Rotating Can Shelf

Hey there! It's been a while! I just found this FANTASTIC tutorial and wanted to share it with all of you!

I have always wanted a shelf like this, but they are SO expensive. It's great to have a tutorial on how to make them.

You can find it HERE.

Happy Holidays!

Free $10 Gift Card

Emergency Essentials is giving away $10 gift cards!

All you have to do is visit their blog. Follow the instructions on how to add their button to your blog, and WAHLA! $10

If for some reason, you don't want or need $10,

you can always give it to me! :)

Super Cool Beans!

Ever wondered how to use all those beans you have stored? Here is a VERY cool idea from iPrepared.

You can use your beans as a fat substitute in your sweet recipes. That's right, I said SWEET. Check it out now!

Powdered Milk Tip

Have you ever wondered what in the world you are going to do with all that powdered milk that is hiding under the bed and in the pantry? I have. I don't really like to drink it, but I do cook with it....sometimes. Here are a couple of great recipes for things you can make with your powdered milk. I always mourned the loss of cream cheese in my food storage.....

Making Yogurt and Cream Cheese

I am really looking forward to trying out these recipes!

5 Gallon Buckets

Order your 5 gallon buckets as soon as possible.  Here's the description:

They are $3.05 plus 7% tax = $3.36 each it includes a beaded plastic sealed lid..This is an exceptional value..These are food grade, and can be used to seal food, first aid kits, winter clothes to store in the attic, etc they are easy to stack, they hold 35 to 40 pounds of grain. we have 54 buckets ordered at this time, if you think you might need any in the future this is a great buy they normally run $6 to $7 dollars.

Contact Emily with any questions.  They would like this order due by July 16th.

Great Friday Find!

Hey ya'll!  I found some great deals at Sam's Club this week.  They have put their camping/outdoor items on sale.

They have: 

enamel cookware and dishes for 4 on sale for $19.81.

sleeping bags rated to 0 degrees $19.81

really awesome backpacks for your 72 hour kit $29.81

LARGE awesome tent $99.81

They had several other things too, 

but I did not take the time to notice the prices.

These prices are at least $10 off what they were last week.  For those of you that may not know, things at Sam's that end in a 1 (i.e. $19.81) are on closeout and will not be coming back.

Link Up

Emergency Essentials has started a blog!  It is full of fabulous information and recipe ideas.  Check it out!

For those of you (like me) who may have been skeptical about the canned seeds, check this out!

Giveaways!

Safely Gathered In is doing a week worth of giveaways in honor of the anniversary of their site.  This is a great opportunity to get some things for FREE that will help you be more prepared!

Homemade Laundry Soap

In the event of a long-term crisis, there may not be laundry soap available to you. You can store some simple ingredients in your home to be able to make your own should the need arise.

Also, this soap is fabulous for people with skin conditions. A case of skin eczema at our house was completely cleaned up after we started making our own laundry soap!

Here are the ingredients:

Borax
Washing Soda
Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap
½ cup washing soda
½ cup borax powder

~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

**A few things to note about the soap**

~The finished soap will not be a solid gel. It will be more of a watery gel that has been accurately described as an "egg drop soup" look.

~The soap is a low sudsing soap. So if you don’t see suds, that is ok. Suds are not what does the cleaning, it is the ingredients in the soap.

Optional: If you want your soap to have some sort of scent you can scent this with ½ to 1 oz. of essential oil or fragrance oil of your choice.

Estimated cost per load: $ .02 (two cents)

The following recipe is for a powdered laundry soap if that is easier for some of you!

Simple Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

1. Grate 1/2 bar Fels Naptha soap (or you can try other soaps) in a food processor.
2. Add 1 cup Borax,
3. 1 cup Washing Soda, and,
4. 1 cup Baking soda.
5. Process until mixed.

That’s it. It takes 5 minutes. Use about 2 tablespoons per full load of laundry. You’ll be surprised at how little detergent it takes to get your clothes clean!

A Berry Order!!

In June, we are working on gathering a berry order!!  There is this great place in Oregon that freezes berries and ships them all over the U.S.A. to people like us who like berries.  Here's their own description from their website:

Bithell Farms is located in Oregon's lush Willamette Valley. The mild, moist climate is ideal for growing the best tasting  berries in the world. On the farm's 400 acres there are strawberries, blackberries, boysenberries, blueberries, raspberries, and loganberries. By controlling our own growing, planting, packing, and delivery we are able to bring you the highest quality fruit in our own trucks directly to your city. Loaded with natural vitamins, enzymes, and fiber that are not destroyed by the process of cooking, these fruit products provide an important part of your daily diet.

