Two quotes by Ezra Taft Benson

Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1980) (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.265)
“Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake ... cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion. The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?”



Ezra Taft Benson, (“Not Commanded In All Things!”, Council Of The Twelve General Conference,  April 6, 1965)
"For years we have been counseled to have on hand a year’s supply of food. Yet there are some today who will not start storing until the Church comes out with a detailed monthly home storage program. Now suppose that never happens. We still cannot say we have not been told. Should the Lord decide at this time to cleanse the Church— and the need for that cleansing seems to be increasing— a famine in this land of one year’s duration could wipe out a large percentage of slothful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot say we have not been warned."

Walton Feed raises prices 5%

Our stake has just turned in all our orders for our twice-yearly Walton Feed food storage order, and now today I got an email saying Walton cannot honor their prices, and we have to send in 5% more money for this order.  This is amazing, and is a sure sign that prices are going up so fast that big companies like this find it necessary to raise prices right in the middle of a big order.

(The following is from our stake Walton Feed coordinator)

March 27, 2011    Unfortunately, and for the first time in our history of ordering, Walton has had to raise their prices for the upcoming order and is not able to honor the prices originally quoted.  If you have have not submitted an order yet, please use the attached spreadsheet as it will add the price increases.  If you have already turned in your order to me or your ward rep, you will need to revise the order to accommodate the price increase by filling out the new spreadsheet attached.  More detail about why this happened is included in the below message from Melissa C., the main group coordinator for Walton orders.  The revised spreadsheet is attached.   If you are using a printable form or if you have send me an email with your order, add 5% to the total.

The deadline has been extended.  All orders with payment are now due to ____ by April ___.  I apologize as I know this will be inconvenient for all of us. Please pass this on to all in your wards or groups who received the original order.

Aimee S.

From Melissa C.:

 Hello Everyone!

Price Increase

I received information from Walton Feed that they have had to raise their prices and it is effective immediately. They cannot honor the prices on my price list for this current order because everything they are ordering in stock is more expensive now....and shipping is also being increased. This is the first time we have ever had to do this in the 12 years we have worked with them. I have worried and prayed and thought over this and decided that I had 2 choices...I could cancel the entire order, or I could send out information to all of you and let you know that we have to raise the prices. I chose the second option, because I know most of us don't want to cancel the order.

How Much?

We will be adding 5% to the total cost of each person's order. (That is $5.00 added to a $100 order.) I have made some adjustments to the spreadsheet so that it will automatically add up the 5% extra. I have attached the new spreadsheet for you. It will only affect some of the orders by a few dollars, but in the entire scope of the order, it will affect it by about $15,000! That is not something I could cover out of my own pocket, so raising the prices was really my only choice.

  

PS - Something Interesting

This is one paragraph of an email that one of the Stake Leaders sent out to her people after I counseled with her about this. I thought it was interesting and wanted to share it.

" I guess the question really is why it took them (Walton Feed) this long (to raise their prices).  Those of you who have been following the world weather events know that there were floods in Australia and drought in China and Russia and Chile, way before the earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan.  Commodity prices have been sky-rocketing all over the world.  Wheat prices doubled when Russia banned its wheat exports due to its drought.  Corn is up 52%.  Cotton is up 89%.  Rice and soybeans are up somewhere around 26%. It takes a while for these increases to trickle down to pricing here in the United States.  It wasn't until the last few months that our Consumer Price Index started going up."

What is in my 72 hour kit, or Go-Bag.

If you are stranded somewhere without any other source of food than what you have in your bag, you really begin to see what types of food to pack in the future.

I attended the Glenn Beck Aug. 28, 2010 event in Washington D.C., and brought a small cooler with me.  It had food and water in it for 24 hours.  I paid special attention to what I liked and what I wished I had.

(Note:  Most emergency preparedness people do not call this a "72 hour kit" anymore, because you should actually have more than 3 days worth of food.  Probably 5 days is better. So a lot of people are calling it a "Go-Bag" instead.

 And the Church doesn't specifically teach "72 hour kits", they basically teach us to get 3 months of short-term food and then get long term food storage.)

While I was in D.C.,  I realized for each meal I wanted something savory, something starchy, some fresh vegetables and then something sweet.  I would NOT have been happy if all I had were granola bars.

