Sustainability ~ What's that?

If the whole world goes sideways ~ are you good?
You're prepared.  You have a kit, a plan, a design?
You have achieved: One Week -  One Month - One Season - One Year's worth of preps

Now what? What's your next goal? How about SUSTAINABILITY? If something is sustainable ~ it is capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the surrounding environment: such as sustainable agriculture or a sustainable lifestyle.

Can you carry on? If the lights go out forever, or for over a year and your family uses up its preps then what will your family do?  What is your long term plan for your worst case scenario?
What would you do for food? water? other recurring needs/wants after you exhausted your preps?

What skills do you have?
Can you grow food?
Do you have seeds?
Do you know how to save seeds from what you grow?
Can you forage for herbs and food? (I'd get a good book with pictures)
Can you collect water, if so, can you render it safe?
Where would you collect water and in what?
Water sure is heavy how would you move full containers?
Cooking? Power? Heat?

Okay, take a deep breath. Here's the good news. If you've prepped for a year ~ it will be easy to scale into sustainability from there. We have expanded our preps to include 3 yrs on some items, 5 years on others and the skill sets to be sustainable. You have got to be able feed yourself, and your family as well as have the ability to defend yourselves.

One Year Plan

So far this week we've discussed planning and goal setting for One Week, One Month, One Season, and now we're up to ONE YEAR.
You've thought about what it would take to feed you family. You're getting your water together, You're evaluating what you already have on hand, what you need to buy to have a week's worth of food.  You've thought about a month...a season, now let's plan for the entire year.

If you've read earlier posts I have discussed how to calculate how much food you need to prep for depending on your family size.  For picky eaters, remember we're storing what we actually eat so you'll already have those picky eaters (even if that's you) already planned for.  Store only what y'all will eat and eat what you store to keep your food inventory rotating.

You need to make sure you have an honest year worth of food on hand. That's 365 dinners, 365 lunches, 365 breakfasts, 365 snacks for each and every person in your family. WOW that sounds like alot. Because at first  blush that's daunting. If you'll review my postings in July you'll see the math on how to calculate storage by how many different entrees you actually eat/cook. What do I mean when I say an HONEST Year's  supply? Well funny thing about those emergency meals in bucket they are rationing one cup of cooked food per person per day when they calculate the servings.  When you do your own math, for food you really eat in portions your family really eats, you insure your family won't go hungry. You also need to be sure to have EVERYTHING it takes to make those meals on hand from the allspice to the Ziplocs! Remember you are the expert on your family. 

If the whole world goes sideways, and you are relying on your inventory stress is going to set in.  Please remember to stock multivitamins it will help balance your nutrition and manage stress.  Sleep is going to be important as well as compassion and patience  stock up on this too :) Keep calm and carry on.

I have had many folks ask me how much do we stock ~ what are our goals.
Well we have a large family. I will say this ~ our goals are longer than a year.
We have tiered goals 1, 3, and 5 year goals it depends on the item.

You can do this.
Do something today that makes you more prepared than yesterday.

~ You're not alone in this journey ~

One Month & One Season Plan

Yesterday we discussed One Day & One Week Prepping ~ Today we discuss One Month & One Season at a time.

Once you have a solid week of water and food supplies, and you've figured out the finer details of power and cooking we need to expand these to 30 days, or rather one full month of water. breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks for your entire family. 

One Season at a time...  There are some items you'd only use in a particular season, heaters etc...whatever season we're in plan for this season and the next.   now let's add in another consideration... clothing and SHOES I don't mean the cute stuff either.  I mean, gotta get stuff done clothes.  Solid footwear, may need to walk a mile or more shoes.  As adults, our sizes don't change as rapid as children, but keeping your feet dry and warm and blister free is important!   

You need to think about your kids.  Do you have the next size up of shoes? Clothes for the this season, and how about next year this same season? I find thrift stores and consignment sales are great for this.  You'll want the basics for each child: here's a rough guide if you are future buying but keep in mind, rompers and sundresses work well too! it all depends on the age of your child.

