Home Preparedness Consultants

     Home canning is getting to be a lost art.  With prepared foods of such great variety and at such low relative cost in the supermarket, why go through the hassle of a hot kitchen to do a few quarts of fruits, vegetables, juices, or meats?

     I hear the same argument about gardening. 

     “Now, if I could can pizza or Big Macs, it might be worth it.  I’ll need those when times get tough.”

     Everything we learn comes to us through head, hand, or heart.  Academics can argue the importance of a degree.  It is still a fact that 90% of workers learn their jobs OJT – on the job training.   But, you don’t argue with heart trained – faith based – people.  When a prophet speaks, we ought to listen.  Heaven knows much has been said about learning self-reliant skills and how important having the tools of the trade is.

     “Everyday is practice day for doomsday.”  The severity of a community emergency can be seen at the store – whether the food goes quickly out the doors (3 days), or even quicker out the windows (3 hours).  What if you get there late?  Will your garden and home canned foods be more important to you then?

     For more information call (your emergency preparedness specialist).

CATCH THE VISION, GET FACTS, DEVELOP SKILLS, AND BE PREPARED.

     “Those sure are big sunflowers,” I said to my Bishop’s councilor as he irrigated his garden.  I saw him working in his back yard one day on my way home from elementary school.  I thought the Provo street ditches were just for kid’s summer water fights, and had never before seen a garden watered in this way.

     “When they are ready, you can have one and you can eat the seeds and plant some in your own garden next year.”  He had a beautiful garden, but all I remembered was his huge sunflowers.

     I was so excited — I pestered the poor man for what seemed months, waiting for the flowers to mature.  Everyday I would sneak a peek in his back yard until the harvest day finally came.  I received the largest blossom.  It filled a brown shopping bag and kept me busy eating for a long time.  I didn’t save anything to plant the next year, but I’m still learning.

     Kenneth Weight first kindled my interest in gardening.  More important, he taught me by his example and willingness to share of his knowledge.  His challenge over 50 years ago to “go and do likewise,” made the lasting impression that I could be a gardener, too.  I felt bad when the Weight family moved from our ward, but am continually grateful that Christine Weight Walker’s father took the time to teach and raise more children than his own.

     For more information, call (your emergency preparedness specialist)

CATCH THE VISION, GET FACTS, DEVELOP SKILLS, AND BE PREPARED.

     As technology distances us from the past, we not only become more dependant upon computer- controlled logistics, but we become more removed from self sufficient know-how of our pioneer heritage.

     In the winter of 1847, everything was in short supply after the pioneers first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.  Imagine having to forage for all your needs.   Remember, vegetables do not come from a store, nor does milk come from a truck.  Cotton does not grow in the top of medicine bottles, and fried chicken doesn’t come in a Crisco can, as the label shows.

     Foreigners are bewildered in our supermarkets, lost in unimagined abundance.  But, if the power plug is pulled, all distribution systems come to a halt because we can’t read UPC codes.

     Be an urban farmer.  Our pioneer parents were.  Stay acquainted with nature – fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices – through productive landscaping.  Get to know how to grow.  If you don’t know what you’re eating, you better have an eatables program on your palm pilot, or keep the Poison Control Center phone number handy and your cell phone batteries charged.  THE POISON CONTROL CENTER NUMBER IS (800) 222-1222.

     For more information, call (your emergency preparedness specialist)

CATCH THE VISION, GET FACTS, DEVELOP SKILLS, AND BE PREPARED.

     A young couple, just getting started, determined to sacrifice and spend some of their meager finances on a food supply.  They picked a cool closet in their small apartment and determined two things:
1.        they would not food shop unless they could purchase a case of  something they normally consumed.
2.    they would never buy anything unless it was on sale.
     The local newspaper specials became an important part of their casual reading.  What started with generic canned green beans at 24 cans for $l.00 (1974) expanded to higher cost ketchup, and soups.  They stretched to buy a case of tuna.  They put in sugar at $.20 a pound, just before a sugar shortage when prices soared to $1.05 a pound, and were glad they had inventory.  A TV talk show  comedian’s comment caused a run on toilet paper in 1975, and they were prepared for that, too.  Their closet was full in one year.
     “We feel more secure when our bank accounts grow,” said President Kimball.  “But, that’s not the Lord’s program.  Food storage is what He expects us to have, and in the home.”
     Through thrift, not only can we be prepared in every needful thing, but we quickly learn that by being obedient the Lord’s way is no sacrifice. 
     For more information call (your preparedness specialist).
     CATCH THE VISION, GET FACTS, DEVELOP SKILLS AND BE PREPARE

     The wisdom to store basic grains comes from the Word of Wisdom, that councils:  “All grain is ordained for the use of man, . . . to be the staff of life. . .”  Grains not only provide great variety and food value, but they also store well for long periods of time, without need of rotation.
     Processing grains into prepared cereals and mixes not only strips nutritional value, but also increases cost:  65-85% of the original nutrition of wheat is lost in making refined white flour.  Shredded wheat offers less food value from the cereal than from eating the box it came in.  The need for prepared mixes diminishes with increased knowledge of basic recipes.  Bisquick, Wheaties, Cheerios, and Rice Krispies cost big dollars verses home production foods that cost pennies per pound and give best food value.
     And we will save the discussion  about roughage and  regularity for another day.
     Keep it simple, make it good, and reduce expense.  This wisdom makes good cents.
     For more information call (your preparedness specialist).

     CATCH THE VISION, GET FACTS, DEVELOP SKILLS AND BE PREPARED.