So, for my 72 hour kit, I made sure to get all those different flavors.  And enough of each to have 5 days of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, for the 3 people living at my house.  I actually made a chart of each meal, and what to have for each meal, to make sure I had enough.  We won't be very full, but we will have food to eat for 5 days.

The one food group I wish I had more of is vegetables and fruits.  I'll try to add more of those next time.

As you can see, there are a lot of items that need to be rotated.  So my plan is to rotate the food every General Conference.  So this weekend we will start eating a lot of junk food.

What food should you put in your 72 hour kit?

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2011/03/24/72-hour-kits-revisited-part-2-of-2/

Go to Food Storage Made Easy, and see the big long list of 72 hour kit food options and ideas that they have put together.

General Mills Warns of Further Price Hikes

Here's another one of the many articles I have seen recently about rising food prices.  Prices will NOT be going down, so buy your food storage as soon as you can.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42231299

General Mills Warns Of Further Price Hikes; Shares Fall

March 23, 2011

"As we look forward to fiscal 2012, we currently anticipate that supply chain inflation will be higher than this year's estimated 4 to 5 percent rate," said Chairman and CEO Ken Powell in a statement before the company's conference call.

But during the call, Powell admitted that higher inflation is a real concern right now and not just in 2012.

"We believe (that) we are going to see generalized food inflation across all segments," he said,...

Consider the need for food in Japan

 

 

BY PETER FOSTER, LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH MARCH 19, 2011

 

 

 http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Forced+forage+food+some+Japanese+robbed+their+dignity/4469257/story.html

In another time, another place, Kazuhiro Takahashi could be taken for a tramp, out scavenging for food after a long night on the bottle. In fact, he is just another hungry victim of Japan's tsunami trying to find food for his family.

"I am so ashamed," says the 43-year-old construction worker after he realizes he's been spotted. "But for three days we don't have enough food. I have no money because my house was washed away by the tsunami and the cash machine is not working."

If his haul wasn't so pitiful - his bag had two packets of defrosted prawn dumplings and a handful of vacuumpacked seafood sticks inside - Takahashi might be taken for a looter. But in the port town of Ichinomaki, 320 kilometres north of Tokyo, his story is disturbingly common.

Japan might be a rich country, but a week after the tsunami struck it is struggling to feed and house the victims.

more:http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Forced+forage+food+some+Japanese+robbed+their+dignity/4469257/story.html#ixzz1HHoeT3a0








Note from Amy:  I am putting this story on here to remind us all of the terrible plight a person is in after any major disaster.  If all families had a year's supply of food, the people whose homes were still standing could help the people whose homes had been washed away.  

Pancake Breakfast from food storage

Here is another one of the meals that I can make completely out of food storage.  Wayne loves the boxes of Aunt Jemima Whole Wheat pancake mix, but I actually have a great recipe for Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes that I could make instead. (For that recipe, you put wheat kernels into the blender and it grinds them up, you don't need a wheat grinder.)

Either way, I have wheat OR Aunt Jemima pancake mix, powdered milk, powdered eggs, oil, pancake syrup, and canned butter.

This butter was delicious

We bought a bunch of cans of this butter a couple of years ago.  This week, my husband insisted that we needed to open a can to see if it was still good.  Yessiree, it was.  I wish I had a hundred cans, but alas, I don't.

I have heard that the price has gone up significantly, so I don't know if I will be buying more.  But if I ever see it for a reasonable price I will buy it, for sure.

Prices for Propane

I think it is smart to have several full propane tanks, so that when the power goes out we will be able to cook over our propane grill.

You can tell by the weight whether they are full or not.  If a tank is full, I can barely swing it along between my feet using both arms.

If a tank is empty, I can carry it in one hand.

One of our tanks was empty, so I checked the prices.

Harris Teeter:
To buy a full tank, $59.99.
To trade an empty tank for a full tank:  $21.99.

Walmart:
To buy a full tank: $43.94.
To trade an empty tank for a full tank: $17.96.

(I got my propane at Walmart.)

Free Download- Preparedness Manual

I got a copy of this book and love it.  It contains everything for preparedness, and it is free to download.

