Emergency Preparedness for the Car

Emergency Preparedness for the Car

It’s summertime! If the weather itself hasn’t told you, your kids probably have. Yesterday was the last day of school for my kids, and we’re gearing up for some traveling this summer. Of course, we all take trips of various lengths in our car every day, but when we are entering “Road Trip Season,” this is an especially good time to reevaluate your preparations as they relate to your car.

Almost everyone has a cell phone and GPS these days, and maybe access to roadside assistance, but we still need to keep some items in our car for emergencies. These can easily be used if you need to bug out as well as when you’re in your car for any other reason. You can buy a commercially available kit for prices ranging from “not too much” to “a whole lotta money,” but it is very easy to put together your own kit. You probably have a lot of these items already, and even if you buy a commercially available kit, it isn’t going to have everything your family needs.

First, eliminate emergencies ahead of time! In terms of your car, this means keeping your car in good condition. Especially prior to a road trip, you should have your car serviced to be sure that fluid levels are appropriate, car tires are good, and there are no mechanical concerns heading into the trip. On an ongoing basis, you should try to keep at least a quarter of a tank of gas in your car, and be sure your spare tire and jack are still in your car for if you need them.

But of course even if you do all you can to avoid emergencies, they can still happen. So let’s take a look at some other things to have in your car.

• Map – I know, you have a GPS in your car or a map on your phone, but it is a great idea to have a physical map with you whenever you go on a road trip that includes any unfamiliar territory.

I just got back from hiking in the Grand Canyon. It was a great trip, with amazing scenery. But I was surprised to see how much of the area was “off the grid” (no cell service, no internet). I was glad that we had brought plenty of snacks to eat and emergency supplies. Thank goodness there were no problems this trip, but I’m grateful we were prepared just in case.

Now, where will your next trip be, and will you be prepared?

Tornado Season Hitting Hard

Tornado season is here, which means people are devastated all over the country. Families in Moore, Oklahoma that were hit recently with the large tornado that destroyed their homes and families. The disaster efforts have been huge. Everyone in the country has rallied together to help them rebuild their homes.

Families who were prepared with shelters and healthy food storage will not have to rely on others to bring them food and keep them alive. In fact, those people who prepared may even have enough food to help those around them until help comes to bring them food and rebuild the town that was destroyed.

Unfortunately, the people in Moore were not alone. In fact, two more small tornadoes were reported in Oklahoma, and there was even a tornado report in Arkansas, according to USA Today. It is tornado season, and that means we can expect even more of these reports. Families that are in unsafe areas during this disaster season need to be prepared.

There are a lot of ways you can prepare for these kinds of disasters, especially in these times when we know what kind of disasters hit our area. Being prepared and learning how to handle things for a few days while waiting for relief efforts can be easy. The Prepper Guide can help you learn everything you need to, so you don’t have to rely on someone else when disaster strikes your hometown. In fact, if you are prepared and know how to survive, you can help everyone around you do the same.

With a sufficient food storage, you can feed those around you and help them feel comfortable while waiting. There is nothing worse than eating disgusting food to survive when you are already in a bad situation and just waiting for help.

Get prepared, so you can be the one helping others get through a tragedy instead of the other way around.

Sources:

USA Today

Did You Miss The Latest E. Coli Alert?

These days, you almost have to be looking for announcements that some of your local produce has been contaminated with the E. coli bacteria, though outbreaks continue to occur with disturbing frequency.

Back in 2006, it was big news when 205 people were found to have been poisoned from pre-packaged spinach. Since then, similar incidents have been occurring on a regular basis, yet they seem barely to be noticed or reported on.  Is it because these poisonings involve fewer victims? Or are they just becoming more common, all just so much “yesterday’s news”?

According to Bill Marler, who reports on food poisoning outbreaks and litigation across the United States and Canada, “E. coli outbreaks associated with lettuce, specifically the ‘pre-washed’ and ‘ready-to-eat’ varieties, are by no means a new phenomenon. In fact, the frequency with which this country’s fresh produce consuming public has been hit by outbreaks of pathogenic bacteria is astonishing.”1

E. coli contamination can be caused by any number of things, but most commonly the plants are grown too close to sources of animal—and yes, even human—feces. Just last month there was a recall of pre-packaged spinach that had been sent out to 39 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.  Did you even hear about it? That’s a lot of spinach. Not all the leaves were known to be contaminated, but it all came from one processor, so steps were taken to recall all of it. 2

Because spinach and lettuce leaves often arrive at the bagging plant from different farms where the leaves are washed and bagged all together, it is not always easy to trace the contaminated product back to the specific farm it came from. And even though the leaves are often rinsed three times during the process, the FDA says these rinsings will not remove E. coli bacteria.3

It’s more important than ever to know who is processing your food and what steps are being taken to keep it pure. At EfoodsDirect.com, every step in the process, from farm to factory is stringently monitored to maintain purity of the product.  Not only are Efoods’ procedures monitored by the FDA and USDA, but EfoodsDirect.com is the only player in the storable foods industry whose products are certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union, which is the world’s most trusted and recognized Kosher certification. What that means for the consumer is that the strictest controls possible have been put in place to insure the food that arrives at EfoodsDirect is absolutely clean.

Although the food provided by EfoodsDirect.com is manufactured to last for 20-30 years, many people are choosing to consume the products on a daily basis because they find the taste, quality, and price preferable to much of what they can find in the grocery store. And because the people at EfoodsDirect go above and beyond what even the law requires for food safety, you can be guaranteed that what you’re putting into your body is what is on the label only, and no surprises.

8 Father’s Day Gifts for the Prepper

As Father’s Day approaches, you may be thinking about what you could buy for your favorite prepper. You can help him get ready for any situation with these 8 gifts:

Water Filter

It’s a fact of life: none of us will survive very long without water. In an emergency, Dad may need water purification tablets or a filter like the Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Purification System to make sure the supply is decontaminated.

Fishing Tackle

Dad’s emergency preparedness kit should have some kind of fishing tackle included in case he comes across a stream where he can catch some fish. It can be as simple as hooks and fishing line that can be attached to a stick. You may also want to give him a basic fishing rod kit that comes with a box of supplies.

Portable Barbecue Grill

I do most of the cooking in our household, but my husband is the Grillmaster and loves to fire up the BBQ every summer. With a portable barbecue grill, Dad will be able to serve up a tasty hot meal no matter where you end up after an emergency.

Fire Starters

Along with a barbecue grill or stove, you will want to provide a fire starter to make Dad’s job easier. Two traditional methods are matches and flint and steel. You can use these in conjunction with a product like InstaFire to get things going quicker.

First Aid Kit

It is critical to have first aid supplies on hand in case of a disaster so family members can stay as healthy as possible. You can buy prepared first aid kits or put your own together. I have even made a basic one in a film canister (a prescription bottle would be easier to find these days), which is easy to stash in a briefcase or pocket.

