Fur, Feathers and Fins

I often wonder what kinds of lengths people go to in order to care for their pets. I know that my daily duties here on the farm keep me hopping. I figure I do more work before I go to work than many people do all day. I am not complaining at all- it is my choice. It is just when I stop and add up the time, I get a little overwhelmed.

Here is my average day:

6:00 alarm- feed and give shots to my diabetic cat- Baby Girl. This is all quite new to us. She was a rescue animal, saved in the 11th hour and has had many, many years with us. All of a sudden- bam-diabetes. (I am looking for any advice you may have if you are dealing with this is your house).

As all of that goes on, our turtle, Scooter, slides off of his perch and begins swimming around his tank in a feeding frenzy. He gets to eat as many times as he wants. He lets us know and we are at his disposal for food distribution. He is a silent pet. He is in a 40 gallon tank with lights and filter. The lights blow out, the filter is changed weekly and the whole works is dumped, scrubbed and reinvented 4 times a year.

So now we are at approximately 6:15. Boots, jacket, gloves on and out into the elements. Sun, rain, snow, wind, below zero temperatures-it makes not one bit of difference. The sheep and goats are hungry and thirsty. It is up to me to water and feed them. In really bad weather, I have to slide down the hill to their barn and rouse them to the top of the hill where their food awaits-before the weather ruins all the grub. I have downsized my flock considerably in these past few years. I only have 4 goats and 3 sheep. With the cutting of the feet, shearing and other animal husbandry tasks, this number if animals is about all I have time for.

Also, if you have read my story about Blizzard, I really had no room left for such heartbreak. He was an amazing part of my life.

After all of the "big" animals are fed and watered, I let out the girls. My 27 hens. They bring, perhaps, the most enjoyment to the farm. I adore watching them in those late afternoons of summer as they flap and run to catch bugs and dig up remnants of left over food of the sheep and goats. They remind me so much of the chickens on Looney Tunes. Always gossiping. So much fun. The eggs are incredible for the small amount of time spent caring for them.

So, that is the first 45 minutes of my day. Then I head off to teach Kindergarten. I have quite the life! 

What kind of time commitments do your animals have on your life? They are SO worth it, no?

Must Have Cream Soups

Basic "cream of whatever" soup recipe:

2 cups dry milk powder
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper

Soup: Combine 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cups water in saucepan. Whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil . Cook and stir for 2 minutes (until thick). Cool.

This amount equals 1 can of soup.

For Cream of chicken soup: use 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth instead of water.

For Cream of mushroom soup: use water, add 1/4 cup diced, cooked mushrooms to soup after it thickens.

For Cream of celery soup: use water, add 1/4 cup diced, cooked celery to the soup after it thickens-or- add a dash of celery seed to the mixture as it is cooking.


How sweet it is to find yourself without a can of creamed soup but be able to whip one up right out of your pantry! Wow...you might be on to something there!

Happy Cooking~

Chicken Stew and Dumplings-DeHy Style!

De-hy shown:  diced potatoes, peas, onions and carrots 

Another recipe using our dehydrated food for a quick, healthy, delicious meal. We are going to try this recipe using chicken flavored tvp, but I am not sure if that is a good use or not. I will let you know! Please, if you have any other suggestions, let me know!


                                   Chicken Stew Recipe


1 can of chicken breast or 1- 1/2 cups of cooked chicken
1 cup diced dehydrated pots
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup peas
1/4 cup onions
6-8 cups water
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup corn starch
5 bouillon cubes
2 tsp poultry seasoning

Place ingredients into crock pot. Stir together. Cook for 8 hours.
Be sure to keep an eye on the water level because as your food starts to re hydrate, the water will be absorbed.
You will want to adjust this recipe to meet your desired taste and thickness of the stew.


                                        Dumpling Recipe:
                                (Taken directly from the Bisquick Box)

2 c Bisquick
2/3 c milk

Stir until soft dough forms. Drop by spoonful onto stew. Reduce heat. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover. Cook 10 minutes longer.

Enjoy~

Bug Out Bags pt. 2- Inventory

So, remember back in our steps of our 12 Step Program of Prepping (Creating your own store in your house and first aid?) I told you to start looking around your home and locating items that you can use. Well, I'm going to ask you to do that again before you purchase anything for your bug out bag- and for goodness sake, please don't purchase a "complete kit" off the internet. I was just looking at one that cost almost $200 and the contents were so pathetic. 4 ibuprofen, one zip lock bag, 2 energy bars, other random things...come on, friend, we can do better than that!

The picture above shows a sampling of items we (mostly) collected from around the house. The radio is a hand crank with a flashlight on the end of it, the two rolled up od green with black seam are combat casualty blankets. Everything else is self explanatory.

In the upper left hand corner are some cheap and free ideas to stick in your bug out bag for light, extra goodies. Using a dollar store for prepping has not been as wonderful as some claim on YouTube, but I have gotten some instant coffee packets, hot cocoa, dry soups, hard candy, and spices that are good to never open and put in storage. I also never leave a motel room empty handed. I paid for everything there they left for me to use. All of the soaps and shampoos as well as the coffee, creamers and sugars come home with me. In fast food places, I will grab a handful of napkins, salt and pepper packs and ketchup packets, bring them home and throw them in my food storage. They are now going to be in my bug out bag. Leaving a restaurant, there may be a candy bowl. Take a couple extra and stick them away. I'm always looking for things to snatch up. Who doesn't like free?

The binoculars and my 1911 with the extra clip (and lots of ammunition) are important for safety. I'm not likely to hunt deer with her, but I do plan on keeping what is mine.

