Helping families prepare to be ready for life!
We do not have a garden large enough to sustain our family for a year. We're working towards that goal, but we're not there, yet. We also cannot always rely on the grocery stores to be able to stock food year round, fresh from local farms, at prices and flavors that we like. So one of our alternatives is to use a Pick Your Own farm to gather fruits and vegetables you cannot grow on your own or Continue Reading
We still have some blueberries left from a harvest two summer ago (and yes, they're STILL good in the freezer!) and I didn't want to waste them. We didn’t get to pick blueberries this year because the field we usually pick from was devastated by a spring hailstorms, and had a very short season. So while I want to hoard these, it’s best we get them used up. Typically, blueberries get used in Continue Reading
In my quest to accomplish the 10 First Aid Skills Every Parent Should Know (because I really do practice what I preach, doncha know!), my oldest son and I attended an American Red Cross Community First Aid/CPR class. Not only will this count towards health credits for him for high school, it is a chance for us to become better PREPared in First Aid and CPR, making ourselves better able to take Continue Reading
Like everyone, our weekends are full of running errands, DIY home projects and trying to get stuff done (plus taking the occasional nap, doncha know!) Scheduling a time down to travel some place to go camping can seem useless if you're going to get there late at night, and have to leave the next evening anyway. Or, it's just a bad time and you don't have the money to spend on gas and park fees Continue Reading
Preparedness isn't just about getting your survival gear, packing up your MREs and hitting the road. It's about being prepared for everyday life, regardless of what it throws at you. In the event of a local disaster or even an emergency at your own home, having a documentation of your valuables is a huge help in dealing with insurance companies later. All of them will tell you to have photos or Continue Reading
The Prepared Bloggers Network is always looking for ways to help our loyal readers be prepared for the unexpected. We are so grateful to team up with Titan Ready USA for this fabulous giveaway. We all know we need water, and we need a way to cook our meals. These units are just what the doctor ordered when it comes to being properly prepared. We will have four winners in this giveaway. I'll Continue Reading
While summer isn’t even halfway over for us, in retail land, the end of the summer season is approaching. Retailers must begin clearing out the overstock of summer supplies they’ve purchased to begin making way for fall. What better way to do this than have a big clearance sale? Check out what is clearanced out in Winter and at halloween. Take advantage of the summer clearance sales happening Continue Reading
Summertime is prime time for watermelon. In fact, I can't even imagine buying watermelon in the middle of winter that came from across the earth. It's just wrong. So wrong. We eat as much watermelon as we can get, not only for it's dietary contributions, but because it just tastes so darned good when it's perfectly ripe and in season (but a mealy watermelon? ICK!). We invariably end up with Continue Reading
If you're like me, raspberries make you happy. They look scrumptious, taste wonderful, and store easily. Yes, you heard it here. They store easily. So don't weep over the short raspberry season we have. Embrace it, gather up the fruits, and learn to preserve that wonderful goodness for the deep dark recesses of winter when you need a little spring brightness! There are two methods of easily Continue Reading
Scavenger hunts are always fun, especially when there is a chance to win one of three awesome prize packs at the end! Are you ready to start the hunt? We have teamed up with several bloggers to put together what promises to be a fun little contest. Here’s how it works. We have hidden special images on several different websites. Your job is to find them. We’ll show you what the image looks Continue Reading
One of our ultimate goals for self-reliance is to be able to grow our own food to help sustain our families and communities. Even if you aren't doing it from a preparedness stand-point, making your life healthier by growing your own food, contributing to the learning cycle of your children by allowing them to grow their own food and become more attuned to the cycle of life and growth, and to get Continue Reading
Come sit down by me. I have a story to tell you. It might be scary, but I'm right here by you. You are not alone. This was my story: The crisper drawer of my refrigerator was a one way ticket to a slow, slimy, green death. I bought all the greens we needed for keeping us healthy and strong. We added them to smoothies, we put them in salads. But when I wasn't looking, the piles of green would Continue Reading
A few years ago, during the worst heatwave we'd experienced in a couple of decades, our air conditioner suddenly stopped 'air conditioning' our home. We happen to live in a late-70's cookie cutter suburban home who didn't think that things like good airflow through a house would ever be something needed in the south because we had air conditioning in all of our houses, darn it, and energy was Continue Reading
Have you wanted to get into canning, but you just haven't had the money or the know-how to start? Do you want to upgrade your inexpensive canning equipment to something better? Here is your chance! This amazing giveaway from some of the biggest names in the Homesteading & Preparedness blogging field got together to bring you this amazing giveaway! It ends July 7, so don't delay in Continue Reading
As I started building my "Preparedness Library" I was gobbling up books left and right, and finding so may were just not working for me. Many ebooks seemed to just be avenues for affliate links, and other books were just touching the minimum of what I wanted to learn or had nothing of value to offer. How to Try Out Books on Self-Reliance & Preparedness for Free Public Library This always Continue Reading
Do you know how it is to walk into a group of folks who are well versed in their speciality, and they are talking and throwing around terms and acronyms and you haven't a clue what they're talking about, but you really want to understand? That's how I felt when I first started investigating just what it meant to be prepared, and sometimes, I felt clueless because folks were talking in such Continue Reading
Proteins are one of those long-term food storage items that people worry about the most, especially if they aren't canners. How do you store enough proteins to keep your family healthy without relying on canned meats from the grocer's shelves. Nuts are a great option! However, nuts and seeds aren't great for long-term storage because of the fats and oils located inside that will go rancid after Continue Reading
If you're like me, you plant a TON of tomatoes and they always seem to overrun the kitchen during harvest time. None of us are big fans of tomatoes by themselves, but we absolutely LOVE Pico de Gallo and will eat it on everything from crackers to fish to tacos. Sometimes, mixing it with mashed avocado makes a quick and yummy guacamole. It's basically a salad made of onion, tomato, tomatillo, Continue Reading
Honey is one of those forever foods - you can store it virtually forever without it going bad (as long as you follow proper storage and food handling techniques). It has so many uses in the home and kitchen that it is a food you NEED to store! STORING Store your honey at room temperature in your pantry or on your shelf. Storing in the refrigerator isn't recommended as it promotes Continue Reading
Hi. I'm Jane. And I'm a flashlight junkie. I fully admit my addiction to all things flashlight, from big chunky flashlights for the back of the car to wee itty bitty things to fit onto my keychain. Why are flashlights so important? Light. Truly, simply, light. Not only for the convenience of being able to see something in the dark, but as a source of security, a source of safety, and a source Continue Reading