Go to this website page, and scroll down a little and you will see it. "LDS Preparedness Manual". 

http://www.ldsavow.com/resources.html

"This manual has been prepared for, and is intended to be read primarily by, the active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Please Note: The contents of this booklet are intended to assist individuals and families in coping with emergency preparations. However, final decisions on preparation for actions taken during an emergency are the sole responsibility of individuals. No one knows your needs or can take care of you better than you can-nor does anyone else have that responsibility. Information and examples contained within this booklet are provided for illustration and advice only. Therefore, no liability is assumed by the Editor or any of the Authors for the use or misuse of any information or products contained in this publication.

This publication has not been endorsed or produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and its contents and the opinions it expresses are those of the Editor and the separate authors. While it should not be construed as an official church publication, effort has been made to ensure that all materials are in accordance with general church guidelines on food storage and family preparedness. "

Someone asked me some questions

I taught a class on Food Storage at my stake's Women's Day on Saturday.  One of the class members sent me these questions later:

1. When storing salt in a plastic bucket, is an oxygen absorber needed?  i think you wouldn't use a mylar bag with it though, right?

I have left all my salt in its original packaging.  Mostly I have purchased cardboard packages.  The only danger is that the salt might go hard from humidity, but if so, I figure I can dissolve it into the liquid of any recipe and smash the lumps out.  If someone else has experience with this, please add a comment.

1. when storing my own food in the buckets, do the mylar bags make it last longer?  are they necessary for every item?

I don’t have any experience using mylar bags inside buckets.  I have always just put the food into the bucket and either treated it with dry ice (not recommended anymore) or with oxygen absorbers.  Maybe you can look at other websites for more information on this.

1. Will honey keep in just the regular containers that you buy in the store if they are unopened?  or should it be transfered?

Honey will keep forever, and no, you don’t have to transfer it from the store packaging.

I don’t think its smart to buy honey in huge containers or big buckets, because there is no way to melt it after it gets hard.  A friend told me they had to break chunks of honey off with a chisel and hammer and then melt the chunks.  That doesn’t sound fun to me.

I like to buy honey in the regular 5 lb. plastic jugs at Sam’s Club.  After several years the honey goes hard, but when that happens I saw the top half of the bottle off with a serrated knife (because it is too tall for my microwave) and cook the honey in the microwave for awhile until I melt the honey again.  Then I pour the liquid honey into a new container.

1. Have you heard of anyone storing Masa for making tortillas?  it's very dry so i'm assuming that it can be stored, but generally it goes stale way before my flour does when in the regular package.  i can see it being very handy for quick meals in emergencies, as you only add water and tortillas can be cooked almost anywhere. (i.e. on a rock if necessary!)

I just learned to make corn tortillas, so I just bought my first bag of masa.  I am hoping that I can store it the same way I store cornmeal, in buckets or tupperware.  I am definitely going to buy some more.

1. Chocolate??  in an emergency, I WILL NEED CHOCOLATE!  Can I buy bars and store them or will that not really work great?

I have stored many pounds of chocolate chips and M&Ms by using my Tilia FoodSaver vacuum sealer and the jar attachment.  I put the candy into regular canning jars, put the lid on (but not the screw-on ring) and then attach the vacuum sealer and pull out all the air.  I have heard that chocolate, nuts, coconut,  and candy stays good up to three years in vacuum sealed jars.

I have also stored many packages of cocoa, in their original containers.  I don’t know if I can rotate through them before they go bad, because I don’t know how long they will store.  But I bought them anyway because I love chocolate!

How to make a garden box

Its about time to start thinking of putting in a garden. Here is a great tutorial on how to build a 4'x4' garden box for just over $50. I a have 3 similar sizes in my yard, but Wayne made them out of (recycled plastic) decking planks. I think I want to make future ones like this video.

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2010/05/24/how-to-build-a-vinyl-square-foot-garden-box/

Biscuits on My First Try

Confession:  I have always made biscuits from a poppin-fresh can.  Today I changed my ways.

I told my family that we are going to eat "from scratch" foods from now on, so I can learn to use my food storage.

Today I wanted to bake something, so I opened up a cookbook and decided to try biscuits.  I changed the all-purpose flour to freshly ground wheat flour (white wheat), and I changed the milk to powdered milk powder and water.  I have found that when I am using powdered milk or powdered eggs in a recipe, just add the dry ingredients with the dry, and the water with the wet.  It is MUCH easier than trying to reconstitute the milk or eggs before using them.