 

Marion Blackberries                                       $34/box
Red Raspberries                                                $46/box
Boysenberries                                                   $34/box
Blueberries                                                           $36/box
Strawberries - Sliced with Sugar                  $28/box
Strawberries - Whole without Sugar           $34/box
Loganberries                                                        $34/box
Red Pie Cherries                                                  $34/box
Dark Sweet Cherries                                           $36/box
Peaches - Sliced                                                    $34/box
Apricot Halves                                                    $34/box
Apples- Pealed and Sliced                               $28/box
Red Rhubard                                                         $28/box

They also offer freezer jam for $35/case (12 1 lb containers).

The deadline for this order will be June 26th.  Delivery will be sometime in August/September.  Contact Emily with questions.  770-949-7139

Water - A Lesson

Emergency Preparedness Class - WATER

Water is the single most important thing in our 72-hour emergency kit! It is also vital to keep a reserve supply of stored water at home. After disasters, water mains are often ruptured or destroyed, contaminating the city water supply. You know the water you have stored is pure and safe for drinking during an emergency. For added protection, also store a supply of water-purifying agents.

How much to store?: 1 gallon / person / day (2 quarts for drinking & 2 quarts for food prep. And sanitation – dishwashing, brushing teeth, and an occasional sponge bath. Children, nursing mothers, elderly and ill people may need more water.

Weight Issues: Water weighs 8 lbs/gallon.

Most people can’t carry their 72 hour kits plus 24 lbs of water. Usually, the only way to transport the 3 gallons of water needed per person is to place it in the trunk of your car. For practical purposes where the car is not available during evacuation, younger children can carry 1 or 2 liter plastic pop bottles with a carrying strap, and older children and adults can carry a 2-3 liter bottle with a carrying strap. Everyone should then carry in their 72 hour kits a collapsible vinyl or plastic container to collect and purify water when they get to their shelter destination.

2-Week Home Supply of Emergency Water:

Keep a 2 week supply of water stored in your home (14 gallons per person for 2 weeks). Don’t forget to set aside some water for your pets, too. Five-gallon containers are more portable – try to find stackable ones if you are short on storage space; 55-gallon drums store more water in one place – be sure to include a barrel siphon pump to get the water out. These big barrels weigh 400 lbs when full. It is advisable to store barrels by a drain.

Water Storage Tips: If water is stored away from direct sunlight in clean containers with tight-fitting lids and is safe bacterially at the time of storage, the water will remain palatable and microbiologically safe and pure indefinitely. To keep taste at its best, however, change water once or twice a year. Label your containers as “drinking water” and with the date the water was last replaced. Store water away from light in opaque (not transparent) containers. Clear containers work if they are stored in a dark location. Store water in several different places in and around your home in case one of the locations is damaged, destroyed, or inaccessible. Don’t store water near gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, or similar substances. Be sure the storage container has a tight-fitting lid. Fill water containers up to the top so there is no air space and store water in a cool, dark location. If there is possibility of freezing (such as a 55 gallon drum in the garage) leave 20% expansion room. Also store water containers away from direct contact with concrete. Keep containers up and off the floor with slats of wood or other material.

During an Emergency:

CHILDREN: Children are at the mercy of those caring for them. Don’t forget to give them drinks. Offer drinks of water at least every hour in hot weather and every half hour if the home or public emergency shelter is not air-conditioned. Normally children need about eight 4-oz servings of water a day. The need increases during extremely hot weather or under stress of an emergency or disaster. Don’t wait for children to say they’re thirsty. Offer water frequently throughout the day.

ADULTS: Our bodies are 60-80% liquids. Water is necessary for the function of our vital organs. During hot weather we lose about one gallon a day. The min. daily water needed by the average adult is 2 quarts. In hot weather or during heavy physical exertion this may increase to 6-8 quarts/day. If your water supply is limited, ration your sweat rather than your water supply -- reduce sweating by staying in shade, wearing clothing and sleep and rest. Remember, it’s ok to ration your food, but don’t ration your water. Drink until your thirst is satisfied. You can always find more water tomorrow. People have died from dehydration with water still left in their canteens!

