!

Preparedness Challenge #12



This week on the preparedness challenge I reread some chapters on vegetable gardening in my area of Florida. I am not getting this gardening thing down and have some really weird things happening with some of my veggies. I don't know what is going on but I will have a garden update on Monday and you can judge for yourself.

My mom gave me a book that has been in her household since at least 1958. It was my grandfathers, her father, and has his name written (by him) on the inside front cover. I love having something my grandfather held and wrote in. The book is called FOLK MEDICINE A Vermont Doctor's Guide to Good Health, by D.C. Jarvis. It. Is. Wonderful. Check it out at your library, buy it at Amazon, do what you have to do, but get it. It is simple common sense for everything.

Jarvis writes about the simple things; honey, apple cider vinegar and exercise. He states we can all learn from most animal behaviors and instincts. They know which herbs will heal their bodies. They don’t have doctors shoving pills down their throats. Here is a favorite excerpt of this book; “The body needs assistance to meet the complications, stresses and strains of modern civilization. Mercifully during childhood we are more or less protected by instincts. But when we leave the world of childhood, we are all too prone to consider these instincts old-fashioned. Happily it is never too late to learn them, if we are willing to observe the way Nature’s laws are followed by animals and by little children”. Or this one. “Honey is not only an excellent food, it is a food supplement too. It prevents fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract and is quickly absorbed”.

Every morning, mom & I drink 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 tsp of honey in a glass of warm water. It adds a natural acid back in to your diet and the benefits are awesome. It makes you feel better, is a natural blood cleanser, clears up morning sickness (if applicable, lol) it helps even out the alkalinity in your system if you tend to eat too much protein. I love this book and refer back to it all the time.

It may not have a whole lot to do with modern day preparedness, but it is total common sense read when it comes to your health and simply taking care of yourself.

I also completed my 72 hour bags! They are ready to go if we need it. Just in time for hurricane season, although I have great confidence we will not need them. J

Have a nice week!

Preparedness Challenge #11

This week has been especially hard on me for some reason when it has come to this blog. I apologize, I have had no motivation whatsoever. That said; I do want to participate in the Preparedness Challenge. If I do nothing else, I need to prepare.

So this week I have researched and made lists of what all I need to complete my 72 hour bags. They are really coming along nicely and I am please with them. I also talked to my family members about preparing in general and what all I feel we should do if we ever had to leave our house. Where we would go and (hopefully) we could follow one another in cars. Our plan is to drive north to my sister’s house and on a good travel day it is 9 hours away. (I guess we should let her in on the plan too, lol) If there were an emergency, everyone and their mother would be on the road and the 9 hours would probably be more like 24 or more. Who knows if gas stations would even be open and have gas? So that is something to think about also.

I also researched tents. I had no idea how many tents there are! I am NOT a camper; as a matter of fact my idea of camping is a Holiday Inn. However, I definitely want to purchase something in case we need it. But wait! I need a seam sealer and mattresses, waterproofing and cooking gear. Oh my, there is so much, the list goes on. Ok, I am being dramatic. Of course I would only pack the basics, but you get the picture. I was beingg sucked in and I totally got overwhelmed. LOL.

The only thing I did that was 'tangible' was to buy some Berkey Sport water bottles! I am so pleased with our system that I just had to buy the portable ones. If ever there was a testament to this water filter just go to the blog and read about our well water. You can see the difference and read the blog here.

I hope everyone had a good week. You can link up to the Preparedness Challenge here.

Preparedness Challenge #10

Communication...

If there was a disaster how would you communicate or find out what was going on in your community? If the power was out, what would you do? A battery operated radio would be the first step in finding out news, but how would you be able to let people know what was going on in your area? I don't think cell phones would work, would they? Following are some guidelines that may help. :)

Communication During a Disaster

To report an emergency:
1. Call 911.
2. If your telephone does not work, check to see if a neighbor’s phone works.
3. If no telephone works, you can try a cell phone. Don’t count on it working though, as these often depend on land lines, and they may also be overloaded.
4. Go to a fire station to report your emergency. Be aware that during a disaster, crews are likely to be already working at an emergency scene, in which case they won’t be in the station. During a major extended emergency, additional staff will be assigned to take emergency reports during a phone system outage.
5. For a life-threatening medical emergency, you may need to go directly to the hospital emergency department. Have someone besides the sick or injured person drive.

