HOW-TO-TUESDAY Prepping For Pennies

Tuesday is long gone but life had me going in other directions yesterday and I couldn't post.

My grandma called it Stuff In The Cellar. In my time we called it Food Storage. Then it was Emergency Preparedness. Now we call it Prepping.

I guess I’m a Prepper.

Whatever it’s called, it’s a good idea. Some folks may take it to the extreme, but that’s just human nature. Most of us don’t have thousands of dollars worth of disposable income to build a special room but we all have space under the bed.

We may not have the wherewithal to purchase an extra freezer stocked with steaks but we can buy canned goods on sale and stick them behind the shoes in the closet.

Prepping is about planning and thinking and being creative.

Back in the 80’s when I first started thinking about this, it was overwhelming. Where would I get the extra money to purchase the items? Where would I put those items if I had them? And, what the heck do you do with whole wheat? I mean WHOLE wheat still in grain form.

So, I started with what I had. Every time I emptied a bleach bottle I filled it with water. Folks cringe at that now, but when you have NO water, bleach bottle water will fill a lot of needs. We can go many days without food, but we need WATER.

Canned goods may be the easiest thing to stockpile. Even if it’s just one can per grocery trip. Almost every budget can handle that. Some stores offer cases at a very low price so you may have to change-up your shopping habits.

First Aid items can be found in unexpected places. Feminine hygiene products make excellent bandages. Peroxide is very cheap—a bottle thrown into the cart during a “-–Mart” trip won’t even be noticed at check out time. At the Salvation Army store I found this huge, HUGE bag of cheese cloth. I’ve used that for countless projects including first aid.

Dollar stores and salvage places are great for finding prepper bargains. I live in a very small town and we have two salvage stores. I once found a case of Raman noodles for a couple of dollars.

And, don't forget the simple thing of gardening. You don't need acres; you only need inches. Veggies will grow in the tiniest of spaces hiding around your yard. No yard? Use containers. They don't need to be fancy; discarded cans and plastics with holes punched in them will work.

It's winter now, but you can still begin. Almost everyone has milk containers--check out my winter gardening blog for tips on how to plant seeds now then sit back and wait.

Indoor herb gardens can flourish with a small amount of attention. You don't need special "grow" lights; use flourescents for that winter sunshine.

You will have your own unique ideas and once you BEGIN things will pop into your head and resources will come out of the blue. The key is to START. Don’t try to plan everything out before hand. Yes, it’s great to have a plan—I am a planner. But, it’s so easy to get bogged down in the thinking and never launch.

The internet offers you an unlimited resource—once you go here you will not lack for advise! HERE is just one to get you started.

A comment on my facebook prompted this how-to. It can be scary to think about prepping. There are always those who make the rest of us feel inadequate, but, chickadees, we must press on. For YOUrself. For YOUr family. Got ideas? Got resources to share? Sign in below and add your URL. THANKS!

Beware of Pretty As A Picture Produce

I see perfect produce all the time...large perfectly round perfectly colored cantaloupes, unblemished perfect same-sized tomatoes, corn laid out in neat little rows exposing blonde silks and little yellow rows of kernels so perfect it looks like they've been to an orthodontist. Don't get me wrong, I love it when my garden produces picture perfect veggies. But, for every perfect tomato there are 6 with a little spot, varied color permutations or unique shapes. They look REAL.

Our society is so visual--we want everything we see to look manufactured to perfection. And, chances are, if your veggies look perfect, that's just what they are: manufactured produce. Unfortunately our agricultural commerce is GMO'd and gene-spliced until little is left of Grandma's produce. Give me a tomato with a spot on it--to me it's proof of NO CHEMICAL POISONOUS SPRAYS OR POWDERS. Show me a tomato that has funny little dips and ridges and I'll know it has not been bio-engineered to be just like its million other sisters.

I am an advocate of heirloom seed/plants. I have several varieties in my garden. I love the taste, the irregular look, the smell. They remind me of the garden I had as a kid. Favoring traditional produce is not just nostalgic; it's healthier. I found this great "infograph" that illustrates the loss of nutrition in today's produce.
Check out this link. I love this nifty graphic interactive chart!

Compare 1999 nutritive values to 1955: Corn has 78% less calcium, 26% less phosphorus, 50% less riboflavin and 43% less vitamin C. The chart shows several vegetables that have declined in these nutrients. It's a little scary and just brings home the fact that we must take charge of our health, take charge of our food, take charge of our lives.

Thank goodness we still have choices. Shop your farmers markets for heirloom vegetables (never be afraid to ASK farmers about their produce. Just because they are at a market doesn't mean they grew them!). Grow your own. Join CSAs. Make friends with a farmer! Ask questions. Eat nutritious food. Life is Good. :) e