My next baby steps are to find a good laminated map of the state, make a decision on communication tools, and start preparing quick, nutritious dehydrated meals to go. There is a lot of inspiration on YouTube in the area of preparing food for camping trips- all the way down to making and dehydrating spaghetti sauce! Yum! We might be in a disaster/emergency situation, but that in no way means that we won't be eating well!

There is a tremendous amount of work left to be done, but I am working towards the goal every day. I hope you will consider your own situation and get started today.

Bug Out Bags pt. 1 Mine

I have not put a lot of action into making my family's bug out bags. I HAVE put a ton of thought into the process, so I guess that means I have at least started. I am in no way an expert in creating bug out bags, I am just going to share my thought process and steps thus far. It will be up to you (as it always is as far as I'm concerned) to figure out your worse case scenarios and plan from there.

My worst case scenario is having to leave the farm at all. We have worked very hard at creating a safe, completely self sustaining paradise. I know the lay of the land and am comfortable in the protection of all that is here. I don't want to leave and I'm fairly certain that I won't have to. I live on the coast of Maine at the end of a peninsula. There is no "going through" my town. We have similar traits to island living and in that regard I just can't envision angry, hungry packs of people traveling the 15 miles out of their way in order to pillage my town. There is nothing to pillage. We have one, small grocery store, no train tracks, no big box stores and the majority of people who live here aren't prepared for much of anything. I feel very confident that I won't have to leave. BUT...

Never say never. What is the plan if I do? I am fortunate enough to have a cabin in the woods and am already working on long term sustainability for there as well. The problem, the cabin is 182 miles from my home. I am in the process of working through all of those scenarios and doing my best to put it all together. If you don't have a camp or other structure to escape to, do you have friends in different areas of your state or the country that would welcome you? How do you get there if there are no roads open?

My humble beginnings for the 2 bug out bags we are focusing on right now.

The time to think about all of this is now, not then. I know I can't think through every single thing that could happen to me if I venture away from my safe haven, but any plan is better than no plan at all. Tomorrow I will do an overview of what I have so far, what I still need to gather and some unexpected, inexpensive/free products you might not even be thinking about, but would miss if you suddenly found yourself without them. (Salt and pepper packets?)

Don't be a victim~

Be It Ever So Humble...

...there's no place like home- and no job on the farm more humbling than cleaning out the chicken coop. Today was no exception, but I will admit I would rather play around in the coop on a cold February day than in the middle of July!

My husband built the coop a few years ago. One of his best ideas for the coop was the sliding door in the back for shoveling out- directly out- onto the rocks below. Genius.

Then there are the roosts he made, but less than half of our girls roost on the dowels. I am not sure why, but they love to be in or on top of their nesting boxes. I guess it is not up to me as to where they sleep. I just wanted to give them as many options as possible.

I will always have chickens running around. I eat their eggs, but I would never eat them. I will continue to be humbled that I am allowed to care for them- no matter how yucky it can be!

Calendula Soap

DISCLAIMER! If you have never made soap before please learn how to make basic batches before dealing with an 8 pound batch such as this. I am not an expert, I am just a simple soap maker. Safety is up to you!

These calendula petals are widely used and appreciated. The calendula flower is a type of marigold and it's name means, "little calendar". The flowers are beautiful when growing in a field but they are incredibly beneficial after they are harvested. The plants are ingested for health benefits but I will not discuss that here as I am not going to recommend you go out and add calendula flowers to your diet. That will be up to you. What I will say is that used on the skin,in the form of lotions and soaps, the calendula flower has been known to fight acne and reduce inflammation. It is said to have wonderful soothing properties.

***Please Note*** The calendula flower should be avoided by pregnant woman.

                                            

                            Calendula Soap Recipe

1 lb. 3 oz. lye
3 lb. water
4 lb. 8oz. olive oil
2 lb. coconut oil
1 lb. 8 oz. palm oil
8 tbs. Castor oil
1/2 cup dried calendula petals

Add the dried calendula petals to 8 oz. of olive oil. Infuse for 2 to 4 hours. Strain the oil through several layers of cheesecloth and add to your other oils. 

Mix lye and water. SAFETY FIRST!

Bring both lye and oils to 120 degrees and combine.

Bring to a medium trace and pour into molds. I left this batch uncolored and and unscented as the calendula petals add to the simplicity of this soap.

Cover the mold with plastic and wrap in a towel to insulate. Do not touch for 24 hours.

Cut into desired bars and place on wire racks for 4 to 6 weeks to cure. 

Enjoy! 

Beef Stew- De-Hy Style

Finished beef stew. Dehydrated carrots and onions shown.

I am finding more and more often people are saying to me, "I dehydrate all the time." When I ask them what they dehydrate it is either meat for jerky or bananas for granola. Fantastic, but you are missing out on so much more. So much more.

Then there is another group of friends that simply just don't get it. I'm not being judgemental at all. They just don't get it. I try to explain how and what my husband rehydrates when he cooks (I don't cook) and they go blank. So...here is a recipe for beef stew. Once you have begun to dehydrate vegetables you will be all ready to make this amazing stew. Add bread and butter, biscuits, dumplings or crackers and you will be fully satisfied!

