Bestowed by service members with nicknames like “Meals Rarely Edible” and “Meals Rejected by Everyone,” these long-lasting military food rations are built to withstand a 1,250-foot parachute drop, but can they [...]]]> MREs — or Meals Ready to Eat — have developed a horrible reputation among the fighting men and women for whom they were invented.

Bestowed by service members with nicknames like “Meals Rarely Edible” and “Meals Rejected by Everyone,” these long-lasting military food rations are built to withstand a 1,250-foot parachute drop, but can they withstand their reputation as barely edible, tasteless bricks of calories — are MREs really as bad as everyone says?

Picture Credit- Captain Dave's Army Navy Supply on Ebay

Certainly Not a Home-Cooked Meal

The reality is that no soldier, sailor, airman or Marine will ever tell you that he or she has eaten an MRE that reminded him or her of home.

Stuffed with calories, vitamins and minerals, MREs are packed in extra-tough plastic pouches and designed to have a scary-long shelf life. They can be scarfed down cold or heated with an enclosed, water-activated flameless heater. They’re consumed during short breaks or while on the move. It’s the fastest fast food in the world. It’s meant to sustain, not to replace cuisine.

If Not Good, Definitely Better

If you’re in the military right now, you’re eating MREs that are better in every way than those consumed by any service member who came before you in American history.

Combined advancements made by the Defense Department, NASA (which uses its own version of MREs) and civilian companies that cater to the worries of the zombie apocalypse crowd, have improved upon the standard MRE in every category from calorie quality to flavor to variety.

You Kids have it So Easy These Days

As recently as the first Gulf War, the unique preferences of individual soldiers weren’t even taken into consideration. It’s Tuesday. Here’s your Tuesday MRE.

The plastic pouches didn’t even have designs or graphics on them yet (which military studies show somehow make them less appealing). In recent years, extraordinary gains have been made to cater to individual tastes. Among the most recent upgrades: chocolate-filled pound cake, barbecue almonds, fruit-flavored hard candy, and trans-fat-free dairy shakes. Oh yeah, there are even vegetarian options.

How Hungry Are You?

Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Zellers of Cleveland recently told an Ohio newspaper, “When you're eating after 18 hours a day working and working, MREs are like McDonald's or Burger King. Sorta.”

The food inside current-day MREs is good, not great. But if you’re hungry enough that your body is craving calories, good is probably good enough.

The reality is, there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal. But in a pinch or on the go, or certainly in a survival situation like combat or camping, modern MREs provide quality calories with a surprisingly varied menu in a simple and long-lasting package.

If you have the option, order the filet, but if you’re hungry enough, an MRE will do.

Andrew Lisa is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles who writes on a variety of topics, including protecting your online reputation.

The turbulent nature of our times has made our culture much more aware of the importance of emergency preparedness and particularly in regards to food storage. There are now plenty of places to turn to in order to get help in acquiring a good store of emergency food. Although the competitive [...]]]> Food Preservation for Beginners

The turbulent nature of our times has made our culture much more aware of the importance of emergency preparedness and particularly in regards to food storage. There are now plenty of places to turn to in order to get help in acquiring a good store of emergency food. Although the competitive nature of the industry has driven prices down and made food storage more affordable than ever before it still requires an investment (both financially and in terms of effort) so it is important to learn how best to preserve the food you are purchasing. There are plenty of ways to stretch the shelf life of food storage items and doing so will help you save a lot of money while still maintaining the peace of mind that comes with a full supply of food storage. The two basic areas that should be considered are processing methods and storage.

Picture Credit- Bormioli Rocco Fido Jars

Processing Methods

The way that a food is processed has great impact on the length of its shelf life. Some of the most common food preservation processes include drying, canning, freezing and vacuum sealing. Most of the equipment needed for these processes can usually be found right in your kitchen but there are some methods that require additional and specialized equipment.

Many foods can be easily preserved and some methods work better for certain foods than others so take the time to do a little homework before beginning the process. These processes are generally quite simple so mastering the technique won’t take more than a couple attempts.

Storage

Where and how you store your food is crucial to maintaining its longevity, regardless of the process of food preservation used. In many cases it can be difficult to find space for all of your food storage. Be creative and take advantage of space around your home that is unused and out of sight. The type of container used is also essential in the storage process and it differs greatly depending on the type of food and type of preservation used. Here are some of the basics to keep in mind.

The highest priority should be given to keeping food storage dry. Keep your food in areas that are unlikely to become flooded (next to water heaters or plumbing pipes, for example). If you are limited on space and have no choice other than storing food in such areas, make sure to put the food in water resistant containers.

Temperature is also an important factor to keep in mind when considering how to store your food. Most foods do not need to be frozen after undergoing other preservation methods but even those foods should be kept out of extremely warm temperatures and direct sunlight. Areas such as crawl space, basements, cupboards, space under beds, closets, and space under stairs are all examples of common but effective storage locations.

The types of containers used is another aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked. There are now plenty of options available for shelving, containers and racks that are engineered specifically to store bulk food and there are many other containers that can be repurposed easily to effectively store your food

Materials such as plastic, tin or glass are great for individual containers because they are more likely to be airtight and water resistant. These types of containers can then be grouped together by category into larger boxes or crates to use space efficiently. It is also a good idea to avoid excessively large containers or deep shelves because it will make food rotation more difficult.

Lee Flynn is a freelance writer and outdoor enthusiast with interests in food storage.

Breaking Through Concrete: Building an Urban Farm Revival-Amazon

People [...]]]> Marty and David Hanson, along with photographer, Michael Hanson, spent two months driving across America to chronicle the metropolitan agriculture trend. The resulting success stories from cities like Seattle, New Orleans, and New York City prove that fresh vegetables can indeed thrive among—or on top of—skyscrapers.

Breaking Through Concrete: Building an Urban Farm Revival-Amazon

People have always grown food in urban spaces--on windowsills and sidewalks, and in backyards and neighborhood parks--but today, urban farmers are leading an environmental and social movement that transforms our national food system. To explore this agricultural renaissance, brothers David and Michael Hanson and urban farmer Edwin Marty document twelve successful urban farm programs, from an alternative school for girls in Detroit, to a backyard food swap in New Orleans, to a restaurant supply garden on a rooftop in Brooklyn. Each beautifully illustrated essay offers practical advice for budding farmers, such as composting and keeping livestock in the city, decontaminating toxic soil, even changing zoning laws

Hunting is an option a lot of people don’t consider when it comes to procuring food, especially with most city slickers’ aversion to taking life. Yet anyone who eats meat is taking lives by proxy if not directly, and even vegans aren’t exempt from taking a toll on wildlife: space for [...]]]> Guest Post- Brandon Peters

Hunting is an option a lot of people don’t consider when it comes to procuring food, especially with most city slickers’ aversion to taking life. Yet anyone who eats meat is taking lives by proxy if not directly, and even vegans aren’t exempt from taking a toll on wildlife: space for growing plants for human consumption is space taken from animal habitats, dooming animals to either slow death by starvation or a quick one at the hands of farmers or industrial machinery should they trespass into the fields. Given these considerations, harvesting wild game for food, so long as it’s done at a sustainable level,  is a perfectly ethical way of getting your sustenance, and one that prepares you for times of economic hardship or collapse. Be warned, though: while it isn't rocket science, safely and efficiently hunting for and consuming game is not so simple to learn and it requires either the absence of squeamishness or the willingness to overcome it.