5-7 pairs of jeans (long pants)
5-7 long sleeve shirts
7 short sleeve shirts
7 pairs of shorts
1 bathing suit
14+ pairs of socks
14+ pairs of undies
1 pair boots (snow wear/ rain wear)
1 pair of tennis shoes
1 pair of sandals
3 pairs of pj's summer
3 pairs of pj's winter
1 winter coat
1 jacket/midweight coat

Remember diapers, wipes, formula, creams etc...  little ones have lots of considerations!

Hopefully you can do hand-me downs, but maybe not.
It's easier as they get older they don't grow as fast!

Tomorrow: Rounding out ~ One Year Plan

One Week ~ Plan

You need to know what your goals are. What are your goals? If you’re just starting out reading multiple sources, doing your homework you have heard lots of things. For goodness sake it’s enough to drive you nuts. 72 hour kits ,Bug Out Bags, Water storage. Some of those sources are para-military, scare your britches off sky is falling end of the worlders…dooms-dayers. What’s a wife and mother to do? It makes good sense to be prepared for an emergency. SO you look around and lots of folks say get a 72 hour kit, be prepared fro 72 hours.   What’s magic about 72 hours? I’ll tell you. It takes 72 hours for FEMA or the Red Cross to mobilize in a major catastrophe. At least that’s the average. You’re a smart person. What’s an average? Well sometimes FEMA and the Red Cross will be there sooner than 72 hours. Sometimes its longer. 

It took FIVE LONG DAYS for FEMA to get to the Super Dome after Katrina.

Seventy-two hours. Every wonder why they quote that in hours? It’s simple ~ because hours sounds sooner than saying days. Say that a couple of times. DAYS. Three whole long days is just an average. Averages are in the middle right? So that means emergency services could be pretty quick or take seven days. Seven DAYS??? Wait a minute but everyone has these 72 hour kits so that must mean emergency services have to reach us by then! Yeah well I don’t know about you but my Momma didn’t raise a dumb girl, since three days is an average my first concern as well as yours should be getting prepared for an emergency that could last seven days, whether it’s weather or otherwise.

Let’s make us some easy to remember goals:

One Plan

One Week
One Month
One Year

Alrighty then let’s start real easy: ONE DAY

Ok huge thunderstorm and power is out for one full day and one full night. You need the following:
Water: Do you have a gallon of fresh drinkable water for each person in your home?
Power/Lights: Where are the:
Flashlights
Candles
Oil Lamps
LED Lamps
Batteries
Matches
Lighters

Do you have a generator? If so where is it? Can you start it or do you need your husband to do it? You need to learn how to do it yourself. What do you connect to the generator? Your freezer/fridges? One light or two? Which power cords do you use? Where are they kept? Where’s the gas kept and could you fill the generator if you had to?

Food ~ the whole city is without power. So no you can’t run go out to get a meal. So for ONE day you need Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, 2 snacks, then Breakfast and Lunch again for everyone in your home. Could you do that? What about ready to feed formula or

Sanitation ~ ( Let’s assume the worst but hope for the best) Let’s assume no running water for 1 full day. DO you have paper plates, bowels, plastic forks and spoons to go one full day so you can forget about washing dishes for one day? Disposable Baby bottles? Toilet Paper? Paper Towels? What if you had the flu and the power was out for a whole day do you have an extra can of disinfectant? Wipes? Garbage bags?

Entertainment ~ No TV, Internet, Video Games for an entire 24 hours. For some families that’s like asking them to go without air… What are you going to do with the kids for 24 hours? What about yourself? Board games, a deck of cards, Yahtzee, UNO, Pictionary, ISpy go a long way when the powers out.