Water to include in your 72-hour Kits (use what works best for you):

• 5 –gallon plastic water container with spigot (40 lbs); Can attach it to an airline baggage rolling device to move it more easily; Can put it into a car during an evacuation.

• Retort Water pouches (4 oz each); Can withstand freezing – great for trunk of car; include several inside your 72 hour kit in case there are no other sources of water. Make good cold packs when frozen, too.

• Boxed Water (8.45 oz) – Great; shelf life 5 years

• Soda-pop containers (1, 2 or 3 liter). Can keep one of these next to each kit with a carrying cord or you can strap them to the outside of a bpack.

• Commercially-bottled water in plastic containers – sealed and safe to use.

• Plastic Canteen with cloth cover. (fill to top & change water yearly). Don’t use steel canteens – they can rust.

• Thermos Jugs (with carrying handle) – change water yearly.

• Hydration Packs (internal water bladder)

**Also Include in your kits:

• Collapsible Drinking Cups (1 per person)

• Stainless Steel or Aluminum Cup – doubles for cooking and as a container to eat from, as well as a container to boil (purify) water in. (Mess kit useful here).

• Heat Tabs or other heat source & matches or lighter – to boil water in cup.

• Gatorade Mix Packets (small single serving size) – add to water to prevent dehydration

• Collapsible Water Container with Spigot – to collect, purify and carry more water. (Note: they have these at Walmart).

• Sponge – to soak up water from various sources such as dew or rainwater or to absorb water from puddles.

• Straining Materials – washcloths, towels, cheesecloth, coffee filters or an old pair of nylons.

Don’t use: empty milk jugs, glass bottles or bleach bottles!

Water Purification: 3 methods to treat questionable water: 1. Filter the water, 2. Boil the water, and 3. Chemically treat the water. The safest methods use a combination.

(Note that these methods will kill microbes and bacteria, but will not take out heavy metals, salts and other chemicals.)

1. Filtration: Before boiling or chemically treating water, the sediment and cloudiness should be removed. Sediment can be allowed to settle to the bottom, then the upper clear water dipped or poured. Sediment and some cloudiness can be removed by filtering water through several layers of clean cloth, cheesecloth, paper towels, paper coffee filters, or even through a capillary siphon. There are also water filters you can buy. The activated charcoal type is best because it can also remove some bad tastes. Some filters also add chemicals to kill bacteria. Some, but not all filtering systems are effective in removing Giardia from water sources.

Capillary Siphon: Constructed by rolling a small, clean terry cloth towel into a long roll. Place one end of the roll into a container of cloudy water. Drape the rest of the roll over the edge of the container so that it hangs free from the container’s side wall.. Be sure the free-hanging (dry) end of the towel extends below the water level by several inches. Place a clean container below the free-hanging end. Soon water from the upper container will wet the whole towel as capillary action draws water into the towel. Particles that cause cloudiness are left behind in the upper container and in the upper end of the towel. Water will drip quite rapidly from the lower end of the towel into the lower container. With cloudiness removed, chemical disinfection can be more effective in destroying disease-causing germs.

1. Boiling Water: The most reliable method of destroying any harmful, infectious bacteria, parasites, viruses and organisms in water. This is preferred over any method of chemical disinfection because disease-causing microorganisms cannot survive the heat of a sterilizing boil. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 min. Sometimes after boiling there is a flat taste to the water. Taste may be improved by pouring the boiled water back and forth from one clean container to another several times to aerate the water. Adding a pinch of salt may also help.

1. Chemical Treatment: An acceptable alternative to heat sterilization if boiling is not possible, but only if the water is clear (filter first if needed). Disease-causing organisms, such as viruses, can hide inside microscopic particles that cause cloudiness in water, and thereby escape the action of the disinfecting chemical and remain capable of producing disease. But if clear water is given appropriate chemical treatment, it can be made safe to use in most emergency situations.

Iodine: Best chemical purifier -- inexpensive, lightweight, and takes up little room in a 72 hour kit. Comes in crystals, tablets, or liquid form. There are also commercially prepared water-purification tablets that release iodine, such as “Potable Aqua” (cheapest at Walmart). (Emergency Essentials says these tablets are proven effective against bacteria & Giardia). Iodine tablets have a short shelf life (lose 20 % effectiveness in 6 months). Tablets should be rotated every 2 years. Iodine 2% Tincture (from pharmacy) is stronger than chlorine, but not strong enough to kill the cyst form of Giardia or many of the water borne viruses. Use 3 drops per 1 quart water (6 drops for cloudy water); 12 drops per gallon. (Rotate iodine tincture every year).