There are several ways to go about hunting, depending on your geographic location, season, and your method of choice. Trapping is seen by many as cruel, and it can be hazardous to other people, so it’s generally not a good idea, especially in areas where other people might also choose to wander. Firearms offer many options: A shotgun, has a limited effective range but doesn't require precise aim. A rifle, on the other hand, needs careful aim and a more strategic approach to hunting. As far as moving towards acquiring an independent food supply goes though, firearms in general have the problem of needing ammunition, which is not present with using a bow and arrow since you can learn to craft your own arrowheads if necessary. Of course, since the skill level required for bowhunting is obviously high, your method of choice will have a lot to do with the amount of time you’re willing to spend learning the required skills.

Regardless of weapon, you should always try to learn from experienced teachers, and any practice you do on your own should be in a safe place, using stationary targets. Learning how to handle your weapon safely is key and should come before learning effective and accurate use.

Beginning hunters don’t just need to acquire the right marksmanship skills—you need to know what to do once your quarry is down.  Since your quarry might go down some distance from you, tracking and finding it can be a challenge in itself, and you might want to train a good tracking dog to help you with this.

Once found, you need to inspect the carcass for signs of disease dangerous to humans. Since animals that grow in the wild aren’t given antibiotics or inoculations, it’s natural for them to have parasite infestations and fungal or bacterial infections. The key is to be able to identify when an animal is safe to eat and when it isn’t. Hunting with experienced hunters is one way to gain this knowledge, but you should definitely consult with the local fisheries and game office regarding any diseases in the area affecting your intended quarry. There are also a variety of online resources that you can tap in order to get a handle on what conditions are a risk to human health and what conditions can be safely ignored or can be dealt with using the proper precautions.

Once you've inspected the exterior of your catch and decided it's satisfactory, you then have the choice of whether you're going to take it back home or to camp for butchering or to dress your catch onsite. Factors to consider will obviously be the size of the animal, your available transport, and the terrain. Less obvious but also important are the temperature and whether or not your kill has a gut shot. Hot temperatures and gut shots are both very good reasons to dress your kill in the field rather than waiting till you get to camp and risking decomposition and contamination.

Butchery is also an art in its own right, and one of the best ways to learn is to dive right in with a seasoned veteran to guide you. Among the many details you need to prepare for is the use of a separate knife or saw for severing neural tissues such as the spinal cord. This is to avoid the possible contamination of the meat with prion-infected neural matter.

Since all these details can seem overwhelming, it's generally best to start with small game and work your way upwards. Some species of small game are always in season, so you won't have to worry about when to hunt, and if you check advisories by the local wildlife agencies, you should be up to date on the current health status of your intended prey.

If you live in or near any part of the country where deer can be hunted, deer is what you want to graduate to once you've trained to since you can get 50-75 lbs of meat per animal. Since deer usually have a bow-hunting season, a firearm hunting season, and in certain places a season for black-powder firearms, you'll have many chances of bagging a deer in the course of a year.

Brandon Peters is an entrepreneur, writer, and outdoors enthusiast. He enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, including hunting and fishing.

Picture Credit- AFIELD A Chef's Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish- Amazon

Obviously you want your water to be as clean as possible. Nobody wants to drink water that will make them sick. Unfortunately, not everybody lives in an area in which drinking clean water is as easy as turning on a faucet. [...]]]> Erin Steiner is a freelance writer and web content producer from Portland, Oregon.

Obviously you want your water to be as clean as possible. Nobody wants to drink water that will make them sick. Unfortunately, not everybody lives in an area in which drinking clean water is as easy as turning on a faucet. Sometimes you need to install a water purification system to make your water healthy for drinking.

When you first start looking for water purification supplies, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by how much those supplies cost. Before you panic, don’t forget about the greatest shopping resource ever invented: the Internet! Shopping online is great—you can compare prices and brands without a sales person hovering over you. You can use whatever payment method is most convenient (pretty much every merchant who sells these supplies via the web accepts credit cards online, too).

Here are the best places on the web to shop when you want to buy water purification supplies.

Store Websites

Lowes, Home Depot, etc.—they all have websites through which these supplies can be purchased. The best thing about this option is that, a lot of the time, if something arrives and is wrong or broken, you can return it to your local store instead of having to send it back through the mail.

Amazon

Yep. They sell supplies for purifying water, too. The great thing about Amazon is that you can compare prices from different vendors for the same product. They also usually list items from the major retailers mentioned above. You can get the product you want for the price you want.

REI

REI is a fantastic resource for everything having to do with the outdoors and survival, which makes it a great place to find water purification supplies if, for some reason, there is an emergency or you’re camping and you find yourself needing a portable purification system to keep your drinking water safe. They also sell travel-friendly purification systems if you’re planning on taking a trip abroad or south, to a country where the water is famously unsafe.

The type of water purification system you need is going to depend largely up on the type of water you’re dealing with. Do you have to clear out large amounts of sediment as well as a variety of microbes and bacteria? Do you have hard water or soft water? Has there been an outbreak of something waterborne in your area? The answers to all of these questions will help you determine which purification filter or system is best for you.

It’s also worth noting that there are things you can do to make your own water purifier on the fly. This is a handy skill to have if there is an emergency or if the city decides to work on your neighborhood’s water main for a while and you forgot to prepare yourself for a few days without municipally provided water.

Be Able To Drink This Water With Water Purification Supplies

Modern civilization has agriculture as its foundation. The nomadic lifestyle of hunter-gathering gave way to settling down and growing food on the land, opening the possibility of permanent dwellings, real estate ownership, a lot of extra time to think and invent stuff, and so many other breakthroughs that led [...]]]> By Stacey Thompson

Modern civilization has agriculture as its foundation. The nomadic lifestyle of hunter-gathering gave way to settling down and growing food on the land, opening the possibility of permanent dwellings, real estate ownership, a lot of extra time to think and invent stuff, and so many other breakthroughs that led us to where we are now.

Considering how relatively short a time it has been since humanity has gained dominion over the earth (a mere bat of the eyelash, given how old the planet is), it still surprises me how much humanity has achieved, markedly so in the recent five hundred or so years that contained the Renaissance, the Industrial Age, the Atomic Age, and now, the Age of Information.

Contrast that with the collective disappointment of all of us who are witnessing a decline in our world today, how the value of fertile land, a human life, clean water, and healthy food have taken a backseat to the gadgets and gizmos we intended for the improvement of the human condition, and not to supercede it in priority.

At the risk of sounding alarmist and reeking of doomspeak, I think we have quite a ways to start realizing how much we have lost. For us to allow and even sponsor the suffering of our fellow men in order that we might be distracted for a few moments with our toys and other diversions shows a distinct lack of empathy.

Don’t try to point the finger of blame on anyone, because we, as a race, are all at fault. We brought this upon ourselves, and if we continue to treat each other and the rest of the biosphere with apathy, we will surely get what we deserve: a dead planet.

Is there a way to reverse this downward spiral into oblivion?

Yes, I think so. The rest of the natural world did not engage in some kind of conspiracy to bring man down. We brought this down on ourselves, and I believe with a great deal of certainty that we can undo this.

We Are Brothers And Sisters

Our knowledge of science has confirmed what we have spiritually known for so long, that all of us have common ancestry. We have to start treating each other as such: to be compassionate, empathetic, and loving. We will fail many times in our attempts, but what is more important is the intent and effort to look out for one another.

Technology As A Tool For Good

Nowadays, we are enslaved by the technology we have created. This should not be the case, obviously. Technology has to help us in our lives, to free us of mortal infirmities and help us attain things never thought possible.

One doesn’t even need to consider the cutting-edge technology that has yet to be fully understood and perfected. Old technologies, the slightly antiquated heavy equipment that helps us build houses, provide food, make roads, and feed the hungry, are at our disposal, and yet we do not act. This must change; we must use tools for the benefit of all.

