January 2016

Click here for a complete copy of the January 2016 Back to Basics Newsletter.

It is hard to believe another “new” year is upon us. The year “2016” once-upon-a-time seemed like a fairy tale! Yet – here we are as old man 2015 leaves and the new 2016 crawls in. With this “new year” comes the traditional opportunity to evaluate our own lives and set “new” goals. As we set goals for personal milestones we hope to reach, or traditions we want to establish, let us also keep in mind our family’s preparedness. This is a great month to take stock of where we stand and where we want to be. Take inventory of your food storage – and make a list of what you need to purchase at upcoming sales. Use the winter months to build some new shelves in the basement, a closet, or make coasters for under the bed storage. Try out the emergency items you have on hand – 72 hour kits, solar lights, generators, etc. – and be sure they are working, then repair or replace as needed.  Our preparedness must also include a spiritual preparedness.  Staying close to the spirit will give us peace in tribulations, and guidance in times of trials. May each of us make the best of this New Year and renew ourselves and our preparedness commitments.

Included in this month's newsletter:

The Family Store - turn your storage room into a mini store. Keep things on hand that keep you from making a store run. Start with 3 months, then add a longer and expanded storage.

Preparedness with Moderation! Statement from the LDS Church to avoid extremes, but gradually build a supply to be self-reliant.

Preparedness Thoughts to Live By: Ezra Taft Benson, Spencer W Kimball on preparedness.

In the Southern Utah Garden: plan your garden, prune fruit trees, transplant during cold times, and fertilize this month.

Cooking with Food Storage: bottling beans, and how to cook beans.

Home Storage Center: an order form for over 20 items to add to your food storage.

Click here for a complete copy of the January 2016 Back to Basics Newsletter.

December 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here to download a complete copy of December 2015 Back to Basics.

It’s the “most wonderful time of the year.” Even the songs blaring over the radio seem to agree! Pretty lights twinkle, the Santa’s ”ho ho ho”, and we have “Decked the Halls”. But amidst all this hustle and bustle, let us not forget why it IS the most wonderful time of the year.  It is the time of year when we focus a little more on the savior and his birth. The beautiful songs of Christmas and of the Savior truly fill our hearts with the peace the gospel brings. That peace is something we can have throughout the year as we come unto Christ and keep his commandments. One of those commandments is to Be Prepared. It is a wonderful gift to the savior, to our families and to ourselves as we follow Him, and are prepared. May we make this a Preparedness Christmas in one way or another. And may we feel the peace that comes to us as we all enjoy a Very Merry Christmas!

Included in this month's newsletter:

Disaster Prep: Where were you when the lights went out? short term and long term preparations for dealing with a power outage.

The Incredible Edible Egg: Winter months bring fewer eggs if you have chickens. Try some tips to get your chickens to lay, or check out ideas for having eggs on hand and extending their shelf life.

One more "Bright" thought: Ideas of what to do before and after a power outage.

In the Southern Utah Garden: Take a break, til the soil, plan for next year, and put leaves on the garden.

A Preparedness Christmas: ideas for gifts to give this year with preparedness in mind.

Provident Living: Christmas is a great time to practice provident living. Robert D Hales helps us learn how.

Cooking with Food Storage: Grandma Ballard's Molasses Candy

Emergency Preparedness: Make a Camp Box for quick access to go camping, or if necessary - to evacuate. Ideas are included for a Kitchen Camp Tub, Family tent Tub, and Camp Supplies Tub.

Encouraging Words: The Promised Land: From President Lee concerning the future of America.

Click here to download a complete copy of December 2015 Back to Basics.

November 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here to download a complete copy of the November 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

The season of gratitude has arrived. We should have gratitude all year long, but something about the beauty of the fall season with the harvest, colored leaves, and the golden glow that fills the air – seems to naturally fill our hearts with gratitude. One way that we can show our gratitude to God is by keeping His commandments, and one of those commandments is to “Be Prepared”. We know that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear”. In this day, when the evening news is filled with reports of evil and sadness, we need to – more than ever - be sure that we are prepared. The world can be a fragile place and one never knows when our “preparedness” will be used. May we fill this season with all the gratitude we can find, and in so doing keep Gods command to Be Prepared. When we do this we will only reap more blessings… which in turn gives us more to be grateful for!

Included in this issue:

Who What When Where How? Basic Suggestions for Home Storage a list of guidelines to establilsh a home storage program.

Disaster Prep: Food and Water Safety after a Disaster: tips for food and water after flooding, taking care of food after power outage, and santitizing items.

HOT TIP: check out Wayne Whitaker's facebook page for tips on emergency preparedness and money saving ideas.