Chlorine: An acceptable chemical purifier, though not as good as iodine. It also leaves a stronger taste in the water than iodine. Use liquid bleach (without soap and/or fragrance added) containing 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. To purify water, using a medicine dropper, add 2 drops of bleach per quart of water and stir. If the water is cloudy or of questionable purity, or if the bleach is between 1-2 years old, add 4 drops of bleach per quart of water. Thoroughly mix the water and allow to stand for 30 min. before using. A slight chlorine odor should be detectible in the water. If not, repeat the treatment and let it stand for 15 more min. Since liquid chlorine bleach loses strength over time, fresh bleach should be used for water disinfection. (2 year old bleach should not be used.) Caution: Do not use bleach solutions that contain other active ingredients other than the 5.25 % sodium hypochlorite.

Amount of Bleach Needed to Purify Water:

8 drops per gallon

½ tsp per 5 gallons

3 tsp per 30 gallons

5½ tsp per 55 gallons (water barrel)

Chlorine Tablets: (Halazone) – less effective than iodine tablets (such as Potable Aqua), but effective in killing most water-borne bacteria (but does not kill Giardia). Usually found in pharmacies. Follow instructions on the label. Shelf life of only 1 year.

**Taste Considerations: Kool-aid, Gatorade mix, Fizzies, hot chocolate mix and instant soup provide variety to otherwise plain water and can help the water taste better after being chemically purified. Include some of these mixes in your 72 hour kit.**

Alternate Sources of Emergency Water Around the Home:

(Know the location of the incoming water valve to the house. You’ll need to shut it off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.)

1. Water in your house pipes: After shutting off the main water line to the house, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your house at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in your house.

1. Water Beds: not for drinking (due to chemicals in the plastic) but could be used for handwashing, laundering and other non-food purposes if you have used an algicide that is food-approved.

1. Soft water tanks.

1. Melted ice cubes and melted snow.

1. Swimming Pools (not good for drinking because the chlorine level is too high, but good for washing and pouring down toilets for flushing or other non-food purposes).

1. Toilet Tanks (not the bowl) & Water Heaters: Can provide good quality water, but might be unsafe if the main water line has become contaminated or if chemical disinfectants have been used. To get a flow of water from the hot water tank, turn off gas or electricity to the tank, open valve at the top and faucet at the bottom of the tank. The flow of water will be increased if any hot water faucet in the home is turned on before draining water from the hot water tank.

1. Collected rainwater (when caught in clean containers, the water is drinkable without purification).

1. Water in rivers, lakes, covered wells, and protected springs. Use clear, running water. Avoid water with an odor, floating debris or dark color. Never drink floodwater.

Info gathered and prepared by Debbie Wood in Wichita Kansas.

ORDER DUE!!!

Hello all!  If you are interested in ordering from

 Emergency Essentials with me, then hurry up!  

Orders are due today!  

Emergency Kit Items

There are some great items available right now at Target for your emergency kits.  They are in the $1 bins in the front of the store.

• Sunscreen
• Solar Blankets
• First Aid Kits
• Pocket Knives

One of each of these in your car could be a great help in any emergency.  They are also very small and would easily fit into your 72-Hour kits or small box of non-food essentials.  The sunscreen is an ESPECIALLY good deal, and one of the things that people tend to forget in their emergency kits.

Link Up

The link for this week is Food Storage Made Easy.

This is one of my FAVORITE sites.   It is a lot of fun to explore.  They have TONS of ideas and resources.

Need help getting started?  You can find it here.

Need recipes and recipe books?  They have that too.

Want to learn how to grind wheat?

Help, tools, product info.... the list goes on.

One of the greatest tools that they offer is the checklist program.

Simply sign up for their e-mail list, and they start sending you checklists.  The idea is that at the end of 1 YEAR, you will have compiled your 72 hour kits, water storage, 3 month supply of regular food, and your entire one year long term supply, AND essential non-food items.  WOW!  Wouldn't that be a great blessing?

They have several sister sites.  Everyday Food Storage will teach you how to actually COOK with your food storage, and Food Storage Shopper that helps find the best deals and spend your money wisely.  

Check them out, I know you'll find them useful.

Family Home Storage Starter Kit

The church Distribution Services has a starter kit for your food storage. You can order it online for $34. 75 or get it at the cannery here in Atlanta for $25.00. If you are interested in getting one, let me know. :) I'll help you out if I can.

