Emergency Prep & Food Storage Home Tour

The Stevenson's purchased these Can Storage Racks from Wal-Mart in Orem. They paid $299/each. They measure 72"x32" and are 24" deep.

Relief Society and some of their husbands attended the Emergency Prep/Food Storage Home Tour. There were demos on everything from cooking with a pizza box oven to how to can butter.

The tours started at the Porter's home. Here Gina explained what went into the process of building their shelving in their garage. She also gave tips on how to store water in your home in places you might not typically think of. She has a great set up for her food storage and covers it with upholstery fabric to keep the dust and dirt to a minimum. Also available were numerous samples of dehydrated food from Walton Feed. The applesauce was quite good!

The next tour was at the Morris's. Here sisters took advantage of the opportunity to use a hand wheat grinder. Also available for demo was an electric wheat grinder. Thanks to Angie for making her wonderful homemade white bread, we were able to sample canned butter. The butter was donated by Mardene Hanson and the recipe will be featured later on the blog. Trish Sisson made "Bread in a Mason Jar". This bread is baked and can be stored with your food storage for up to a year. We also sampled Trish's homemade Apricot jam on the delicious bread from Angie. Debbie gave tips on how to use the Provident Living website and "All Is Safely Gathered In", how to calculate the needs of a family for 1 years food storage and how to plan for your 3-month or extended food storage. Please take a look at this website for more information on 3 month food supply; Everyday Food Storage

The evening ended with delicious warm chili served at the Stevenson's home. (recipe below) Chuck shared many helpful ideas on 72 hour kits (theirs is in a large blue rolling trashcan), shelving for your canned food, (he purchased his shelving at Wal-Mart in Orem, but you can also make your own), how he engineered his continuous water filtration system for his blue water barrels and alternative cooking methods. The Stake Canner and Mylar Sealer are kept and stored at the Stevenson's. They also have available extra cans, lids, oxygen packs and mylar bags. Simply call them to set up a time to come do your canning. To order Home Storage Products visit the Provident Living website.

Yvonne Hawkins brought her Solar Oven and explained the advantages of having and using one. She also constructed a Solar Oven from a pizza box! On a day with good sunshine it can heat up to 200*. Special thanks to Jared Fife and Leora Stevenson for the photos.

Chuck engineered these water barrels on a continuous filtration system.

Yvonne's Solar Oven-she has used it for baking and is very pleased with the results.

Solar Oven made from a pizza box

Chuck had a vast amount of information and tips for Emergency Prep and Food Storage.

Chuck explains the pump he bought for his water barrels.
He purchased this one from S.O.S. Survival Products.

Pictured here is the Stevenson's 72 Hour Emergency Kit inside this black trashcan.

Turkey Cooker

Mylar Sealer and Canner

Leora's Chili Recipe
by Sharon

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 c chopped green pepper
1 glove garlic minced
Brown and drain the above ingredients.
Add:
1 16 oz can cut up tomatoes
1 16 oz can kidney beans (drain & rinse)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
2 t chili powder
2 t basil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Simmer 20 minutes and serve.

Recipe and Instructions for Canned Butter
from Mardene Hanson

1. Use any butter that is on sale. Lesser quality butter requires more shaking (see #5 below), but the results are the same as with the expensive brands.

2. Heat pint jars in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals. One pound of butter slightly more than fills one pint jar, so if you melt 11 pounds of butter, heat 12 pint jars. A roasting pan works well for holding the pint jars while in the oven.

3. While the jars are heating, melt butter slowly until it comes to a slow boil. Using a large spatula, stir the bottom of the pot often to keep the butter from scorching. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes at least; a good simmer time will lessen the amount of shaking required.
Place the lids in a small pot and bring to a boil, leaving the lids in simmering water until needed.

4. Stirring the melted butter from the bottom to the top with a soup ladle or small pt with a handle, pour the melted butter carefully into heated jars through a canning jar funnel. Leave 3/4" of head space in the jar, which allows room for the shaking process.

5. Carefully wipe off the top of the jars, then get a hot lid from the simmering water, add the lid and ring and tighten securely. Lids will seal as they cool. Once a few lids "ping", shake while the jars are still warm, but cool enough to handle easily, because the butter will separate and become foamy on top and white on the bottom of the jar. In a few minutes shake again, and repeat until the butter retains the same consistency throughout the jar.

6. At this point, while still slightly warm, put the jars into a refrigerator. While cooling and hardening, shake again and the melted butter will then look like butter and become firm gradually. This final shaking is very important! Check every 5 minutes and give the jars a little shake until it hardens in the jar. Leave in the refrigerator for an hour.

7. Canned butter should store for 3 years or longer on a cool, dark shelf. It does last a long time. Canned butter does not "melt" again when opened, so it does not need to be refrigerated upon opening, provided it is used within a reasonable length of time.