Enjoy~

                                           Beef Stew



1 pound stew beef
1 cup dehydrated diced potatoes
1/2 cup dehydrated carrots
1/2 cup dehydrated peas
1/4 cup dehydrated onions
6-8 cups water
4 bouillon cubes
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp Italian seasoning

Brown beef. Put all other ingredients into crock pot. Stir it up. Add beef. Cover and cook for 8 hours.
Keep an eye on the water level in your crock pot. The dehydrated vegetables will be soaking up a lot of water. You may also want to adjust the amount of flour. Some people like stews a little thick or a little thin. Play around with the amounts until you find what is good for you!

NEVER add any salt until fully cooked. Rehydration will not happen if there is salt in the water.

Step 12- It's Your Turn

O.K folks, I have attempted to get you on the path to being a little more self-sufficient. I don't know if you gathered any new ideas or if I helped to reinforce the ideas you already were thinking about, or perhaps had in place long before I arrived. Whatever it is, I hope I have helped just a little bit.

Let's review the steps as we discussed them:

Step 1- Decision
Step 2- Food Storage
Step 3- Water
Step 4- Sanitation
Step 5- First Aid
Step 6- Defend Your Stuff
Step 7- Power
Step 8- Go With It's (extras you may not have thought about)
Step 9- Dehydrated Foods
Step 10- Heirloom Seeds
Step 11- Bug Out Bags
Step 12-Decision

Do you see how we began and ended in the same place? Decision. That is because it is all up to you. Every little piece is up to you. I cannot come to your house and prepare for you-I have my hands quite full right here. You can not come to my house when things get bad-sorry. YOU are the one that can do this for you. Even if your family thinks you are crazy and work against you. Do it anyway. You will be their hero when times get tough.

Go back over the steps whenever you can and be thoughtful in one little piece you can do. A word of caution: You can become so obsessed with prepping that other parts of your life fade into the background. You might find one day that you have a years worth of food, but you are unaware of who won Dancing With The Stars or who was voted off Survivor. The humor will come when you realize that YOU are the survivor and you don't even have to eat bugs- unless you want to, of course!

The beauty is- it is all up to you!

Love and Blessings~Prep On~

Step 11- Get Out Of Town!

People call them "Bug out bags", "72 hour bags", and "Emergency kits". I don't care if you call them, "Tip toe through the tulip kits," step 11 is all about gathering supplies and making up an emergency pack. I will admit, I have done a boat load of research on bug out bags (which is what I call them) and I have started putting four bags together, but I haven't completed them. I am hoping this will inspire me to finish. After the 12th step of this 12 Step Program Series, I will be doing a series on bug out bags. We will be getting down to the nitty-gritty and going through many different scenarios that you may find yourself in. For now, as with the ten steps you have come through so far, this is to spark an interest and encourage you to start being in the drivers seat of your preparedness.

Bug out bags are intended for disaster situations. Times that you need to leave your home or are being held under a mandatory evacuation by your government. (If you choose to leave). They are another safety net for you. As I have told you, I seize up in emergencies. I wasn't built for them, but if all I have to do is grab and go, it takes all of the stress out of running around trying to figure out what I need to pack and oh, you only have ten minutes to do so!

These kits are going to be as individualized as your family is so you will need to add things that are specific to your families needs. There are still some basics that every bag should carry. They include:

***backpack or suitcase to put items into
***sleeping bag or blanket
***battery powered radio and flashlight- batteries, too!
***light stick, candles, matches
***small first aid kit
***pocketknife
***whistle
***wet wipes, sanitary items, hygiene items
***3 days of water and ready to eat food
***extra changes of clothing

Now, this is where the items for your pack can and will change deciding on so many different scenarios. Again, my next series will go into those details. I just want to plant the seed and have you start looking around your house. Ask yourself... "If I had to evacuate my home in 15 minutes, what would I take?" I promise that little exercise will propel you to the first step in you creating at least one bug out bag!

Prep On~

Step 10- Heirloom Seeds

My husband recommended we start purchasing heirloom seeds about six years ago. I never was on board with it, I have since changed my mind. So, of course, this is my idea! Ha!

There is a lot of protesting in this country (and around the world) in regards to the GMO movement in the modification of the food we eat. It scares me to death. I am not going to get into that here and now, but start looking at the battles going on in the news right now with the lawsuits and mudslinging with Monsanto. That information keeps me up at night.

Why bother, you ask? That is what I asked my husband all those years ago. Here are some points to ponder...

***better quality, taste and nutritional value
***when seeds are carefully nurtured, they can be passed down from generation to generation
***the legacy of the seeds you plant and the food you eat

Some of the seeds I have ordered this year date back hundreds of years. Direct seeds-nurtured and loved. Passed on and here today. It blows my mind! I could be planting a seed that came from a parent plant of John Adams. Fantastic.

I am a beginner in the area of heirloom seeds. I have never planted them, but this year I am. I have a long term supply of seeds for the end of the world and a short term supply to plant, grow and harvest this season. There are a lot of sources out there on the Internet, but some are a little squirrly. I want truth, data and facts.  My source for heirloom seeds is Baker Creek. You can check them out at: rareseeds.com.

Please let me know if you have experience in this area. If I can avoid pitfalls, I would love that. Otherwise, Constant Reader, I will be your pitfall gal.

Happy growing~

Step 9- Dehydration

If you have read any of my blog or if you have talked to me personally, you know I am addicted to dehydrating. I know this is a 12 Step blog, but there is simply no cure for my complete and utter obsession with dehydration.

So, the first step is buy a dehydrator and the second step is Go For It! The following link will keep you entertained for hours. In the beginning, we did everything she says to do. We have started modifying and using tricks of our own as experience allows.  
www.dehydrate2store.com

The Dehydrate2store website will be well worth your visit. Once there, I urge you to pick and choose one or two foods that you and your family eat regularly and try it out. Follow her directions and you can't go wrong (except the potatoes-but we will talk about that later) I enjoy watching her and listening to her teach. See if you do.