The family home storage starter kit may be used to teach family home storage principles and help individuals get started with longer-term food storage. The kit includes materials that teach the importance of a three-month food supply, water storage, and savings and 6 cans of longer-term food supply items.

The kit contains:

• All is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage pamphlet
• All is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances pamphlet
• All is Safely Gathered In: Basic Recipes pamphlet
• Financial reserve and drinking water teaching aids
• Two #10 cans of hard red winter wheat (11 lbs. total net weight)
• Two #10 cans of white rice (10.8 lbs. total net weight)
• One #10 can of pinto beans (5.2 lbs. net weight)
• One #10 can of quick oats (2.4 lbs. net weight)

Available for shipping to United States and Puerto Rico addresses only (APO/FPO addresses excluded).

Emergency Essentials Order

I am going to be ordering from Emergency Essentials next month.  I thought I would open up the order to all of you, 

and maybe we can save on shipping!

Please have your order (and money) 

to me (Liz Adams) by May 25th.

They have some great specials this month as well as tons of other stuff.  Check out their site here.

Link Up

It's Thursday!  Time for another great link!

This week I am highlighting AlwaysBePrepared.com.  They have TONS of information about emergency preparedness.

The reason I chose this one this week is that they have some great guidelines for preparing for a pandemic.  Here's a quote from their website:

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA: WHAT CAN I DO NOW?

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt has said “What happens before [a pandemic] is far more productive [than what happens after one starts] and individual preparations on a household basis are key. 
It’s not just state and local governments – every tribe, business and family needs to talk through a pandemic plan.”

This site also has really great resources including CERT supplies, search and rescue supplies, fantastic first aid kits, defibrillators (no kidding) and my personal favorite, their 72-hour kits.  If you are having a hard time figuring out what to put in YOUR 72-hour kits (I know you have them!) then this site can give you a lot of great ideas as well as the reasons why!  They also have a space where you can create your own 72-hour kit from their products.  Cool huh?

Link Up

The link this week is Another Voice of Warning.   This site is mostly for subscribers, but they have a few great features that are free and worth checking out.

One the home page, they have a video compilation of talks about the last days that is very inspiring.  The site would be great to visit if you only watch the video!

Also, they have two links that are free to go to.  Recommended Reading which has a list of books about the last days.  Some of these are really great books.  You can buy books through this site without being a member.

Last, but not least, is the Free Resources page.  They have several different things you can download including the LDS Preparedness Manual.  This manual is VERY in depth and can help you prepare for ANYTHING!!!  It is free to download and has some really great ideas that you probably never would have considered while preparing your family for emergencies.

Here is a sample from their Quotes page.

“Should the Lord decide at this time to cleanse the Church ... a famine in this land of one year's duration could wipe out a large percentage of sloughful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot say we have not been warned.”

- Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, April 1965)

Water Barrels

Advance Drum Service has 55-gallon food grade water drums for $25. They were used for soda syrup. They are clean and ready to be filled. They have about 100 right now. They also sell brand new ones for $45, which is also a decent price.

The address is:

1835 Dickerson Drive

Mableton

It's off Riverview and Veteran's Memorial right by 285.

Walton Feed Order Due Now

Hi guys!  The Walton Feed order is due this weekend.  Please let me know ASAP if you would like to order anything.  And call me with any questions.

Thanks,

Emily

Link Up

Today I wanted to share with you my favorite preparedness blog.  Safely Gathered In.  They post every day according to a different theme.  For example, Mondays are always quotes about preparedness that are meant to get you motivated.

My favorite thing about this blog is their ongoing goals.  Right now they are constructing emergency car kits.  Every week (on Tuesday) they add a new item that you should add to your kit.  When the car kit is finished they will start on another kind of kit.  It's a really fun and easy way to get your family ready for emergencies that may pop up.

They also have TONS of recipes that are all food storage friendly.  The black bean burgers that I made for cooking night are on this site.  All of the recipes are easy and fun and can give you ideas on things that you may want to add to your own long term storage.

Have fun exploring this one!

Link Up

So.....every Thursday I'll be posting a great link for preparedness websites and blogs.  There are a ton out there, and lots of great information, if you know where to find it.  We will also have these links on the blog permanently by posting them on the sidebar under Link Ups.

