Blog Post
Are You Prepared?
If you haven't started, there's no time like the present!
Back in February I posted about the need to be prepared for the coming woes. Doesn’t February seem like forever ago? Now we can see very clearly that we WILL face extreme food shortages and difficulty getting anything that cannot be obtained locally. If you haven’t started preparing, I encourage you to do so ASAP.
The Bible tells us not to hoard, but it also tells us that it’s wise to prepare for what’s to come. Personally, I am preparing to care for my own family’s needs and also help others in need when the time comes. If this task seems daunting, it doesn’t have to be! “Eat the elephant one bite at a time” as the adage goes. Here are some ideas to get started:
1. Stock up on items you and your family consume most often. When shopping, notice sales and buy more than you need of the things you frequently consume. (Don’t buy a case of lima beans because they are two-for-one if your family doesn’t eat lima beans!) Look for deals on healthy, nutritious foods and don’t compromise and think your fallback needs to be a S.A.D. diet! Our favorite place to stock up is Costco – ours has many organic items. I also look for and take advantage of really good deals our local grocer offers weekly, even if we don’t immediately need the items. Stock up on pet food, too, if applicable – it’ll be one of the first things to go. Learn how to make your own if need be.
2. Use a vacuum sealer or mylar bags for many different dry goods. You can also use the jar lid attachment to vacuum seal items in jars. Label the sealed items with the sealing date and the item’s expiration date (if not visible). Note that sealed items will last much longer than their expiration date! I also use our FoodSaver to seal frozen packages of meats and veggies.
3. Consider purchasing a dehydrator. Some air fryers have this function. If you have like-minded friends in close proximity, consider sharing the purchase and use of freeze-drying equipment.
4. Take advantage of local farmer’s markets during these next couple of months to purchase fresh, organic produce that you haven’t or aren’t growing yourself. Can, freeze, or dehydrate them.
5. Plant a garden if you have any means to do so. Look for organic seeds or seedlings. We don’t have much space or full sun on our wooded property, but we built a small fenced in open garden and a greenhouse next to it. I also have plants in sunny windows and on our deck. Container and small-space gardening is easy and economical and there are lots of resources on getting started. Do whatever you can!
6. Have a way to store drinking water if you are not on a well. Be prepared to purify water if need be.
7. Seriously consider a generator to keep freezers powered and your home cooled or heated, if needed. Know how to prepare meals without an oven or electric stovetop. Have enough non-electric lighting for all rooms in your home. Do not use generic candles as your light source! Most candle wicks contain lead, and scented candles give off toxic VOCs. If you use candles, choose non-toxic options for the health and safety of you and your family.
8. If the power goes out for an extended period and have you cannot keep freezers powered, be prepared to quickly move refrigerated items to larger coolers and to dehydrate meat and frozen veggies. Canning can work here, too, if you have a gas stove when electricity goes out.
9. Ensure you have enough supplements and/or meds for your family’s needs. Note that the expiration date on nearly all supplements and meds is arbitrary and they are typically just fine for many months following the expiry. Also think of things that you don’t normally use but may need in an emergency or unforeseen illness. Every family should have a nebulizer, apple cider vinegar, food-grade hydrogen peroxide, saline, wound care items, etc. This list alone could be its own post!
10. Be sure to rotate your pantry and freezer items as you accumulate for the future. We have a pantry in our kitchen, and we created a second one in our garage with a simple shelving unit. We purchased a couple of small chest freezers in which we keep locally harvested beef, pork and chicken. We created an inventory list we keep on a clip board (item, date, location) and update it as we use things. Every 4 months or so we rotate frozen foods to ensure we’re not wasting anything “at the bottom.” (This rarely happens since we vacuum seal all frozen packages from the butcher.)Don’t forget about personal protection. Our 2A rights are already in danger. Ensure you have protection, are very versed in both use and safety along with your family. It may seem extreme to some, but it’s definitely not! All you have to do is look at our neighbors to the north to know this.
11. Speaking of neighbors, get to know them! It will be very important when things get dicey. Bartering will become a critical activity, especially when fiat currency (flat money) is no longer a thing once digital/global currency is the only means to purchase. Knowing those in your community who are preparing as you are, will be incredibly helpful in a myriad of situations when TSHTF. Consider organizing a group at your church to help people get prepared and create a network that will be in place when needed. Communication is also important. Consider how you will communicate with friends and family if LAN lines and mobile communications are down.
12. While this is certainly not a complete list, it wouldn’t be a worthwhile list without the most important preparation you can make, and that is to be prepared for eternity. There are two means by which our generation will enter into eternity: Death or Rapture. And either could happen at any moment. Those who are not found with saving faith in Jesus when they die, or when He comes to call up His people, will be left on this planet for an unspeakable final seven years (called the Tribulation). I plead with anyone reading this to seriously consider your spiritual state and relationship with Jesus Christ. (More information can be found at the bottom of this blog page, “Saved From Death,” and also here: https://calvarycch.org/know-jesus/, here: https://www.raptureready.com/2016/07/18/will-spend-eternity/, here: https://www.davidjeremiah.org/this-could-be-the-day
and here: https://www.aftertherapture.com/.)
For anyone who needs more support and information on food shortages and preparation, there is a great group on Facebook you might consider: https://www.facebook.com/groups/443853870507192. There are also online groups focused on various methods of food storage, gardening, 2A, and tips and tricks on all the topics above. What’s yours?