Then go back and read my January 22nd blog titled :Why I De-Hy, along with my other posts about dehydration. They sum up why I feel so strongly about this form of food storage. For me, it is my #1 priority for long term survival. Ask questions, do research and then decide for yourself.

Prep On~

Step 8- Go With-Its

There are things that I have ordered to add to my long term storage. I don't like to do it, I wish I didn't have to do it. The fact of the matter is that there are certain things that I simply can not do, or at least I would never be able to recreate what is sold for fairly short money-comparably.

We started with a sample package of a variety of food items from Ready Reserve here on the farm. http://www.readyreservefoods.com/
I would recommend having some of these items on hand for a complete and utter breakdown of your other food storage. I will say that it's taste and consistency are not at all like you could do on your own. Think-starving or nasty food- I still would choose nasty food. You are in charge of this step just like the 7 that came before. Make it fit your life.

Just recently, we ordered a variety pack of TVP (textured vegetable protein) from Honeyville.   http://honeyvillegrain.com/  It has taken a long time to finally order this item. I wish I had done it earlier. Delish! Mr. Sample made his famous hamburg/sausage meatloaf and added some TVP to the mixture. The kids (and adults) were beating their brains out to get more. I NEVER would have guessed! So...more TVP on the list for me. Let's see, I'm wondering what flavors I should get? Taco, chicken, beef, pepperoni, sausage, bbq, unflavored? Maybe a few of each.

The last worry I have is the area of dairy. I have stocked up on (way too much) powdered milk and I have chickens for eggs, but what if at some point I don't? I want to have security in any and all situations. I am saving up my egg money to get a dairy package. I want powdered eggs, powdered mayonaise, powdered ketchup, powdered shortening, powdered peanut butter and powdered butter on hand for cooking and comfort. That is just me. Baking is a hugely important part of my life, and if things are going to hell around me, I want to bake!

I'm adding this step because it is really and important piece of the puzzle. The more variety you have to choose from in the realm of eating, the happier you will be when the SHTF- or even just on a regular Saturday night. Again, you are driving...I'm just along for the ride!

Step 7 Got Power?

This step makes me a bit nervous. The thought of winter in Maine and losing electricity for an extended period of time is something that can keep me up at night (and has). I think, like with all of the steps that have come before, you need to diversify. Working toward acquiring as many forms of heat and light as is possible for you is the goal here but before you acquire anything, take inventory of what you have already and decide what is right for your family.

Let's start with light. Probably the most affordable and easy to find part of Step 7.

***flashlights, batteries, and bulbs
***gas lanterns
***waterproof matches, cigarette lighters
***long burning candles

During Blizzard Nemo I took a gallon jug and strapped one of my head lamps to it. It illuminated my entire kitchen. Pretty cool! Do you have a head lamp? I KNOW you have water! (HINT: Step 3)

Next: cooking. There are a myriad of cooking methods out there. You really need to just begin thinking about what will work for you.

At the farm we have a wood stove and a grill (1/2 gas 1/2 charcoal) to cook on. We are not going to use our generator for anything other than refrigeration, but that will be a choice for you if you have a generator. We also are working on making rocket stoves and making our own charcoal.

As far as heat when the lights go out. True, we would love to think that body heat will get us through the crisis (and that does work to a certain extent) but you will want more! In my opinion, there is only one source of heat...a wood stove. In Maine, I have a lot of wood to burn. A lot. If you live in Sweden or Arizona or Germany, I honestly don't know what your set up is. Please just make sure you are warm.

I hope Step 7 has started you thinking about light, heat and cooking power. I would love your feedback on what works for you and your suggestions for survival. I am listening! Again, these 12 Steps to Prep are to get you thinking about YOUR situation. They are not "how to's" -they are "do's." Keep the momentum... Prep On!

Step 6- Defend Your Stuff

So, Constant Reader, we are half way to the finish line! A job well done, I must say. I hope you have taken a few small steps into the realm of prepping and you are anxious for more. Now is a cautionary time. A time that we all have to go through and decide just where we stand.

Are you ready to defend all that you have begun to store and all that you are preparing to store? I ran into a brick wall when thinking about this question. After being a hunter/gatherer for over a year, will I now allow someone to waltz into my home and seize it all from me? Am I willing to step back, bow down and allow others to walk all over me to remove MY hard work from MY house? I guess if you know me at all the answer would be HELL NO!

There are so many ways to defend your house, your family and your stuff. I have broken the first rule- my bad! I do not recommend that you do what I am doing. The first rule of protection is silence. Don't ask-don't tell...SSShhhhh!!! When you have lots of food, water, supplies and ammo...SSSHHHH! I am so far out in the public eye that this doesn't matter to me anymore. People who live where I live aren't coming here. They would rather starve to death than be gunned down in my driveway.

I had to come to that. We, as a family had to come to that. We will protect what is ours to the death. No negotiation. No talking or working things out. Done. This decision is yours to make. If you aren't prepared to defend what is yours, my advice is don't go any further in this process. It will be a waste of your time and resources to continue to prep.

I really am serious about this step. I am not a conspiracy theorist nor am I a doomsday prophet. I'm just a girl who wants to be prepared for anything life throws at me. I hope I haven't lost you along this sixth step. I just don't want to go any further without making you think about defending your stuff.