In the Southern Utah Garden: tips for end of season garden, hoses, weeds, and waht to do with leaves and fertilizer.

Coming soon to a table near you... A Preparedness Thanksgiving Dinner. A list of items that you can have in your storage that make it possible to have Thanksgiving without going to the store.

Spiritual Preparedness: The Sabbath Day. We have been asked to focus on keeping the Sabbath. Read a quote from Elder Russell M Nelson on how we can choose our activities on the sabbath. 

Cooking with Food Storage: Thanksgiving Recipes: No Fail Pie Crust, Dixie Salad, and Grandma Ballard's Thanksgiving Relish.

Parting Thought: from President Gordon B Hinckley after Sept. 11, 2001 on preparedness and these perilous times.

Click here to download a complete copy of the November 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

October 2015

Click here to download a complete copy of October 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

Fall is in the air! It is a favorite time of year for many. The harvest is in, the yard work has slowed, and the shelves are lined with fresh bottled goods. It is a great time to relax a little and enjoy the fruits of a summer’s labor. Fall is also when the LDS General Conference time rolls around and a great time for us to take stock of our spiritual preparedness. As we bask in the glow of the autumn leaves, let us soak up the spiritual enlightenment that is also available. Nights are a little longer, so perhaps we can use that time to add to the spiritual part of our life.  Let us review both the shelves that are lined with temporal preparedness, and the testimony within that is our spiritual preparedness.  As we are prepared in both aspects we will find the peace that preparedness and obedience brings.

Included in this months newsletter:

72 Hour Kit Food: Ideas for food in your kit and church guidelines for a kit.

An Encouraging Word: Quotes from past general authorities about home storage and priorities.

Provident Living: Homemade Halloween Make-up, starting on Christmas, and limiting shopping trips.

In the Southern Utah Garden: Ideas to harvest before frost, store green tomatoes, clean old plants, till garden, flowers, weed killer, tools insulate crops, and garden seeds!

Disaster Prep: an inventory sheet for extended family or neighbors to help pull together during a crisis and help each other out.

Cooking with Food Storage: Make your own graham Crackers and Wheat Thins with these recipes.

The Nuts and Bolts of Home Storage: Seven items to cover as you establish and add to a successful home storage program.

Click here to download a complete copy of October 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

September 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here to download a complete copy of September 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

September is a favorite month for many: it brings cooling temperatures and the harvest begins to wind up. What a satisfying feeling to see the freshly bottled produce lining the storage shelves. Some are still enjoying their garden and looking forward to a fall harvest. Let us each be sure to finish the summer strong. If you meant to do some canning, there is still much available. Fall case lot sales will soon arrive to help you fill your shelves. September is also National Preparedness Month. We have been encouraged to make a plan to stay safe and communicate in case of a disaster. Floods, fires, winds, power outages or water disruption are happening all over this land - and we never know when an earthquake might hit. But, as with all things, if we are prepared we need not fear.  We can focus this month on finishing the harvest and making a plan for emergencies. Then we will know- like the song says – all is safely gathered in. What a peaceful feeling to know YOU are prepared!

Included in this newsletter:

First Aid Tips - the best first aid is prevention! In case of an accident here are a few tips for your first aid kit and protocol. (Burns, Sprains, Bleeding, CPR, and Injuries).

A Blast from the Past: Quotes that have warned us for years to Be Prepared from church leaders.

Provident Living: A penny saved is a penny earned - so try these cost cutters to help keep you and yours clean.

In the Southern Utah Garden: ideas for September planting, leaving carrots and onions in the ground, planting fruit trees, taking care of weeds, lawn fertilizing and flowers.

Disaster Prep: Have a drill, get your 72 hour kit together, and do an earthquake "Tie down" in your home.

Modern Root Cellar: turn a window well into a root cellar. Tips on storing items there.

Fall Harvest Canning: Prickly Pear Jelly, Zucchini Pickle Relish, and Dried Swiss Chard.

Click here to download a complete copy of September 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

August 2015

Click here for a complete copy of the August 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

The warm sultry days of August are upon us. The days are getting a little shorter – which gives some reprieve from the heat. The efforts of spring planting are now realized as we fill our tables with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers or even another squash dish! If we are wise we are putting some in jars for the winter goodness of spaghetti sauce, pickles, or the fresh taste of green beans. Each family has their own favorites. What a blessing to be able to store up for a winter (or rainy) day. The cherries and apricots have come and gone, and peaches, apples and pears are making their debut. What will you do with the opportunity before you to harvest and prepare for the future?  We never know which harvest may be our last for a season. Let us use what the good Lord has provided and find a way to get a little more prepared and provide for our loved ones. There is no time like the present! Take advantage of it today!

