A Couple of Interesting Blogs on Home Food Storage

Momzoo posted a blog about making tomato powder from her garden, complete with pictures.  Thanks, Momzoo.  It certainly was inspiring to see what one can accomplish with a dehydrator.

Another nice post on canning applesauce came from Michelle at my family prepared.  It was also beautifully illustrated.  I really like the hints and tips she provided.

Steve Dowdney, over at puttingup.com's blog has a nice post on making Christmas Pepper Jelly that sounds delicious.

I also found a really nice blog called Safely Gathered In on food storage which a section of recipes using food storage staples.  The recipes are focused on the kind of food storage where you stock what you eat and eat what you stock, and most of the of the recipes have pictures.

Another great blog with food storage recipes is My Year Living on Food Storage.  This blog regales the reader with one family's experiences with eating using food storage items, both the bulk staples and the store bought canned food pantry.  It's very interesting as we learn with this family about what actually works out well and what doesn't.  She also posts a list of books that have helped her find recipes to use the storage items.

The Everyday Gourmet Cooking with Long-term Food Storage
Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Keep Your Family Safe in a Crisis
It's in the Bag a New Approach to Food Storage
A Year's Supply In "Seven Days"
Independence Days: A Guide to Sustainable Food Storage & Preservation
Food Storage 101 Where do I begin? (Cookin' With Home Storage)
I Can't Believe It's Food Storage
Emergency Preparedness The Right Way
The Essential Food Storage Cookbook
Food Security for the Faint of Heart
Cooking with Food Storage Made Easy
SIMPLE RECIPES USING FOOD STORAGE
How to Develop a Low-Cost Family Food-Storage System
Not Your Mother's Food Storage
Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation
Pantry Cooking, Quick &Easy Food Storage Recipes - 2006 publication
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables

Anyway, you get the picture.  There are lots of cookbooks and guides to help you make choices that will fit your budget, and that your family will eat.

Preparedness and Planning

Another fantastic post from The Survivalist Blog Dot Net.  This is the best summing up of the first principles of preparedness I have seen.  I especially appreciate the point on having a team.  Anyone who imagines that being a lone survivor is a good thing needs to re-watch Castaway.  The dangers of being injured or hurt when alone, and the sheer horror of being lonely are well-illustrated in this film.

I also like the points on planning, point 2 being "with a paper and pen write out a detailed survival plan", and point 6, "know when to change strategies."   "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,
Gang aft agley", quote Robbie Burns.

I'm going to be daring and add to point 2:

Whatever your long term goal is, set a series of mini-goals, and don't rush.  As a self-confessed lazy person, I want to do the job right the first time, so I don't have to do it again.  This means a little extra work in the short term because a detailed plan really is necessary.

Planning is especially important if you have non-preppers in the house.  Hubby has been known to give away some of my prepper supplies because "we have lots".  Well, duh, Skippy!  That's the point!  It takes planning to keep him from giving away the store.

More About Emergency Sanitation

Found a really good article on how to prepare for emergency sanitation over at Self-Reliance Central.  One of the suggestions is to have a bucket with a toilet seat, bags and kitty litter.  And if you already have a cat, it's no biggie to buy an extra bag every time you pick up some up.  Whoever uses the kitty litter, it is disposed of in the same fashion.

Of course, if you live out in the country, it might be prudent to locate a spot where you can dig a discreet outhouse disguised as a garden shed.  There are so many fake outhouses out there, no one will give it a second thought as long as you are stealthy about digging the hole and scattering the dirt around the garden.

For that matter, it occurs to me that until you actually need to use the hole for matters sanitary, it could very well serve as storage.  Just a nebulous thought.  The details I leave to your imagination.