The System Must Be Upgraded

More and more, people have come to see that the monetary way of things serves not to share the wealth, but to isolate it into the hands of a few. This is probably the most radical of my insights, and will meet much resistance from those who have worked hard to attain their fortunes. Know this, that if we shared our resources amongst mankind based on what we need and not what we want, everyone will have their fill, and nobody will be deprived. The paradigm shift will be hard, but it has to happen.

These insights, I pray, will help spur people to action and start building, planting, and loving towards a better world.

About The Author

Stacey Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and maintains a blog with her closest friends, Word Baristas.

As it stands, individuals have very little power to stop a calamity, especially one caused by nature. Disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions leave the land scarred and momentarily unusable; this includes its capacity to provide life giving nourishment to the creatures that live on it.

By Stacey Thompson

As it stands, individuals have very little power to stop a calamity, especially one caused by nature. Disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions leave the land scarred and momentarily unusable; this includes its capacity to provide life giving nourishment to the creatures that live on it.

Humanity is no less reliant on the earth than the rest of the biosphere, but thanks to our race’s penchant for innovation and tool use, we are able to fare much better than the rest of them despite the trials that the natural world puts us through. Our knowledge and technological advances allow us to tame the wilds and reap bigger yields from it, often times to the detriment of the environment and the other living beings that inhabit it.

Focusing back on the present situation, the planet has become a tad more inhospitable; the global warming proponents are not exactly too happy that their projections are being realized. Of all the problems generated by this phenomena, flooding has taken the center stage. It would have been alright if after the waters recede, the land would all be reclaimed, but the fact is that we are literally losing ground to the oceans.

We, the humans that have decided to be more self-sustaining and conscientious of the environment and the rest of the biosphere, are at a great disadvantage, seeing how the rest of civilization is behaving. It is imperative that we take matters into our own hands and prepare while the rest of the world callously abuses the planet’s resources. If they will not listen after the many warnings given, then we have no choice but to move on without them.

Paramount in our hierarchy of needs is the ability to grow and produce food. My ideas focus on the steps that work towards the end of food sustainability.

Seeking Higher Ground

If we are to start a new haven of self-sustainability, it would have to be on higher ground. Flooding is obviously a bigger possibility in the coastal areas, and in the long run, as ocean levels rise, the coastal maps will definitely be redrawn, with more land going under the sea. Though I do not cherish the idea that a “Big One” will happen (flood, earthquake, etc.), we should not eliminate that from the list of things that could happen.

Fortunately, there are many areas in the world that have plenty of rich, arable acres inland; quite affordable in comparison to the overpriced seaside properties. Securing such parcels of land should be one of the first steps to undertake.

Equipment (and lots of it)

Given the size of the land you will be working on (and very likely it is undeveloped), it will be necessary for you to have large earthmoving and agricultural equipment to make it happen. It need not be expensive, however. Searching through equipment marketplace sites like Rock & Dirt and NextTruck Online, you can find some lucrative deals on surplus vehicles and equipment that still have many years of good service left in them.

The heavy equipment won’t operate by themselves, though. Find the time to learn and actually get certified to operate these machines. It is definitely a useful skill set to have, useful immediately and in the event that things just don’t pan out for humankind.

Find the Right People

Noah had to make do with his sons and in-laws, but you don’t have to. There are many like-minded and progressive folks out there that are willing to work with people with the same ideals. Don’t rely on just online meetings; go ahead and meet people and talk about food production and other related topics to find out what they have in mind. Ideas get better as they are developed by more people.

I fervently hope that we never have to see the calamitous scenarios that we are so scrupulously preparing for. Live well, everyone!

About the Author

Stacey Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and is maintaining a blog that her group of friends is contributing to, Word Baristas.

1.    Store it right – Sunlight and oxygen are your enemies. Try [...]]]> We all hate to throw away food, even when it goes bad. Expiration dates and frost bite, mold and rot all claim tons of food every year. However there are ways to make your fresh food last longer. Here are some helpful tips:

1.    Store it right – Sunlight and oxygen are your enemies. Try to store dry goods like flour in cool, dry and dark places. Do not wash vegetables before placing them in the refrigerator.

2.    Vinegar trick - Wash fresh fruits in a mixture of ten parts water to one part white vinegar to keep rot off longer.

3.    Baking soda trick – Keep baking soda in your refrigerator not for smells but to trap gasses that cause rot.

4.    Bay leaf trick – Slip a bay leaf in your flour or pasta to ward off bugs.

5.    Rice trick – Add rice to your salt and sugar to prevent clumping due to moisture.

6.    Butter trick – Put a thin layer of butter on the cut side of cheese so it stays mold free.

7.    Bad apples – One bad apple really does spoil the bunch. Throw away any rotten fruit before it is too late. Keep ripe and unripe fruit separated to prevent rotting.

8.    Wrap it up – Rewrap products to keep them fresh. Cheese and lettuce should be wrapped in fresh plastic wrap when brought home. If freezing, make sure all the air is removed and the food is wrapped securely to prevent freezer burn.
These are just a few of the little tips that can help your food to last longer. Do not throw it out, make it last by shopping smart, storing wisely and making the most of your food.
Author Bio:

Jack Meyers is a regular contributor for www.nannybackgroundcheck.com. As a detective he wants to spread the knowledge of terrible things that can happen when people don’t fully verify the credentials of a caregiver or any employee. He also writes for various law enforcement blogs and sites.

Picture Credit- The Grain Mill of Wake Forest  is a small, Christian, family owned and operated business that provides people throughout central and eastern North Carolina with a source for Amish-style bulk foods and a variety of whole grains available by the pound.

Not Your Mothers Food Storage-  Amazon

With all that is going on now, it brings to mind something I was told by a friend 15 years ago: when you see a kitchen sink fly by your face you'll know that the end is near. What brings it to mind is that I could swear I just [...]]]> By SurvivingSurvivalism.com

With all that is going on now, it brings to mind something I was told by a friend 15 years ago: when you see a kitchen sink fly by your face you'll know that the end is near. What brings it to mind is that I could swear I just noticed a kitchen sink fly past my face.

This friend is the same person who introduced me to William Cooper so many years ago. What he said in full was “When they are ready to collapse the economy and bring us to the predicted WW3 (See Pike, Manzinni) they will come at us on all fronts.

Economic

Political

Societal

Religion

Gun Control

and TPTB's favorite, War!

The reason for the all fronts in this war against us is that we are in the process of being liquidated, and just like the pick-pocket uses distraction to lift your wallet out of your pocket, TPTB are now in the process of using distraction to pick our pockets one last time.  While some of us may notice TPTB picking our pockets, that too is only a distraction. The real end game is the upcoming WAR!

While most people are busy noticing their paychecks are much smaller due to increased payroll taxes (Obamacare) and reduced hours that so many people are having to live with, the war drums are beating louder and louder.  China and Japan are mobilizing for war over some worthless islands and Korea has become an ICBM nuclear power and now has the capability of sending a Hiroshima-type bomb to the   center of the USA to create an EMP blast that will knock out the electrical grid for most of the USA. We are busy complaining about increased payroll taxes and lack of jobs, while on the western front Israel and the USA are pounding the war drums over Syria and Iran and doing everything they can up and and not limited to calling the Syrians and Iranians little sissies to prompt the war!

The truth is TPTB need a good war to clear the books and hide their crimes. Hegel, Machiavelli to name a few, all have advised to make sure to leave the thieves in charge when you exit the office, and TPTB all seem to have taken that advice very seriously. Brings to mind a joke a recently heard....

