Monday Message

Jam I canned last week using raspberries I froze last year (picture taken while they were still hot and sealing).

"We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasiblly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard" (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Apr. 1976, 171; or Ensign, May 1976, 124). 

Last week I talked about tools one could use to assist in putting up your harvest. Our gardens probably all in now and it is time to think what will you dry, can, freeze…?  Then you need to learn how. You have time to learn, isn’t that great? Remember you can ask questions at the homemaking hot line 1-800-262-3804 if you live in Iowa and Minnesota.

Here's how my garden is looking this week...

http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2015/05/10-foods-regrow-water-alone/  if you cannot grow anything, or even if you can, this is great - you get more for the price of one.

I wanted to let you know that harvest season is not the only time in which I use home production items. I keep the dehydrator in the kitchen all year round. When you buy grapes and at the end they start to turn brownish and no one eats them, well throw in the dehydrator and you get raisins. If your apples lose their crispness, dry them and when you are picking herbs you can dry them. The list goes on and on.

The canner I use any time of year. If boneless chicken breast is on sale, buy it by the case and can it (this can apply to any meat).

I leave my food saver on the counter always, to think that is how I got it at a yard sale, the lady said it took up too much room on her counter. I use this all the time. I vacuum seal chocolate chips or nuts, plus so many other things I could never list. This week I made raspberry jam from berries that I froze in the fall using the recipe in the Sure-Jell package. Home production isn't just a seasonal thing, you can do it all year round. 

This brings me to jars... lids and rings, jars and rings can be reused but don’t toss out the used lids, keep them in a separate place from the new. The used lids are perfect for using in the vacuum sealer.
Stock lids for canning. I store rings on wire hangers I make like a giant safety pin. These are things to think on.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2012/06/rhubarb-strawberry-jam.html

Sewing has been on my mind lately...

A good place to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koDdlAwJlKg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYDGiqnkrOw - Nancy give basics here.

These would be good to review or learn if you are new to this skill. I think every home should have a sewing machine. It does not need to be fancy or even new for that matter. I see them come in to goodwill every year and at yard sales. One of my favorites is my 40 year-old Kenmore. 

Even older is fine too. I have a 1950’s farmwife special that I truly love too.

http://sherigraham.com/sheris-gluten-free-baking-mix - this is helpful for gluten-free.

This would just plain be a great idea - http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/family-games/

In all the storage talk I have on here I don’t want you to forget about water storage -
http://www.mormonchannel.org/blog/post/storing-a-water-supply

Remember, I am giving you lots of info each week. Some will work for you family and some will work now yet others later. This is not to be a stress, just a resource. It is not to be used as a contest over others. Nobody knows what you are going through... this is a resource to use at your own pace, nothing more.

Again, as always, if you come across a special put it out there for others to benefit from too.  

We are all in this together trying to follow the Prophet and take care of our families.

Keep working at your storage and skills, you can do it!