Included in this month's newsletter:

Practicing Preparedness: Summertime Fun! The summer is not over yet. Use the time left to practice preparedness: Go camping, keep BBQ Fuel on hand, Use Kid Activities to make preparedness items, try new items on the BBQ, rotate water on plants, Road Trip restock, solar cooking, canning, clothes line useage, sleep under the stars.

Disaster Prep - what level are you? Criteria for a level 0 (every emergency is a disaster) to level 5 (can survive indefinitely)

In the Southern Utah Garden: Fall planting, weeds, apple spray, picking pears, scarab beetle, squash bugs, diseased tomato, corn harvest.

It's Freezing in August: Freezing produce tips, things to try and freezer useage tips.

Spiritual Preparedness: Quote from Henry B Eyring on preparing spiritually for the last days.

Click here for a complete copy of the August 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

July 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter

Click here for a complete copy of July 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

July brings with it the hot days some of us dread and some of us enjoy. The monsoons will soon arrive and bring some temperature relief – as well as the sticky humidity. As with all of life – there is certainly “opposition in all things”. We soon learn to rise early to work in the cool of the day, and enjoy a dip in the pool or river to cool off in the heat of the day. Making the best of each day is the way we work at our preparedness also.  “This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)  The evening news only affirms that the “signs of the times” are happening on a very regular basis. We cannot wait for the “heat” to pass before we get our spiritual and temporal preparedness in order.  Let each of us – “today while the sun shines” use the freedom this month of July stands for to “work with a will…and our duty fulfill” – as we get our preparedness in greater order.

Included in this months newsletter:

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness: Personal Hygiene Preparedness. Supplies to store and tips to keep us clean and healthy.

Disaster Preparedness: There is not time to run to the store in an emergency. Here are a few ideas to make a habit to keep you prepared for disasters.

Spiritual Preparedness: encouraging words:  quotes to encourage us in these last days.

In the Southern Utah Garden: weekly weeding, produce picked, fall garden list, new seeds, watering tips, squash bugs and poison.

Getting your food Storage NOW! a plan from 1976 to get your food storage in one year!

A Quote to answer questions and give peace: from Elder Vaughn J Featherstone: answers to sharing with others who have not followed the counsel to get a years supply, and about those who would plunder and break in and take our family storage.

Cooking with Food Storage:  Fresh Peach Cobbler recipe.

Click here for a complete copy of July 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

June 2015 Back to Basics Newsetter

Click here for a complete copy of June 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

Summer time is here at last along with all the things we love about the season – camping, BBQ’s, swimming, reunions, gardening and much more. And – school is out!  School may be out for the summer – but the learning does not have to cease. Summer is a great time to teach our families (and learn with them) about preparedness! So many things are learned as we go about our summer activities or go on summer trips.  Teach your family to garden – and as we plant a garden we learn the law of the harvest – reap what you sow – and keep the weeds out while they’re small. Teach your families to bottle and dry the produce from the garden and orchard. Learn about outdoor cooking on the summer camp out.  Learn to “endure” on the summer hike. Learn about the world around you and the amazing places where we live – and while you do talk about the “what if” disasters and how the family could respond. There are so many ways to keep summer a learning opportunity and help your family be a little more prepared! And of course – be sure to “stop and smell the roses” along the way!

      Included in this month's newsletter:

Home Canning: tips to help you can your own produce this summer.  

Disaster Prep - Sanitation: tips in case water and sewer lines are broken in a disaster - what you can do to keep your family clean and safe.

In the Southern Utah Garden: pick produce, mulch with newspaper, planting more veggies, thinning fruit, pruning shrubs.

Bottling Up Summer: recipes of how to use all those apricots!

Spiritual Preparedness: L Tom Perry and Dalloin H Oaks quotes.

Planning your year supply: link to a food calculator to help you plan amounts to store for your family.

Provident Living: Tips to save money (Ball Blue Book, Clear Jel, Shopping, Cook from scratch).

The Last Word: L. Tom Perry and H. David Burton on preparedness.

Click here for a complete copy of June 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

May 2015

Click here for a complete copy of May 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

If April Showers bring May Flowers then what do May Flowers bring?  The children’s riddle says – pilgrims! But in terms of preparedness – those “May Flowers”, the result of careful planning and preparing – bring peace of mind and no worries. Truly – if we are prepared – we shall not fear! Each month we can take stock of where we stand in our preparedness. Are we moving forward? Have we stalled? Do we need to jump start our efforts? Take an honest assessment of where you are and where you need to be in terms of preparedness. Then take the steps necessary to bring you and your family the peace of preparedness. And remember that being prepared is a journey and ongoing. There is really no destination we arrive at that says “you are here!” Preparedness, and the peace that it brings, is really a way of life.