Books on Foraging

You would be surprised at how many plants in your garden and the wild are actually edible. Dad can learn how to find them with books like The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting and Preparing Edible Wild Plants (by Samuel Thayer), Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt to Plate (by John Kallas) and Foraged Flavor: Finding Fabulous Ingredients in Your Backyard or Farmers’ Market, With 88 Recipes (by Tama Matsuoka Wong and Eddy Leroux).

Beef Jerky

One memory I fondly associate with my own father is beef jerky. When I was little, he would make delicious batches that I loved to eat. Road trips just are not the same if we do not bring some along. This is a perfect present that serves as a convenient and tasty protein source for your favorite prepper to keep on hand. It can be eaten straight from the pouch or used in cooking meals.

Pocket Knife

I also remember Dad’s pocket knife that he always has with him. They can provide to be very useful in an emergency. A good knife has several blades along with other useful tools like a can opener, awl, scissors, screwdriver or saw.

What are you buying for your prepper dad this year?

Disaster Season Is Here

Daily weather conditions have grown increasingly erratic and extreme, and it is usually during the springtime that we are reminded of this fact. Nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that disaster season is a year-round and constant. From snowstorms to flooding, earthquakes to fires, hurricanes to tornados, and more, every month of the year has the potential for you and your family’s life to be turned upside down by a natural disaster.

Natural disasters are inevitable. They come every season. They are no respecter of persons–destroying the lives of old and young, rich and poor. None of us are spared, and if you think you have been, you should consider yourself lucky, not safe. Far too often, people lull themselves into a false sense of security because nothing has happened to them. They wrongly assume they have found that magical area of the country where no harm can occur. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are all at risk and we all need to be prepared.

So what can you do if you aren’t already prepared?

Begin by making an emergency preparedness plan. Planning for a natural disaster can save you a lot of time, money, and grief. It can also grant you an abundance of peace of mind–something that will be of extreme importance when you are attempting to piece your life back together.

To start preparing for a natural disaster, determine what you’ll need and how you’ll sustain yourself in the event of a natural disaster. One component of this plan should definitely be how you’ll meet your food needs during a disaster.

At the very least, you should have a 72-hour kit for you and your family. This kit should include a three-day supply of non-perishable food along with water, a change of clothing, and a source of fuel and light.

However, a 72-hour kit is just a minimum. When you factor in the aftermath of recovering from a natural disaster, you can be looking at weeks and, in some cases, months. Power outages, contaminated water, and clean-up procedures can quickly exhaust a 72-hour kit many times over. It is for this reason that you should be doing more than the minimum to ensure your family’s safety.

To create an emergency supply for longer periods of time, you’ll want to be sure you have at least one gallon of water per day per person. You’ll also want a depth of foods that your family will actually eat. Many in building their food storage will opt to buy a surplus of canned foods. However, canned food can go bad quicker than you think and requires you to monitor and maintain it on a regular basis. A better, more user-friendly solution is dehydrated food. Dehydrated food can last up to 25 years without compromising nutritional value, flavor, or texture.

Even though natural disasters can’t be predicted, the aftermath of such disasters can be predicted. In the wake of natural disasters, people are faced with stress, property loss, and interruption of water and/or power. All of those things lead to overtaxed relief organizations which, in turn, mean you could easily be left on your own while others are cared for first.

Disaster recovery is a long and arduous process.

Disaster recovery isn’t just about the damage to your surroundings or even your physical safety. The stress of displacement along with the precious memories damaged or destroyed can take a toll on a person’s mental well-being as well. In fact, the emotional toll can often be more devastating than the natural disaster itself.

Focusing on what you do have can help the recovery process and allow you to heal. If you and your family’s physical needs are met even to the slightest degree by having enough food and water on hand to sustain you, that will be one less thing to worry about and allow you to address the greater issues at hand.

So while the weather may be unpredictable, knowing whether or not you are prepared for a natural disaster is something you can rest easy knowing that you are ready.

What to Buy in June to Be Prepared and Save Money

Take advantage of all that the beginning of summer has to offer with great deals. Shop those promotions and pick up supplies that you can use to add to your stockpile and be prepared. One of the most common prepping mistakes is to go into debt. Avoid that when you buy the best that June has to offer and pay the least amount for it. The more you save, the more you will have available to cover all of your necessary preparations.

Make sure to check back each month to learn what to buy. Now, on to the items that will offer the best prices in June.

Cookware and Other Kitchen Supplies

Many parents are getting ready to stock their graduates with everything they need for college or a new apartment. This means that cookware and kitchen supplies will be on sale, including those that are portable and use little energy, such as crockpots, electric grills, and more. In other words, items that may be perfect for prepping and survival in a disaster.

At the same time, many people are buying kitchen-related wedding gifts, and the stores want to get them in the door with good deals. Look also for butane canisters, which may be on sale as an add-on to the popular chafing dishes for weddings.

Boots and Winter Wear

No snow means deeply discounted prices on boots, including hiking boots and any leftover winter wear that might still be hiding at the backs of stores or in online clearance sections. Grab it while you can; they are practically giving away whatever is left. You won’t get the opportunity for a lower price on these items until next June.

Electronics

Need a new GPS, walkie talkies, or other electronic? While it is true that in the event of an Electromagnetic Pulse Strike (EMP), electronics may be rendered useless, in other disasters, they could be very handy.

Electronic manufacturers are trying to get rid of their old models to prepare for the new, so you can get some great deals now. Save even more when you ask to purchase the display or floor models.

Tools

Thanks to Father’s Day in June, you’ll see a lot of sales and promotions on tools, both power tools and manual tools. Use these deals to make sure that you have an adequately stocked tool box to help you build or maintain your shelter.

Houses

Are you in a good location that will be easy to defend, is away from major cities, and has plentiful natural resources? If not (and you want to rectify this), look for a new home in June. Many people choose to sell their homes in the warm weather, so you’ll have a lot of stock to choose from and hopefully will get a good deal.

* Image courtesy of  

All about non-GMO

Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are highly debated. Some people are completely against it, some for it, and others do not even know it exists. So, the question is: what is the debate and why is it important to avoid genetically modified organisms?

What are GMOs?

GMOs are created by genetically modifying seeds before planting them. This is done by actually altering the DNA of a crop plant for human or animal consumption, called bio-engineering or genetic engineering. The reason for the modification is to add extra nutrients or make the crops resistant to herbicides and bugs that might attack it. A farmer could spray its whole crop for weeds and never have to worry about killing the harvest with it.

Pros and Cons

There are actually a good number of positive things that come from GMOs. Since the crop is almost immune to attacks from bugs, GMO harvests are usually much larger than others. The seeds can be altered to provide more nutritional content, and it is easier to produce full crops to feed more people for less money. These huge advantages could help fight world hunger, in theory.

On the other hand, greedy businesspeople would never really allow for this invention to help feed the world! They just want to make more money! The biggest problem with GMOs is that there have been no studies indicating the health effects of the food. We could be hurting ourselves without even realizing it. Then there is the fact that farmers are coating their crop with extra herbicides since it will not kill the crop. Who knows what that is doing to us! When we use GMOs, we are letting the big companies test their products on us and hoping that the side effects are not negative.

