June 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter

 Click here for a complete copy of the June 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

June is here – the beginning of a hopeful summer! It is a wonderful month, when the days are long, the nights are pleasant, and the temperature still mostly tolerable! This month we begin our harvest in gardens and orchards. It is not too late to plant more garden and even start on fall garden plans. This month we can freeze, bottle, or make jam from those juicy apricots, cherries, and plums. All to enjoy on a future winter day. June is the month we start on those family adventures. Be sure to include activities that help learn preparedness skills – like camping, hiking, outdoor cooking, and even some fishing. (Which is also relaxing even if you are baiting poles for all the kids!) Make it a summer of learning and learn a new skill – then teach it to your family. Make this a preparedness summer to remember.

 Included in this months newsletter:

Food Storage: A Budget Tool - tips for how having a food storage cane save you money!

Summertime and the Livin' is Easy - ideas to make this a fun summer, and work on preparedness too.

In the Southern Utah Garden - a list of thing to do for June in the garden.

Using the Harvest: Apricots and Cherries: recipes to bottle or make jam from these June fruits.

Spiritual Preparedness - a quote from President Spencer W Kimball on getting sufficient spiritual oil.

Home Canning - tips to help you in your summer canning.

 Click here for a complete copy of the June 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

 

 

 

 

 

May 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter

 Click here for a complete copy of the May 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

May has arrived, with all its beautiful flowers and mild weather! This month we celebrate May Day, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day! May Day (May 1) traditionally marked the beginning of summer - halfway between spring equinox & summer solstice. Some places still have summer parties and braid the May Pole. On Mother’s Day we honor our mothers. We all have a mother! What a wonderful day to remember her and tell her thank you! And on Memorial Day we honor our deceased veterans. Many people also use this day to remember loved ones that have passed on as well. All these May celebrations involve honor and remembrance. We remember the sacrifices so many before us have made to give us the life we live today. One way we can honor and remember is in the way we live our lives. Let us show gratitude for the life we have been given from our mothers, our forefathers, and the lord - and fill this month with the provident living and self-reliance way-of-life that those who came before us led, to provide for us today. Let us Be Prepared as we enjoy the “Merry Month of May!”

Included in this month's newsletter:

H20 - Cool Clear Water! The most important thing you can store is water! Here are tips to help you in your storage.

Spiritual Preparedness:  two quotes from President Russell M Nelson on being ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ!

In the Southern Utah Garden - tips for may with garden and yard. Included how-to tips for pruning flowering shrubs.

Cooking with Food Storage - recipes for Old Bottled Fruit Cake, Strawberry Jam, and tip for freezing strawberries.

Pandemic Panic Preventer: Preparedness!! -  tips and list of items to store that will help in all disasters.

Provident Living - Double Duty - Uses of Baking Soda, Vinegar, WItch Hazel and Hair Spray, beyond the normal uses. "Two for the price of one!"

Click here for a complete copy of the May 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

April 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter

 Click here for a complete copy of the April 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

  April showers bring May flowers! (And during this series of drought years – we need to pray for that April rain!) April is a wonderful month with everything greening up, flowers popping, and we finally get the rest of the garden in! This year we celebrate Easter in April and remember the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is the perfect way to spend our spring. As we focus this month on the new life of spring and the resurrection, let us also honor Him with obedience to the law of preparedness. We have been told, “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” It is a promise we do not want to miss out on. As the storms of weather, politics, economy, and evils, swirl around us, we can know that by gathering supplies, storing our food, and following the Lord, we have no need to fear!

Included in this month's newsletter:

Protecting your Food Storage Investment - a list of ideas and info to help give protection to your food storage.

Disaster Prep - Holding Drills - this is the month to hold a drill in your family!

Spiritual Preparedness - a quote from Elder Dallin H Oaks on preparing for the Second Coming.

In the Southern Utah Garden - things to plant and chores for April in the yard and garden.

Disaster Prep: When to turn off your gas at the meter? Info to help you keep your home safe from gas leaks.

Cooking with Food Storage - Easter Picnic Salads - recipes using items on the food storage shelf for fruit, potato, or Italian salad.

Provident Living - Easter Egg Tips -  money saving tips to  help dye Easter Eggs, and :Natural" ideas for ingredient colors.

Food Storage Tips - a list of things to help you in your food storage endeavors.