A dying priest living in Wash DC (the District of Criminals) has one last dying request and that was to meet with Obama and Harry Reid before he died. Both granted the old priest's request and met with him. Upon meeting the old priest Obama asked why his last request was to meet with them.  The priest's answer was, “I wanted to be like Jesus.  He died between two lairs and theives.”

The point is that all the above mentioned points are only distractions to the main event, and that main  event is WAR! It will matter very little if you have a good paying job once you hear the air raid sirens blearing – if you get lucky enough to get that much warning.

I know that some may say that this is an extreme view, but “they” (you know, “they” –  like the “they” Edmond O'Brien speaks of in the Sam Peckinpah movie, “The Wild Bunch”, who substituted iron washers for gold coins). Are always known only after the fact. We are seeing unfold the same type of circumstance that brought about the Second World War and then like now people were distracted –  because it was planned that way. To quote FDR “nothing happens in Washington, DC unless it was planned that way”.  The thing to notice is the level of distraction TPTB are using today to hide their real plans.

So getting back to the topic at hand, in our opinion the time is now to get ready. The time for waiting is over and you must begin now to prepare for the inevitable and that inevitability is WAR! This war is not going to be over land or resources it will be a population reduction war, plain and simple.  The question you must ask yourself is, do you want to be one of the many who will be eliminated?

If you did not notice the kitchen sink fly past your head there is a name for that condition.  It's called Cognitive Dissonance.  Festinger's (1957) cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony (or dissonance) (http://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-dissonance.html).  In simple terms, it is insisting that facts are not facts because we don't want them to be.  This is your wake up call!

TPTB are very predictable, if you take the time to notice their “modus operandi”.  There is a Season of Sacrificial Rites during which they tend to begin wars.  This is between March 19^th and 22^nd, the Spring Equinox (Mark Passio, WhatOnEarthIsHappening.com Podcast #36).  Look at the dates we invaded Iraq, Afghanistan and Lybia.  Coincidence?

What to do?  Here is a “To Do List” for your consideration:

·First and foremost GET FOOD NOW! You can do little to save your self when you are dying of hunger.  I know that most say “ I'm going to get around to that some day soon,” but the time is now and if not now the chances are good it will be never. It makes no difference to me if the food you decide to store is some of the food many companies are hawking on the net or just a load of beans and rice. The time to do this is NOW!

·Have a source of water. It can be filters that can make non potable water drinkable or cases of bottled water.  Every person in your group will need at least one gallon of potable water per day or death will come in a matter of days.

·Have a safe place to be.  If you live in a highly populated area, GET OUT NOW! Having storage food and guns and ammo will do you little good if the bombs fall on your head.  The key here is knowing what a safe place is. The greatest threat will be crowds of people who are not prepared. If you live in a densely populated area the threat will be greatest. So if you live in a densely populated area think of places you can go SOON that have the least threat.

·Guns and Ammo. I know that the cost of semi auto rifles has gone through the roof, but for those of you who have up to now put off purchasing a gun and ammo will have to pay some pretty high prices for what up till recently was affordable (I have heard that M4's and Mini 14 have gone through the roof.  Some reports have it that even M1 carbines are going for $2500) So for those who have waited till the last minute, I have some suggestions. The Ruger 10-22 22 caliber semi auto (an  old favorite) and a Mossberg pump shotgun may be the way to go if you can fine one to buy.  The reason to have guns is not so that you can join in the “fun” of starting a revolution.  It is for defense and for hunting.

I have heard all the excuses...

My wife/husband/children, etc. will think I'm crazy

My job is here and I need my job

I not sure the time is now.... I must have more time!

I don't have enough money!

ETC., ETC., ETC.

All these excuses will do you no good once war breaks out! I recently heard an ad for storage food and the catchy tag line was “better one year too early then one day too late”.  Truer words were never spoken.  But again, the time to finish your preps is NOW – not sometime in the future. I know that some may say that I'm being alarmist but you should know that “THEY” always have said people were alarmist in the past when good advice was given. At least you won't be able to say that someone did not tell you!

From the authors of Surviving Survivalism – How to Avoid Survivalism Culture Shock available at survivingsurvivalism.com

Photo: nicholasjon, Flickr

Recently, a small firestorm was ignited by Valerie Lucus-McEwen, a government Emergency Management employee, who had the temerity to accuse preparedness types of “selfishness.” While your immediate reaction may be – as mine certainly was – “How dare she?” and “Are people really and truly this thoughtless?” – this question does [...]]]> Authored By J Vanne

Recently, a small firestorm was ignited by Valerie Lucus-McEwen, a government Emergency Management employee, who had the temerity to accuse preparedness types of “selfishness.” While your immediate reaction may be – as mine certainly was – “How dare she?” and “Are people really and truly this thoughtless?” – this question does deserve a proper answer, particularly as those who are easily influenced by the leftist media, or who believe the state really and actually is the omniscient, omnipotent savior of  our personal and corporate lives, are actually asking this question. So, let’s examine the question:

First, many preparedness types have, as part of their goal, the intent of helping neighbors and family who were unable – or unwilling – to prepare. In my own case, part of what I have in mind is assisting a large group of mentally retarded and Down’s syndrome children that my church has taken under its wing. (A group the state would do no more than “warehouse” if it were under their direction!). Not all preppers feel this way, but I would bet my bottom can of stored tuna fish there is an exceedingly large percentage of preparedness types who feel similarly.

The non-prepper is, in my experience, generally of socialist orientation. The results of this communalism approach was tried – and found wanting - all the way back in the Pilgrim era. Many of you are aware that when the Pilgrims first arrived, they worked out of a communal system. The result was starvation and death. As this approach did not work, they then “privatized” their system – and of course flourished. You can easily research this history yourself, but if one has any experience with human nature, it is immediately apparent why this didn’t – and has never in history – worked. The issue is that human nature is imperfect and selfish, just as Adam Smith wrote about in the Wealth of Nations. A simple recognition of this basic aspect of human nature – and finding a way to work with this reality, rather than against it, provides the most good for the largest number of people – exactly as Smith wrote, and exactly as history has shown for anyone who has eyes to see. And for those of you with Judeo-Christian worldviews, this issue is why Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn called Communism “a Christian heresy.” Long story short, the question is: Is man perfectible (particularly with the best and brightest, such as Hilary, George Soros, Al Gore and Obama telling – nay, forcing – us what to do!), or are all men fallible, and the dictum of Lord Acton correct that absolute power corrupts absolutely correct. There is an unbridgeable divide between these two assumptions, and this divide makes itself manifest in the Hamlet-like “to prep or not to prep” debate.

The Fleet Street Letter put this matter perspicaciously a number of years ago, and is worth quoting at length: “There are two major traditions in Western political thought. The first is Aristotelian, logical, rational, centrist, mechanistic. You concentrate power and truth in the centre and apply it outward, shaping the world according to plan. This was the guiding principle of the Roman Empire. It evolved into the Holy Roman Empire and the Church of Rome. Except for Switzerland, it has dominated politics on the continent ever since. Most recently, it has morphed into the European Union. The principle is simple – smart people can figure out how to run things, and should be allowed to do so. This was the idea behind Hillary Clinton’s health care task force (and now ObamaCare), as well as Japan, Inc. and even Adolph Hitler’s National Socialist Germany. It has animated nearly every politician (each one  of whom, as Garrison Keilor notes about Lake Woebegone children, are above average) in this century. But there is another tradition that is much less well understood. It is the tradition of the Roman Republic… of English common law… of Adam Smith and Emmanuel Kant… of Austrian School economists such as Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek and of pre-Rooseveltian American. It is organic, rather than mechanistic – the tradition of tradition, based on the recognition that people, no matter how smart, cannot replace thousands of years of accumulated experience. Experience is embodied in the evolved systems of values, customs, rules and traditions that people use to order and give meaning to their lives. A free market and a free society allow people to express these preferences, as well as allowing the process of social and civil evolution to continue. This tradition, in other words, is neither liberal nor conservative in the modern sense, but anti-political. Indeed, it is often seen as “anti-intellectual” because it denies the authority of intellectuals to tell the rest of us what to do (through the political process).”