Political Debate

Another thing that concerns people is the legal battles associated with GMO food. Monsanto pioneered the process of producing GMO seeds, but it has been involved in many legal battles over it. If a non-GMO farm is positioned next to one that uses GMO plants, it is possible for the seeds to blow over to the non-GMO farm because of wind patterns. Rather than recognizing that they cannot do anything about this natural issue, Monsanto sues the non-GMO farmers for not paying them but reaping the benefits of the seeds. These farmers had no intention of stealing the seeds or using them, but Monsanto does not care. At the very least, even if there were no other issues with the GMO seeds, they, create quite a bit of contention in the courts.

Why does eFoods NOT use GMOs?

Here at eFoods, we believe that our food should be as healthy and delicious as possible. When it comes to taste, GMO-Free food will not taste any different, but it does have a distinct advantage: it is all-natural. Though there is debate as to whether or not GMOs are bad for one’s health, we know for sure that it is not natural. We want to keep anything unnatural or potentially hazardous to one’s health out of our foods. That is why all of our growers have committed to only produce non-GMO seeds for us! That means you can feel safe knowing the food we sell is as healthy as it can be!

Rotating Your Emergency Supplies: The Why and When Of It

Now that you have your pantry full of all those wonderful emergency food supplies and bottled water, and you’ve stashed fuel for your emergency stove, you can relax – right? Not so fast! Everything from propane canisters to bottled water to freeze-dried and canned food has a shelf life that you need to pay heed to. So let’s look at each of these for the issues involved and current recommendations for rotating stocks.

Bottled water

Water is water, and once it’s in a bottle or barrel in a dark, cool place, you’d think it would last forever. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong. Sure, it’s still going to be pure H2O even 100 years from now. But those thin plastic bottles it comes in will probably start springing leaks within a year. If you have filled a plastic barrel with tap water and added chlorine bleach as is recommended, that bleach will eventually dissipate and cease to inhibit germs. So leakage and contamination are both serious potential problems with long-term water storage.

Mark your flats of bottled water with a black marker in a prominent place with either the expiration date (if you can find it) or one year from when you bought it. Store older flats in front of newer flats. If you have water in a large blue plastic water barrel, tape a sign to it dated one year from when you first filled and treated it so you can empty and refill it before it starts growing water mold.

Stove Fuel

Those little propane canisters for your portable camp stove probably don’t have an expiration date on them. As long as they are stored in a dry place and don’t leak, the butane/propane inside will still be good. You should plan on closely inspecting the canisters once a year and replacing any that have developed rust or show any other signs of damage.

Liquid fuels like kerosene or Coleman fuel won’t last forever. According to Coleman, their fuel will last 5 to 7 years if unopened and stored in a dry place not subject to sudden temperature fluctuations. A previously opened container under the same circumstances can be expected to last only 2 years. K1 kerosene has a similar long shelf life. The problem with both types of fuel seems to stem from wide temperature changes leading to water condensation which then contaminates the fuel, preventing it from burning. Always store liquid fuels in a dry place with protection from weather.

Food

Freeze-dried foods like those made by eFoods Direct have an extremely long shelf life. Some manufacturers claim 25 to 30 years, but after 15 years the quality and nutritional content might start to suffer, so current recommendations from experts are to rotate freeze-dried foods after 15 years. Mark your food stores clearly with the year they should be used or discarded by so you won’t have to hunt for that tiny date wherever it is on the packages.

Conventional dried foods have a similar long shelf life. As long as packaging is intact and they are stored in a dark, cool, dry location, dried foods remain safe to eat for many years. Scientists have found whole grains hundreds of years old which are still edible, though the taste does suffer as time goes on. In the interests of preserving maximum quality and nutrition, you would be wise to rotate these foods after 15 years also.

Home- and commercially-canned foods are another story. As much as we would like out beautifully preserved garden bounty to last into the next decade, the bitter truth is that quality and nutrition will begin to deteriorate after a year or two. Technically, as long as the seal is intact and there is no evidence of mold growth inside, you can hang onto it. My personal experience is that it’s not worth the shelf space after about 2 years. Certainly those jewel-toned jams and jellies will fade, and the fresh flavor fades right along with them.

Store-bought canned food generally comes with an expiration date these days, and to be safest, you should toss anything that is expired. That said, millions of Americans have probably eaten canned food that was expired and never suffered for it. If you wish to keep it beyond its date, you should inspect all cans a couple of times a year and dispose of any with the slightest bit of rust, any denting or bulging, or any evidence of leakage. Low acid foods are much riskier in the first place, so it’s best to heed that expiration date with such items. If your canned foods develop leaks or have any contamination inside, it isn’t just a matter of aesthetics – it can be a matter of life and death – botulism is deadly, and in an emergency scenario, there might not be the necessary medical services to save your life.

So grab that black indelible marker and spread some graffiti around your pantry and garage – don’t be left guessing how many years ago you bought that case of dehydrated eggs!

So How Do You Feel About Donkey?

If you thought it disconcerting that horse meat was found in hamburgers sold in the United Kingdom, consider the hapless South Africans.

Last month, citizens of that former Dutch colony learned that the great majority of beef burgers and sausage sold in grocery stores there were found to contain the flesh of donkey, goat and water buffalo. Another 37% of products labeled “beef” were found to contain pork.

According to a study published by three professors at Stellenbosch University, “99 of 139 samples contained species not declared on the product label, with the highest incidence in sausages, burgers and deli meats.” 1

As Guy Corbet, writing in the UK edition of the Huffington Post, says, “It is pretty clear that what we think we are eating is never what it seems, and perhaps it never has been.”

Worse yet, Corbet seems to think the culprits are going to get away with it.

“The scale and extent of this scandal will mean that people will simply want it to be over. Nobody wanted to know how their food was produced in the first place, and nobody will want to be reminded of it.”2

Do you think that’s far-fetched? Back in 2006 here in the States, large batches of spinach and lettuce had been found contaminated with the E. coli bacteria. That was big news at the time, but even though additional incidents of contamination have been reported year after year since, no one seems to be paying much attention. These reports no longer make headlines, and so salad poisoning is no longer on the public radar.  It’s all just yesterday’s news.3

We seem to be living in a time when the inverse of The Big Lie is in effect.  Just as Goebbels proved that the more you repeat a lie, the more that lie becomes true in the minds of the people, so it seems that the more you ignore a truth, the less that truth registers. So things we should be watching out for no longer tend to concern us.

Those who are rightly concerned about such things are turning to sources they know they can trust, and sadly that does not always turn out to be the local grocer. Many who want to make sure they are eating what is on the label are turning to food that is certified Kosher.

EfoodsDirect.com is the only company in the storable food industry whose products are certified kosher by the Orthodox Union. That means that not only are the premises and processes monitored by the FDA and the USDA, but they are also supervised by a rabbi specially trained to insure the purity of the food.

Kosher certification is stricter even than government regulations. You may or may not be aware that some insects and shellfish are frequently employed to enhance flavoring and coloring in many common groceries. Not so in kosher food. Kosher certification means the food you eat is clean and pure, with no dubious additives. What is on the label is what is in the package.

