Survival Sanitation in a Emergency Sanitation Situation

When you are in a emergency situation, proper sanitation is of utmost importance if you want to keep your family from getting seriously sick. When you add to that a lack of medical facilities due to grid-down issues, staying healthy becomes even more crucial.

When the grid goes down it doesn't take long for serious sanitation problems to erupt. Take Auckland New Zealand for example:

Identifying and Handling Spoiled Canned Food

How many of you have wondered what spoiled canned food looks like and how to take care of it? Our mothers have all told us to look for bulging cans or lids that have popped off, but did you know that you may be dealing with very hazardous substances? The best thing is to always err on the side of caution. No one wants to have the worst of the worst to deal with, but it is best to know what to look for and how to dispose of it properly is you ever encounter powerful toxins. This can occur whether it is store bought foods or home canned.

Getting Rid of Earwigs or Not. It's up to you.

I've noticed that it's the season for earwigs in the garden. They hop aboard your pant legs and come into the house. Yuck! So .... if you'd like to get rid of them in the garden there is an easy non-toxic way, and you won't have "friends" visiting indoors. They have a useful purpose outside, but I certainly don't like them in my home. 

It's the Season for Apples

BEST APPLES FOR BAKING!

Almost any apple can be enjoyed when eaten fresh. However, not all apples are ideal for the kitchen. 

Below is a chart with some of the best baking and cooking apples in North America. 

Note: When it comes to cooking with apples, it may be helpful to know the following:

Storing Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs

Learn how to store your vegetables, fruits, and herbs, especially at harvest time!

Apples

Never leave apples in a bowl on the counter if you want them to keep. Apples keep well for about 6 months at temperatures between freezing and 45°F. If you don't have a root cellar, a double cardboard box in a cool mudroom or cellar can approximate the conditions.

Did You Know That Vinegar Is A Stain Remover?

Browse through the list of handy hints to use Vinegar as a stain remover. Why spend money on pricey laundry stain removers with so many chemicals that are harmful to your body. Have you taken the time to read the label? They all tell you to keep them off your skin and how to wash it off your body to avoid chemical burns or toxins leaching into your skin. ... You don't have that problem with vinegar! Vinegar is non-toxic and inexpensive to boot.

Canning - Reasons for Liquid Loss from Jars

As strange as it may seem, there are many reasons for liquid loss from jars during processing. 

The following are possible reasons: 

Living on Food Storage — Real Life Experiences

I read the following article by Carolyn Nicolaysen on Meridian Magazine several years ago, and found it interesting. You may see yourself in many of the experiences she writes about, or you may also find that you are prepared in many areas, but lacking in others. Aren't we all? 

As we read the scriptures, study the words of the prophets, and look at the signs all around us, we may feel a prompting from the Holy Ghost to prepare for what is to surely come. And come it will quicker than many anticipate.  The better prepared we are then we shall be able to weather the  stormy days ahead. It would be better to live amongst those who are fully prepared and waiting to assist the Lord in all that needs to be done in the days preceeding his coming in great glory, than to be amongst the faithless or simply lazy. We shall see harsh events occur all around, but we can be secure in knowing that we have done all we can to be prepared. 

TEST RESULTS - cooking with different kinds of alcohol

Melody Barber did an experiment with Alcohol. No not wine, but denatured and isopropyl alcohol.  Remember we should have different fuels on hand to use. Where one may not be appropriate to use another will be. 

Keep in mind that "One is none, Two is One, and Three is better than One."

Many people think they are just going to fire up the old BBQ and cook away. Well just let us assume for a moment that you cannot for some reason use the BBQ. Just let your imagination run wild over a myriad of reasons.  The list could go on. You should always have other methods planned out and ready to implement.  Such as Solar Cooking. Yep, the sun may not be working with you that day (you know, the sun is hiding behind the clouds) , and you have to choose another method. A wise person does not rely on one or two styles of cooking, they have many different methods in place so if the inevitable happens they are prepared. 

Results from four alternative ways to bake bread

Melody Barber passes this experience on to everyone. - So, my son wanted scones today and we were feeling ambitious so we made a big batch of wheat bread dough and tried different cooking methods.

For the Control Group - We fried scones in coconut oil on the gas stove -- Yummy!

Baked in an applebox oven