Click here for a complete copy of the April 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

March 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter

 

Click here for a complete copy of the March 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

March may come “marching” in like a gentle lamb and blow out like a fierce lion, or vice-versa! You just never know! The only thing that is sure is – March is not predictable!  And that is exactly how life is. Just unpredictable. This is the reason we have been admonished to be prepared! We cannot sit around and hope for “The Luck o’ the Irish” (the wish that comes with St Patrick’s Day!) We have to be prepared for “every needful thing.”  As we put food storage on the shelves, fill the freezer, pack a 72-hour kit, and sharpen our self-sufficiency skills, we are able to say, as Elder Joseph B Worthlin did, “Come what may and love it!” Preparedness is something we do not want to procrastinate! We never know when a storm may blow in or how long it will stay! Having the “Luck o’ the Irish” really does depend on the effort and work behind the Pot of Gold!

Included in this month's newsletter:

Chicken Time - Live Storage -  tips to get your onw flock of egg layers going!

The Chicken Farmer's Favorites - a list of breeds experience recommends.

Spiritual Preparedness -a quote from President Russell M Nelson on preparing for the 2nd coming of our savior Jesus Christ.

In the Southern Utah Garden -tips for your garden and yard this month.

Cooking with Food Storage - Using Rice:  tips and recipes for rice.

Disaster Prep: Sheltering In - basic tips for sheltering in, and specific for chemical leak or hazardous air quality.

Provident Living Tips:  ideas to save you money or make life easier.

Click here for a complete copy of the March 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

February 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter

 

Click here for a complete copy of the February 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

It’s February – and “love is in the air.” Not just because it is the month of Valentines Day with the cards, candy, and flowers, or pink pancakes and “heart attack” doors – but also because it’s the perfect month to show your family some love! Preparedness style! Taking care of our loved ones IS an expression of love. This month we can get our gardens going (if you are in the right climate) and plant some indoor seeds to save on gardening costs. You can make plans for disasters and find the items you need to be ready for whatever comes our way. This world is filled with commotion, as has been prophesied. But we have also been promised that “If ye are Prepared, ye shall not fear.” If we are prepared, we are ready to say, as Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin’s mother taught him:” Come what may, and love it!” We have ring-side seats for these last days! Let us show the love, Be Prepared, and sit back to enjoy the ride!

Included in this month's newsletter:

Preparedness - By Small and Simple Things - ideas of items that have low cost - but high value!

Disaster Prep - Keeping Your Fridge and Freezer Cold - what to do when the power is out to keep your fridge and freezer going - and to dry or can if you cannot keep things cold.

In the Southern Utah Garden - tips for the February garden, inside and out!

Cooking with Food Storage - Easy Casseroles - multiple casseroles from one recipe and four boxes.

Spiritual Prep - Begin With the End in Mind - President M Russell Ballard teaches us about setting goals.

Know Your Disasters- Sign up for Alerts - a list of tips for disasters, and a link to sign up for alerts.

Click here for a complete copy of the February 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

January 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter

 

Click here for a complete copy of the January 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.

January has arrived! Father Time has passed on his wisdom, and Baby New Year slid right in! It is hard to believe it is 2025! Each new year brings the annual “New Year Resolutions” – which is also a great time to review lists and renew efforts for all of our preparedness endeavors. This month, take inventory of your food storage, and make a plan to update it, or how to better rotate that investment. Try some “new” ideas – like making your home an “ingredient household” – to help you to use your food storage. If you are searching for extra space – check out the ideas in this newsletter to add storage behind doors or even in a hallway. As you set your 2025 goals, be sure to add preparedness to the list!

Included in this month's newsletter:

New Year - Old Lists! A summary of basic one year storage amounts, and a list of items to include in a 3-month supply.

New Year Resolutions - Be and Ingredient Household - what this means and why we should do it!

Words to Live By - A Prophetic Quote - a quote from Elder Christopher Waddell reminding us that sacrifice must be made to establish a food storage.

In the Southern Utah Garden - things to do for January including an idea for a compost bin, and a reference for pruning tips.

Finding Rooms for Food Storage - ideas to find or make space to store your food!

Cooking with Food Storage - ideas and recipes to make your food storage into quick snacks and fast food!

Click here for a complete copy of the January 2025 Back to Basics Newsletter.