To further guarantee safety and cleanliness, the brand new facilities where eFoods processes their products are placed under strict lockdown to prevent anyone who does not belong there from wandering in. Every precaution is taken to make certain that the food is clean when it comes in and cleaner when it goes out.

It’s important that what you put in your body is pure and clean. In a time when others are trying to get away with cutting corners, you should look to be getting your food from a company that has no desire to “get away” with anything.

Trading Gold for Food; A Letter from Founder Steve Shenk

Dear Friends,

eFoodsDirect just ended the promotion early that gave away a free Evacuation Kit (a $200 value). It was necessary to shift production back into regular food units in preparation for the increase in demand. In addition, consumer food prices continue to rise at an escalating pace – it couldn’t have happened at a worse time.

This is what is happening:

• The excessive government regulations are forcing charitable and volunteer canning facilities to close their doors.
• Legislative control and monitoring of farms.
• Last year’s fifty-year-worst drought harvest.
• This year’s late planting due to excessive rainfall.
• The continued corn ethanol mandates .
• Record drops in beef, dairy, hog and poultry production.

All of this has guaranteed that inflation rates on food will make high costs in any other parts of the economy look like child’s play.

Question: Have you noticed that taking the family out to eat has more than doubled since a couple of years ago? A hamburger that used to cost $3.50 is now almost $8.00.

Question: Did you know that more people are using discount coupons to shop for groceries than ever before because people have been forced to reevaluate where and what groceries to buy?

Is there a solution to food inflation? I think there may be only one.

Question: What is the best protection against runaway inflation: gold or food? Notice that gold is holding pretty steady, but has dropped $300 per ounce from a few months ago, while food prices are inflating astronomically. This will continue to happen and food will become so expensive that it will take all you have to buy just a little food.

Another question: When things get tough what will you spend your money on? Obviously the answer is food, since it’s your greatest absolute dependency. If you have no food and no money, what will you give up for food?

A great pioneer leader once made the statement that “there will come a time when you won’t be able to buy a loaf of bread with a bushel of gold”.

If I had $10,000 in gold and you had $10,000 in food and you knew that food prices were inflating beyond your control and the availability was getting short would you sell me your food? No. You would not because food is a necessity. Gold… is not.

Conclusion: The gold will inevitably be traded for food. It’s just a matter of time.

There’s never been a better time than now to cash in your gold and use the money for storable food, which has a 25-year shelf life.

So the question arises: When do you want to trade your gold?

In America right now, 20,000 people are falling below the poverty level daily and about half our population needs help with their food budget, either from the government, churches, or other charitable organizations. Our government has no food of its own, so it will keep on doing what it has been doing, which is printing more money.

This will make food so inflated and expensive that the only ones that can afford food are those who qualify for food stamps and welfare. The only way to freeze the cost and the availability of food is to own your own food. “You’ll never have to stand in a breadline if you have your own bread.”

Something very interesting has just occurred. Gold historically has been used to determine the value of virtually everything. Now we have just crossed the line where the value of gold will be determined by how much food it will buy.

eFoodsDirect has prepared a great deal of food in our warehouses, pre-contracted at last year’s prices. While supplies last we’ll make that food available at the present price levels. We estimate about 30 days worth of food at these prices, depending on order volumes.

Further, any of you who choose to trade your gold or silver for food can do so at a favorable precious metal price return.

With all of the current food-threatening circumstances flagged most recently by the do-it-yourself cannery closings, now is the most important time to act on behalf of your own self-reliance, liberty, and security.

After 30 years in the storable food and preparedness industry, I have never seen so many circumstances and events threatening the ability of Americans to sustain themselves with food. And this is in a country that at one time was capable of feeding the entire planet five times over.

We are truly in the eye of a perfect storm, with circumstances the outcome of which will be determined for each of us by the choices, decisions, and the responsibility we take for our future.

We must each decide and act immediately.

With my most sincere concern,

Steve Shenk

Note: There are 2 types of people you need to help get “food prepared.” Those you love and care about, and those you don’t want knocking on your door when they are out of food and know you have food.

To learn more about how to trade in your gold bullion or gold coins for food, please email me at; asksteve@efoodsdirect.com.

Freeze the Cost (and availability) of your food at last years’ prices. http://www.stuartwilde.com/2013/02/hyperinflation-argentina-30-food-panic/

“…inflation in Argentina is running at 30% per year, and that the government is freezing food prices in the supermarkets for two months, which has caused panic buying by the public as they fear the shops will run out of food.”

Organizing your Preparations

When you are getting prepared for an emergency, it is really important to be organized. Sure, you can just buy stuff when you see it (and if it is what you need at a good price, that’s not a bad idea), but later you may find that you need to approach this project in a more planned manner. Without organization, you can end up missing some items entirely, having the wrong items or quantities, or having things expire before you use them. By being more organized, you can make better use of the money you spend on emergency preparedness, and be more efficient in the way you acquire items.

Take Time to Plan
The first step I recommend is to plan out what it is you want to get. That can mean planning very specifically by figuring out exactly how much of each item you want to have. Or you can do your planning more generally by getting just “some” of something like toilet paper without having a certain number of rolls in mind. Maybe you are somewhere in between – I know I am.

Identify Priorities

When you are planning what you want to get to be more prepared, it can seem like the list of “must haves” is long and daunting. But instead of just looking at the whole picture, identify which items are the most important for you to have before other items on the list. Not everything is most important. Experts generally recommend water as a first priority, since we can’t survive long without it. Also, having a basic first aid kit is very important. And you should have food storage with things your family will eat. You will also want other things to aid in survival, like appropriate clothing, water purifier, fuel, and method of cooking, which you can get when you’re able.

Money

Once you know the approximate priority in which you want to acquire items, take a look at how much money you can devote to emergency preparedness. If you can put more money into getting set up (maybe using your tax refund), why not get a lot of it at once? Get the ideal pack of food and other supplies you need for your family, so you can know that you’re well on your way. Then you can supplement your supply with other items as you decide on them as well as rotate your supply as needed. It is a good idea to try foods ahead of time; before you invest in a large, one-year supply you might want to buy a smaller pack of various meals so that you will know which items your family prefers. Later, you can buy case lots and tailor your preparedness stores to your own tastes. You can also get a recipe book to help you know how to use your stored food and how to supplement them with other fresh foods if they are available.

Most of us don’t have enough money to put towards emergency preparedness all at once, so we need to start small. You may think you can or should wait until you have more money to devote to emergency preparedness, but we all know it is better to do something little by little than to do nothing at all. I started by getting a couple of gallons of water for each person in my household one time when I was at the store. I came home very satisfied that I had started – and it didn’t cost very much, either. I brought them home, wrote expiration dates on the lids (so I will remember when to rotate them), and put them in a cool, dark, place. I smiled at my small bit of accomplishment; I got more water the next time I was at the store. On other trips, my small additions were a few extra cans of food I knew we would eat. It doesn’t take a lot of money to increase your food or water supply a little at a time. It may take longer, but moving forward is the important part

Next for me was a first aid kit. I knew I would buy a kit, but first, I gathered together supplies I already had on hand. Why not? I knew I had some stuff, and gathering those things was free. Soon after, I bought a small first aid kit for my car, and another larger one for my house to keep in with my emergency prep stuff (and I returned the other supplies to my bathroom cupboard for smaller emergencies).