Biscuits Supreme- Using food storage

2 cups whole wheat flour (I used white wheat)

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons powdered milk powder

1/2 cup shortening

2/3 cup water

Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and milk powder.

Cut in shortening (with a pastry cutter or whatever its called) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the center; add water all at once.  Stir just until dough clings together.

Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface, dump the dough on it and put flour on your hands.  Knead the dough gently for 10 or 12 strokes.  Roll or pat to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut, dipping cutter in flour between cuts.

Bake in 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until golden.  Makes 10-12 biscuits. 

(I adapted this recipe from the book “Better Homes and Gardens All Time Favorite Bread Recipes”.)

When the biscuits came out of the oven, Wayne and Zac crowded around and started gobbling them down, saying they were the best biscuits they ever had.  I asked it they could tell I made them from wheat flour, and they said no.

Then I went on to make the rest of the meal out of food storage, just a silly recipe that my mom used to make.  

"Peas and Tuna on Toast" (only this was on biscuits).

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (leave it thick, don't add water.)

1 can tuna

1 can peas.

Heat it and put over bread, toast, or biscuits.

As the "coup de grace" we also had dessert straight from food storage.  Our dessert was eating the rest of the biscuits with canned butter*, and honey.

It was a 100% from food storage meal.  I felt proud.

*I bought Red Feather brand canned butter in 2009, in 12 oz. cans,  and we opened a can last week to see if it was still good.  It is delicious!  Tastes exactly like fresh butter.  However, the cost is very high.  I would rather learn to can my own butter instead of buying any more of that.  But it definitely is delicious.

LDS woman in Japan- what she wishes she had done before earthquake

http://actegratuit.blogspot.com/2011/03/surviving-earthquake-in-japan.html

Here is a really interesting blog post written by an American LDS young mother in Japan.  Pay close attention to the supplies she wishes she had obtained before the quake.

March Provident Living Challenges

March 2011 Provident Living Challenges:

Do one of these by the April evening Relief Society meeting and get a prize!

1. Practice one camping skill and tell Amy what you did.  Examples:  Put up a tent.  Cook food on an outdoor grill or camp stove or solar oven.  Build a campfire and cook something over it.  Light a lantern that uses a mantle or wick.  Go on a hike with your kids and bring all the food necessary for one meal.  Purify water using a water filter or chlorine.

If a widespread calamity happens, and your family has to live without power, or evacuate and live in a tent, do you already have the skills?  Practice one camping skill and tell Amy what you did.  Note: The skill you practice has to be something you don’t know how to do very well yet.  Turning on a flashlight will not count.  (I am talking to the women, here. YOU have to do it, not your husband.)

1. Pretend you have no power and your fridge food has all spoiled.  Go for one whole day without using fresh eggs, fresh milk, or refrigerated cheese.  Report what you learned to Amy.

If you have powdered eggs, powdered milk, and some type of shelf-stable cheese, such as freeze-dried shredded cheddar or cheese powder or canned cheese, you will have very little problem making it through this day.

On the other hand, without the shelf-stable products, you can still eat very well for one day if you are selective about what you eat from your pantry.  The family can probably get along drinking water and using recipes that don’t require added dairy ingredients.  I want this to be a learning experience where you can see where powdered milk, eggs, and cheese would be a very useful addition to your food storage.

Patriot Nurse talks about feminine hygiene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ElAkrqGofI  "Patriot Nurse: BUGOUT and SHTF Feminine Hygiene"





We LDS people have been taught to have a one year's supply of food and necessities of life.  We must think about feminine hygiene products as well.  Here is someone who is talking about this subject.

Patriot Nurse is not LDS, as far as I know.  She is a "prepper", someone who prepares for the worst case scenario.  ("Prepper" is the new term for "survivalist".)  So you may not understand some of her terminology.

"Bugging Out" means evacuating from high population areas to somewhere safer, such as a fortified location.

"When Poop hits the fan"- thats what she says instead of the usual Prepper phrase, when "stuff" hits the fan, or SHTF.

