Abundant Provisions

Have you ever read Laura Ingalls Wilder's "On the Shores of Silver Lake"?  Remember when her family had the good fortune to spend the winter in the surveyors cabin?  One of the most memorable experiences for Laura was the pantry - filled to the brim with barrels of food, overflowing with provisions and packed with every good thing to eat.  Laura had never seen such abundance, and the Ingalls family had never experienced such ample bounty.  Not only did Laura and her family benefit from the wealth of provisions cached in the surveyors cabin,  numerous settlers counted themselves blessed by the Ingalls women's industrious use of the cabin's bounty.

Alphabetized list for the storeroom

Our storeroom master list

Empty (or nearly empty) jars to be filled

Filled and ready for the shelf

Another crate full of jars

Our stored food brings to me the same feelings of security and plenty that the surveyors cabin brought to Laura.  I love to see barrels, filled to the brim, line the walls of our storeroom.  I think jars full of dry good, tidily labeled and standing at the ready, are a beautiful thing to behold.  I take great comfort in the knowledge that my family will be well fed, even in times of want, along with anyone else who seeks refuge in our humble home. 

Every fall I scrub our kitchen shelves, cleaning the jars, tidying the china and organizing all the utensils.  It is a huge job because the shelves are large and our shouse seems to magnetically attract dirt.  I clean shelf by shelf, scrubbing the shelves with hot, soapy water and washing each jar as I go.  I organize and clean, getting ready for the fall harvest and fill my gallon jars with dry goods from our storeroom. 

Oatmeal

Dehydrated  potatoes

Hard White Wheat

Today was the day to tackle the shelves with the gallon jars.  I have roughly 30 (1) gallon jars, filled with dry beans, various types of wheat, cereals and baking supplies.  I have jars filled with chocolate chips, pecans and homemade granola.  Popcorn, dehydrated potatoes and apple slices sit next to turbinado sugar and powdered milk.  These are jars I use every day while making meals for my family.  Some, of course, are refilled frequently while others are only filled two or three times a year.

As I write this, I am gazing upon true beauty - freshly cleaned kitchen shelves with row after row of jars filled to the brim with an abundance of provisions.   We are blessed beyond measure.

The Spice of Life

I'm sure you've heard it over and over, but the truth is undeniable.  Spices are an integral part of your preparedness pantry.  Your stored spices can mean the difference between dietary fatigue and a robust survival menu.

For years, we have bought our spices in bulk.  I have read that this is an unwise plan, however, we haven't noticed a significant degradation in the flavor of our stored spices.  They do lose some flavor over time but not enough to justify not buying large quantities to store away for a "rainy" day.  I have spices stored in quart sized canning jars that have been on my shelf for the better part of 15 years and I use them regularly without any noticeable change in flavor.

I do go through some spices more than others.  My garlic powder is regularly replenished while my allspice sees only occasional use.  In addition to spices, soup base (or bouillon), taco seasoning, browning sauce and numerous kinds of salsa fill my stored foods shelves. They all have a great (almost indefinite) shelf life and will make nearly inedible food worth eating.  Here is a partial list of our stored spices and seasonings:

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Mustard powder

Onion powder

Chives

Oregano

Basil

Thyme

Sage

Cinnamon

Allspice

Clove

Nutmeg

Ginger

Pumpkin pie spice (although you can make it with other spices)

Pickling spice

Dill

Chili powder

Tarragon

Poppy seeds

Sesame seeds

Cajun seasoning (we like Cajun's Choice Creole Seasoning)

Taco seasoning

Sausage spices

Beef soup base  (bouillon)

Chicken soup base  (bouillon)

Ham soup base  (bouillon)

Seasoning salt  (Lowery's, Johnny's, etc.)

Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce

Worcestershire sauce

We have found that the right spices or seasonings can dress up just about anything.  If you have sausage spices and a hand operated meat grinder (which can be found at most any thrift store), you can turn rabbit, venison, turkey or just about anything with meat into your favorite breakfast fare.  We buy our sausage spices at our local grocery store.  We asked a friend in the meat department about the spices and he produced a small package that will season up to 25 pounds of meat.  Just add 1 1/2 tsp. of spices per pound of meat and you have wonderfully seasoned sausage.  These spices run right around $2.99 per package, making them very affordable.

If your spice inventory is lean, you may want to consider beefing up your stores of spices and seasonings.  Not only are they imperative for a post-TEOTWAWKI lifestyle, they will make your life a little brighter today.

Remember, seasoning really is the Spice of Life.

TEOTWAWKI Economics

A lot has been written about charity during a time of crisis.  Most of us believe in storing extra, with the express purpose of sharing our subsistence in times of trouble.  Many have put food and equipment away for family members that don't yet see a need.  Still others make it a habit to stock extra supplies for whoever they may encounter.  But where does charity end and TEOTWAWKI Economics begin?