Step 5- First Aid

This is my most difficult step. It is such an important step, but I was not made to deal with emergency situations. That's why prepping is so important to me. Prepare- don't panic! Me? I faint at the sight of blood and get paralyzed when I see an accident. I see people running around and trying to help, and I admire that so much. If I tried to help like that, I would need someone to rescue me back.

Having said that, I am slowly building up my courage toward emergency situations. I recently took a CPR class. I will take a first aid class as soon as one comes to town. For now, I am gathering supplies. I made two mistakes off the bat. The first mistake, I bought a "complete" first aid kit from a camping supply store for $39.00. The second mistake I made was watching YouTube and taking advice from morons. I guess that makes me one as well, because I followed their logic. I spent $75.00 at a dollar store on first aid supplies. Sure, I have thousands of band aids (that don't stay stuck or absorb blood) and  5 boxes of qtips  (500 count) that are sharp sticks with such a ridiculously small amount of cotton on the ends.

I guess what I am suggesting is to buy quality products. Pay a tiny bit more for a huge difference in quality. We have started. This is what we have so far:

***a high quality, thorough first aid book- with lots of pictures

***ibuprofen, cold  and allergy medication

***prescription drugs

***antibiotic ointment, rubbing alcohol, peroxide

***Chapstic, Vaseline, sunblock

***bandages, band aids, assorted gauze pads, first aid tape

***small scissors, nail clippers, tweezers

***instant cold/hot packs

***cotton balls, qtips

This is a short list, but a good place to start. Remember, slow and steady steps. Go out an buy a box of band aids today and put them away in your store. Dig under your couch cushions and find that other pair of nail clippers. Place them aside. One step at a time.

One other thing. As you get more and more prepared you will start taking inventory of the people you know. I know some people who have medical training. I know they don't garden and don't have the food I have. The bartering that will begin after the breakdown of society is something we will talk about later. I welcome your ideas...

Prep On~

Step 4- Sanitation

Many people leave the sanitation portion of prepping until the end, or near the bottom of the list. I don't agree. I think when you are beginning your food store and water storage, the next logical step is sanitation. You can die from lack of food, lack of water and lack of clean surroundings.

You can do as little or as much as you want, but I want you to start making a list after reading this. What does providing a sanitary place for your family in an emergency situation look like for you?

For me it looks like this...

***A 5-gallon bucket, complete with a toilet seat lid and garbage bags to use as liners.

***Toilet paper, wet wipes and sanitary napkins

***Bleach, soap (hand, laundry, dish), shampoo

***toothbrushes, toothpaste

***we already have a washboard, wash bucket and clothesline

***paper plates, cups and napkins (the less dishes you need to do, the happier everyone will be. No one is going to look down on you for being environmentally insensitive when you are in survival mode, and if they do, show them the door. They don't belong with you and your stuff.)

If you have a baby, you will need to add diapers, if you have a houseful of women, you will need to store a houseful of feminine products. Tailor it to your family. Small steps, remember?

We are currently looking at plans for building an outhouse with a removable barrel for ease of burning the waste and a dasher washer.

 I want the dasher washer just because it looks like a fantastic upper body workout and it will be a lot of fun! Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyRMuQ_8oj0
(I guess that would be a more end of the world item than a disaster item, but I really want one!)

So as you are making your list for where you want to start in this step, think back to Step 3- water. Look at all of these supplies that you have that require water to carry them out. Have you ever done a load of laundry without water? See what I mean about being ready for any emergency?

I think I am fortunate for growing up with a camp in northern, rural Maine. I was never disgusted with using an outhouse or washing out clothes in a bucket and scrubbing them on a rock and hanging them out. You do what you do when you are required to do it. I am requiring you to do this. I care about you and your family. I want you to be powerful-not pitiful. I want you to take these small, incremental steps toward sustaining your family in a time of crisis. Now get that piece of paper and write down one thing you are going to purchase/put aside/find in a closet somewhere that will propel you to take control of Step 4!

Tomorrow is Step 4!

Today I was held up...

Tomorrow is step 4. Sanitation. Hope you tune in! Take this time for going back to steps 2 & 3 as we hunker down for some very interesting ideas!

Thank you, Constant Reader! You keep me going along!

12 Step Program (Step 3)

Step 3- Water Storage
         
            Well, as you begin Steps 1 & 2 to our Prepping Recovery Program,  we need to add some more small steps to the process. As with the beginning steps to food organization and storage, all of these tips, ideas and experiences are meant to be guidelines. I am reliving my struggles and successes with you, but this is ultimately your journey. You are in the driver's seat. I'm just along as your companion trying to help you take some helpful exits so, in turn, your expedition goes smoother than if you had not made those stops along the way.

            As I have said before, nothing makes me thirsty like the second the power goes out does. It was the very first panic I used to have. Now I don't. I have followed some great advice that I tailored to fit my family. If you are on a well (as I am) the plan will be different than if you are on a public water supply, but the long term water storage is the same in my eyes. For me, when we lose power, we lose water. We have a generator, but how much fuel do you have on hand? Our decision is to keep our refrigeration running with our generator. Every thing else is doable the "old fashioned" way. We are fortunate to have places to store several hundred gallons of water.

            The Red Cross recommendation for water usage in an emergency is one gallon of water- per person- per day for drinking and the same amount for washing. (We store a lot more than this because of our stockpile of dehydrated food-but we will talk about that in more detail later.) Again, this is a big deal. You can't survive long without water. Work toward a one week supply to start. The size of your family x 2 x 7 days= ? gallons. That peace of mind will be contagious, if you are anything like me,  you will soon begin figuring out more ways to store more water.