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Have you heard about a tick (currently largely on the eastern half of the country, but spreading) that produces a severe red-meat allergy? It's the Lone Star tick (so called because of its distinctive white dot) and can produce alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a severe allergy in those bitten, specifically to red-meat. Most articles I've seen are from conventional news sites (which are much more into fear mongering, so I always take this with a grain of salt), but I found this more even-handed article to share, especially since AGS, like Lyme disease, is definitely no bueno. IMPORTANT UPDATE! This morning (9/2/23) I ran across this in one of the Telegram channels I follow: “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Alpha-Gal Syndrome is linked to vaccine anaphylaxis.” ( https://greatgameindia.com/alpha-gal-syndrome-linked-to-vaccine-anaphylaxis/ ) The article lists FAR more serious issues than allergic reaction to red meat! Please do take a look! There are easy and natural preventions for ticks and include: Wearing light clothing (to see ticks easier); wearing long sleeves and pants tucked into socks. Rose Geranium essential oil : A drop on each shoe, or a drop or two in a charm worn around the neck or wrist. This EO works for dogs, too! Place 2-3 drops on the outer edges of a bandana and place around the dog’s neck before a hike. You can also place the oil directly on the dog: A drop behind each shoulder blade and one drop near the base of the tail. Always check for ticks after trekking in areas where ticks are found. If bitten, here’s a resource for natural remedies : https://www.kitchenstewardship.com/natural-tick-bite-treatment/ Stay safe and tick-free out there!
It's back to school time, and time to place some focus on keeping children healthy and ensuring a strong immune system. Kids, especially young ones, LOVE to share germs via sharing toys, food, and more. While coming in contact with germs on a regular basis actually strengthens the immune system, a classroom full of kids (including sick ones) after a summer playing outdoors can be a big change to those little bodies. Here are a couple of articles from one of my supplement dispensary companies that parents should find helpful: Bolstering Back to School Good Bugs: Here’s Why Kids Need Probiotics Supporting Kids Immunity Need access to good quality supplements for your kiddos at a good discount? Check out my Fullscript dispensary !
If it’s not one thing, it’s another. And these shortage issues aren’t going to getting better. This time it’s tampons, ladies! No, this isn't a nutrition issue, but it can be a serious one, none-the-less. And with all things, the more natural we can get, the better. Because of the current shortage, the chemicals in GMO cotton (etc.) and the chance of toxic shock syndrome (TSS), there are safer (and less expensive) alternatives to tampons. (If you are not up on the toxicity of tampons, I’ll post a couple of links below.) Before my hysterectomy, my “go-to” was “The Cup” but in recent years many other alternatives have been developed. Might not be a bad idea to have one or two on hand! Check these out: The best tampon alternatives, and how to use them | Mashable Are There Toxic Chemicals in Your Tampons? (verywellhealth.com) Toxic Shock Syndrome: What You Need to Know - Dr. Jolene Brighten (drbrighten.com)
Hi friends, with the baby formula shortage across the country, I've collected a few resources for homemade formula. Of course, breast feeding is by far the best, but that's not always possible for every mama. Here are a few options: https://janejohnson.com/why-i-chose-an-easy-and-affordable-homemade-goat-milk-formula-for-my-baby/ https://drjockers.com/homemade-baby-formula/ https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/childrens-health/formula-homemade-baby-formula/ https://goatmilkformula.com/2020/09/25/homemade-goat-milk-formula-recipe/ Do you have a favorite? Tell me about it!
This admonition comes with personal experience with friends as well as observation of current situations and covers a variety of areas. Here are two: First, with regard to illness, it’s always a good idea to have everything on hand needed for common illnesses (flu, colds, and of course, now the Rohna). When someone falls ill, it’s often too late to order things you can’t get at your local store. (To prepare your “Rohna Kit” see the various “Treatment” sections in our PDF resources in Resources.) Have your selected protocol(s) printed and stored with your meds and supplements. Think about things like a nebulizer, a pulse oximeter, a thermometer, Ivermectin, Budensonide, HCQ, etc. Early treatment is imperative! Trust me, you do not want to wait, even a few days! Second, many of you have likely noticed bare shelves in grocery stores, common items out of stock, skyrocketing prices of many goods, etc. We also are aware of good men and women that drive very large vehicles with many wheels and carry goods to and fro across our continent. These awesome people are fighting for freedom for all of us. The convoy in Canada is going strong and working. The convoy in the U.S. kicks off later this month. These patriotic activities will temporarily impact supply chain issues to an even greater degree. Stock up on necessities and healthy foods and your supplements, erect a green house, plant a garden, purchase a side of beef from a local rancher, strike up a partnership with neighbors to share what you raise or grow or share purchases from stores like Costco and Sam’s. Join online groups focused on these things for more ideas. I’m not a “Henny Penny” and the sky’s not falling yet, but it’s important to pay attention to what’s going on around us and prepare for the obvious. Especially for those of us endeavoring to get and stay healthy – a little more attention is needed to ensure we have good things on hand in the event they might not be always available in our area. I’m likely preaching to the choir, but I’m a Gramma with a platform and so I reserve the right to exhort people once in a while! 👩🦳🤓🤣 "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come." ~Proverbs 31
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