This week I am highlighting iPrepared  who just did a great feature on storing food in buckets.  They have information on the best storage options for buckets as well as sealing your own with dry ice!  Check it out!

Also, their post for today is on Labeling your food storage.  This can be a pain, but they have some good suggestions.

Another super cool thing about iPrepared is that they have ongoing goals posted on the sidebar of their blog.  If you are at all confused about where to start with your storage (like me) then this can be an invaluable help.  Some others that have ongoing goals are Safely Gathered In and Food Storage Made Easy.  

ENJOY!

Gardening Workshops

There are going to be FREE gardening workshops held in Carrollton throughout the year! 

All three workshops will be held at the Carroll County Ag Center, 900 Newnan Road, Carrollton, Georgia.  While these events are free, we request that you phone or e-mail us to reserve a seat and qualify for door prizes.

May 16 - Herb Gardening.  Flowers are pretty and vegetables healthy, but herbs are sublime.  They are literally the spice of life--and beautiful and healthful, too.  Learn how to grow them in containers, add them to your existing garden, use them in cooking, and make flavored oils and vinegars.  Also learn about traditional herbal remedies from a certified herbalist.   Instructors will include a representative from the Chattahoochee Unit of the Herb Society of America.  Saturday, May 16, 2009.  9 a.m. to noon.

May 30 - Food Preservation.  Learn how to can, dry, freeze, and otherwise preserve your vegetables and fruits.  Presented by Carroll County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent Michelle Lewis.   Saturday, May 30, 2009.  10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

June 27 - Composting.  Learn how to turn food scraps, dead plants, grass clippings, and autumn leaves into the nutrient-rich organic matter veteran gardeners refer to as "Black Gold."  Form a partnership with nature by enlisting the aid of billions of beneficial micro-organisms and earthworms.  Taught by Wendy Crager of the Rolling Hills Resource Conservation & Development Council.  Saturday, June 27, 2009.  9 a.m. to noon.

September 19 - Vegetable Gardening in the Fall.  Reprise of the popular Vegetable Gardening 101 Workshop with an emphasis on planting cool-weather crops.  Saturday, September 19, 2009.  Tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon.

The guy to contact is:

Ian Davis
Georgia Master Gardener
and County Extension Secretary
UGA Cooperative Extension - Carroll County
900 Newnan Road
Carrollton, GA 30117-6477
Office: 770-836-8546        Fax: 770-836-2959
E-mail: uge2045@uga.edu or iandavis@uga.edu

CERT Class

I do not know the cost for this class but it looks like a great class in which to participate. 

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) CLASS NOW ENROLLING
The Douglas County Emergency Management Agency and the Douglas County Fire/EMS Department will be offering a CERT class for citizens. The CERT program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact them, and trains them in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help, or need help in assisting the public.
Classes will be held Monday nights at 6:00 p.m. May 4 - July 20th. Call 770.949.3007 to register or for more information.

Emergency Essentials Sale - Deadline April 29th

Emergency Essentials has a few sweet deals this month.  Here are some of the details from their website:

Garden Seeds

Includes an 8-page instuction booklet. Get started now with this complete garden in a can. With the contents of this can you can grow a garden the size of 2 basketball courts. Includes peas, radishes, onions, spinach, cabbage, swiss chard, beets, carrots, lettuce, beans, corn, cucumbers, zucchini squash, peppers, winter squash, and tomatoes. These seeds are non-hybrid seed hermetically sealed in E-Z Lock Reusable Triple-Layered Foil Bags. These special non-hybrid seeds allow you to harvest your own seeds for future plantings. Non-Hybrid seeds produce true to variety seeds to replant for future harvests. Adequately dried seeds sealed in moisture barrier containers can be stored safely for 4 years at 65-70° temperature and much longer at lower temperatures. Each 6° drop in storage temperature may double the storage life of most seeds. Critical factors are temperature and moisture content. Store as cool as possible. Can should remain sealed until ready to use. For best results store unopened can in a refrigerator or freezer. Keep out of sunlight. Packaged in accordance with the Federal Seed Act rules and regulations for hermetically sealed seeds.

Price:  $40.99 for the month of April

http://beprepared.com/product.asp?pn=FG%20S200&sid=INEM575&EID=ALL0409b&lm=emer&bhcd2=1239365571

KATADYN Combi Water Filter

The Combi combines a silver impregnated ceramic element and a refillable, activated carbon cartridge for safe, great-tasting water. The 0.2-micron ceramic filter element is effective against bacteria and protozoa, including giardia and cryptosporidium. The carbon reduces chemicals and tasts for better tasting water.