             I will be writing at a later time about different sources of water, purification, sanitation,  and storing and treating larger amounts of water. I want this to be a successful step for you. Focus on YOUR family. Public water or well water- there are too many scenarios that could stop the flow of water into your home. I started with a one day supply- yes, eight gallons of water and it made all of the difference in the world in my confidence in this process. You can do it!

           This is all a process to change your mindset just a little bit. We, as human beings, are made to be hunters and gatherers. Unfortunately our society makes that state of mind appear unhealthy, odd and in some cases, extreme and dangerous. Imagine. Me a terrorist because I am going to survive without the help of my government...scandalous!

12 Step Program (To Prepping)

Alright folks...we all know what the first step to any problem is...that's right, admitting that you have a problem.

Step 1- Admit that you have not been preparing as much as you would like to. I know it feels overwhelming and exhausting, but we are going to take 11 small, incremental steps to make you a Super Prepper!!! Each step will have several hands-on items that you can do right away and be successful.

Step 2- Designate a space that will just be for food storage. It can be a closet, a corner of a room, under your bed or couch. Just pick a space and say, "That is my store." We call it a store on the farm because we actually rotate most of our food throughout our meal planning. When you run out of mayonnaise you simply go to your store and there is another jar. Don't get overwhelmed- stick with me. Just select a spot and clean it out.

             Take inventory. What do you already have on hand? We are just focusing on food for step 2, so empty your cupboards,  put like things together and start counting. This was my inventory list about a month into making this a full time commitment. (The min. and max. columns did not get filled in on this sheet as I was just getting our on hand count. I will share later on what our inventory looks like now and explain the min./ max. then).

Food Type On Hand Min. Max

Spam 8 cans

Hash 6 cans

Can Chicken 6 cans

Can Tuna 9 cans

Potatoes 9 cans

Green beans 16 cans

Corn 25 cans

Cream Corn 5 cans

Carrots 13 cans

Peas 15 cans

Mushrooms 5 small

Diced tomatoes 6- 28 oz

Diced tomatoes 15- 14.5oz

Whole tomatoes 3- 28 oz

Crushed Tom 11-28oz

Manwich 2 cans

Pizza Sauce 8 jars

Canned Soups 11 cans

Gravy-wet

Chicken Broth 9 cans

Beef Broth 10 cans

Vinegar 3- 32oz

Peaches 3 cans

Pears 3 cans

Gravy Mx Dry

Boulllon

Beans

White Rice 105 cups

Pasta-various 10 boxes

Ramen 51 pouches

Cup nood- dry 36 cups

Mac n ch 10 boxes

Coffee inst

Teas

Bug Juice-dry

Cocoa

Canned Milk 1 can

 

Sugar 50 cups

Flour 24 cups

Salt

Non Io salt 4-1 lb/10 oz

Yeast

Corn Meal 4 canist

Spices many- variety

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Oil 1 gal.

Pancake Mix 12 cups

Cereal 

Brownies 4 boxes

Jiffy Corn 14 boxes

Jiffy Bisc. 5 boxes

                                     

                 Plan a one week menu. Sit down and write down what you are going to eat for meals for a week. Really be thoughtful and go through every single ingredient. If you are going to have burgers one night, do you want them on buns, with onions, ketchup and relish? Do you have all of those things? If you are going to roast a chicken, make sure to set aside two nights for chicken. One night with all the fixings and another night using the leftovers in a casserole (or whatever floats your boat). I urge you to plan it all out and try to get the biggest bang for your buck. This process has turned into a game for us on the farm. If that makes me weird-there you go, but I am happy and my family is taken care of. 

Can you try step 2 this week or next? I promise you will gain momentum if you start off small. Don't look down the road too far. Ride along with me, Constant Reader and we will get there eventually!

Happy Prepping~

Blizzard Nemo??? Nah...

So, Winter Storm Nemo is swimming his way up the coast where I happen to be sitting and waiting for his arrival. We have about 8 inches right now, and he isn't even here yet! Being completely prepared for any and all emergencies, I must say that I am quite at my leisure.

Gardening is what I have on my mind. My new addiction to heirloom seeds drives me to research at every possible juncture. To sketch out and erase the planting areas (for all of these seeds) over and over again to get it all just right. I am missing some non-negotiable seeds, though. I have my long term storage that will never be touched until an emergency, then I have a variety pack that I ordered for getting this all off the ground. That is where I realize the holes in my planning.

Thankfully my Baker Creek Heirloom Seed catalog came a few weeks ago, leaving me in very good hands as far as excellent seed purchasing.   (http://rareseeds.com/)   My list so far includes; Atomic Red and St. Valery carrots, Golden Wax beans, Boothby'sBlonde and Boston Pickling cucumbers, and some sort of tomatoes. I already have cherry and golden tomatoes, but I want some reds.

Some yummy, hearty, well producing red tomatoes. Why am I having such difficulty making a decision about tomatoes? Because they have 31 pages dedicated to tomatoes. 215 different varieties. (Yes, I counted...I'm weird that way). Were you even aware that there are 215 different varieties of tomatoes in the world? I sure didn't. I am having a very difficult time deciding but I'm pretty sure that no matter which I choose, it will be perfect!

So, my east coast friends, I will be praying for your safety and warmth these next 48 hours as this little Nemo swims up the Atlantic coastline. Rest easy that I am sitting here in deep denial and dreaming about spring...

National Weather...blah,blah,blah...

HEADLINE: "Huge Blizzard To Grip The North East ." Preparatory Actions: blah, blah, blah, blah, blah! 

