Today, everything may seem fine... food is on the shelves in every grocery store across the country, electricity comes on the minute you flip the switch, and water gushes from the faucet at your request.
That's all well and good. But what is your plan in the event that the store doesn't have what you need, the electricity is down due to an event such as a tornado, or the water is contaminated due to a sewer plant leak (or something like it)? Now imagine that scenario effecting your area for miles and miles so that it's not feasible to drive over to the next town and enjoy a weekend "waiting it out" in a nice hotel.
What if.. a national disaster such as 9/11 happened in your neck of the woods. Not likely? Perhaps not, but stranger things have happened. How will you take care of your family? How will you help your neighbor? What will you "cook" for dinner that night? And the next?
Let's just consider one of life's most basic needs... WATER. In the event of an earthquake, water lines can easily be severed. That means, zero water coming into your home for an extended period of time. You've got the garden planted... great! But how are you going to water it? You have some water in the hot water heater, but that will go pretty fast if you're washing dishes, cleaning clothes, etc. Have you considered water usage priorities? Additional water sources? Water purification?
This is the rainy season on our homestead and I can't help but think how I'm missing a great opportunity by not having a water catchment system in place! (Which is one of the reasons I selected Chrissy's post of The New Me for the Featured Homestead recently). I'm reading about this when I can and considering my options, but at some point, if I don't actually DO IT, all that research won't bring water into the house.
The more research I do, the more I realize that just one source of water is not reliable enough. It's best to have several ways to obtain water in an emergency, and one of those ways is to have some stored, ready to use. But how much is enough?
Unlike the clear plastic containers that you purchase bottled water in or that you repurpose for water storage, this plastic will not break down after a year or so. And they are DOT and UN approved for safe drinking. The large containers are nice, but the smaller 5 gallon size is excellent for those on the go:
• camping
• at the office (cause you might be there when a disaster strikes!)
• in the back of the car
To help you out even further, USA Emergency Supply is throwing in a Drum Pump which allows you to extract water without all that lifting.
How I Met The Challenge!
Here's what I did this month in each category (see category definitions near bottom of the post)...
• Food Storage: I added extra baking powder and baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and molasses. We found bananas on sale cheap and my daughter dehydrated a bunch (hope they last - hard to keep nibblers from sneaking a bite!). And I butchered a rooster for future use. He attacked us one time too many. Enough said.
• Emergency Preparedness: I purchased two heavy duty brown tarps for outdoor uses which can vary wildly! Just an FYI... if you are camping and might WANT to be found, blue is one of the most visible colors from the air. Having a blue tarp as a signal is an excellent idea. On the other hand, if you DON'T want to be found, go with green or brown. They make these reversible... wouldn't it be nice if they would put blue on one side and brown or green on the other. I kept finding silver on the opposite side. I also added some more agriculture grade 4 ml plastic for covering plants during inclement weather at a HUGE discount! A local hardware store was going out of business and I picked up a roll for about 70% off! (Thanks, Heidi, for the tip on that!).
• Sustainable Living: Once again, I find myself excelling in this category... finished the coop run, added a new portable chicken tractor for weeding (with two more to come!), put money down on a new milk goat, started all my warm weather seeds indoors, bought some raspberry plants, two blueberry shrubs, and another fig tree (couldn't resist!). Oh, and installed two hives of bees. And skills I've racked up this month... proficiency at mouse trapping in the garden!
Now it's your turn to join the Preparedness Challenge..
Join the Challenge & Enter The Give Away
To be entered in the drawing, leave a comment on something you did this week to be more prepared in terms of food storage, emergencies, or sustainable living (or all three areas!) OR link up your Preparedness Challenge blog post (you only need to comment or post, not both). Posts not related to at least one of the three areas of preparedness will not be counted toward the give-away. Please be sure to clearly state in your comment or post what you did this month to be more prepared (see my example above as one easy way to do this). Again, the three areas we are focusing on include:
• food storage for life's unexpected events whether related to long term effects from a disaster or a job loss and everything in between
• emergencies for times of power outages, natural disasters, and such
• sustainable living in order to be more independent, both physically and financially, and to live as close to the land as possible given each individual's situation
Please be respectful of our challenge and only add a post on one of these three preparedness topics ONLY in order to retain the integrity of the link up event. If your post is just a general homesteading post, please save it for the Monday Homestead Barn Hop.
