May 2012

Mock Root Cellars  

I attended the Utah Preparedness Expo at the Davis Conference center and attended a Mock Root Cellar class taught by Mark Standing. He showed us a crisp hard potato that he just pulled out of his mock root cellar (April 14th). Firm, no sprouts and actually better than store quality. I thought we could all benefit from storing our fresh vegetables or fruits longer without an official root cellar. Mark Standing's mock root cellar design was taken from PrepareAware's Blog, Root Cellars on May 5, 2010. The following is information taken from that article and Mark's class. 

Did you know you can make your own root cellar at home and you don’t need to spend a fortune?  The cost is about $35 and you will have longer lasting fruits and vegetables through the cold season.  Or even a place to keep your food storage when summer temps spike and you don’t have a place cool to keep it. 

First the science behind preserving veggies and fruits is essential to making your own root cellar work well (I promise it will be in layman terms and I won’t bore you to death).   In order for root cellars to work (for most veggies and fruits) you need 90 – 95% humidity.  Which here in Utah (the second dryest state in the union) is tough to come by.  Also, most fruits and veggies store best at 32 degrees.  

That said, LET’S BUILD A ROOT CELLAR:

 1. Buy a 20 – 30 gallon plastic trash can with a lid (plastic is better – if you use galvanized metal, you will need to line it with a food friendly plastic liner). 

 2. With a 1/4″ drill, make 10 – 12 holes in the bottom of the can (so condensation can escape). 

 3. Dig a deep hole into the ground about the height of your trash can. 

 4. In the bottom of the hole put down some gravel. 

 5. Next place your can into the hole and back fill around the can for a snug fit.  If you are ready to store your winter crops, make sure you let all of your fruits and veggies cool overnight before putting them into your new mock root cellar. 

 6. Place a layer of veggies down and separate them from the next variety of veggies by a 2″ layer of straw.  Continuing layering until the can is full. 

 7. Now you have two insulation options – one, you can put the lid on and cover with a dome of 16 – 18″ of straw around the lid (you can also use sand, dry leaves, peat moss, or odorless saw dust).  Or two, you can buy a domed lid for your can and put spray-on insulation on the inside of the domed lid.  Viola!  You are done!

 FRUITS!  It is important that you don’t store your fruits and veggies TOGETHER!  You must keep a seperate can for fruits.  The ethylene gas that fruits emit cause ripening and if this gas comes in contact with your veggies, kiss them goodbye. 

February 2012

Food Storage Types

As we plan for another year, we need to continue with our efforts with an adequate food storage program. We all come from different backgrounds, family sizes and food needs. We all have different budgets and storage space that is available to us. So what is the best way to have a food storage supply? There is no right or wrong answer but it just has to work for us when we need it. The First Presidency has encourage us to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings. It is recommended that we start by working on a 3 month supply and build up for longer term needs. One of the biggest obstacles with our food storage is rotation. We may collect food but it goes bad before we know it. So I propose that there are 2 types of food storage: Rotated and Non- rotated.

Rotated -

The ideal food storage to have would be a food pantry that contains 3 months of the food we normally eat. This food is rotated and replaced weekly. Longer term storage also needs rotation but we have more time to utilize it and replace it. We must be aware of expiration dates as to avoid spoilage. Rotating food storage takes time and discipline to make effective. See Tips and Ideas for Food Storage Rotation under our Articles section.

Non-rotated-

This type of food storage has everything we need but has a 25-30 year shelf-life. This food is freeze-dried and in cans or pouches. No discipline and no regular rotation needed. They may even consist pre-made meals. All you do is just add hot water and you have instant lasagna and blueberry crumble. You just replace it every 25 years. For some people and for some lifestyles, this is worth considering. Companies have made this easy for us to build our food storage a la cart or they offer preset breakfasts, lunches and dinners already for us. I have listed some of the more prominent Food Storage Companies and contact information (most of them are Utah companies) under the Articles section for you to view and compare. Plan to pay a premium for this type of food.

The important thing to understand is that the type of food storage is secondary to just having a food storage program. Our needs and abilities are different but we will all have the same need to eat. Personally, my wife and I have the rotating food storage but I added a 2 week supply of the Grab and Go freeze-dried meals to have a variety of both kinds. Best wishes as you continue your efforts!

