Amy @ Homestead Revival is beginning her Preparedness Challenge this week; be sure to pop over there and check it out if you haven't already. I think it's a wonderful opportunity to "peek" in and see what other mamas are doing to add to their pantry and preparedness supplies.
It is so important that we work towards being prepared for uncertain times, even if we can only take the very smallest of baby steps to begin. The Proverbs 31 woman often comes to mind:
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
This week, I added a few more beans to the pantry and ordered a new, very effective two-stage water filter, although I'll admit the filter is an undersink mount for convenience sake right now. Our next preparedness savings goal will be for a Berkey filter or something much better suited for emergency situations. I'm just beginning to shop around and set a budget in place for that purchase. Any suggestions?
Warmly,
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Jaime, you picked the perfect scripture for this challenge! LOVE IT!! How can we NOT do this when the Word is so clear! I’m more convinced every day!
I already am planning to purchase a new filter for my Berkey next week. I had sold it after Y2K because I got complacent and didn’t really have the right perspective on this whole preparedness issue to begin with. Obviously I regretted that decision and believe it or not, the person who bought it from me brought it to a rummage sale we had to raise funds for Haiti’s earthquake last year. I promptly bought it back!! Somewhere along the way it got tossed about (could have been at my house prior) and a ceramic filter broke. Thankfully, you can purchase replacement filters. I’ll be getting mine through the Berkey advertiser on my blog. You may want to check them out. I do not earn commission from sales but I do receive advertising fees from him, so I want to be forthright about that so you know. That said, check his site out and let me know what you think.
Amy, I did notice his advertisement on your site and checked him out! I really like the idea of the travel berkey
Which do you have?
Thanks so much for hosting the challenge – I think it’s a wonderful idea and will help keep many of us inspired and accountable! {{{hugs}}}
We don’t have a water filtration system yet, but it is on our list of wants.
My friend,
The Lord is so good! This topic has been on my heart and just yesterday I searched your archives to find the posts from The Prudent Homemaker. Thank you for sharing such needed information. I really want to work on a food storage pantry. Right now we have buckets with gamma seal lids that store our extra wheat berries, rice, flour, sugar, corn, sucanat and rapadura.
Looking forward to more great posts!
Love you!
Shelly,
In your buckets that hold all your bulk storage with the gamma seal lids, do you also have nitrogen packs or are the lids sufficient? I’ve had just the gamma seals on my wheat berries, oats, sucanat, but I am wanting to add sugar, flour, etc. I wasn’t sure if I should add nitrogen packs to keep it fresh and non buggy? Also, how long does it take you to go through a 5 gallon bucket of the flour, sugar, etc? I supposed that might make a difference in how well it’s kept as well. I would love to know your opinion on this. Thanks in advance!
We too are heading in the path of preparedness. I enjoyed reading your ideas. We are looking at the Berkey too. I have been looking at it at the Bulk Herb Store but really haven’t checked prices. Here is a way to make one homemade. We haven’t done this but are looking at doing it.
http://www.alpharubicon.com/kids/homemadeberkeydaire.htm
I have always thought of Proverbs 22:3
“A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on and are punished.”
We used to live in a house with almost 8 acres of land, and pond but since have moved to another state. My husband is a pastor and we live on the church property in the parsonage. It’s is a very nice large house and the church does a great job of taking care of our needs but sometimes I worry about the future. We still have room for a garden but I miss having space for animals and the water source. The Lord knows all that though! Thanks for your encouragement to be prepared to the best of our ability …no matter where we are!
First it was the religious community that said hard times are coming. There were comments like, “America will have her revival…on a platter of ruins.” I wondered what a platter of ruins would look like, then I saw Haiti and then Japan. There was this comment, “Bride of Christ WAKE UP. Church WAKE UP! People are going to be standing in bread lines.” And I thought, “Whose bread lines? Government? The gov. does not give out the Word of God, which is what sews up the holes of poverty in people’s pockets. A church bread line will be needed. But the church looks just like the world, in debt and unprepared.” Now the “get ready” instruction has gone secular and can be heard daily on cable news. And yet I’ve watched people put off preparing, putting their energy into planning and traveling on spring break vacations, thinking 1) I’ve got time and 2) It’s probably never going to happen.