People, PLEASE start listening to me! I only say that because I want you to be successful, secure, and safe. The story I have for you is...chilling...

I ventured into the local 5 and dime this afternoon and immediately wished I hadn't. Screaming children, irate parents, complete and total chaos and breakdown of society.

I didn't really "need" anything at the grocery store, but it being pay day and all, I thought of a few items I could treat my family to (especially since we are apt to be home for the next couple of days-alone-together). I wandered around the store watching as the breakdown of society unfolded in front of me in every aisle. The bread aisle had been torn to shreds and the dairy case doors quickly opened and closed as angry shoppers were too worried about getting what they "needed" and ignoring anything and everything in their path.

When I got to the checkout lines, I almost set my basket down and walked out. Almost. I told myself there was more to learn here. I watched as a man with tattoos behind his ears counted out dimes to pay for his two year old daughter's chocolate milk. I watched an elderly man unload his cart at a painstakingly slow rate, with an inpatient little pierced "girl" with purple hair rolled her eyes. I watched a young married couple as they stood impatiently waiting. Tension growing between them every second. Glad I won't be a fly on the wall during their snowed in time this weekend.

What I am trying to get across folks, is please treat each other nicely. Living on the coast of Maine, all of this small town, get out of my way crap reminds me of Stephen King's- Needful Things. (and many more, but there isn't enough room here for all of the tales of Castle Rock and Derry).

Do what you want. If you love living day to day-do that. Do that IF NO ONE else is counting on you. The grocery stores have a 3 day supply of food. That is it.

I'm headed to my local store tomorrow to take pictures of the shelves. If I am not escorted to the door, I will be posting them tomorrow. Do you REALLY want your government to take care of you??? I DON'T want them to take care of me!!!

A Tale of Blizzard

Once upon a time, on the coast of Maine, in the path of a blizzard, a tiny cashmere goat was born. His arrival was highly anticipated, as his cousins had already been born. The farmer did her final walk around the enclosure as the winds began blowing over 65 and the snow curtained the area. She heard a small squeaking sound and could not place it at first. As she drew closer to the manger-filled with hay inside and under, she paused. The final doe left to kid was staring at her with great anger. 

The farmer knelt down to speak with the goat and as she did, the blood appeared. Just a spot here and there, but blood just the same. Droplets of blood in new fallen snow are difficult to ignore. The mother goat was being beckoned to come in under the shelter of the barn and each time a blat went out, she would trample the spot under her feet and stared at the farmer with great distaste. Each time she stomped, the farmer heard another muted squeak. 

At this time, the building storm forced the farmer to move the miserable animal away from the spot that seemed to be in distress. It was not an easy process as this doe had come from a very long line of bitchy cashmere goats. The farmer dug in the hay underneath the manger and came across a very small and barely breathing kid. Their eyes met and it was truly love at first sight. All the kid seemed to say is, "I'm going to die, please hold me for a while." The farmer said, "You shall be called Blizzard."

The mother had gone off, but was still looking in the farmer's direction as the farmer scooped up this precious bundle, wrapped him in her jacket and ran to the warmth of the house. The farmer sat up all night long, rocking the cold, listless body. Waiting for him to draw his last breath. It didn't come~not that night.

For three weeks the baby goat lived in the farmer's house. He slept at the end of her bed, woke her several times in the night for his warm formula, (and to get his diaper changed), followed her around the house getting into everything, and being a total and complete part of the family. That little guy had the most beautiful, fun filled three weeks that any goat has ever had in the history of goats. Then one night, just like the first night of his life, the farmer sat up all night with this beautiful creature who could not stand any more, who wouldn't eat anymore and who just wanted to cry. He left the next morning as the farmer drove him to the vet's. 

The farmer knew that she had done everything that she could have done. She really did. People and animals leave us when we have so many questions and absolutely no answers. All we can do is the best we can do. Love who we love. Do what is best. 

I loved Blizzard greatly. I will always love him. He taught me a lot about myself. I was blessed to know him...

The Flock pt 1

There is nothing I enjoy more than watching my chickens chase flying insects around the farm on beautiful, warm days. Now that it is winter, they really only have the opportunity to chase each other as well as an occasional squirrel. I enjoy my flock completely. I will always have chickens on the farm.

I chuckled at the calendar my mother gave me for Christmas. 12 months of darling chicken coops. Complete with exterior paint jobs of the rich and famous, curtains, play equipment and well thought out gardens. My girlies get treats from the garden but left to their own devices they would destroy it completely in the first ten minutes. Don't get me wrong, I love that city dwellers and suburbanites are taking back some power in the realm of homesteading. I guess that it is just upscale instead of down home.

I also can't completely understand the blog I ran across the other day which hosted recipes for chicken treats. The ingredient list included foods that were-well, human.  Do chickens need treats? I mean homemade treats. Not the leftovers that mine receive every day. I mean treats made from "scratch"? I'm just not feeling it.  Chickens eat their body's weight in ticks every day. They are awesome foragers and  feasters on the bad bugs that destroy crops. If we start making them applesauce, butter and oatmeal treats, it might taint their perception of their job here on the farm. Bug control.

Egg laying is obviously their job as well. I get 20-27 eggs a day after the molting season is over. I'm so looking forward to those days again. Only a few more weeks now~ as the days get longer and longer.

Part 2 of this blog will focus on my experiences in setting up the farm for chickens. I wish my grandparents had written down their procedures of that very same thing back many decades ago. They raised thousands of chickens on this farm for egg production. They sold all over New England. I would deeply cherish just one little peek into that production. I have pictures of the building they erected for the purpose of taking care of the chickens. Fascinating.