I know it isn't pleasant to think about a scenario where we will not be able to go to the store to buy tampons and pads, but remember President Kimball's statement:

"I remember when the sisters used to say, 'Well, but we could buy it at the store a lot cheaper than we can put it up.' But that isn't quite the answer, is it?....Because there will come a time when there isn't any store."  (April 1974 Welfare Session.)

Benson: Be productive and store what we produce

President Ezra Taft Benson has urged each of us to be productive and to store what we produce: 


“You do not need to go into debt … to obtain a year’s supply. Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account. Save a little for storage each paycheck. Can or bottle fruit and vegetables from your gardens and orchards. Learn how to preserve food through drying and possibly freezing. Make your storage a part of your budget. Store seeds and have sufficient tools on hand to do the job. If you are saving and planning for a second car or a TV set or some item which merely adds to your comfort or pleasure, you may need to change your priorities. We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now.” (Ensign, Nov. 1980, p. 33.)

Whole Wheat Pecan-Onion Bread recipe

I have been trying out new bread recipes.  In the last couple of weeks I have made Cinnamon Bread (not enough flavor) and Garlic-Herb Bread (good) and Whole Wheat Pecan-Onion Bread (DELICIOUS!, pictured below.  It tasted fantastic as a tuna sandwich!

Whole Wheat Pecan-Onion Bread


This is from the book "Master Bread Making Using Whole Wheat" by Diana Ballard.
( a 2 lb. loaf made in a bread machine)

1  1/4 cups scalded warm milk
1/4 cup softened butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups wheat flour
3 Tbsp. gluten flour
2 tsp. instant yeast
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Measure ingredient into the bread maker in the order listed, except the pecans.  Set the machine on the raisin bread cycle.  When the bread maker beeps, add the pecans.




Whole Wheat Pecan-Onion Bread, changed by Amy

I changed the recipe a little, to use more food storage ingredients.

I showed the changes I made in bold.

(This is a 2 lb. loaf made in a bread machine)

1  1/4 cups hot water  

4 Tbsp. powdered milk

1/4 cup softened butter 

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup reconstituted dehydrated chopped onion

3 cups wheat flour (I used white wheat flour)

3 Tbsp. gluten flour

2 tsp. instant yeast

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Measure ingredient into the bread maker in the order listed, except the pecans.  I didn't have a raisin bread setting on my machine, so I set the machine on the basic setting, and added the pecans after the first rise, at the start of the second knead.

Why have a garden?

Some may ask, “Why have a garden when we can buy produce inexpensively?” One of the important keys of home production and storage is the acquisition of skills. Sometimes we may be able to buy food inexpensively, but the skills and intuitive wisdom gained through gardening and other home production projects are worth more than the time and effort they require. In a sustained emergency, basic gardening, sewing, repair, construction, and production know-how are invaluable. Provident living helps us develop these skills—and build family unity by doing it—before an emergency.


"Catching the Vision of Self-Reliance", Ensign, May 1986, 89
http://lds.org/ensign/1986/05/catching-the-vision-of-self-reliance?lang=eng

Over 1,000 Pages of Food Storage Information Packed into 35 Minutes.

That is the title of my presentation which I will be giving at the Apex Stake Women's Day, Saturday March 12, 2011.

I will be presenting my 35 minute class three times in the Apex Stake center Primary room:  

9:35-10:10 a.m,  10:15-10:50 a.m., and 10:55-11:30 a.m.

The reason for the title "Over 1,000 pages of Food Storage Information Packed into 35 Minutes," is that I will be showing you all the documents which are included in the free CD which you will get in my class.  All of these booklets were written by church members who have published them on the internet, and have given permission for them to be used by anyone who is interested. 

One booklet is 300 pages, one is 200 pages, and many more are around 100 pages each.  This is the best information available in the world today, and you will leave my class with your own copies, to read or print out at your leisure.

I will also give you lists of websites and blogs where you can go to find out more.

Hope you can attend!

More information on the powdered eggs at Emergency Essentials

Powdered eggs is on the group sale at Emergency Essentials for March.

The sale price is $14.00 per can (reg 18.95) assuming we meet the minimum purchase.  There are no tax or shipping charges.

If you looked through the Walton Feed Order form, you may have noticed that NO egg products are available there at all at this time, and if they were, their prices are higher. 