November 2011

Home Storage Centers

The Church has provided home storage centers help members become prepared for adversity by having a basic supply of food. The First Presidency declared, “We encourage Church members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water” (in All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage [2007], 1).

To help care for themselves and their families, Church members should:

·         Build a three-month supply of food that is part of their normal diet.

·         Store drinking water in case the water supply becomes polluted or disrupted.

·         Establish a financial reserve.

·         Gradually build a longer-term supply of food that will sustain life. 

Three-month supply items are foods that you normally eat, including canned and commercially packaged foods. Longer-term supply items are basic food items like wheat, white rice, and beans that have very low moisture content (about 10% or less), can be stored for long periods of time (20–30 years), and would sustain life if nothing else were available to eat. A portion of longer-term supply items may be rotated into the three-month supply.

Home storage centers provide food products and equipment to help Church members package food for longer-term home storage. Members purchase bulk commodities at the center and then package them in #10 cans or foil pouches. They may also purchase some products that have been prepackaged in #10 cans. Home storage centers (as well as our Stake) have portable can sealers and pouch sealers available for members to check out if they wish to package food at home. Home storage centers can also provide meaningful service opportunities for those desiring to serve missions or to volunteer. 

Using the Home Storage Center

Church members may come to a home storage center by themselves or in groups to package and purchase products. A home storage order form is available to download to assist you in planning your next purchase from a home storage center. Members can download or print a copy of the form at www.providentliving.org. http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7977-1-4352-1,00.html

 The prices are effective as of the date printed in the lower-left corner of the form. Copies of the form are also available at all home storage centers. The home storage order form can be filled out using the computer if you choose. As you enter desired quantities, the form automatically updates your total cost. The form can then be printed, saved for future reference, or even e-mailed to a friend. Bring the form with you when you visit the home storage center. Appointments days and times vary. Some days require appointments while other days are open (no appointment necessary, first come first serve).

Our local home storage centers are:

Layton Home Storage Center Phone: (801) 336-3230 930 West Hill Field Rd, Ste F
Layton, Utah 84041 Ogden Home Storage Center Phone: (801) 393-0210
1525 Lincoln Avenue Ogden, Utah 84404

October 2011

Preparedness Survey 

We just finished our city emergency drill. Are you ready for a real one? Please use this check survey to test your preparedness. It will teach you what your weak areas are.

FOOD

•   I have enough food for my family for 14 days
•   I have enough food for my family for 3 months
•   I have enough food for my family for 1 year
•   I know how to use and prepare my stored food
•   I have many recipes for my stored food
•   My stored food is little adjustment to my current diet
•   My stored food is properly kept and rotated regularly
•   I have used the Family Dry Pack in Layton/Ogden
•   I have an alternative cooking source

WATER

•   I have 1 gal water/person/day for 14 days
•   I know water purifying techniques
•   I have a water purifying system
•   My stored water has been changed in the last 2 years

FINANCIAL

•   I have a financial reserve to last 3-6 months
•   I have sufficient cash at home

FAMILY

•   I know what should be in my Family Plan
•   My family each has an emergency contact list
•   My family has an out of area/state contact list
•   My family has a local/area meeting place
•   I have important information secured and copied
•   I have current photos of my family

SAFETY

•   I know First Aid/CPR skills
•   I have flashlights that work
•   I know how to shut off my water/gas/electricity
•   I have and know how to use a fire extinguisher
•   I have an emergency radio (battery/solar)
•   I have an alternate source of safe heat/warmth

EVACUATION

•   I have a 72 hour kit for each family member
•    My 72 hour kits are rotated every 6 months (summer/winter)
•   My cars all have car emergency kits
•   My cars are always 1/2 full of gas
•   We have a fire escape plan for our home

Question: If you could not purchase anything for 2 weeks, what 3 things would you need/miss the most?

Now you know what you need to work on. You don't have to panic or go in debt to get everything ready by tomorrow. Just make goals and try to accomplish something each month as you are able. Doing something gets you farther than saying one day I'll work on it and then do nothing. Some of us may need to re-evaluate our priorities. Make your families first and sleep well at night.