Perhaps you, like I do, remember the “best and the brightest” who led the Vietnam war? How dis that one work out? Or, if that news is too old, perhaps you care to visit present day Detroit – which was the first city to adopt the socialist “Model Cities Program” in under Mayor Coleman Young a number of decades ago. Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” was a similar quasi- socialist endeavour, which was to end poverty. You can judge for yourself how all those $9 trillion dollars spent on this “war” resulted in (hint: we now have just under 48 million on food stamps, up from 32 million when Obama took office).

The basic misunderstanding is, as Frederic Bastiat wrote in The Law, “Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists conclude that we object to its being done at all. We disapprove of state education. Then the socialists say that we are opposed to any education. We object to a state religion. Then the socialists say that we want no religion at all. We object to a state-enforced equality. Then they say that we are against equality. And so on, and so on. It is as if the socialists were to accuse us of not wanting persons to eat because we do not want the state to raise grain.

There is yet another misunderstanding for those of Christian persuasion – the Book of Acts, 2:24 in the New Testament, which states about the early believers “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common.”  Dr. Jay Richards addresses this superbly in his book Money, Greed andf God: Why Capitalism is the
Solution and Not the Problem by simply noting that the early Christians held things in common voluntarily and without compulsion. This is light years away from the state forcing sharing, and under compulsion.

And one more important observation, that is applicable to the prepping community: When I donate my own money, I watch like a hawk where it is going, and what it is doing. When my money goes for taxes to “help” others - for the few dollars that actually make it past the money sucking gauntlet of bureaucrats - how much actually reaches its destination? Some research shows as little as 10% or so. As the saying goes, it is much better to teachsomeone to fish, rather than just gives them a fish for a day. And I can do a thousand times more, with a million times more love, for 1% of the money, that the government could ever dream of doing, if I were left with my own money to donate as I wish. Similarly, preparedness is most optimally left to the individual, not the state. I am clearly not saying there is no place at all for the state to assist. However, it should be ancillary and very secondary in function. To do otherwise is to set expectations that can only be dashed – exactly as was seen during hurricanes Katrina or Sandy.

So, how does this relate to preparedness?  In a collapse – whether it be Argentinian/Greek/Zimbabwe style, or EMP, or a global war, compassion must be personal and voluntary. Not only is it more effective, it is more ethical. And it is more ethical because it is more caring, as well, more direct, and more efficient  In a collapse, there should be a voluntary exchange, and for those that are not prepared, there should be some type of assistance rendered by the one who has not prepared (it could be cooking, gardening; perhaps doing guard duty or carpentry). Where this is not possible, simple humanity and compassion should – and undoubtedly will be – the hallmark of many preppers.

In a serious collapse, there may well be a need to choose whom one would help, or not, but that is a decision that will be very personal. For myself – in contrast to the government representatives who so condescendingly accuse preppers such myself of being self-centred, I will indeed (as noted above) look to help the weak and helpless. You may say “A lot of good that will do – let the weak die,” to which I reply “A society that only values those of utility is not a society worth keeping – and in fact, is precisely the type of society – with its abortions, euthanasia, etc. – that got us into this mess in the first place.”

Another point: I would be remiss not to mention in the context of this article is the very self-apparent fact that for every person who is prepared, that is one less mouth to feed in a real crisis. This needn’t be addressed further, as it is patently obvious, but is yet another reality that the debunkers neglect to address, though it is staring them right in the face.  The regular silence by these debunkers is a stark testimony to what is either a lack of critical thinking, or a purposeful lack of honesty is examining the relative merits of preparedness.

God – or for the non-believer, nature herself – has written self-preservation into our very DNA.  Certainly, from a Judeo Christian perspective, each individual person has the right to self-preservation. The Bible is replete with laws allowing for self-defense in the Old Testament, and even in the New Testament – while unequivocally admonishing believers to be irenic and forgiving, also quotes Christ telling the disciples, for example in Luke 22:36, in preparation for when He is gone, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.” There are historically several approaches to defense in the Bible – complete pacifism, the use of “police” force, and just war, but that is beyond the scope of this paper. Suffice to say, self-defense is well within the historical understanding of options for Christians in a violent world, although admittedly this can be a difficult issue to navigate, and there is a range of conclusions reasonable people can come to within the pale of faith. Similarly, I extend this self-defense conceptions into that of preparedness. I think the extension is fair and reasonable.

But, as for preparedness and faith, clearly Proverbs 27:12 explicitly states – and which passage many preparedness types are familiar with - “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.”  The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”  In a world where well-regarded individuals like Dr. Lawrence Kotlikoff of Boston University state the total amount of unfunded liabilities – federal, state, municipal and corporate – are now a staggering $222 trillion, where the amount of derivatives (which Warren Buffet famously once called “financial weapons of mass destruction”) world-wide makes that amount look like a molehill, in a nation where people like Jon Corzine can “lose” $1.6 billion and simply walk away without a day in jail, or a in nation about which Billy Graham’s wife Ruth once said “If God doesn’t’ judge America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah,” is preparedness unwise?  Leftists may say no, but that is their prerogative. However, if they wish not to prepare, then perhaps they ought to take to their own hearts and written commentary the one thing they forcefully invoke for everyone else in every other situation - tolerance.

With all due respect to them, why is it our non-prepper friends, as exemplified by the written commentary of Ms. Lucus-McEwen noted above, cannot practice what they presumably preach? Why must people like this actively vilify those with whom they disagree? (But of course, the answer is obvious – just as in the days of Imperial Rome, everyone but everyone must bow to the all-encompassing supremacy of the state. To do otherwise means crucifixion – 2,000 years ago, this was in the arena; today, it is the high tech lynching of Clarence Thomas, the fashion execution of Sarah Palin, or the just the “mere” thuggery against those who beg to disagree with big government by modern day Kristalnacht Alinsky ruffians.

The whole area of faith and preparedness clearly needs much further and deeper exegesis – but hopefully this scratches the surface of the subject, and opens up further conversation.

But even for the non-believer, one’s body is wired for self-preservation. And if nature is all that exists, logically one has no basis to “backtalk against one’s DNA,” which has written self-preservation into the body. From either a biblical or non-biblical perspective, self-preservation is an intrinsic “good.”  Why should preppers then be castigated?

One final – and telling – point about “selfish preppers.” The woman who wrote this castigation of preppers was a government worker. This means she makes a good living off of private sector people such as myself. As a matter of fact, I cannot currently make adequate preparations for my family and I because I have to provide a “princessly” salary and retirement package for her (the average government worker may make a third more in salary than a private sector worker, and retire much, much earlier). But here is the kicker: If there is a disaster – mostly likely brought about by yet another miscalculation by the self-proclaimed “best and brightest,” (think Vietnam, the internet bubble, Long Term Capital Management, Jon Corzine, the housing bust, etc.), do you know where these “important” people go? To continuity of government shelters! In other words, if there is a miscalculation, and a nuclear war starts, or an EMP or biological attack starts, they are all set to retreat to specially built giant, lavishly equipped caverns – while you and I fend for ourselves, due to a mess of their creation!  Any word from our FEMA or emergency management types on that? Why no critiquing of that preparedness??. If nothing else in this article sinks home to you, this should make crystal clear the hypocrisy behind the prepper criticism.