Rotating Food

No discussion about organizing food storage would be complete without a reminder to rotate food and water as needed. A great way to stay on top of rotating your supply is to keep track of what you have and when you need to rotate it by. Foods professionally stored has a long shelf life (some eFoods meals last for up to 25 years), but most items can’t be kept that long. Look on the canned and packaged foods you have in your cupboards – most come with an expiration date printed on the package. If it is something you have processed yourself, you can follow my example with the gallon water jugs and write the expiration date so you can remember to rotate.

As you keep track of what you have and what you need, you will see that being organized about your emergency preparedness can go a long way toward providing peace of mind for you and your family. Enjoy that peace of mind – with your organization skills, you’ve earned it.

How to Conserve Water Outdoors During Drought in 2013

When I was visiting my husband’s grandparents in Missouri last summer, we got to hear first hand about the problems that drought was causing for the farmers.  Rain had been scarce, and they were about to lose much of the corn crop due to lack of water during pollination. Scarcity like this drives up food prices and causes income instability for the farmers. On top of that, the loss of plant life that adds oxygen to the atmosphere can be devastating.

According to Treehugger, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) related, “last year produced the hottest year since record-keeping began more than a century ago, with several weeks in a row of 100+degree days.” Drought in 2013 may be even worse, notes Inside Climate News: “[If] rainfall decreases and temperatures rise, as climatologists are predicting will happen this year, the drought could be even more severe.”

You may face some of the same problems that farmers do in your own yard if there is not enough rain this year. I spent some time working as an assistant horticulturist at a water conservation demonstration garden. I loved working in such a beautiful environment where I could help people learn how to save water in their gardens.  The following are some tips for outdoors that I learned during my employment.

How to Conserve Water Outdoors

• You do not need to water your lawn daily.  Better results occur when you water less frequently but for longer periods of time. This will train the roots to grow farther downward, allowing them access to water deep in the ground that will sustain them during times of drought.
• Try to replace at least some of your lawn with plants that are less thirsty.  You may need to check with your local city or HOA, as some have rules for the amount of grass and other greenery that need to be present. Try to get these rules changed if needed since many places can be more concerned about aesthetics than the consequences of using too much water.
• Avoid watering your grass and other plants between the peak sun hours of 10 am to 6 pm. During this time, the water will evaporate faster and get lost. It could also be carried away if you are watering during a windy period.
• Consider installing a drip irrigation system.  This uses a system of tubes and pipes to deliver the moisture directly to the root zone of the plant instead of casting it into the general area. These are especially beneficial for water-loving plants like fruits and vegetables, even when you are first starting them from seeds.
• Choose plants that are known to be drought-tolerant.  A xeriscape does not have to be full of cacti and sagebrush.  There are an abundance of flowering plants available that can survive when water is low if they have been given some regular watering at first, allowing the roots to spread.
• If you need a large lawn, consider a warm season type like buffalograss or blue grama which are better suited to drought conditions. Some cool season types are also able to handle less water.
• Spread mulch around your plants. This layer will help keep the water in the ground.  However, make sure you leave a space of at least 6″ around the trunks of trees and shrubs so the mulch does not harm the bark and cause rotting.
• Check your irrigation system for leaks regularly.  If you live in an area that freezes in the winter, be sure to winterize your pipes, so they don’t develop holes or burst accidentally, and do an initial inspection as the weather  warms up.
• Some areas offer free water checks where a volunteer will come and assess your system and help you find more ways that you can conserve water. Take advantage of these checks if you can find them in your area.

We all need to learn how to conserve water before it is too late and we find ourselves without any left. How are you preparing for  drought in your garden this year?

Chris Tackett, 2013 drought may be worse than 2012, says NOAA, Treehugger, March 28, 2013, Treehugger.com

Katherine Bagley, With Drought Season Off to a Bad Start, Scientists Forecast Another Bleak Year, Inside Climate News, March 28, 2013

What to Buy in May to Be Prepared and Save Money

With both preparedness and finances, it is all about resources: saving them and using them well. We all need to be careful with money right now. Here is another tool for your arsenal: a guide to what you should buy this month to be prepared and save money at the same time.

Memorial Day Sales

In general, be sure to stop in at the various Memorial Day sales that will be happening in May, especially those that occur in the department stores. You never know what you might find that you can use for your home preparations. Stack general percentage off store coupons that you find in the Sunday newspaper for extra savings.

Warm Weather Clothing

Spring and summer clothing clearance will reach up to 75 percent off. Now is the time to stock up on any warm weather clothing that you may need for your preparations, especially if you live in a seasonal climate. Convertible pants (the legs zip off into shorts) and lightweight clothing that can wick away moisture should be priorities. Remember that layering clothing is important, so purchase extras as needed. If you have children, purchase ahead for a few sizes, so you know that you will have clothing that will fit them as they grow.

Skip the Grills…for Now

While you might be tempted to purchase a new grill now that they are being advertised and available, you will probably get a better price on new models if you can wait until later in the summer, most notably until after the fourth of July when prices on grills will come way down. Still, you could do two things here: conduct your research now so you know the best model to buy when it goes on sale and look for used grills online as families who are tempted to buy the shiny new models need to get rid of the old ones.

Outdoor Gear

Even if you purchase nothing else this month for your preparations, you’ll want to jump on the deal for bugging out. Make a list and head to the various stores or shop online.

Gym Membership

Being fit and strong will help you survive. Now that the weather is pleasant, people are exercising outdoors, which means that gyms are seeing a decrease in membership. While you may not see many deals advertised, now is the time to go in and haggle for a gym membership. Negotiate the terms for the best deal that you can get.

The Prepper’s Kitchen: Emergency Food is Just the Beginning

Once you have a good start on putting your emergency food stores together, you might think that you are all set for whatever crises come your way. But you’re actually just beginning. One of the most important aspects of emergency preparedness is ensuring that you will be able to prepare and use the food and water you’ve set aside. Your kitchen needs to be ready for life after a natural disaster or power outage, too.

Child safety latches on kitchen cupboard doors are not just for keeping toddlers out – they are just as valuable for keeping stored goods and dishes in during an earthquake. There really isn’t much worse than finding jars of pickles and peaches smashed on the floor along with your grandmother’s prized china, as I found out the hard way some years ago. This simple step can help to ensure that at least some of your more fragile food stores will survive, and with luck your tableware will, too.

During an emergency, when safe water supplies may not be readily available for washing and cleaning, you will probably find paper plates, plastic utensils, or the equivalent environmentally-friendly alternatives made of such things as bamboo or cornstarch to be invaluable. Disposables can help you avoid much worry and stress when you already have plenty of both. Don’t forget to stock paper cups, too. When disaster strikes, sanitation becomes especially important as a means of preventing food-borne illnesses and disease caused by Norovirus, a hardy virus easily able to withstand inadequate dishwashing technique.