In this month's newsletter:

Provident Living: History's Preparedness Lessons: Learning to weather lifes storms from those who lived through the Great Depression.

Disaster Prep: Unusual (or less thought of) items to store: Comfot items, how to books, phone, clocks, windup light/radio, Solar light, sewing items, cloth diapers, wagon, immunizations, camp cooking, canning items, slippers.

In the Southern Utah Garden: Planting veggies, weeding garden, mulching rows, spray fruit trees, insecticides. 

Cooking with Food Storage: Bottle wheat and beans for healthy and inexpensive "fast food".

Family Communication Plan: Every family needs a communicatyion plan in case of emergency - discuss types, choose meeting places and code word, contact person, ID card, walkie talkie.

A Blast from the Past:  In 1976 church members were, once again, asked to get their year supply. Have you had time yet? Four church leaders encourage us to be prepared.

Spiritual Preparedness: Neil L Anderson in April 2015 conference taught about seeing the Lord's miracles in our lives, and looking to the Lord's Second Coming.

Click here for a complete copy of May 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter 

April 2015

Click here for a complete copy of April 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter

Easter is celebrated in April this year, and brings with it a wonderful time to reflect on new life.  Just as the resurrection brings new life, so does springtime bring new growth in the world around us. It is also a good time to bring new life to our preparedness status. The old saying “April showers brings May flowers” seems to be really the story of life. The efforts we put in to anything will bring about the rewards later. It is the same with our gardens and life – “what we sow we also reap”.   We can take stock of our food storage, 72 hour kits, provident living, and especially our spiritual preparedness. What “April Showers” do we need to apply to these areas to be able to reap the “May Flowers”?  Let us set our priorities in place and be sure to provide for our families. Small steps taken on a regular basis toward being prepared will suddenly show up as full storage shelves, emergency supplies in order, and testimonies strong and bright.  Let us start raining down those “April Showers” today!

Included in this month's newsletter:
Evacutaion! Making a plan: tips for having to evacuate your home in case of fire, flood, or other reasons.
Message from Pres. Kimball 5 days after the Teton Dam Broke in 1975: Learn from the past.
Affordable Food Storage: For about $100 you can fill your shelves with a large amount of food.
In the Southern Utah Garden: planting guide and tips, yard and lawn care tips.
Wet your whistle! - Water Storage Tips: how much to store, containers to use, water treatment, storage, and purification tips.
Spiritual and Temporal Preparedness Quotes: Dallin H Oaks, Ezra Taft Benson and Thomas S Monson give us guidance.
Disaster Prep: a local radio station for emergency info, code words for familyies, and water/72 hour kit rotation.


Click here for a complete copy of April 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter

March 2015

Click here for a complete copy of the March 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

Spring has sprung! Blossoms have popped, and the weather is unpredictable. It seems like we go from summer to winter to spring all within days. The winds may howl or the sun brings beads of sweat. But that is what springtime is. It is a season that reminds us of how unpredictable life can be - and how important it is that we are prepared for whatever storms may appear! “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” is the motto that should guide our endeavors for family preparedness. Let us plant our gardens, stock our shelves, and be ready for these days that are OUR days (Helaman 7:7-9)  If we are prepared, it will not matter if the day is a lamb or a lion – we will be ready for whatever the “season” of these “last days” may bring!

Included in this month's newsletter:
Where do I start? A Bite at a Time : 10 steps to help you get a food storage program underway.
No Time Like the Present: Quote from Emerson
In the Southern Utah Garden:  plant veggies, fertilize, divide flowers and other, make a garden diary, weeding, seeding plants indoors, and other.
Provident Living: The Family Meal:  Family mealtime can save money and bring bonus rewards for your family.
Disaster Prep: How long can you stay away from the store? Are you ready for a disaster without making a quick store run? Tips for ways to answer yes!
Hot tip: water filtration kit: first used for missionaries in countries where water is questionable - now availabel at LDS HOme Storage Centers or online at store.lds.org.
Spiritual Preparedness:  Thomas S Monson quote on standards of chuch vs standards of society.
Remember: we need to pray for moisture!

Click here for a complete copy of the March 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.

February 2015

(Click here for a complete copy of the February 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.)