To report other conditions:
1. Gas, water or electric outages, call the appropriate utility provider at the number listed in the phone book.
2. Local Police non-emergency number.

3. City Information line

4. Down Trees
5. Mental Health Crisis Line
6. Sewer, Repair Emergencies
7. Traffic Signals not working

8. Water Main Breaks

To get information during a disaster:
1. Turn on your television or radio to a local station. Use battery-operated radio (or car radio) if electrical power is out.
2. If your home is in a location where immediate action is necessary (evacuate, shelter in place, etc), you may receive a telephone call with basic instructions via the Emergency Notification System.
3. Emergency personnel may also be canvassing the area to provide emergency direction, or triaging for damage and casualties.

To help the communication system work during an emergency:
1. Do not make unnecessary phone calls. They will only add calls to an overloaded system and may prevent emergency calls from getting through.
2. When you get reliable information, share it with your neighbors.

 

I am going to research Ham radios and see if there is some sort of directory of people in my area that I could talk to about the subject. I think if the situation was really bad, that will be the only way to communicate and it wouldn't hurt to know someone. 

Communication is very important in emergency preparedness and everyone needs to have an idea or plan of what to do. Make a list of your emergency numbers in your area and have it close by or put it in one of your GOODY bags.

Side Note:

On a side note; as I was writing this post the electricity went out at our house. As I sat in the dusky light, I thought about all the things I had ready to go in case this were to become a real emergency. I also thought about all the things I wasn't prepared for. My cell phone was not charged, I didn't have a full tank of gas in my car and my GOODY bags are not toally ready to go - yet, to name a few. However, I do have water, crank flashlights, a wood stove and grill and a good start on food among other things. This is an ongoing preparation for me but I am closer to being there and feel better about what I have accomplished.

Thank you Amy for the Preparedness Challenge. Without your challenge I wouldn't have had any preparations done at all.

Preparedness Challenge #9

This week we finally got around to setting up the Berkey water system. However, my mom hates water & threw her baby bottles across the room when her mom gave it to her as a baby. She doesn't like it now but she drinks it. Her doctor told her she had to and I keep her on track. :) I won't let her mow unless she takes some outside with her, lol. The taste of the water is different than what I am used to; but I have been drinking sulphur-like well water for years.

I love water! So I am thrilled. Actually, my mom is thrilled too. Not because she likes water, but because she can stop filling up those milk/water jugs at the grocery store. The water is only a quarter but it adds up and this way she can fill them up at home and use the water as storage for the future. This water system will save us money in the long run. I feel so much better knowing we have it.

I have been doing some reading this week too, but not much in the way of food storage. I need to make a plan for that soon.

Go here to link up and read the great posts! Have a great weekend & thanks for reading.

Don't forget, Wednsday is the last day to enter my giveaway for the Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables book. Winner will be announced on Thursday's blog. Enter the giveaway here.

Preparedness Challenge #8

Another week of accomplishment for me. Not a huge amount, but definitely makes me feel better. I finally received my crank flashlights! These things are so much fun. I read a post over at Safely Gathered In and she talked about the scariness of being in a bad storm a few years back. (Read the post here). She had a BOB within reach, but some of the items were still in their packages. Trust me; read the post, you won't regret it. I immediately took mine out of the packaging and tested them out (played with them) to make sure they worked ok. These things are great.

I also put my emergency car kit together. Inside there is a first aid kit, disinfecting wipes, granola bars (not pictured), almonds, sunscreen, matches in a waterproof container, flint & striker and two emergency blankets.

Head on over to the Homestead Revival site to link up to the Preparedness Challenge or just read some great posts! Enjoy the weekend and thanks for reading. :)