Recently, as I was making my way through Genesis, I found the answers to the questions of TEOTWAWKI Economics.  Most of us know the story of Joseph.  His brothers sold him into slavery, he became favored in Potiphar's house, Potiphar's wife accused him of molesting her, Joseph was sent to prison.  In prison, Joseph earned the favor of the Guard, made friends with the inmates and interpreted their dreams.  Joseph then stood before Pharaoh, rightly divined his dream and became ruler over Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.  Seven years of plenty came.  Joseph built storehouse and procured massive quantities of corn and other fodder.  He gathered when the harvest was abundant.  Then, of course, came seven years of famine.  As the plague of famine threatened to overrun the land, Joseph opened his storehouses.  He was steward of Pharaoh estate and managed, with wisdom, the selling of provisions to the famished people of Egypt and the surrounding areas.

The SELLING of provisions is key.  He did not give the corn away, he sold it.  First, he sold food for money.  When the money ran out, he took cattle in exchange.  After the cattle, it was horses, flocks and asses.  Then came the fields.  Joseph bought EVERY man's fields, in the entirety of Egypt, for the price of  stored corn!

"And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. 


And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.


And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.


And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.


When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:


Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh, and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.


And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.


And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof."


                                                         Genesis 47:14-21

There are two basics principles at work in these verses.  The first is that it is not immoral to take payment for items stored through wisdom.  It is expected that the people who fail to provide for themselves will be required to exchange payment, of one kind or another, for their daily bread. The second truth in these verses is that you NEVER want to be in the position of selling all you own, even to your own person, just to buy a portion of bread.  Can you imagine being removed from your land, into a city (or refugee camp) for a meager supply of wheat or corn?  Heaven forbid!

"The prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it".

Realizing that the economies of a post-TEOTWAWKI world will be greatly changed from our current economies, we should be spurred into action.  Prepare yourself not only to survive the coming storm, but to meet the new world with wisdom and understanding.   Supply your larder with food, your magazine with ammunition and your mind with understanding.  Only then will you truly grasp the impact of TEOTWAWKI Economics.

Product Review - Augason Farms Potato Soup

**** *
Years ago, we used to buy Bear Creek Potato Soup (dehydrated) in #10 tins at Costco.  We loved it.  We would try stock up on it occasionally, but we used it as fast as we could buy it.  It was convenient, simple and tasty.

As much as we like the Bear Creek Soup, the price rose to the point that we could no longer afford it.  And then, horror of horrors, the #10 tins devolved into smaller, plastic tubs before it disappeared from Costco altogether.  Every once in a while, we would indulge in a packet of Bear Creek soup from the grocery store, but it was really too expensive to be a practical stock up item.

This year for Christmas my parents presented us with a gift of Augason Farms Potato Soup (it is so cool having preppers for parents!).  The Augason Farms soups come in #10  tins (plastic is not an oxygen barrier).  It costs about $15.00 dollars a can (give or take) and is available both on-line and in numerous retail outlets, such as Walmart and Rosaurs.

We were anxious to give it a try and see if it measured up to our expectations.  It did and we're hooked.  It tastes every bit as good as the Bear Creek soup and is much more cost effective.  It is highly seasoned (to the point that we didn't need to add salt or pepper) and in fact, I think it could be greatly thinned-out.  The proportions given to mix the soup up produces an almost chowder-like consistency.  Because the soup is so flavorful, I think you could easily (nearly) double the water and still have a great soup.

Because the soup is dehydrated and packaged in #10 tins, the shelf life is practically indefinite.  It is rodent proof, earth quake proof and EMP proof (O.K., so all food is EMP proof, but I was grasping here).

Really, it is more cost effective to buy wheat, oats, beans and other long-term storage foods, but for a convenience food, Augason Farms Potato soup can't be beat.  And, I can see a time when the daily stress of living in a post-TEOTWAWKI world would be greatly alleviated by an occasional taste of pre-TEOTWAWKI "fast food".

Our post-collapse diet will continue to rely heavily on our stored whole foods, however, we will definitely put in a supply of the potato soup.  It is fast, filling and tastes oh-so good.

It is always exciting to find yet another worthy product to add to our stored food reserves.  This is most assuredly worth its 4 star rating.

*(I'm sure there are more nutritionally power packed foods than this dehydrated soup, hence the 4 star rating).

Hoppin' John and Southern Raised Biscuits

Due to the fact that beans comprise a large part of our stored foods, I am always on the lookout for a good bean recipe.  One of our all time favorite beans are Black-eyed Peas, also known as "Cow Peas".  They are almost a cross between a pea and a bean in that they are the size of a kidney bean, but they don't require soaking before cooking, which makes them perfect when you want a "bean" dish but are in a hurry.