Safety ~ Whatever makes you feel safe. Lock the doors. Stay vigilant ~ don’t be a victim. I am not going to discuss specific home security choices. That’s not the focus of my site. Be sure you are comfortable with taking care of yourself, your children, your family. I might suggest a big dog,  What? You don't think being able to protect yourself is important?
Then let me direct you here: NPR  

Seasonal Concerns: Can you stay warm for 24 hours without power? Warm bedding? Extra Socks?

If mother nature caught up with you today do you have feminine paper products? Are you low on diapers? Word of caution: Never be slap out of anything especially critical items. With my luck that’s the day every store would be closed because they’re without power!

ONE WEEK Plan:   Ready for some good news? Once you’ve prepared for ONE FULL DAY without power ~ expanding that to ONE WEEK is so much easier! It’s just about quantities. Seven days of food, and water ~ and developing a routine for everything else. You’re kids will love this too because you can skip baths for a week and do “touch up” personal care with wipes. Yippeee!

One Goal

Today you focus on one goal.
Your world goes sideways now what? (Insert your plan here)

We have only one goal today.  Write a plan. One Plan.
We are answering all the pesky what ifs....

What if a hurricane/major storm hit?
What if an earthquake hit?
What if the power was out for a week, month, year?
What if there was a riot?
What if terrorists (or anything else) disabled our infrastructure?
What if there was a pandemic?
What if the grocery stores had no food?
What if  inflation rose to the point you couldn't afford gas? bread?
What if there was a zombie apocalypse? The CDC has a point, if you can survive a zombie apocalypse you can survive anything!

Today's goal ~ think about it what would you need or want to have to keep you and your family safe, secure, fed?

Today: One Plan

Tomorrow: One Week
Wednesday:  One Month
Thursday: One Year
Friday: Sustainability

Vac Sealer : Friday Review

I use two different Vac Sealers.  I have a Deni which is a good all around vacuum sealer.  And when we do alot of vac sealing we'll use both at the same time.  But MY FAVORITE is the  FoodSaver® Vac 550 this is an older model and you can find it on Amazon in the used market.  The number one difference with the Foodsaver is the accessory hose option.  I can now vac seal canning jars, food saver canisters, soda bottles (does not replace canning)

Product Description

Keep your food fresh and flavorful! FoodSaver Vac 550. SAVE BIG BUCKS buy one used or go up to the current model! Maintain the same freshness at home that you get with professionally vacuum-packaged items you purchase at the grocery store. Air gets in most other food storage containers and plastic bags even when they are sealed tightly. And, oxygen is one of the main reasons that food goes bad. It starts a chemical change, robbing food of its nutritional value, texture, color, flavor and overall quality. The FoodSaver Vac 550 removes air and then seals containers so that air cannot reenter. To start you off, the FoodSaver gives you 2 BONUS FoodSaver rolls! These FoodSaver rolls are made from a patented 3-ply plastic with special channels that remove the air. When you use sheets from the rolls with the Vac 550, the outer layer of nylon seals freshness in, while locking air and moisture out. These FoodSaver rolls and bags go straight from the freezer and refrigerator to the microwave or boiling water. They're also reusable, washable (even dishwasher-safe) and recyclable.

 

A must have accessory is the FoodSaver  Wide-Mouth Jar Sealer

as well as the FoodSaver Regular-Mouth Jar Sealer

 

Accessory Hose by FoodSaver

Any vacuum sealer can seal a bag, but using the accessory hose and the jar sealers ~ think of the possibilities.  Cake mixes, Powdered milk, home made mixes...soup mixes.  ANYTHING you dehydrate that's too delicate to vac seal in a bag. In my humble opinion if you have to add just one tool to your prepper's kitchen ~ it would be a Foodsaver vac sealer (any model) all of the items pictured above were purchased  under $65 from Amazon! Remember one is none ~ two is one.  Get a spare accessory hose JUST IN CASE.

DO you Stay or Go?

Preppers use terms you may not be familiar with.