I’ve had two dreams this calendar year. The first was that our family (and others) had been enduring hard times for an extended period of time. My pantry stock was operating at 50% it’s usual level. In my dream I said, “I’m so glad I squirreled away every possible bit of food that I did!” and then immediately I woke up, blanketed in seriousness and I understood that I need to stock like my life depends on it, because it does.
My next warning came a few weeks later. I dreamed that I was in the parking lot of a home improvement store, where I was looking at many fruit and nut trees. Standing in front of cherry trees (which were just a smidge taller than I was) I was contemplating buying them. Then in the dream God said to me, “Don’t mess with these trees. Buy the biggest trees you can afford!” And then I had understanding that there would not be time for these small trees to mature and bear fruit before trouble arrives. And I woke up, again blanketed in seriousness.
For those just starting, my advice is to pray and ask God to reveal to you what you are going to need to mitigate risks in the days ahead. As you get understanding, write it down and understand exactly what you are trying to accomplish. Know what your goal looks like.
For me, should we lose municipal water, I know where my secondary source of water is, have had it tested, and know how to clean up contaminated water has a third option (Crown Berkey with extra filters).
Food: 30 days ready to eat foods that don’t require cooking (like tuna, peanut butter, crackers, canned Hormel ham and chicken, protein shakes, dry breakfast cereal, powdered milk, etc.)
Then intermediate storage foods…Not 8 cans of green beans but 8 cases. Purchase by the case.
Then longer term storage foods: Not one bucket of grain but 50 buckets. Lots of honey and yeast and dough enhancer and salt. Think bigger.
No money to do this? Pray for God’s assistance, as He is FOR you and not against you. Commit your plans to Him. He will help you. For example: He let me win a drawing of $500 from a newspaper giveaway, to be used at a grocery store. Get creative: Have a garage sale…it gives you cash AND frees up space.
Heat: Wood stove (which also allows for cooking in saucepans on top and mine has an oven for baking). In the garage, there are LARGE propane tanks with 1600 hours of cooking time for my Coleman camping oven/cooktop for summer (when I don’t want to heat up the house with the wood stove).
What will your money look like if the dollar collapses? Will it now be silver? Ammo? Bartering with beans? Need more info? Check out survivalblog.com and scan it daily for articles that address the areas where you desire more info.
Press in to God for understanding of the times we are in and for ideas on how to keep your family well fed and secure. Then take action. I believe there is limited time remaining.
Spring greetings from Colorado!
Several years ago, I found some bookshelves throughout the summer on curbs marked “FREE” (one of the benefits of living in a college town) and began organizing our deep/emergency pantry in our basement.
I tried to make it beautiful and practical. Sage green paint on cement walls and pretty baskets.
I’m still on the look-out for old, vintage grocery signs.
In the last two years, we have used it soo much and are now in the process of restocking what we used from the bookshelves and the deep freezer.
What a joy it has been to walk down to the basement to retrieve something I needed.
I just loved the Proverbs 31 verses you used in your post!
Looking forward to reading more!
Your encouragement is such a blessing in my life!
Under His Wings,
Malinda
Jaime,
What under-sink mount are you using?
April, here it is: http://www.crystalclearsupply.com/Carbon_Block_Undercounter_Water_Filter_p/ucd-cb.htm
We’ve been pleased with it
Jaime – thank you for the information. I’m very interested in this product. I have a question for you, however. This would mandate a lifestyle change for us… currently we get our ice and water right out of the refrigerator door
Would we have to switch to “sink temperature” water from this point on? Do you not use ice? Is there a carbon block system for your fridge or do you have to put a filter at the source for the whole house??? Just curious.
April, you are funny! The water comes out cold from the filter; it’s connected to the cold water line. We don’t use ice simply because we don’t prefer it, but if I wanted ice I wouldn’t feel too bad about putting a couple cubes in my glass
There are systems for the whole house available, but I have not looked into them much. From what I remember, they were very pricey, as in a few thousand dollars. I do remember one family installed a whole house filter because she was very sensitive to their water and was having skin irritation from just showering. Hope that helps.