                                                          

     Powdered eggs can be reconstituted for use for baking and cooking items such as quick breads, meatloaf, casseroles, pancakes, cookies, etc . . . Each can is equivalent to about 96 large eggs.  Fresh eggs would be one of the first things we would run out of in an emergency or food shortage, so it is smart to have these on hand.

More record food prices

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110303/D9LNNCN01.html


UN: food prices hit record high in February


 Email this Story
Mar 3, 6:07 AM (ET)

ROME (AP) - A U.N. food agency says that global food prices reached new highs in February and warns that oil price spikes could provoke further increases.

Skyrocketing food prices have been among the triggers for protests in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere and raised fears of a repeat of the food price crises in 2007 and 2008. Global oil prices have spiked on concerns about the potential impact of supply disruptions from Libya.

The Food and Agriculture Organization said in a statement Thursday that its food price index was up 2.2 percent last month, the highest in real and nominal terms since the agency started monitoring prices in 1990.

It was also the eighth consecutive month that food prices had risen. In January, the index had already registered a peak.

Great idea for Growing potatoes

http://tipnut.com/grow-potatoes/

Grow 100 lbs. Of Potatoes In 4 Square Feet: {How To}

Quite the clever gardening tip here folks! Today’s feature includes tips from three different sources for growing potatoes vertically (in layers) instead of spread out in rows across your garden. If you have limited garden space or want to try some nifty gardening magic, this could be a great option for you.

Tami made a price comparison spreadsheet

This is from Tami H, the Provident Living specialist of the Green Level ward.

Sisters~

The Walton Feed Order has always been a bit overwhelming for me and confusing.  In order to make it easier to order, I have made a Walton Feed comparison spreadsheet.  This spreadsheet compares the Walton Feed prices with Emergency Essentials (EE), the LDS Cannery (LDS), Shelf Reliance (SR), Auguson Farms (AF)-most of the really good priced items would need to be ordered off of Sam's Club website, and Sam's club (SC)/Other.  I tried my best to compare apples to apples (for instance, I didn't compare a #10 can price with bulk food)  However, I did allow for comparison of #10 cans to the 6 pound buckets as both products are stored and sealed.  The caveat in this is that it is occasionally better to order a #10 can from a different company then the bulk order.  

So, first, how to use the spreadsheet:

-I included unit pricing for the Walton Feed prices so that you can compare to any other company, or the price you normally pay for such items (If you use and rotate them regularly, it may make more sense to stock up from the grocery store sales!)

-I highlighted in yellow the best price for each item (again, comparing apples to apples...)  There are some price comparisons that I did not include because their prices were just so much higher, and data entry is boring.

-I highlighted in orange prices that were uncompared because I couldn't find anything to directly compare them too.  However, due to this, these items are unique in that there really isn't anywhere else to find bulk of those items, and a good reason to order them

-I did not compare pricing on the #2.5 cans as they will always be more per pound than #10 cans.  These are great for trying an item or something you might rotate, but not use enough of for a #10 can.

-If you want to determine the cheapest unit pricing for the item, take the price and divide it by the number of pounds in the bin/can/bag.  If it is in ounces, divide by the number of ounces, then multiply by 16.

After reviewing the order, here are the general conclusions:

1)  If it is available from the LDS cannery, it is the cheapest way to get it.  Period.  No exceptions.  Even ordering the prepackaged items online.  Of course, for the bulk items, someone needs to make a trip up to Greensboro.  Maybe it's getting time for a RS road trip? ;)

2)  Walton Feed is, in general, a good value.  If you are looking for the pails, the Walton Feed is always a better price than emergency essentials (although sometimes EE runs specials.)  However, if you go by unit pricing, it is sometimes better to order #10 cans through the cannery or a different company.  Also, it may be cheaper to buy the item and pail separately and package it yourself (just compare unit pricing , then add the cost of the bucket.)  So, if you are looking at an item(s) in a 6 lb. bucket, take the time to go up to bulk pricing and see if there is a cheaper option per pound, and then double check the #10 can.  The rule of thumb is that 8 #10 cans fit into a bucket.  I personally find #10 cans easier to store, so if there is no or little price difference, I am going to go for these over a 6 gallon bucket.

