September 2013

September is a month of wonderful events. It is back to school for families with children in the home. It is time to harvest apples and wrap up the garden. The weather changes: days are much more pleasant and nights cool down. Truly the smell of autumn is in the air! As we wrap up another wonderful summer, it is also a great time to take stock of our preparedness. Take inventory of what you have added to the storage shelves, and what you need to add to make it a good solid supply in order to be self-reliant. Ask your family some “what-if” questions to see how prepared you are. What if there was a fire, a flood, an earthquake, or any disaster? What does our family need? Do we have it, and what do we need to get?  The survival of your family in any crisis depends on how prepared you are. Are YOU ready?

Included in this month's newsletter:

     Self Reliance: Spiritual (Testimonies, Peace, Order) and Temporal (72 hr kits, storage, skills, gardens, finances) ways to be self reliant.   

     In the Southern Utah Garden: fall garden, protection for cold nights, cold weather crops, weeds, fertilize lawns, plant trees.

     Disaster Prep: National Preparedness Month Red Cross and CDC four steps.

     Using Water Storage: Recipes to make water more tasty (Russian Tea, Sports Drink)

     Provident Living: Ways to cut costs in your provident living efforts.

Click here for a complete copy of September Back to Basics Newsletter.

August 2013

The “Dog Days” of summer are definitely upon us! Those sultry summer days and nights though, are what spur the harvest forward. Truly the heat is what helps the orchard to ripen.  Summer time brings to mind “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” (Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens) Summer brings work as well as play, with a variety of “harvests”.  But – as Ralph Waldo Emerson said – “This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”  Hopefully we are using some of this Summertime to further our preparedness. It is such a satisfying feeling to see the shelves lined with bottles of our summer bounty. We can have a taste of summer all winter long as we enjoy the fruits of our labor from harvest time. Even if you do not can a lot, give something a try. You will be amazed at the fulfilling feeling it gives you. However you choose to store for a rainy day, be sure to keep at it. Truly “slow and steady” DOES win the race. Add a little here and there, and before you know it, your goal of preparedness is met!

Included in this months newsletter:

     Spice it up - avoid diet fatigue Expanded storage ideas

     Provident Living: Recipes for pre-wash, window cleaner, outdoor windows, fabric softener sheets and collar stains.

     How much should I store?  A link to an online food calculator.

     Reader Recommendations: Links to three online preparedness sites.

     In the Southern Utah Garden :weeds, grubs and fungus, cover spray, fall planting, preserving garden.

Summer cooking - Using your produce: Vegetable Pizza, Peach Pit Jelly, Sun Dried Tomatoes.

     Spiritual Preparedness: from Thomas S Monson on standards of morality lowering and a warning to not follow ancient Greeks and Romans.

     Disaster Prep: Power Outages: things to have on hand in advance and helpful preparations.

Click here for a complete copy of the August Back to Basics Newsletter.