In sum, I prepare the same reason my all my forebears did each fall: I don’t know what the winter (of this this case, the future) will bring. While for believers, God has promised to be with us and sustain us, as the old saying goes, we can’t ask God to direct our steps if we are unwilling to move our feet.  I trust, and my feet move.

Disaster can strike at any time, usually when you least expect it. Here’s how to make sure you have enough stocked food to ride out any catastrophe. Whether you plan on riding it out in style with meals fit for a king, or making do with [...]]]> Rations: How to Ensure You Have Enough Stocked Food

Disaster can strike at any time, usually when you least expect it. Here’s how to make sure you have enough stocked food to ride out any catastrophe. Whether you plan on riding it out in style with meals fit for a king, or making do with a modest budget, take the time to get everything in place.

How Much Is Enough?

Of course everyone wants to be prepared, should the worst ever happen. But how much food do you really need? Everyone seems to have their own opinion, this writer included. Many people say you need at least a three-day supply, while others firmly believe in stocking up with nothing less than a week's supply. Still there are those who scoff at anything under a month and some who won’t think twice about keeping a year’s worth of food ready at hand.

The truth is that the answer is complicated. Unfortunately there is no quick fix and no simple answer. Lucky for you, you’re taking the time to figure things out at your leisure, before the proverbial dirty diaper hits the fan. Here are some questions you need to consider in order to find what works best for you. When in doubt, play it safe and store a little more.

What Disaster Do You Anticipate?

Storing food for a thunderstorm and the accompanying electrical outage won’t require much in the way of rations since things usually get fixed within 48 hours. On the other hand, severe winter weather complete with power loss and travel disruptions can last up to a week or more; therefore more food will need to be stockpiled. Riots, nuclear plant malfunctions, and terrorism brings us further up the scale in terms of scope and impact of disaster, so you might want to keep enough food on hand for at least a month.

What’s Your Budget?

If you’re not planning to store more than a few days of food, or you have deep pockets, money won’t be an issue. Otherwise, a budget is not a luxury--it’s a necessity. Your plan isn’t worth the paper it’s written on if you can’t execute. But don’t think you have to get everything done at once. While it might be nice to have a whole year's supply of food on hand, your budget may tell you a different story.

Keep this in mind when you start shopping and keep things balanced. There’s no sense having 180 servings of assorted breakfasts and nothing else. Make sure that whatever you buy results in a complete emergency supply for a specific time period.

How Many People Will You Feed?

The number of people you plan on feeding during a crisis will directly impact the quantity of food you purchase. Obviously you’ll want to feed your immediate family, but what about other people that aren’t as prepared? Are you going to turn away friends, neighbors, or distant relatives?

Spoiled food is useless, so you need to have a plan in place to properly store and rotate your supplies so they can be used when needed. Some things will last for years and other stuff for just a few weeks, but nothing lasts forever. Always place new stock in the back so the oldest items can be accessed first. Numbering food packages consecutively is another option, allowing you to eat the lower numbered packages first. Check your stock every couple of months to verify nothing has spoiled.

Ensuring you have enough food stocked for any disaster isn’t rocket science. A little bit of careful thought and diligent planning ahead of time will help you to deal with the stress, should adversity strike.

Stephen Jeske is an avid outdoor enthusiast with a passion for coffee. He frequently writes on a variety of topics including personal security, privacy issues, and the importance of Intelius removal.

I love this idea from The Joyful Home Blog

Burying a used freezer to use as a make-do root cellar.

Wise Company 4320 Serving Package (744-Pounds, 36-Buckets)

Chef's Banquet ARK 1 Month Food Storage Supply

]]> http://theemergencyfoodsupply.com/archives/how-to-properly-stock-and-rotate-supplies/feed 0 http://theemergencyfoodsupply.com/archives/emergency-food-meal-ideas http://theemergencyfoodsupply.com/archives/emergency-food-meal-ideas#comments Fri, 18 Jan 2013 01:37:03 +0000 Michael http://theemergencyfoodsupply.com/?p=1005 I love to cook special meals but hate to cook the mundane meals that are required day to day. The challenge is not only making something healthy for your family but something they enjoy as well. It is so often hard to accomplish both criteria especially when the some of the best and easiest meals [...]]]> I love to cook special meals but hate to cook the mundane meals that are required day to day. The challenge is not only making something healthy for your family but something they enjoy as well. It is so often hard to accomplish both criteria especially when the some of the best and easiest meals are not so healthy. My feelings on healthy meals is to try and make them as healthy as possible the majority of the time but from time to time you just have to rely on what tastes good and is quick and easy. I am going to share some of the quick and easy meals that I cook often and some that come up on occasion just for the pure pleasure of eating something yummy.

1.    Goulash – This is a family recipe that has been passed down to me that continues to be a quick and reliable crowd pleasing meal. It is so very simple yet so tasty. I use ground chuck because we love the flavor and it does not even come close to the grease content that the plain ground beef has but it is totally your preference.

1 lb. ground chuck
1 small onion
1 8 – 10 oz package of macaroni or some form of pasta
1 to 2 cans of petite diced tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Chili Powder to Taste

Brown the meat and onion together in a large skillet and pour off the grease. While you are browning meat prepare the macaroni. Add a can or two of tomatoes based on your families taste. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the prepared macaroni to the hamburger and tomato mixture and stir. Add chili powder to desired taste.

I know this sounds simple but it is really a wonderful dish. We usually have a loaf of French bread on hand and add a salad or vegetable to complete this meal.

2.    Beef Stroganoff – This is another family favorite that I make from time to time that happens to be a favorite of my son in particular. I am not sure if it is just because he loves pasta of any kind or it is the combination but this is one he requests often.

1 lb. boneless top round steak (or hamburger)
2 tablespoons flour
2/3 cups water
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon (or to taste) Worcestershire sauce
1 – 1 ounce package of onion soup mix
1 – 4 ounce can of mushrooms (not drained)
8 ounces of sour cream
1 large package of egg noodles

Slice steak into thin strips, dredge in 1 tablespoon flour and set aside. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon flour and 1/3 cup of water and set aside. Cook the steak in 1 tablespoon (more or less as needed) cooking oil in large skillet until brown. Add remaining 1/3 cup water, the onion soup mix, and the mushrooms. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add flour and water mixture set aside above stirring constantly until thick. Add the sour cream and Worcestershire sauce and heat thoroughly but do not boil. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

This can be served with a salad or vegetable on the side. It is not difficult and makes a nice hearty weekday meal.

3.    Easy Lemon Baked Chicken – We love this chicken, it has great flavor and it is a healthier alternative to all the beef but it does not take a great deal of time and effort to prepare. I generally use fresh boneless chicken breasts or thighs but sometimes if I am in a pinch I always keep a sack of frozen chicken breasts on hand for just this purpose. It is wonderful served with any type of rice or mashed potatoes. Broccoli makes a wonderful side or any type vegetable to round out this meal.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or adjust for family size)
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ cup lemon juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 – 6 tablespoons butter or low-calorie butter
Italian flavored bread crumbs
2 whole lemons (optional)
Capers (optional)

Set your oven temperature at 350 degrees. Melt 4 – 6 tablespoons butter in oven
proof baking dish to fit breasts. Beat egg, lemon juice, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce together in bowl big enough to dip the chicken breasts in. Dip your chicken breasts into the egg mixture and coat with Italian flavored bread crumbs. Place chicken in baking dish with melted butter. At this point I slice up fresh lemon and place it on the tops of the breasts but this is optional. Depending on the size of your breasts and thickness bake approximately 15 minutes and then turn over and bake 15 more minutes. I turn them and put the slices back on the other side. At this point I sprinkle on some capers for the last 15 minutes.

