Build Your Emergency Food Supply in Six Months

It’s Never Too Late To Build Up Food Stocks

 

Survivalists and grandparents tend to measure wealth differently than the Gameboy generation. If you’re the kind of person who’s concerned about emergency preparation, a large emergency food supply is true wealth. Just imagine a hurricane, flood, or earthquake that disrupts the infrastructure for several weeks. While the sheeple panic because the grocery store shelves are bare, you’re sitting pretty on a year’s supply of food. How does it feel? Why, it feels like opulence and abundance — wealth.

 

 To read the full article, click here: Build Your Emergency Food Supply in Six Months

First Annual Sales Tax Holiday (Alabama) for Severe Weather Preparedness Items Set July 6 through July 8, 2012

First Annual Sales Tax Holiday for Severe Weather Preparedness Items Set July 6 through July 8, 2012

The State Legislature passed and the Governor has signed Act No. 2012-256, creating an annual Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday by exempting certain “covered items” from the state sales and use tax during one weekend each year.  The first Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday will be held July 6 through July 8, 2012, commencing at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 6, and ending at twelve midnight the following Sunday.

A provision in the new Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday law allows cities and counties to join the state and participate in the holiday by removing their own local sales and use taxes from the same items during the same weekend. 

The Department will compile a list of cities and counties that timely notify the Department of their decision to participate or not participate in the Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday.  To provide guidance to both retailers and consumers, the city and county listing will be updated as notification is received by the Department and will be available at http://www.revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/WPSalesTaxHol.htm.

The following is a list of the “covered items” under this year’s Severe Weather Preparedness holiday: 

Items below that have a sales price of $60 or less per item:

·         Batteries:  AAA-cell batteries, AA-cell batteries, C-cell batteries, D-cell batteries, 6-volt batteries, 9-volt batteries.  (NOTE:  coin batteries, automobile batteries, and boat batteries are not exempt.)

·         Cellular phone battery

·         Cellular phone charger

·         Portable self-powered or battery-powered radio, two-way radio, weather-band radio or NOAA weather radio

·         Portable self-powered light source, including battery-powered flashlights, lanterns, or emergency glow sticks

·         Tarpaulin, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths, and other flexible, waterproof sheeting

·         Ground anchor system, such as bungee cords or rope, or tie-down kits

·         Duct tape

·         Plywood, window film or other materials specifically designed to protect window coverings

·         Non-electric food storage cooler or water storage container

·         Non-electric can opener

·         Artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs, reusable ice

·         Self-contained first aid kit

·         Fire extinguisher

·         Smoke detector

·         Carbon monoxide detector

·         Gas or diesel fuel tank or container

Items below that have a sales price of $1,000 or less:

·         Portable generators and power cords

Beginning next year, the annual Sales Tax Holiday for Severe Weather Preparedness will be held during the last full weekend of February (Reference:  Act 2012-256).

For more information about Alabama’s first annual Sales Tax Holiday for Severe Weather Preparedness, visit ADOR’s Website at http://www.revenue.alabama.gov.

My absence from blogging....and a few other things

Just wanted to post a quick note that I hope to have some time to start posting again soon.  I started a new part time job on December 2nd & the last few months have flown by for me and The Fam.

I've still been trying out new recipes with the Thrive & have discovered that the freeze dried fruit makes some really tasty jam.  I just bought some instant fruit pectin from the store and am going to try using it next time. Stay tuned for some more pics & reviews out of the Thrive Cookbook.

I don't know how many of you have seasonal allergies but I know this time of year affects alot of people.  I've been doing some research on herbal remedies for tree pollen and there's not much out there.  I did find a website that listed some herbs that had antihistamine affects.  Check out http://www.home-remedies-haven.com/natural-antihistamines.html for a list of herbs that could help.  I plan on adding them to my shelf since they also have other health benefits.

Dad, with the help of Frank T., started on the aquaponics greenhouse dome a few weeks ago. They finished the frame & will be working on putting the cover on it soon.  I've posted pics of the progress below.

 

Well, it's now 1:42 a.m. & I have to be back at work in the a.m., so I better get some rest.  I promise to be back soon with more recipe reviews and pics.

Have a great Monday! Happy Prepping,
KD

Velomobile has arrived to RO!!

Recipe Challenge #7: Sour Cream & Cheese Potatoes

I decided to grill Filet Mignon for dinner tonight, so I wanted to make a recipe that would go well as a side.  The THRIVE Sour Cream & Cheese Potatoes looked like the perfect solution.

As I was making this recipe, there were a couple of things that stood out:  First, I'm SO glad that I bought 3 sets of mixing bowls.  There is no way that I could easily make most of these recipes without them.  I'm sure that is typical with most recipes, I just never cooked much before now.  

Second, the recommended soaking (i.e., rehydration) times are WAY off.  The cookbook recommended soaking the THRIVE Potato Chunks in very hot (or pour in boiling) water for 15 minutes.  Based on previous experience with rehydrating some of the THRIVE foods, I decided to add 10 more minutes to the time.  I should have added about 30 minutes. I have no doubt that the food would be perfect with the appropriate soaking time though. 

Ok, back to recipe...this one was relatively simple, just took alot of bowls & utensils.  Basically, all I had to do was soak the THRIVE Cheddar Cheese, THRIVE Potato Chunks, & THRIVE Chopped Onions in hot water until rehydrated.  Then I whipped up some THRIVE Sour Cream, which was pretty good.  I love sour cream, so I'm going to make some more and try it once it's cooled in the fridge. 

The recipe called for cream of chicken soup but I was out, so I used some cream of onion soup instead.  I didn't want to have an overwhelming onion taste, so I cut the THRIVE Chopped Onions from 1 cup to 3/4 of a cup. 

The next step was to mix the onions, sour cream, soup, 2 tbs butter & 1 1/2 c of the cheese in a sauce pan & warm it on med-high.  The cheese was sort of clumped together and there was no way I was going to be able to "top with remaining cheese", so I used the full 2 cups of the cheese in the sauce pan and then sprinkled some of my "regular" shredded cheese on top.  I know that was sort of cheating but the point of trying these recipes is to see how they work in real life, not just in an emergency situation.  It also saved me from using all of my $6.00 Whole Foods bag of shredded cheese, so I saved money by just using a small handful on top of the dish.

From there, I combined the potatoes with the mix from the sauce pan and then spread it out in a 9x9 cake pan, sprinkled with a little shredded cheese and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. 

It was really very good but more like a slightly firm potato cheese casserole than cheesy mashed potatoes, which is what I was expecting.  I think if I had let the potatoes soak a while longer, it would have turned out closer to my expectations.  I'm taking it to work tomorrow so it will "marinate" overnight in the fridge, which might soften the potatoes a bit more. 

Overall, it went very well with my steak and tomato and I plan on making the potatoes for our upcoming family dinner this weekend... I'll just be sure to start the potato soaking early.  :-)

On another note, I'm making some crockpot chili to take for lunch tomorrow and used the THRIVE Red Kidney Beans in it.  I also decided to try the THRIVE Fudge Brownies again, but this time adding an egg for a "more cake like" brownie.  I'll let you know how they turn out.

As always, stay safe & may you & yours be Blessed,
KD