NOTE: This challenge and give-away ends Friday, May 4, at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Be sure to take the Preparedness Challenge picture and add it to your blog so others know you're participating and hopefully they'll join up, too! THANK YOU!!
NOTE: This challenge and give-away ends Friday, May 4, at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Be sure to take the Preparedness Challenge picture and add it to your blog so others know you're participating and hopefully they'll join up, too! THANK YOU!!
When our water went out a few months ago, my family and I used the water from my rain barrels. I use the water to water my garden but we had to use it to bath and other things! My neighbors even came to enjoy my barrels as well! My wife and I are in the process of researching a water purification system, so we don't have to boil to drink. Here is the post about this adventure!
ReplyDeletehttp://theredeemedgardener.blogspot.com/2012/03/bathing-in-rain-barrel.html
In the Sustainability category, I fenced in a new section of ground currently overgrown in invasive plants, and started turning two of my goats into it for a few hours daily. By mid-summer, I expect they will have knocked back the invasives and the ground will be available for a new garden!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great informatin. I haven't got a post to link up but I did want to say that we took beef in this week to the locker for processing. For the first time I ordered 20#s of fat scraps to make tallow. I plan to learn to make soap with it as well as use it for frying. I can't wait to have pork done this summer so I can also make lard. I feel inspired by your post to learn something new this week that will help us on our way to sustainable living. thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI have two things that I have been doing. Both of them are really just research at this point, but sometimes I do a lot of research before jumping into a new thing.
ReplyDeleteThe first one is in the emergencies category. I am researching options in order to purchase a solar cooker. And I want to use it in the summer here, too.
The other thing I have done this month is in the sustainable catagory. I have been researching all the varieties of heirloom beans. I discovered that we lose 1 to 2% of our older open pollinated varieties EVERY year, so I have planted 4 old beans.
After reading all this disturbing news about the pressures heirlooms are under, I separated 2 of my heirloom varieties by 14 feet (that's all I have in my little homestead.) I have separated them for the sole purpose of saving the seeds. Nothing from those two plants will be eaten. All of it will be used for seed saving purposes.
This week I added to my brown rice and dry bean supply! Hope to do more this coming week.
ReplyDeleteSustainable living: planted, planted, and planted. The weather here is great for transplanting seeds I started in January (tomatoes, peppers, squash, okra), plus got a great deal on strawberry, asparagus, and rhubarb crowns. Potatoes finally go in this weekend. Just been too busy with work to do it sooner. Also installed a rain barrel and am looking into building more or digging a well.
ReplyDeleteAs for emegencies, my husband passed the first part of his EMT certification. We're both first responders, so odds are we'll be involved if there's an emergency. But if we're cut off from everyone else, like we were last year after a tornado that downed powerlines and trees making the one road out of our neighborhood impassable, he's got some valuable skills.
Food Storage - Added more vinegar, baking soda, and wheat
ReplyDeleteEmergency Preparedness - Nothing to see here
Sustainable Living - Have an abundance of eggs and keep finding new ways to use them. Main growing season is winding down, still picking tomatoes but the lettuce has gone to seed
Well it has been a busy month with spring warming everything up a bit. Yesterday was a two-fold event with getting the meat birds in the freezer and sharing the chore with like-minded homesteaders; both experienced and new to the butchering. It's always good to expand your network while times are good so that you have an established support system in place in a time of emergency. Other things going on are the seedlings are starting to make their way to the outside garden, a blueberry went in, the dog kennels are up and running and the chickens get more yard time for it. My grass is also thankful for the kennels; less dog more chicken.The grass-fed beef is ordered and will start appearing on our plates in early June. The new laying hens are 8 wks now and soon to be full time with the big girls.