The properly outfitted prepper’s kitchen should include, in addition to stored water, a reliable means of treating contaminated water to make it potable and safe. The best way to do so is by using a water filter like the Katadyn Hiker Pro (if you are looking for a portable unit), Berkey Light (tabletop), or the ProPur (also tabletop). As a double back-up, it’s a good idea to keep a small bottle of plain chlorine bleach (unscented sodium hypochlorite) on hand for disinfection of water in case your filter system has a problem or proves inadequate for your needs. Treatment of water consists of adding 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water and allowing it to stand for at least 30 minutes before using. Never assume that you will have potable tap water or the means to boil easily boil gallons of water every day in the event of a serious emergency.

Unless you are one of the few Americans with a propane refrigerator (yes, they do exist!), one of your big concerns in the event of a power failure will be refrigeration. A common solution for the short term, and if you have advance notice, is a chest cooler with water ice or dry ice. This obviously isn’t going to be an option if your power stays out for more than a week or so, though. Unless you are willing to risk dangerous food poisoning by leaving cooked foods at room temperature more than a few hours, the best option is to only prepare what you can eat within 12 to 24 hours. Any food left unrefrigerated must be reheated to a boil before eating to kill any disease-causing bacteria, and this alone is no guarantee of safety.

Of course, all this talk about boiling water and cooking or heating food is all for naught if you don’t have a functioning stove of some sort. In the event of a disruption in power and/or natural gas or propane supplies, most homes will not have a way to cook. Wood cook stoves have long since gone the way of the buggy whip unless you are Amish or an extremely dedicated self-sufficiency practitioner. So your emergency preparations will need to include a cooking stove of some sort and the appropriate fuel, too. If you just want a highly portable means of heating small amounts of water, a little Cube Stove might be the perfect choice. If you need something with a little greater capability but that is still portable, a propane backpacking stove is just the ticket – but don’t forget to keep the small gas canisters on hand. A full size camping stove with two burners is probably the minimum you’ll want for family use, and some of these have multiple fuel capabilities for maximum flexibility. And the standard patio gas grill with side burner makes a surprisingly passable emergency stove, as many residents of California and Florida discover every year when the inevitable earthquakes, fires, and hurricanes put in their appearances. Just remember to give your stove a dry run well in advance of any emergency to work the kinks out of the process.

Don’t forget to read up on how to cook whatever you have in your food storage. Have the information and recipes available in printed form rather than simply assuming that your internet connection or even your computer will be operational in a disaster. This website has some excellent books that will help you to utilize your stored foods effectively. The internet is full of websites that discuss emergency food preparation and cooking – use those resources now, while you still can.

Speaking from personal experience, I’d like to offer one last piece of advice: Cooking from scratch is great – until an emergency strikes – then you need the convenience of easy-to-prepare products. When your personal life is in turmoil, the infrastructure that makes your life simple and easy today comes crashing down due to nature or human activity, and the necessities you take for granted are no longer available, you will not have the mental energy to prepare recipes. If there is ever a time for using “convenience” foods, it is during an emergency. Store foods that require a minimum of preparation, and leave the do-it-yourself purism for another day.

At Last! ‘Powdered’ Eggs You Can Actually Eat

I have always been happy with pretty much any storable food I’ve ever tried -except for powdered eggs. The nicest thing I could say about the typical powdered egg product was that it was tolerable -as long as I smothered it in ketchup and Tabasco sauce to disguise the flavor and hide the texture.

The problem with those powdered eggs was that the only way eggs could be converted into a form that would allow them to be stored long-term was to cook them at high temperatures. This caused the eggs to lose their fresh taste and turned them into unappetizing curdled lumps when reconstituted and scrambled.

Well, I’m happy to announce everything is sunny again because a new process has been invented where the end product is undetectable from fresh scrambled eggs. You literally cannot tell the difference. I am not exaggerating. I have proved this point on the world’s most demanding gourmand.

“Eggs Done Right” is the new product where eggs are crystallized at very low temperatures, and when prepared, they cook up exactly like fresh scrambled eggs or omelets.

I ordered a case of Eggs Done Right from EfoodsDirect.com in order to try them out. The box contained six very large Mylar pouches; within each of these were four smaller Mylar pouches, double bagged to ensure freshness.

The instructions read “In general, mix 2 parts egg to 3 parts cold water.” I liked that it said “in general” because that meant I didn’t have to be too precise in my measurements, which I rarely am. And in fact, later on I found I could just guess on the ratios and it didn’t matter if I had too much water, as the eggs seemed to fluff up better when I overdid it a little.

But for my first attempt, I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup because that was the smallest measure I could find. Two quarter cups product and three of water fit nicely into a medium size bowl.  I noticed right off that the consistency of the powder looked nothing like the floury substance I had seen in the past; these egg crystals resembled very fine Tang.  I used a small whisk to mix it, and it dissolved instantly; no lumps and no trouble.  The liquid in my bowl was a deep school bus yellow.

But as soon as it hit the frying pan, the color lightened to a perfect sunshine yellow, the exact shade you would see in a batch of fresh scrambled eggs.  If I were to guess about the equivalent of my batter to whole fresh eggs, I’d say my little batch was about equal to five large eggs.

I was impressed that this batter allowed me to gently lift the edges all around the pan so the liquid batter could fill in underneath itself, the way I normally prepare an omelet before folding, and within 30 seconds or so, I flipped the whole thing over like a pancake. A few seconds more, and it was done. I rolled it onto my plate.

I didn’t salt this omelet because I wanted to see how it tasted by itself. I was utterly amazed. It looked, smelled, and tasted exactly like a fresh egg omelet. Which of course is what it was. The ingredients in the package are eggs, and only eggs. Nothing else added.

But the real test would come when I tried these eggs out on my wife Connie, who is more finicky about her food than a child. My actual children can attest to that. If Connie didn’t notice anything “artificial” about these eggs, they could pass any test.

To be accurate, referring to Connie as a picky eater is unfair. She just happens to fall into the category of persons researchers have come to call “Supertasters,” people who actually experience the sense of taste with far greater intensity than average. This makes Connie highly acute to detecting anything that tastes the least bit “off.” So if anyone would find something in these eggs to be critical of, it would be my darling bride, who has rejected my cooking more times than…well, lots and lots of times.

Connie had not been aware of the arrival of the shipment of eggs, and I decided not to tell her. In fact, when I mentioned the previous week that I was ordering a an improved type of powdered eggs for our food storage, she said, “Well, you can just enjoy them by yourself.” I knew she wouldn’t taste them on a dare.

So, I cooked her up breakfast in bed. Connie likes the way I cook her eggs, which is one egg thinly cooked like a crepe then rolled onto the plate all folded up like a delicate burrito. This time I just guessed on the powder-to-egg ratio, and though it was more watery than my first batch, the water all cooked off and it came out thin and fluffy and perfect.

