Monday Message

When will we learn these basic economic principles? However, “… when we really get into hard times,” said President Clark, “where food is scarce or there is none at all, and so with clothing and shelter, money may be no good for there may be nothing to buy, and you cannot eat money, you cannot get enough of it together to burn to keep warm, and you cannot wear it.” (Church News, November 21, 1953, p. 4.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC_HH-RYbNE&feature=em-uploademail - I thought this was very interesting and why I keep mentioning it as a skill to learn. I know that you hardly hear people use the word homemaking anymore. It is now called homesteading or prepping but really it is just homemaking. It isn’t new, just the name they give it that has changed. Just skills we should learn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLxbBL0Usa4 - having powdered milk in your storage is so important. She is using the kind we have in our storage.

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2017/04/three-easy-cakes-make-scratch/ - it is good to have cake recipes from scratch in your food storage binder.

This is my food storage cookbook binder, not even very pretty but I use it all the time.

Have you ever wondered what I have in my food storage binder??Just a little curious? I decided to put this together using our regular favorite recipes. I chose recipes that I would be able to make if I had no cheese or eggs. So I sat down with my regular recipe file and pulled our favorite recipes that fit in this tight parameter. These too are things which I can make out of my food storage, so here is a look inside the binder.  

You will want to add egg replacement recipes so for those recipes that call for eggs. I keep unflavored gelatin on hand for just that and it has a forever shelf life.

http://www.richardshook.com/beckysbacktobasics/Sister%20shook's%20recipes.pdf - the yellow on this is one tsp sugar on the rolled wheat bread recipe.

So build your binders, look at your recipes, and build your storage to be able to cook your recipes whenever you want.

Remember how I said to plant things around your yard to give you food to eat? I just harvested asparagus and rhubarb. The raspberry patch has divided up to make another patch, so keep these things in mind.

While things have tightened up, we are blessed there were blossoms on the plum tree, apple tree, and peach trees. Back when they were planted we were looking to this day when they would produce.

So harvesting our rhubarb here is a family favorite - Rhubarb Cake! We top it off with cool whip when we have it. Super yummy :)

http://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/2016/03/11/the-breezy-tee-tunic-free-sewing-pattern.html this is an easy project. Yes, it's wonderful to be able to make your own.

Being able to sew is as huge as knowing how to make bread.

I am trying to build my skills right along with you. I decided to join a sweater knit along so I could better sharpen this skill but I thought on the way I would sharpen a sewing skill too.  

I wanted to sew a project bag to hold said sweater project.  I have seen many project bags but decided to make my own pattern so I set about to do just that.  

I used some tissue paper and made a pattern then went to my fabric stash and picked the fabric. It would need a zipper too so I went through my zippers and pulled one. It also would require interfacing so I went to the basket of that and pulled it. I thought, if I am going to do one I should make another as a gift.

So see the benefit of storing more than food and first aide? I would gather sewing things at yard sales and thrift stores. I used this idea centered on several skills which benefit me so much now. To purchase a project bag of this size is selling for fifty or more dollars… so you can see I was able to do it with things I had. I know you are thinking sell them. Yes, that would be a good thing if the market wasn’t already saturated with project bags.

So enjoy looking through my food storage cookbook binder above and consider making one from your file of your family favorites and try my recipes! I think you will see food storage tastes fantastic.

Work on your storage. I have a friend tell me they had no fresh fruits and veggies at their only in-town grocery and it was because their warehouse burned down. See? Things happen that we cannot possibly think will happen but we can be prepared in as many things as we can.

With summer coming, kids will be home and can help carry and organize your storage. Let them learn all they can from you as they will need that leg up.