4.    Crunchy Tacos – This has been a family favorite since I was a young person and it is still a big hit in our house. Of course it depends on your family and whether or not they like cabbage but I would suggest giving it a try especially if you like slaw. It is a wonderful alternative to regular tacos for a change in pace.

½ pound ground chuck or beef (adjust as needed for family size)
½ cup of chopped onion
1 – 16 ounce can of diced tomatoes
(I usually triple the following slaw recipe for my family of four as we are big eaters, but not the salt, it stays the same!)
2 cups of cabbage
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salad oil
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt

Brown the ground meat with the onion and pour off excess grease. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.

You can either shred a head of cabbage or use bagged cabbage that is pre-shredded and add the vinegar, salad oil, sugar, and salt. The above amounts are from the original recipe. I often add more vinegar and sugar and taste as I go along because my family likes things a little more vinegary and sugary.

You can use soft taco shells or hard. You can eat them just with the meat mixture and the cabbage or as we often do, spread sour cream on your shell first, add the meat, put a little shredded cheese on and then add the slaw. They are just wonderful!

5.    Sausage Pilaf – Here is a wonderful old recipe I got from my mother-in-law years ago that we still love today. It is another recipe that is easy to throw together at the last minute. You can make this one healthy or not so healthy depending on the kind of sausage you use. I often use turkey sausage but sometimes we splurge and use the regular smoked sausage links. Once you get it into the skillet it only takes 20 minutes to cook.

1 pound smoked sausage (you can double this if your family likes more meat)
1 small onion chopped
½ green pepper chopped
2 small stalks of celery chopped
2 – 16 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
1 ½ cups of water (water varies, see below)
1 cup of rice

Cut sausage into bite size pieces and brown in large skillet. Pour off any excess grease. Add the onion, green pepper, celery, tomatoes and rice to the skillet. The amount of water varies, what you need to do is to drain off the juice in the tomatoes into a measuring cup. Since the rice is one cup rice to two cups of water when you prepare it that is what you are aiming for. Measure the juice and add water to make two cups. Add it to the skillet, stir well, and bring to a boil. Place a lid on it and cook like you would your rice for 20 minutes on low heat without lifting the lid or stirring.

I hope that your family likes at least a couple of these recipes because these are such friendly week day or weekend recipes that will definitely not stress you out. Please give them at least one try and hopefully you will have a couple of new easy meals to put into your rotation. Enjoy!

Author Bio:

Jason Miner plays a vital role for www.blogcarnival.com.  He is an expert in writing topics of different categories.  He is helping the carnival team to grow & working on making this an even better place for bloggers.

If you recall your basic human biology class, you would know that two out of three parts of our body is made out of water and almost every aspect of our cellular function relies on it. You would [...]]]> Everyone knows that we need water to live. But do we all know the reasons why?

If you recall your basic human biology class, you would know that two out of three parts of our body is made out of water and almost every aspect of our cellular function relies on it. You would also know that when this body fluid is lost through urine, feces, sweat, or even breathing, it should be replenished. Thus, the recommended 8-10 glasses per day.

Studies show that an average person can only survive 3-5 days without water, making it one of the most-needed survival supplies. If you think about it, it can even be more important than food, shelter, or clothing.

Here’s a list of reasons why you can’t survive without water:

Water transports nutrients and oxygen into the cells.

The blood, which is 80% water, serves as the medium by which nutrients, elements and oxygen are distributed throughout the body. These nutrients are delivered from the blood system to the cells in order for the body to function properly.

Water gives energy.

Water carries oxygen to the muscle cells. Proper hydration enables your muscles to work longer and harder. If you plan to engage in any physical activity, drinking water is needed to energize muscles and replace lost fluids.

Water is needed for breathing.

Breathing will not be possible without water. Why? When oxygen enters the lungs, water humidifies and moistens the air, facilitating the breathing process. Everyday, an estimate of 16 ounces of water is lost just from exhaling.

Water helps with metabolism.

Many studies, such as one published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism indicate that drinking water increases a healthy individual’s metabolic rate by 30 percent, resulting in weight loss. Aside from that, other activities that involve metabolism such as breathing and digestion also require water.

Water regulates the body’s core temperature.

Without water in the body, the body’s temperature rises and causes dehydration. If the heat continues to rise, the individual will experience heat stroke and eventual shock - or death. Drinking water will cool down your body’s temperature.

Water flushes toxins out.

Working hand in hand with the excretory system, water helps in removing waste materials and toxins from the body. The kidney filters liters of blood each day and eliminates waste products and toxic substances from the blood through urination.

Water strengthens joints.

Joints need to be cushioned and lubricated to remain flexible and strong. For pain-free and smooth movements, proper hydration is needed. Also, water prevents chronic illnesses of the joints such as gout.

Not enough water supply in the body can lead to a chain of fatal events. So during an emergency situation, it is always advisable to have purified drinking water and water storage containers on standby. Having drinking water systems at home is also a good idea. 

About the author:

Based in San Diego, California, Melissa Page is a passionate writer and social contributor who works for several successful companies such as De Anza Water Conditioning, Inc. You can follow her on Twitter as @Melissapage90.

These barrels collect water off the roof where it heats up warming the greenhouse in the winter.- Picture Credit Pinterest

Multiple rain barrels stacked for higher water pressure (& greater storage volume)conchacastaneda.blogspot.com

Waterstoragerack.blogspot.com

Image plan for Equal href = “http://www.flickr.com/photos/12663666@N00/5877874430″>
Emergency water storage Gulfport, Mississippi.Gulfportemergencykitchenwaterstoragejec

Communications and information equipment are not always at the top of a survivalist’s list of priorities. I don’t find that surprising, as I myself would secure a food, water, shelter, and personal defense before thinking about that. Still, having a few key pieces of communications and information processing gadgets will go a [...]]]> By Stacey Thompson

Communications and information equipment are not always at the top of a survivalist’s list of priorities. I don’t find that surprising, as I myself would secure a food, water, shelter, and personal defense before thinking about that. Still, having a few key pieces of communications and information processing gadgets will go a long way in securing your prolonged and sustainable existence amidst whatever world-changing crisis may befall upon civilization.

Assuming a survivalist has already secured the absolute essentials, it would be wise to look at certain electronic equipment that could aid in their survival. Truth be told, some of these would have to be abandoned if the choice was between them and a bottle of water or a crate of apples, but sacrifices are necessary, especially in the most trying of times.

Shortwave Radio

In the event of a cataclysmic disaster or violent conflict, most (if not all) utilities and services will be disrupted. This will include telecommunications services such as land-based phone lines, mobile phones, and of course, internet access. Shortwave radio will be the most effective and reliable means of long distance communication, most likely.

Learning to be a ham radio operator is a useful and fun hobby to have right now, and it will be immensely more important if the unthinkable should happen. Learn the basics from various resources online (here, and here).

As for hardware, it would also be useful to pick up some basic electronics know-how so that you will be able to set up and make basic repairs on your shortwave radio equipment. There are many choices when it comes to ham and commercial handheld two way radios; do your research online and find the best units you can afford.

Personal Computer

One might think that having a personal computer might just be an unnecessary encumbrance on a survivalist; I think if a survivalist needs to pack a computer (full of data, of course) so that even just a shard of valuable information that our civilization survives and is used by the survivors to rebuild civilization anew.