February is the month of “love”. Valentine’s Day lands smack in the middle of the month and gives us the opportunity to show our admiration to all of our “valentines”.  We have fond memories of the paper hearts and valentine holder’s from our grade school years. Love is in the air!  The savior has said “If ye love me keep my commandments”. Do we show our love for Christ in the way we live? One of his commandments is to “Be Prepared” as told to us by many prophets for many years. Have we followed it?  The Lord has admonished us that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” When the storms of life (spiritual or temporal) come crashing in, the level of preparation that we have will determine how we weather the storm. This month as we decorate our valentines, make cookies, deliver candy, and remember our loved ones, let us remember that we show love to our family as we are prepared to care for them. And we show our love for God as we follow His command to Be Prepared.

Included in this month's newsletter:

The "Other" 72 hour kit: we will not always be at home when disaster strikes. Keep a 72 hour kit in you car and at work. A list of items to include in a car kit is listed and hints for storing it.

Disaster Prep: what if the stores were closed suddenly - are you ready? A list of things to help you be ready for sudden disturbances from keeping gas tank half full,, to shopping habits and transportation methods.

Spiritual Preparedness:  From Henry B Eyring - Do not delay... the "someday I will" can be a thief of opportunity....

In the Southern Utah Garden: February is a big month for getting the garden going - Prepare the soil, fertilize, spray fruit trees, finish pruning, plant bare-roots, transplant, and plant  cool weather veggie list.

Financial Fast: It is good for our bodies to fast monthly for both physical and spiritual benefits. How about trying a month long Financial Fast? Ideas to include are: Deal in cash, do not use credit or debit, buy necessities, no movies or entertainment, no shopping for extras, make a budget, plan what to do instead of spend, focus on what to do with your money, keep some of the habits, frugal living is rewarding. You will find simplicity truly is Provident Living!

Cooking with Food Storage: Everlasting Yeast to same money or if you are down to your last bit of yeast - us it to make a start that will last indefinitely. Recipe and instructions included.

Don't Forget to Pray: we are in the midst of a drought - lets pray for snow in the mountains and rain in the valley! Summer water depends on winter storms. Consider the listed scriptures as we fast and pray.

(Click here for a complete copy of the February 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter.)

January 2015

(Click here to view and print a complete copy of the January 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter)

A New Year always brings with it the opportunity for New Beginnings. We set new goals and make new plans. Even Mother Nature is resetting the New Year with roots and seeds getting ready for a springtime debut. What a great time to make a New Beginning to our preparedness – and reset the goals, plans, and even habits of provident living for our families. The long winter nights give us time to sit down and make a plan. Take inventory of where you are, and plan for where you want to be. 
There is no time like our time – so let us seize the day (carpe diem) and… Be Prepared!

Included in this month's newsletter:

NEW YEAR - New Beginnings - The Basics- Review the list of basic food storage items and amounts needed per person (grains, legumes, milk, sugar, salt, oil, water and other)

Provident Living - Shopping the sales: Not all “sales” are created equal!! Beware buying just because it is on sale. Winter often brings case lot sales, so here are a few “sales” tips.

Disaster Prep - What to do when the lights go out: Winter time, with its long nights, is a good time to think about what you will do for light if the power goes out. Have more than one method available for different situations (candles, emergency candle in a jar, solar lights, propane lanterns extra mantles, flashlights.)

In the southern Utah Garden: Not a lot of gardening goes on in January – but lots of planning can. Grab a cup of hot chocolate, and pen and paper and go to work….(plan what to plant, garden spot, etc)

LDS Church Emergency Preparedness: What does the church officially recommend for our preparedness?  In the online LDS web site, church members are encouraged to prepare a simple emergency plan. Items to consider are listed.

Cooking with food storage: Orson Hyde said  “There is more salvation and security in wheat, than in all the political schemes of the world. …”  Recipes and ideas to use your wheat as wheat berry cereal, cracked wheat, breads, sprouted wheat, and other ideas are included.

Spiritual Preparedness: The prophets have encouraged us for many years to store food for a day of want. Are we following the prophet? Quotes from President Thomas S. Monson and Ezra Taft Benson.

(Click here to view and print a complete copy of the January 2015 Back to Basics Newsletter)

Index for Back to Basics Newsletters 2011 to 2014

It has been asked for and waited for and it is finally here! This index is meant as a reference to help find the various topics or recipes from the 4 year span of newsletters. The information in the 2011 – 2014 issues have been divided into nine sections and alphabetized under each section. The issue date is listed after the subject. The sections are:

Basic and Expanded Storage

Disaster Prep

Emergency preparedness

Garden

Hot tips

Opening Greeting

Provident Living Hints

Quotes and spiritual prep

Recipes and cooking

Click here to download the index for Back to Basics Newlsetters 2011 to 2014