3)  Walton Feed has some unique bulk items that other companies don't have.  It is a good way to round out food storage and add additional grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds and sprouts.  The prices are competitive and there would be no worry that you could find something for much cheaper elsewhere (except for cannery items.)  However, there is also no need to panic if you miss the order as many items are available elsewhere for similar prices (dehydrated butter comes to mind.)

4)  The Mountain House dehydrated meals were all cheaper using emergency essentials

5)  Freeze dried cheese, and the TVP products were a good value using Walton Feed, as well as some of the freeze dried fruits and veggies.

So, what would I use Walton Feed for?  To get some grain/bean variety and maybe some freeze dried cheese.  If I am making an order, I may add some freeze dried fruits or veggies and maybe some TVP for additional protein.

Good luck, and don't hesitate to email or call me with any questions!  If you have a particular item that you would like to compare to other sites, I would be happy to help you!

Tami  H.

(Note from Amy:  I'm going to send this spreadsheet out to my ward.  I don't know how to put it onto this blog.)

Responsibility Rests with Me, Faust, Apr. 1986

Ensign » 1986 » May

The Responsibility for Welfare Rests with Me and My Family
Elder James E. Faust
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=21fdef960417b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

I should like to discuss five prescriptions which, if followed, will make each of us better able to control our destinies.

First prescription: Practice thrift and frugality.

Second prescription: Seek to be independent.

Third prescription: Be industrious.

Fourth prescription: Become self-reliant.

Fifth prescription: Strive to have a year’s supply of food and clothing.

The counsel to have a year’s supply of basic food, clothing, and commodities was given fifty years ago and has been repeated many times since. Every father and mother are the family’s storekeepers. They should store whatever their own family would like to have in the case of an emergency. Most of us cannot afford to store a year’s supply of luxury items, but find it more practical to store staples that might keep us from starving in case of emergency. Surely we all hope that the hour of need will never come. Some have said, “We have followed this counsel in the past and have never had need to use our year’s supply, so we have difficulty keeping this in mind as a major priority.” Perhaps following this counsel could be the reason why they have not needed to use their reserve. By continued rotation of the supply it can be kept usable with no waste.

The Church cannot be expected to provide for every one of its millions of members in case of public or personal disaster. It is therefore necessary that each home and family do what they can to assume the responsibility for their own hour of need. If we do not have the resources to acquire a year’s supply, then we can strive to begin with having one month’s supply. I believe if we are provident and wise in the management of our personal and family affairs and are faithful, God will sustain us through our trials. He has revealed: “For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves.” (D&C 104:17.).....

....The parable of the ten virgins, five wise and five foolish, has both a spiritual and a temporal application. Each of us has a lamp to light the way, but it requires that every one of us put the oil in our own lamps to produce that light. It is not enough to sit idly by and say, “The Lord will provide.”

What kinds of buckets and lids should you order?

A woman in my ward asked about the current order we are doing for buckets and lids.  


She asked, " I need buckets for about 75 lbs of wheat that I'd like to be able to access regularly over a year or two.  What kinds of buckets and lids would you recommend?"




Here is my answer:




Get the regular buckets, either 5 gallon or 6 gallon, depending on how tall you want them to be.  All mine are 6 gallon (18 1/2 inches tall)  so I built my pantry and closet shelves high enough for them to sit on the floor.

All the buckets are standard, and will fit the standard lids.  The regular gasket lid is $1.50, you push those down really hard and seal them, they are difficult to get off without a special lid wrench.  I have all my long term storage with those lids.

Then when I want to use something on an ongoing basis, I put it into a bucket with a Gamma Seal lid.  Those are $6.50 and worth every penny.  They have a screw-on lid which is so smooth and easy to get on and off.

I am sending out the order again today, the buckets and lids order is due to Wanda M. in Durham by March 10. 

(The photo is of someone else's food storage.  The back row of white lids are regular gasket lids.  The colored lids are Gamma lids which screw on and off. 

If you look at the top row, you can see tall 6 gallon buckets and a short 5 gallon bucket.)

The best food/water storage I've ever seen

http://waterstoragerack.blogspot.com/p/result.html

Wow, you have got to look at this food storage room.  And look how much water storage they have!  This would be my dream come true.