Combi Filtration Technology:
0.2-micron ceramic filter and activated carbon.

Output:One quart per minute

Cartridge Capacity: Up to 13,000 gallons pre element

Carbon Capacity: Up to 100 gallons, then simply replace

Contents: Combi filter, prefilter, bottle adapter, carrying bag., measures gauge and cleaning pad.

Weight: 21 oz

Size: 12" tall

Price:  $159.95

http://beprepared.com/product.asp?pn=WP%20F600&sid=INEM575&EID=ALL0409b&lm=emer

Cannery Tour

Welcome to the LDS Church Cannery in Tucker, GA.  I'll take you on a short tour of the facilities.

These are the storage shelves with some of the food available for members to can in the canning area. 
Here is the other side of this room.  The cannery has wheat, rice, oats, beans (several types), sugar, white flour, macaroni, spaghetti, flavored drink mix, hot cocoa, dry milk and several other items available to can. 

Using Cristina as our model canner, I will show how the canning process works. (Thanks Cristina!)  First, you take the bag or box of the food item to the canning area. 
Fill empty #10 cans with the food. (We are doing wheat here.)

Then, using this machine here, you place a lid on the can and seal it up with an oxygen absorber inside.  This will help to keep the food fresh for years and years. 
After the entire canning process is done, you pay for the product, cans, lids and oxygen absorbers with cash or check (no credit cards).  And then, of course, clean up!

Ward groups can come to the cannery and can large amounts together.  It goes quickly and lots of work gets done in a short amount of time.  You buy what you want/need and leave the rest on these shelves for others to buy.  Years ago, these shelves would be full of cans ready for others to buy, but in the last year or so they have remained almost bare because the cannery gets used to the max!  This is a great thing!
In order to visit the cannery you need to make an appointment. You can arrange a visit by calling this number: 770-908-5782.
The cannery is open for groups on Mondays, Wednesday, Friday evenings, and Saturdays.  The cannery is booked through the end of the year but you can always join a group if the group is small.  Mondays were recently added so there may be some openings on that day. 
I hope you go!  It's a great experience.  The missionaries there are great to work with and so knowledgeable! 

Maple Island Milk - Deadline April 14th

We currently have an order going on for a good brand of dry milk called Maple Island Milk. A few years back, the woman who is helping organize this order had a powdered milk taste-testing night with their emergency prep group. This particular brand of milk won all of the ladies over! It tastes the best out of the powdered milks they tried (including the milk from the cannery).

The offer is $59 for a case of 6 #10 cans. This would be a little less than $10 a can. It has a shelf life of 10 years. You can order the entire case or you can order with a friend to make a whole case. Please let me know if you are interested in getting some of this milk. I plan to get a case.

Emily

Honeyville Grain Discount - Deadline April 14th

Take a look at the following offer and let me know if you would like to join in a group offer.

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Greetings from all of us here at Honeyville Farms! We're pretty excited about offering our biggest sale of the year. There are some new freeze dried fruit and vegetable offerings on the horizon that we're eagerly anticipating. This week we're featuring our New Freeze Dried Green Beans. They're a great addition to your pantry and provide a myriad of vitamins and minerals for your food storage. We're also offering 15% off your entire order (excluding shipping) for a limited time only. From Thursday, April 9th, 2009 thru Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 we're offering 15% off the entire online store. Simply order as usual and enter the coupon code BUNNY during checkout. This is a great time to stock up and save.

Visit us at http://store.honeyvillegrain.com. Act now as this discount will end promptly on Tuesday April 14, 2009 at 6:00PM PST. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to place an order over the phone call us, toll-free, at (888) 810-3212. We're happy to help.

Storage Containers - Deadline April 29th

We have the opportunity to order plastic containers at a great price! These plastic containers are the same size (with different) dimensions as the #10 cans we use from the cannery. They are a great alternative to storing your cans on your shelf in your pantry or kitchen shelf after opening your food storage. Take a look at these and let me know if you would like to order.

Click here for the link.

This style storage container comes in 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon sizes.

The price for 1 gallon is $1.76 + shipping
The price for 1/2 gallon is $1.43 + shipping
The price for metal lid is $.91 + shipping

Shipping price is based on weight, not size, so should be minimal.

Deadline for this order is April 29th.