Connie prefers her eggs fried in butter, so that’s what I cooked them in. After I delivered Connie her breakfast in bed, she did what she never does: she asked if she could have another one of those eggs. Connie said that one was so good she just had to have another. That’s when I told her it was made from powder.

You know how sometimes you’ll tell a person something and they’ll say say, “I don’t believe you”? Well, Connie really, truly did not believe me when I said these eggs came from powder.  She had to come out to the kitchen and see for herself.  And when she saw the mix hit the frying pan, it was still difficult for her to believe they weren’t “real.” Her egg was looking and cooking up just like a regular egg would.

We have eaten these eggs every day now for a week.  Tonight we had them for dinner. This mix can be used in any recipe calling for eggs, and in fact I added a couple of tablespoons into a pancake batter even though the batter did not require it. Best pancakes my little supertaster tells me I’ve ever made.

The only problem I’ve encountered with these eggs is that if we don’t stop eating them soon, we’ll have none left over to put aside for the future.  So we’ll stop eating them right after we finish just one more pouch. I promise.

To order Eggs Done Right, click here!

Top 8 Emergency Preparedness Tips for Families Affected by Autism

In honor of Autism Awareness month, I wanted to post a list of emergency preparedness tips for families affected by autism.  According to the CDC, 1 in 88 kids is diagnosed with autism, which means that if you don’t have a child with autism in your family, it is very likely that you know someone who does.  Three of my friends have children with autism, and I can see that their disaster planning requires a little more thought than my own.

Of course, one of the challenges in addressing the needs of families affected by autism is that autism is a spectrum disorder; individuals with autism are not all alike, and there is no “right” set of emergency preparedness suggestions for everyone.  Parents will need to use their best judgment in determining what will help their child and what will not.

With that in mind, here is a list of the top eight emergency preparedness tips for families affected by autism:

1. Use identification.  This is especially important for nonverbal children with autism. Disaster planning is all about preparing for times of unexpected change, and changes are often difficult for those with autism, so this may be an important consideration even for verbal children with autism.  ID bracelets are great, labeling clothing is a good idea, there are stickers available, and you can check to see whether the police department in your area participates with the Take Me Home project.
2. Make a plan together, and practice it ahead so that the child with autism knows the plan well, and if you ever need to rely upon your disaster planning, it will be as comfortable and stress-free as possible, for everyone!  Build a 72-hour kit together.  Practice eating what you would eat during an emergency so that it is not new.  (Some families may wish to consult with a teacher or therapist for suggestions on how to implement this.)
3. Minimize emergencies as much as possible by planning to keep things as normal as possible.  Stay calm.  Store items that will reduce the effects of the disaster (have things that you need, such as pictures, important objects, or prescriptions).  Have phone numbers for specialists and teachers, etc, stored somewhere other than only in your phone so that you can stay in touch with them if your emergency is local. Hopefully, your support team is unaffected by the emergency.
4. Stick with (and develop) routines within your emergency.  For example, if you are able to safely shelter in place after an emergency instead of evacuating your home, that may be helpful.  Or, if you must evacuate your home, consider staying somewhere that is already familiar to your child with autism instead of staying somewhere that is local but completely new.
5. Avoid environmental toxins, including heavy metals.  Unfortunately, many disasters pose an increased risk of exposure to various types of toxins, and people with autism often have trouble getting these things out of their bodies.  As you plan your disaster preparedness, include preparations for emergencies that include chemicals.  Be sure to have adequate plastic sheeting and duct tape included in your emergency supplies, in case you need to protect the air inside your home.  Along the same lines, it is a good idea to have emergency masks on hand; they are inexpensive, and can dramatically reduce exposure to airborne toxins.  Some families will also wish to store food that does not contain problem ingredients; eFoods Direct New to Prepping?  Start here!
6. Plan for extreme parenting demands.  In some ways, you are probably already adapted to this, but an emergency will present new challenges, and if you prepare for them, things will go smoother.  An example of how you may choose to plan for extreme parenting demands is, for some, it would be appropriate for one parent to carry the 72 hour kit for the child with autism.
7. Develop a support network—if you can find someone else to help in an emergency, it will help everything seem a lot more manageable.

That was my list of the top eight emergency preparedness tips for families affected by autism.  What other ways have you found to help your family be prepared for an emergency?

How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse

BRAAAIIIIINNNNSSSS. Zombies are everywhere these days: appearing in the media in games like Plants vs Zombies, movies like Zombieland, and TV shows like The Walking Dead. They even show up in classical book rewrites, a la Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Of course, the chances that you will meet one zombie, let alone a horde of apocalyptic proportions, are incredibly tiny, but the emergency preparedness principles here are sound for any type of disaster. Would YOU know how to survive a zombie apocalypse if it really happened?

Food Storage, Water, and Other Basic Supplies

Fortunately, zombies are only on the hunt for brains, not food, so your supplies will be safe. You need to keep your strength up, so you can get away from the undead quickly when they show up. Stock up on a variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, and proteins for optimal health. In addition to a generous stock in your pantry of several months’ worth of food storage, water, and seeds to grow your own food, you will want a portable supply like eFoods’ 2-Week Individual or Family Grab and Go packs that includes food, a water purifier, cooking supplies, and emergency masks in a handy duffel bag. The CDC also suggests having clothing and your important documents on hand for an emergency, so you could add these to your pack. At the first hint of a zombie moan, you can grab your bag and escape to a safer location.

• Storing Water Part 1: The Food Storage Item Most People Forget

Fitness and Wellness Plan

Two tips given in the movie Zombieland to survive a zombie apocalypse were “Cardio” and “Limber Up.” If you are in your best physical shape, it will be easier to outrun shambling corpses…or have a better possible outcome in disasters like fires, floods, and earthquakes. Exercise regularly and make sure you are up to date on your preventive medical needs.

• KiP 11: Medical Preparedness
• Get Yourself in Shape

First Aid Kit

As the CDC warns, you’re headed for zombiehood yourself if one manages to bite you.  However, you might sustain injuries as you try to escape or have other medical issues crop up, so keep a well-stocked first aid kit around to ensure that your ill health won’t turn you into zombie bait. You should also include any needed prescription and over-the-counter medicines that your family uses.

• Emergency Kit: First Aid

Know Your Escape Routes

Carefully consider the layout of your home and neighborhood.  Look for all of the escape routes and secure them against intruders.  The CDC suggests that you create an emergency plan so that all family members are educated on what to do. It should include meeting points in case of separation, emergency contacts, and possible routes to take as you flee from the undead. Whenever you visit a new location, do a rapid assessment, so you are not caught unaware.

• Protecting your Preparations: Defense options – Secure your Home
• Emergency Kit: Know Your Surroundings

Weapons

Traditional weapons used to battle zombies include baseball bats, chainsaws, and shotguns, though as Cracked.com points out, those usually shown would actually lead to your demise. As much as we might not relish the thought, protecting your emergency preparedness storage with a weapon may become necessary. You may choose to have items like mace, pepper spray, thorny bushes, or guard dogs to fend off marauders. You could possibly decide that a firearm or other weapon will be the best solution for your situation. Consider all of your options very carefully. Make sure you know what is legal to own and the proper procedures for buying them.  Take training classes for any firearms, and keep them securely stored.