I hope you will think of purchasing chicks this spring as either a first time venture or to expand your flock. They are some of the easiest animals to take care of!

Maine Shrimp

Maine's shrimping season (trapping) starts tomorrow. Let the good times roll! Did you know that upwards of 90% of the harvest of shrimp comes from my beautiful coast of Maine?

Unfortunately, the fisherman continue to get slammed with rules and regulations and their season for catching shrimp is incredibly short.

Fortunately, I have placed my order and am praying that the catch will be large and the allowable days will be many. My Dad was a fisherman for his whole life and that is one thing we always prayed for. The fishing industry is not as fortunate these days as he used to be in regards to governmental interference.

I'm not sure I can think of any other food to eat as much as I enjoy shrimp. Boiled, fried, sauteed and bake stuffed. I'm drooling already!

If you are lucky enough to get some shrimp this season, here are a couple of recipes that you may enjoy.


                                     Shrimp Saute

                        1/4 cup butter             1/2 tsp. salt

                       1 minced clove garlic  pepper to taste
   
                       1 1/2 lbs. deveined, shelled shrimp

                        1/3 cup snipped parsley

In large skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and salt. Saute until garlic is browned. Add shrimp. Saute until shrimp are pink on all sides. Sprinkle with pepper, add parsley. Cook 1 minute. Serve with lemon juice.

 Enjoy~
                                                                                  


                                Baked Shrimp with Stuffing

Cut shrimp through the back to lay flat in the pan (butterfly). Arrange shrimp in a shallow baking dish in such a way that they don't touch each other. Put a spoonful of dressing on each shrimp. Top with another shrimp (cut in the same fashion) and add another spoonful of stuffing. Toothpick them together and dab them with butter. You can also put them under the broiler in just a single layer if you prefer.

Stuffing: 2 cups bread cubes, 2 tbs. minced onion, 2 tbs. butter, 1 tsp. parsley, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. sage, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Soak bread, press out water, brown onion in butter. Add butter and seasonings to crumbs.

Enjoy~

So, This Is What Cabin Fever Looks Like

Cabin fever, spring fever, I don't know what you call it, but I have got it bad!

I had to go to the barn today and fill up three plant pots with soil. I didn't HAVE to... oh heck, who am I trying to kid~yes I did. As I thrust my hands into the bag of soil I immediately relaxed. All my cares and worries of the past six months were eaten alive with the smell of the dirt. I took my gloves off and sat down on the floor of the barn.

My epiphany: I have to garden all year round for my peace of mind. (I wonder if I can get a doctor's note for that.) I know that my living in Maine makes that a tricky thing, but I have to figure this out. For my own good as well as everyone who has to put up with me!

I filled up the three pots and sat looking at them. Drawing patterns in the earth with my fingers, I stopped and allowed myself to be amazed. I'm going to take this dirt into the house and plant some lettuce seeds, which will grow on my windowsill, and in a few weeks, I will have the beginnings of nourishment directly from my own kitchen. Does the miracle of growth not leave you awe stricken?

I grow sprouts all winter, and I try hard to keep many of my fresh herbs alive and available throughout the off-season, but it is time to look into more than that. Stick with me Constant Reader, as I travel down the rabbit hole and research growing food indoors from November to March. Not with the added costs of grow lights or expensive tables and watering systems. Just guided by the grace of God as He gives me more directions on providing for my family.

Oh, and a final shout out to Punxsutawney Phil and his weather forecast yesterday. Dude, you rock! Thank you for the early spring, but make sure to telephone your relatives around me here in Maine and remind them to stay far, far away from Sarah's Eden!

Garden On~

A Time To Step Back

The last few weeks have been difficult for me. As a mom, as a wife, as a friend and as a human. Being really sick for three weeks has not helped my mental state, but some people in and around my life have made "feeling good" impossible. I know it is not people- it is the devil working through people to get at me and make me feel miserable in the middle of my most blessed and amazing life. I am happy, damn it...GET THEE BEHIND ME, satan!!!

So, I put on my boots, hat, mittens and coat and~with my camera in hand~ I set out to find all of the blessings that surround me every single day.

 My blueberry orchard showing off it's vibrant new red growth. Soaking up the sunshine and preparing for their reawakening in a few more months!  

A couple of my beautiful girls. Their molting is complete and they should be back in business very soon. They are so friendly and so fun! 

 Barlow's Pond. My grandparents turned the little stream that ran down the middle of the pasture into a large body of water. They stocked it with trout, but the bass soon appeared and ate them all up. Now it is a happy gathering place for seagulls and one very large blue heron. I love how when it freezes you can see the natural springs, still awake, just under the surface. Time to get the ice skates out!

Someone has been busy cutting down cattails and cementing them together with a lot of loads of mud. I'm thinking a muskrat. Does anyone know who could live here? 


I paused for a long time to look at that structure. Animals know. They just know. Animals take their life one day at a time. They are tuned into the daily, monthly, yearly clock. They synchronize perfectly with mother earth. God is simply awesome in His power and His love. We need to take some lessons from the animals. As they say: The more I know people, the more I like animals!

We all have seasons. Some are full of sadness, some are full of joy. The ups and downs of life are there to teach us so much. Have a blessed day, Constant Reader. Thanks for sticking with me!

What do you want?

So, I'm interested in what you want to talk about, learn about, ask about on this blog. I want to post so many different things and I often wonder what you want to see... Please direct me!