ReplyDeleteWhat I need to work on is the water issue. Living in earthquake country water lines can go out without warning; 15 - 30 seconds of rock, rattle and roll, then you take inventory of where you're at. So in face of the immediate needs I need to rethink the what ifs and get some more water put aside. I also will continue researching aquaphonics; yesterday heard of someone that is doing it close to me. Hoping a small tour of their system might be arranged. Several in our homestead group are interested in this fish and veggie way of gardening both greens and protein.
I love to come and visit for all your wonderful ideas! thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou are doing so good!! I am nowhere near sustainable...but continuing to learn. We planted 6 blueberry plants and will get one or two more berry plants. Our garden is in, a lot more than the two years prior...so that's good. And as far as bees and goats? Chris is at least willing to consider them, now. Before it was a resounding NO. I think once we have some acreage he'll feel differently. Good job lady!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteFood Storage - I added to my storage with dry beans and cans of fruit. I am in the process of reorganizing my storage so that it is more efficient.
ReplyDeleteEmergency Preparedness - we have been working on gathering materials so that we can teach others what first steps to take in getting ready for Emergency Prepardness.
Sustainable Living - We have been eating lettuces and radishes from the garden. I have set up a trellis for my beans and should be able to plant those soon. Discovered your site just today and love it! Have made a list of supplies I need to buy to make my own hand soap and deorderant. Also made a laundry detergent this week already.
Food storage - I just purchased another 200lbs of wheat for our food storage. We are a whole wheat family and go through it like crazy. I've also been attending classes to learn about sprouting. So helpful!!
ReplyDeleteEmergency Preparedness - We now have 72 hour kits in the car, at work, and at home. We also have "bug-out" bags.
Sustainable Living - I just found your blog this last week and am making my own laundry soap today. I'm so excited to see how it will turn out. Today I also bought a compost bin for the kitchen. Next on the list is a rotating compost bin for the yard (near the garden).
Food Storage- I dehydrated bananas, corn, celery, carrots and grapes and put them up. I also added some more salt, hydrogen peroxide and medicine.
ReplyDeleteEmergency Preparedness- I purchased a 55 gallon water barrel and filled it up. I also purchased some more bottled water for our 72-hour emergency bags, and we are going through those to see if there are things we are lacking, as well as to get rid of and replace anything that has expired.
Sustainable Living- Seeds are started indoors, and lots of things have sprouted in the garden bed. I setup bamboo teepees for my bush peas, and trellis for the other peas.
Well, we are in limbo. In 2 months, my hubby will retire. And we are moving about 1100 miles to the place where he grew up.
ReplyDeleteWhere we will homestead. (I am trying to learn by reading, reading, reading; but my memory isn't what it used to be.)
We have a raised bed here, where I have been trying to cultivate a green thumb (mine is currently a very dark brown).
I did plant a tomato plant. A good half dozen or more volunteer plants from last year are out there (I think they are potatoes).
I also planted some basil. More because I read that tomatoes like it, than me knowing what to do with it.
We have our own little 'seed bank', and I add to it occasionally.
But until we are moved, that's about it for now.
Would love to be entered into the drawing for water storage. Thanks for your very informative post!
Hello. This is what we've done this week;
ReplyDeleteFood Storage - I have just placed a bulk food order for; baking soda, baking powder, yeast, dried beans, salt, sunflower seeds, flax seed.
Sustainable Living - I have mulched around 3 blueberry plants and 3 strawberry plants and we started some seeds inside.
Thanks (I'm from Canada, so I don't know if I qualify, but it's fun sharing anyway)
This week I infused citrus to white vinegar for safer cleaning. Didn't want to smell like salad so I'm using the abundance of lemons to make a refreshing scented cleaner.
ReplyDeleteWe packed up 5 buckets of grains for my father in law! and ordered up some new filters for the berkey!
ReplyDeleteCan you please delete the link for #12? Sometimes the linky tool stinks, as I was in the middle of cropping my photos when it submitted itself:( I redid it, thanks....
ReplyDeleteI can't re-post til 12 is gone, sorry, linky no like...
ReplyDeleteNancy, I took #12 out... now you can try again. Sorry for the inconvenience!