• Protecting Your Preparations: Defense options – Guns and Ammo

You will almost certainly never have to actually worry about how to survive a zombie apocalypse, but by preparing yourself for one, you will be ready for other emergency situations.

Sources:

Ali S. Khan, Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse, CDC, May 16, 2011

Luke McKinney, 7 Famous Zombie Movie Weapons (That Would Get You Killed), Cracked.com, October 30, 2011

Boston Marathon Shooting leads to City Lockdown: Are you Prepared?

As police are on the hunt to find the bombers responsible for the Boston Marathon Bombing, the city has been put on lockdown. All schools have been closed, and the public transportation system shut down, according to U.S. News. The purpose of the lockdown is to protect all the people in the city from possible attacks during the manhunt.

The question is: what would you do if your city went into lockdown?

Get a food storage

There is a very real possibility that your city could be next, so you need to prepare now for a lockdown. Nobody knows how long any lockdown will last. A one-week food supply might be enough to get you by when there is a lockdown, but you should probably have a one-month food supply around in case of a longer emergency.

When the city has been shut down and everyone is expected to stay indoors, there may be no way for you to get to the store to buy dinner for the night or to get to a restaurant. If you are only in lockdown for a few hours, then it will not matter as much. The problem is that you could end up in lockdown for just a couple of hours or for days depending on the situation.

While just sitting in your home for days, you may even want extra snacks such as freeze dried fruits to keep everyone happy. It is a perfect way to keep all the kids calm when they cannot head outside and get exercise.

Make sure it is nutritious

The other great thing about—-eFoods products——-is that you are getting the nutrition needed during the lockdown. Those who only prepared for emergencies with candy bars and rice will be hurting by the time the lockdown is over. By always keeping a nutritious food storage around, you can be sure that you will stay healthy and enjoy the food during the incident.

Extra toiletries

If you are going to be in the lockdown for days, you may need some other things. It is always better to have extra toiletries around for an emergency. If your city gets put on lockdown, and you are on your last roll of toilet paper, you will be hurting. Make sure you have extra deodorant and clean clothes prepared, so at the very least, you can stay clean and smell good.

As we are seeing with the Boston Marathon situation, it is very possible for a city to go on lockdown at any point; are you prepared?

Source: USNews.com

Get Ready for Gardening Season!

As part of my emergency preparedness, I’m really looking forward to planting a vegetable garden this year. It’s been a few years since I’ve been able to have one, but now I’m in a new house with room in the backyard for a decent size garden. In my imagination, this garden will be my best one ever! But here, I am in a new climate (this isn’t California, for sure!), and I’m not quite sure when spring will start. I’ve been waiting (mostly patiently) for spring and to be able to plant without danger of frost. The temperatures during the day here have been very pleasant recently – but I just heard we are due for freezing temperatures again tonight.

Thankfully, my daughter (who has experience with gardening in Utah) warned me a few months ago. “The seeds and plant starts at the stores are just teasing you. It is too early to plant them…or even to start the seeds inside. When they are big enough to plant outside, it still won’t be warm enough.” I wanted to start as soon as I saw gardening things available to buy, but I guess that would have been a bit like buying a new swimsuit in March – way too early to do anything with it once I had it.

Instead of getting the garden actually planted, I’ve been working on the “pre-garden” tasks. There are more than you would think!

Why bother with having a garden?

There are so many reasons I want a garden this year. Have you ever tasted a tomato that is fresh from the vine of a home garden? As my mother said, “it’s a whole different vegetable.” – Fresh tomatoes are much more flavorful than the tomatoes from the supermarket! But there are other reasons to have a garden. There’s the “working in the earth is good therapy” aspect and the “kids are more willing to eat things they helped grow” aspect. And there are several emergency preparedness reasons for having a garden. Having a garden means you can add fresh, organic vegetables right from your garden to your eFoods meals instead of buying produce elsewhere – which is much better for the family budget and our world. Also, when you have a garden, there is the potential for more food during an emergency: fresh if it is growing when you need it, or canned or bottled if you had a great crop and are able to store some for the off season. And knowing how to garden is a valuable self-sufficiency skill to have – along with storing seeds that you can use for a garden.

So considering there’s another frost expected tonight, and it’s too early to put the seeds into the ground, what gardening can we do now? There is plenty of preliminary work we can and should do before planting anything. First of all, think about where you will put the garden, and what type you want. Do you want it in the ground or up in raised beds? Or will you be doing container gardening? Each method has its benefits, and you can evaluate them for your situation. You can plan what you will plant where and how much to plant of each kind. Once the ground has thawed, it’s time to prepare the garden spot – dig in the soil, loosen it, get rid of any weeds, and add in mulch or other fertilizer. You can also buy your seeds – but hold off on buying plants that are already started until you’ve got the ground ready and they can go into the ground soon. Personally, I’m leaning towards raised beds for some square-foot gardening this time. I’ve heard those help give a good yield, and I’m curious to try them.

Unfortunately, for most of us, gardening isn’t something we can do year round, so it is important to have food stored as well. Some can be preserved from our own garden during the growing season, assuming we grow enough that we don’t eat it all fresh, but other things are best bought already packaged for when we need it, including eFoodsDirect products.

So join me, while we wait for spring to really arrive, and let’s plan why, when, and what type of garden we want this year. Whether you are growing tomatoes in containers on your apartment balcony or have a large backyard garden with several types of vegetables, you can have fresh vegetables to add to your eFoods storage and enhance your gardening skills – which adds to your personal preparedness. Let’s both continue to dream of the amazing garden we will have this year!

Boston City Marathon Leads to City Lockdown: Are you Prepared?

New to Prepping?  Start Here!

Have you heard about the The Pitfalls of the Monsanto Protection Act?

Special Emergency Preparedness Considerations When You Have Young Children

My children are more precious to me than anything on Earth. My husband and I would literally die for them. I know I am not alone in this. Any normal parent can relate to this, which is why it is so important to make sure that special considerations are made when doing any prepping that involves young children.

Make sure that you include the following emergency preparations when you have young children:

Create Information Packets

Some children may be too young or scared to communicate during a disaster. That is why it is important to make sure that they have an information packet on them in the event that they become separated from you. The packet should include information on how to reach you plus an alternative contact, photos of you and other family members, and any special information about your child that may be helpful to rescue workers. For example, my youngest can be soothed with a teddy bear or stuffed animal.

For your own kit, make sure to include photos of your children. Write their name, age and sex on the back of the photo. Each parent or caregiver should have his or her own set of photos to make finding a lost child easier.

Keep Yourself Fit

If you have young children, you will need the physical fitness to take care of them as well as yourself. You may need to carry them long distances in addition to carrying your gear and theirs. You’ll have to compensate for their weaknesses with your own physical strength.

Mom and Dad (or caregiver) should both get into a habit of exercising and eating well to get yourself into peak condition. Rock recently wrote an article on how he got himself fit: How to Select Emergency Food Supplies for Kids.