Shelter in Place ~ this means in an emergency you are staying put most folks consider this staying HOME
But, what if you aren't home and you need to get home to your family? Well in that case you would need a  "BOB", or "GOOD" bag/kit
BOB ~ Bug Out Bag
GOOD ~ Get Out Of Dodge
GHB ~ Get Home Bag
Car Kit ~ Kit that lives in the car (I guess that one is obvious huh?)

You need a plan.  If everyone's home and something happens great ~ the family is all together.  What if Dad (or Mom) is at work and has to get home?  DoO you have comfortable shoes to walk across town? Do you have what you need at work or in the car to get you home to your family?  You need a plan and your family needs to know what your plans are. Each family member needs to know what to do "just in case:.  Youur Shelter in Place Kit will be different than your Get Home Bag, because your ultimate goals are different.

Being  Prepared 72-96 Hours is Step 1

In emergency preparedness, a 72 hour kit is widely considered the first step in becoming prepared. Sitting in a closet or some other area close to the front door, it can be grabbed in a moment’s notice, should you have to depart your home with little or no warning. Every family needs one for the unexpected.  There’s a reason behind the length of time the kit’s contents should last. It generally takes the disaster relief agencies at least 3-4 days to move in and set up before offering assistance. Generally speaking, you’re on your own during this time. Depending on how bad the situation is, it could even be longer.

Whether you buy a kit or put one together yourself from scratch, it’s important for your family’s welfare to have one. In any type of disaster things will be bad. Not having the necessities to sustain your life and the lives of your family members could turn an otherwise manageable problem into a real disaster you could never recover from. Prepare now for life’s small and large surprises.

You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water, and other supplies to last for at least three days. You can not count on relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, more likely days some cases ~ weeks. In addition, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer.

Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:
• Water—one gallon (to two) per person, per day
     3¬day supply for evacuation,
     2¬week supply for home
• Food—non¬perishable, easy¬ to ¬prepare/no prep needed items
     3¬day supply for evacuation,
     2 ¬week supply for home
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container.
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov.
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire Extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Get a kit/Assemble your own Kit

• Keep supplies in an easy¬to¬carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you in case you must evacuate.

Benefits of Involving Children

• Involving children is the first step in helping them know what to do in an emergency.
• Children can help. Ask them to think of items that they would like to include in a disaster supplies kit, such as books or games or nonperishable food items, and to help the household remember to keep the kits updated. Children could make calendars and mark the dates for checking emergency supplies, rotating the emergency food and water or replacing it every six months and replacing batteries as necessary. Children can enjoy preparing plans and disaster kits for pets and other animals.

Disaster Supplies Kit Checklist for Pets

• Food and water for at least three days for each pet, food and water bowls and a manual can opener
• Depending on the pet, litter and litter box or newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags, grooming items, and household bleach
• Medications and medical records stored in a waterproof container, a first aid kit and a pet first aid book
• Sturdy leashes, harnesses and carriers to transport pets safely Your pet may have to stay in the carrier for hours. Be sure to have a secure cage with no loose objects inside it to accommodate smaller pets. These may require blankets or towels for bedding and warmth and other special items
• Pet toys and the pet's bed, if you can easily take it, to reduce stress
• Current photos and descriptions of your pets to help others identify them in case you and your pets become separated, and to prove that they are yours
• Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems and the name and telephone number of your veterinarian in case you have to board your pets or place them in foster care.

Additional Supplies for Sheltering-in-Place
In the unlikely event that chemical or radiological hazards cause officials to advise people in a specific area to "shelter-in-place" in a sealed room, households should have in the room they have selected for this purpose:
• A roll of duct tape and scissors
• Plastic sheeting pre-cut to fit shelter-in-place room openings

Ten square feet of floor space per person will provide sufficient air to prevent carbon dioxide buildup for up to five hours. Local officials are unlikely to recommend the public shelter in a sealed room for more than two-three hours because the effectiveness of such sheltering diminishes with time as the contaminated outside air gradually seeps into the shelter.

NOTE: Always keep a shut-off valve wrench near the gas and water shut-off valves in your home.

~ You are not  alone in your journey ~