Evacuation: The 10 Minute Challenge

Grab and Go Evacuation List

 photo from: American Preppers Network

I read many different blogs - not on a daily bases but once or twice a month I drop in and read the latest .  Well today when going through the blog list that I check on once and awhile I came across a GREAT tip.

If you had to evacuate what would you grab?
If you had 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour?  Valerie correctly states that when we are stressed it's hard to think.

If you have it written down you can just grab and go.
I sat down and printed out my own 'grab and go list'.  It will be a bit different for every one.  Valerie gives a very complete list that you can use to help make your own.

It's always good to keep your gas tank 1/2 full to full.  Keep some cash on hand, cash is king and even if the power is down cash still spends.

Grab and Go Evacuation List

5 minutes

Safe (small fire safe with important docs (birth certs, insurance policy, etc.))

Purse

Dog, Dog leash  & Dog 72 hour kit

Water

Shoes/jacket

Cell phone 

72 hour kit (hall closet)

Red back-pack

15 minutes (add these)

Prescription meds  (I would say if  you take prescription meds you should have some in  your 72 hour kit.)

Cell phone charger

Pants, shirts, underwear, socks

Sleeping bags

Radio and extra batteries

30 minutes (add these)

First aid kit

Cooler with snacks

Harmonica (Craig)

Blankets

Blue water jugs - fill

Tent

Lantern

1 hour (add these)

Camp stove

Sleeping pads

Chain saw 

Shovel

CAMPER

Raspberry - Grape Jam

3 cups of crushed raspberries 

2 cups grape juice

(or a mix of the two to equal 5 cups)

1 package powdered pectin

stir together and bring to a full rolling boil

add:

7 cups sugar

stir and bring to a full boil again.

Boil for one minute - stirring constantly

remove from heat

ladle into your clean hot 1/2 pint jars

put your simmered lids and clean rings on to fingertip tight

process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner at sea-level.

(remember to check time differences for your altitude)

Our Own Label

Swenson Hives & Honey Bees

Independence Day

Wishing you a glorious 4th!

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America,

Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam

God bless America, My home sweet home

God bless America, My home sweet home.

Our plans, after DH gets home from work, farmers or farming communities don't watch the calendar but the fields, we will do some grilling, enjoy a watermelon, watch the granddaughters eyes as they watch the fire works.

Hope your day is blessed.

a little bird

Summer Break and Clean Carpets

My short summer break is coming to a close but it has been very enjoyable.  I have been able to sleep in until 6:00, have a second cup of coffee, read some favorite blogs, and sew. A little bit of heaven!

Well yesterday I knew I had to break down and clean carpets.  I don't know why I put it off it's not that big of a deal but I do.  Oh well it's done now and looks GREAT.  Of course after moving everything from one side of the room to the other so all the carpet can be cleaned - might as well rearrange the furniture too.  :-)
It looks fresh and clean, new and different.  


No idea yet what's on today's agenda.  But whatever it is I need to get it started.  Have a great day and enjoy your summer!
a little bird

Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is so tasty, healthy, and  fairly inexpensive.

I don't have a yogurt maker so I have had to devise a different way...  Lets face it, people have been making yogurt - or cultured milk of some sort - for ages and they didn't have a yogurt maker either.

This is also a great thing to know if you are living off the grid or your power goes out.

I make my yogurt with powdered milk (rotating my food-storage) you could use regular milk too.  I like to make a large batch.  You can half this if you prefer just 1 quart at a time.

to use powdered milk:
2 quarts water into a large heavy pan
2 3/4 cups non-instant dry milk or 5 cups instant dry milk
Mix well, a wire whisk works great for this.

Or 2 quarts milk to heavy pan (add 1/2 to 3/4 cup dry milk for thicker yogurt and additional milk protein)

Warm on medium heat to 180 degrees (use a candy thermometer)
Now turn the burner off and allow to cool to 110 degrees

When the milk has cooled to 110 degrees
Add 1/2 to 1 cup yogurt starter
(This is plain yogurt from the store with live active cultures.   The yogurt must say live active cultures or it will not work.)

Mix well., put the lid on and set in a warm place to culture.  This can take 6 to 8 hours. The longer the tangier.


In the winter I set my pan out by the wood stove it stays all warm and toasty.  In the summer I set it out in a bright sunny area where it will stay all warm and cozy.  I say warm not hot.  I take a thermometer out and set it next to my pan just to make sure it isn't getting too hot.  Over 120 degrees and it will kill the cultures and you will just have bad milk.....


This makes a thick, almost Greek style yogurt.  You can have for breakfast, put a spoonful on the dogs food, they love it and it is a dairy product they can have and handle, make frozen yogurt, make yogurt cheese, use it as a sour cream replacement.  So many wonderful ways to use yogurt!!

Preparedness Challenge

Preparedness Challenge #36

Many great link-ups for new information.

Morning at the Farm

We keep some of our hives at a friends farm.
When they found out we have bees they wondered if we needed a place for a few hives.

It has been a real win-win.  Our bees have lots of flowers from the clover, fruit trees, berry bushes etc.  and they are having a bumper year with the bees there pollinating everything.  Here are a few pictures.  They have a beautiful B&B on the river.

these black berries are all along the the bank down to the river

black berries - they have never had so many berries.  They plan to take some to the farmers market to sell.

They also have chickens and goats.

This baby (below) is a doll.  She is used to being loved on and will tap you when you stop petting her because she wants more. :-)

Honey Harvest

Today we harvested some honey.

All decked out and getting the smokers going.

I take the pictures from a distance.  DH and #1 son do all the heavy lifting.  :-)

The bees are really producing.

cutting the caps offf

Into the extractor  for a spin - turn around and spin again.  

This was a Christmas gift from #2 son and wife.   What a WONDERFUL gift!  It saves the frames so the bees just have to refill them with honey instead of rebuilding the frame.  This means more honey!!

Now my job begins.  The guys do the bees and capping etc. but I am the strainer and bottler.  It works out well. 

After the extractor the honey goes through a fine mesh strainer.  This strains out any foreign matter.  We only want beautiful clean honey.

This is the strained honey.  It is all pure nectar honey.   

Strained and in the jars.

YUMMY!!

This is our second honey harvest this season.  We should have one or two more. 

We have ten hives which gives us enough for our families and some for gifts.  

It was a good harvest.