Again, having knowledge about alternate sources of electricity generation and wiring will be useful as grid-based power will be one of the first things that will get knocked out

Picture Credit -ADATA Waterproof/Shockproof External Hard Drive

Look at all Military Grade Equipment on Amazon

A mobile laptop or notebook computer, provided it is tough enough to withstand the rigors of rough travel and adverse conditions is good, but a unit in the safe haven can sacrifice portability for stable operation and durability. If your budget can sustain it, purchasing a ruggedized industrial or military-grade computer system with built-in backup power can be a valuable addition to your safe haven.

Homing Pigeons

Picture Credit

I’m not kidding. Sending messages using carrier pigeons was practiced in both of humanity’s great wars. Having a coop of pigeons on or near your safe haven is beneficial not only as a way for your group’s scouts or scavenging parties to send messages back to home base, it also augments your food supplies. You can’t eat your portable two-way radio, can you?

Keep on being vigilant and may the cataclysmic events we are preparing for never come to pass. Live fully, and live well!

About the Author- Stacey Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and is starting to internalize the lifestyle and philosophies of the prepper. She has a blog with her close friends, Word Baristas.

FEMA-sponsored website Ready.gov recommends storing at least three days worth of food and beverage in order to protect yourself and your family should a natural disaster or [...]]]> If you are planning on stockpiling an emergency stash of food so that you are prepared in the event of a crisis, you are doing the right thing.

FEMA-sponsored website Ready.gov recommends storing at least three days worth of food and beverage in order to protect yourself and your family should a natural disaster or other traumatic event occur.*

Here are some tips for buying food online that can be stockpiled:

Buy in Volume.

You are going to want to stockpile large amounts of food products, so buying in volume is obviously best, as the discounts one can obtain in buying in volume are significant. While online coupon sites may look appealing, where you can print out coupons and bring them to the grocery store, the coupons tend to be for low volumes of products

Canned Goods.

WebstaurantStore.com has fantastic deals on numerous types of canned products that you can buy in bulk, from a wide array of high-protein beans to peanut butter to mashed potatoes. In general, canned fruits, vegetables, and proteins are important to stockpile (along with a manual can opener) because they preserve so well.

Water.

Water is not food per se, but it’s essential for preventing thirst and for helping keep a clean and sanitized environment about you in an emergency situation. Ready.gov recommends storing at least one gallon of water per person per day at a minimum.** Online office supply stores are often great places to find discounts of up to 30% on bottled water online. Try OfficeDepot.com or Staples.com for good deals.

Honey.

The National Honey Board indicates that honey will essentially store forever, and has wonderful nutrition benefits. It is a natural energy provider (calories are important in times of an emergency, as you will likely be expending more energy), and is said to aid in digestion. This could be quite useful in times when the nutritional value of the food you are eating won’t be as high as normal (or you are simply eating more beans than normal!), and this is when digestive issues can arise. Honey is also a natural sweetener and will inevitably bring some joy to a difficult time if you wind up in an emergency situation. You can buy a six-pound half gallon jug of honey online for only $19.

Tuna.

The high protein in tuna provides critical nourishment in times of trouble, and is high in Vitamin B6 and Phosphorus. It is also relatively low in sodium, which is important in times when water is scarce and a commodity. Tuna has a strong product shelf life of at least three years, if not longer.****

Mustard.

This might surprise you, but as little as a teaspoon of mustard is quite high in antioxidants and omega3 and omega6 fatty acids, not to mention calcium.*** Mustard can also add some much-needed flavoring to tuna.

Wait for Online Deals with Your Favorite Brands.

While it is important to get your emergency kit set up, to get the best deals possible, go directly to the websites of your favorite brands, and become Facebook fans of these brands. You will likely be alerted when and where great online deals become available. Just make sure whatever you are buying can be preserved for a long time without refrigeration or freezing.

Salt.

This is an interesting one. It is not recommended that you eat a great deal of salt in times of emergency, because it increases thirst and water needs to be preserved as much as possible. However, this is an item that is worth stocking up on a bit, as it can potentially be used to trade for other items. You can purchase salt in volume for a low price directly at a brand site (as recommended above).

Coffee.

This is another product that can be traded for things you really need in times of trouble. Consider how addicted people are to coffee. You could be a savior to many! Instant coffee is the best way to go, and there is a whole website dedicated to discounted coffee, which can obviously be purchased in volume to get the greatest discounts.

Coffee - the surprising product you should stockpile for trade in times of emergency.

We hope you won’t ever need to use any of these products that you can and should buy online for the best savings. Events like hurricanes and other natural disasters have, however, proven that they can pop up in the most unpredictable of places and have a devastating impact. So it is well worth being prepared with your emergency stockpile just in case.

http://www.ready.gov/food

http://www.ready.gov/build-kit/water

http://www.naturalnews.com/033720_mustard_seeds_medicine.html

http://www.cannedtuna.com/canned-tuna-faq/

http://www.naturalnews.com/036907_emergency_foods_shopping_list_discounts.html

Cara Aley is a freelance writer who covers a wide variety of topics from how to make mobile payments to health and wellness.  

The shelf life of an apple can vary widely depending on where it is stored. For instance, a fresh, uncut apple will stay good for 1 to 3 days, but in the refrigerator an apple can last 3 to 4 weeks. If you wash, cut, cover in an ascorbic acid, like lemon juice, wrap [...]]]> Apple

The shelf life of an apple can vary widely depending on where it is stored. For instance, a fresh, uncut apple will stay good for 1 to 3 days, but in the refrigerator an apple can last 3 to 4 weeks. If you wash, cut, cover in an ascorbic acid, like lemon juice, wrap tightly in an air-tight container and then place it in the freezer it can stay good for up to 12 months.

An unopened can of preserved apples can last even longer, up to 18 months. These cans should be kept in a cool dry environment to prevent rust and contamination.

A third way to store an apple is dry. Dried apples last up to a year in the refrigerator or the pantry and if they are frozen they can last up to 18 months. If you live in a hot and humid environment it is better to store your dried apples in the refrigerator.

Banana

Banana’s shelf life is similar to that of an apple. In the pantry a banana will remain good for 2 to 5 days. If left out it will continue to ripen and so this is the preferred place for unripe bananas. In the refrigerator a banana will stay good for up to a week. If the banana has been cut up then it should be placed in the refrigerator but it will only stay good for 3 to 4 days.

Frozen bananas last much longer of course, though with a freezer shelf-life of only 2 to 3 months it does not last as long as most fruits. To freeze a banana it needs to be peeled and mashed and placed in an airtight container. Lemon juice should be added to prevent browning.

Like apples, bananas can also be dried. A package of dried bananas will stay good for up to a year in the pantry or the refrigerator and it does not matter if the package has been opened or not. If the package is frozen it can last up to 18 months.

Grapes

Unlike apples or bananas, grapes should never be stored at room temperature. In the refrigerator grapes can be stored for about a week and in the freezer for up to 1 year. To freeze grapes you should first wash and remove the stems. Then boil 4 cups of water and 2 ¾ cups of sugar mixed well in a saucepan and pour the syrup mixture after it has cooled over the grapes and store in the freezer in an airtight container. If you want to store your grapes for even longer you can can them and they will keep for up to 18 months.

Mango

A fresh mango can be kept at room temperature for 2 to 5 days and in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Like bananas, however, mangos will only ripen at room temperature and so a mango should be allowed to ripen and then placed in a plastic bag for refrigeration.

In the freezer a mango has a typical fruit shelf life of about 12 months. To freeze mangos they need to be peeled and sliced. They should then be allowed to freeze on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Once the mangos slices are frozen they can be put into an airtight bag and returned to the freezer.

About the Author: Lee Flynn is a freelance writer and expert in emergency preparedness and food storage.