DeleteThanks! The linky "cropper" can be wacky! I re-posted it :)
DeleteEmergency Preparedness: I ordered a kit from Homespun Environmental to make my own water filter system---same idea as a Berkey Water Filter, but only cost $32 including shipping for a spigot, filter, and water sock---all I needed is 2 five-gallon buckets, which I already have. Now we just need to drill holes in the buckets (they included instructions to do this).
ReplyDeleteSustainable living: I made my own dishwasher detergent using your recipe. I transplanted my tomato and pepper seedlings into bigger pots to give them room to grow. I ordered more tomato, pepper, cucumber, & squash starts from Azure standard. I'm working on getting the garden ready.
I transplanted tomato, cucumber, squash, and split my aloe plants. I purchased more vinegar, baking soda, and printed out some of my favorite recipes. I also found three new stocking caps at a garage sale for a quarter each and some heavy plastic on a roll for a dollar. Thanks for your informative site. I'm a widow and have to do everything on my own.
ReplyDeleteFinally was able to purchase my own Nutrimill Grain Mill from Amazing Graze Farms! I am thrilled! Many thanks to a dear friend who has been allowing me to bring my grain to her house for milling! I also finished the last three raised beds in the Garden of Eatin' and filled the potato condos up with soil since the foliage is now over the top. My mother-in-law brought me a whole box of mason jars for the canning I am hoping to do this harvest season.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time entering so I hope my post counts - we specifically planted apple trees in order to have access to "free" apples, and the butterfly bush to help our vegetable garden along, which has this year very much been the focus for our food security.
ReplyDeleteFor food storage we learned of some plants that could be left in the ground over winter, and bought the seeds for some.
For emergency preparedness we did what we do every time this year; check our home for a clear path down to the safest part of the basement in the case of a tornado - especially important this year with a little one!
For sustainable living we bought a blackberry bush and a raspberry bush, varieties that need little looking after even in times of water shortage.
Food Storage - I put up 2 batches of grapefruit marmalade. Success!! I tried last year, but it didn't turn out right. :0)
ReplyDeleteEmergency Preparedness - Bought a large flashlight and AA batteries from our resident boy scout.
Sustainable Living - Bought 2 blackberry bushes, transplanted tomato seedlings to our garden, bought 2 new tomato cages, replanted basil, and put up a temporary fence to keep the chickens out of that bed.
mamabear2four (at) att (dot) net
1. Finished 72 hour food kit, water is in garage for easy access.
ReplyDelete2. Finishing my cookbook or foods we eat all the time so I can keep this amount in the house for 6 month supply or longer.
3. Working in garden, cleaned out old stuff from fall and planting spring veggies, now only if weather would make its mind up, first it's 60 and raining then it's 90's then 70's then 80's sigh! Wacky
This week for food storage I have canned 21 pints of salsa from canned tomatoes I got on sale, added 6 cans of baked beans to the pantry.
ReplyDeleteFor emergency preparedness I filled two 2 liter jugs of water and bought a 3 liter bottle of water for 29¢.
For sustainable living I am making some yarrow oil with yarrow from the garden and part will be made into salve.
This week I have been continuing to try and make our family more self-sustainable, particularly in the way of food. This included finally finishing three new raised garden beds (hard work getting those buggers in!) and planting a large variety of heirloom veggie seeds. Gotta love that asparagus, a plant that will eventually take care of itself and come back year after year.
ReplyDeleteI also planted 2 blueberry bushes, 3 apple trees, and some Goldenseal (a perennial plant- the roots are essentially an all natural antibiotic) for those times when someone is sick and no Emergency room is available. OR, considering our family has no health insurance right now. I like that I am prepared to keep my family fed and healthy. I also ordered a LifeStraw that just came in the mail, for filtering water. I love being prepared! Thanks for your wonderful blogs and emails :) I look forward to them.
I hadn't thought too much about how to water the garden in case of an emergency- will be looking into rain barrels this week.
~Trina
Oh, I also forgot to mention- I ordered some Soapwort- a perennial flower that can be used for cleaning! The plant has saponins in it; so just cut some stalks down- leaves and all- put them in a bucket of water, and swish. You have soapy water!