I recently came across a recipe starring black-eyed peas, that could easily be converted into a "stored foods" recipe so I thought I would give it a try.  We love Hoppin' John so much that it has become an almost weekly staple in our household.  When reading the recipe, keep in mind that you can substitute canned bacon or ham for the fresh bacon that the recipe calls for.  Celery is optional and canned or dehydrated onions and peppers work as well, if not better, than their fresh counterpart.  I, of course, changed the recipe to suit our tastes, and the recipe that follows reflects our changes.

Hoppin' John
1/3 pound bacon, or 1 ham hock plus 2 Tbsp. oil (use canned bacon, ham or sausage)
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced (canned or dehydrated)
1 small green pepper, diced (canned or dehydrated - I like to use red pepper also)
2 garlic cloves, minced (or garlic powder)
1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas (about 2 cups)
1 bay leaf (I use sometimes)
2 teaspoons dried thyme (I never use this)
1 heaping teaspoon Cajun seasoning (I use about 2 tsp. of Cajun's Choice)
Salt to taste

If you are using bacon, cut it into small pieces and cook it slowly in a medium pot.  If you are using a ham hock, heat the oil in the pot.  Once the bacon is crispy, increase the heat to medium-high and add the celery, onion and peppers and saute until they begin to brown.  Add the garlic and spices, stir well.  Add black-eyed peas and water to cover the peas by about 1 inch.  Cook over medium heat anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to cook to tenderness (the cooking time depends on the age of the peas, where they were grown and what water you are using).  Add more water if necessary.  We like our Hoppin' John to be slightly soupy so that we can serve over rice with a little liquid to flavor the rice.

Hoppin' John

Hoppin' John is a humble, peasant meal, but it is elevated to somewhat noble status with the addition of Southern Raised Biscuits.  Although we love a good baking powder biscuit, nothing quite compares with a yeast raised biscuit.  They are a wonderful combination of quick bread ease and yeast bread flavor.  My recipe came from my best friend Dae (who has all the best recipes) and is simply perfect.

Southern Raised Biscuits
1 C. buttermilk (just add a little lemon juice or vinegar to sweet milk to make buttermilk)
1/2 C. warm water
1 T. dry yeast (or 1 packet)
2 T. sugar
4 C. flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 C. shortening, butter or lard
2 T. butter, melted (optional) for brushing

Heat milk and water, add sugar and yeast.  Stir and let sit to "sponge".  Mix together dry ingredients and cut in shortening.  Add liquids and knead dough until smooth.  Roll, cut into biscuits.  Place on a greased baking sheet (or two).  Brush with melted butter, if desired.  Let rise 30 minutes.  Bake at 400° for 12 minutes.  (Remember - if making this with stored foods, you can use powdered milk to replace the milk and lard or shortening to replace the butter).

Liquids "sponging" and dry ingredients

Liquids just added

Cutting out the biscuits

Ready for the oven

Lovely and golden brown

A very different texture than baking powder biscuits

Beans are an integral part of anyone's food stores.  This is a recipe well worth giving a try.  Have a wonderful dinner!

Practical Preparedness - Organization

Last spring, I needed some simple canning lids.  As I waded through piles of supplies, camping equipment and off season clothing that were stored in our "container", in attempt to reach the canning supplies, I realized that we had a HUGE problem.  Although we had food stores, hygiene items and extra socks, I wouldn't be able to find them if I had to.  Our storage container had become such a mess, that although I knew we had whatever we needed in there "somewhere", it was most often easier to go buy something than dig for it.  My struggle to get from one end of the container to the other was the impetus I needed to get organized and inventory our supplies.  What a revelation!  I had tons of some things and not nearly enough of other things.  Without organization, it was impossible to have an accurate idea of what we had and what we needed.

Miscellaneous Storage

Clothes Storage

Maid Elizabeth and I, armed with clipboards and sharpie pens, tackled the beast.  Starting at the beginning, we inventoried our supplies and began the arduous task of organizing and rearranging.  We combined half buckets of supplies, put like things together and stowed loose items in tubs, barrels and extra buckets.  We threw an entire horse trailer (O.K., it was only a two horse trailer, but still!) load of garbage away.  Empty boxes, torn bags and broken equipment were all thrown in the trailer as we made our way down a 40 foot hallway.  Little by little, order was restored.  At the end of the day, we had inventoried an entire 40 foot container and organized so many buckets and barrels that we lost count.  Finally, if we really NEEDED something, we would be able to put our hands on it.

One of the indoor pantries

Trauma Supplies

Medical Cabinet

Communications Center

Charging Station

Alkaline Battery Storage

After that fateful day, we have never again succumbed to a messy container.  And little by little, we have organized and inventoried pantries, cupboards and every little nook and cranny.  From a preparedness standpoint, we have struck gold.  Not only do we know what we have, but we know were it is.  We also know what we need.  In a grid-down situation being organized is being prepared.  Rather than fighting our way through a mess, we will know exactly were to find something.  In reality, organization could be the difference between life and death.

Oh, and by the way, I did find the canning lids....eventually.