ReplyDeleteFood storage for me, was adding some dehydrated 'potato augratin' and sweet potatoes. For sustainable living, we adding some young chicks to our already existing girls. Trying to keep the age of our girls spaced out every 15/18 months. Also planted garlic and 5 different potatoes. Both of these are a first for us. Also covered the grapes, our chickens figured out how to get over the fencing!! They sure do love nice green grape leaves....
ReplyDeleteJonni in AZ.
Just this last week we added two new laying hens to our small flock, planted some fruit trees, and started clearing a space in our field to significantly enlarge our garden. We are also in the process of planting an herbal medicine garden as well. For emergency preparedness we added more food to our emergency food supply which is something we do on a regular basis as we rotate older foods out.
ReplyDeleteI'm a beginner at this...now that we bought our first home and have a basement to store stuff like this, I can start storing stuff.
ReplyDeleteThis week I learned how to take bar soap and make a couple gallons of liquid soap out of it. That was exciting! lol...
I'm going to start researching the storing water thing.
We own 40 acres that will someday become our homestead. Last year, we had an access point installed and a well dug. Well, this week, we finally took the plunge and ordered a FloJak pump, so even before we have electricity, we will have water!
ReplyDeleteI also taught myself to make homemade tortillas, so one more "off-the-shelf" product I don't need to buy anymore.
Food Storage - Added more cooking oil, beans, and canned fruit
ReplyDeleteEmergency Preparedness - ordered new thermal sun blankets, bought whistles and pocket knives for get home kits in the cars, and go bags in the house, also bought storm proof matches, and two goal zero solar kits with batteries, these charge phones, tablet devices (my kindle!), stuff like that, and also charge AA batteries.
Sustainable Living - we bought 5 wine barrels for gardening use, and built a third garden bed, plant an orange and lemon tree, planted grapes, and another 30+ fruits and veggies (couple plants of each in pots and such around our tiny yard). Monday a chicken coop gets built at my mothers house about a mile from us, my sister and I are going in on it with my mother and all rotating care days and those will be the days we get the eggs. Chickens get picked up as soon as the coop is built and city gives us a permit.
This was actualy a really busy month for us, husband and I bought really are focusing on all these activities regularly right now.
We have a few blue tarps - but I didn't think about visibility! Now I'll have to be watching for brown/green ones. This week, I've done a lot of research on recipes for canning. I've only ever canned jams, but this year I want to can other foods as well especially veggies and fruits.
ReplyDeleteFood Storage- This month I put a few food items away, but mostly I have been working on potable water storage. I've been buying spring water for drinking and I've been cleaning and reusing half gallon ice tea containers to store water to cook and wash with.
ReplyDeleteSustainable Living- Got a composte bin, and added a second barrel to catch rain water. I also re-did some of my landscaping. I took out several bushes and planted blueberrys, blackberrys and two semidwarf peach trees on the side and back of my house. I will be working on this some more in May.
Emergencies- I have been looking into a small solar system to charge a battery to run my C-Pap breathing machine at night if the electric goes out. I bought an extra machine to take camping that can run off of a 12 volt battery, but it does me no good if I have no way to charge it. Also, it may sound silly, but I have purchased a few small solar garden animals that have on/off switches. These will come in handy as safe nightlights instead of candles.
I would like to thank Homestead Revival for their information and the encouragement that they provide. Writing this has given me insight into just how much I have accomplished this month and let me see where I need to focus more next month. Thanks also to my husband for suporting my efforts and helping with the more difficult projects.
This year I am going to try to can lots of tomato products so I don't have to rely on store bought. That of course will require lots of tomatoes. This week I planted the first half of the tomato plants I started from seed. I'm so excited for the harvest.
ReplyDeleteDid I miss May's Preparedness Challenge?
ReplyDeleteNo... I did!! LOL! End of school year stuff... didn't even realize it until today! I posted on the HR FB page that it will be this coming Saturday. Sorry I goofed up!
DeleteOh my goodness, I can't even imagine trying to run a blog with all you have on your plate! I just so enjoy the Preparedness Challenges. Thanks for all you do!
DeleteDid I miss the May Preparedness Challenge?
ReplyDelete