Week 5 Food Storage Challenge

There is a great article at shtfplan called 11 Questions That Will Help You Be A Better Prepper you can read the whole thing HERE. This is a little of what it has to say.

   1.  Is this necessary? Don’t fool yourself when asking this question. Some things seem necessary, but life would go on without them. Cable TV, smart phone…etc. A vehicle is a necessity, but a beater will get you from point A to point B and settling for a lesser car can put thousands in your pockets that can be used for prepping.

2.  Can I get it cheaper? Before you purchase a new pair of jeans for $30 to $50 (or more!) have you looked at garage sales and thrift stores? Buying a pair of $5 jeans at a thrift store just saved you $25 that can be used to purchase over 30 cans of food marked down to 80 cents in the weekly sale.

3. Will this be able to be used prior to a SHTF scenario AND afterwards? Purchasing something that can be of use now and will still remain useful afterwards is the key here.

4. Are there cheaper options available? Sure, the shiny new decked out shotgun is sweet, but could I find a used one that I could pick up for less?

5.  Will this purchase take up useful time and replace it with useless time that cannot be replaced? For example, to some, gaming systems are fun, but they take up hours and hours of your time and in the end, you haven’t gained a skill or accomplished anything, you’ve just grown older. Avoid time sucking activities that have no meaningful return on your time investment.

6. Can I learn something from this? Buy a canner and learn the skill of canning. This is a lesson that will save you money, will grow a yearning for learning how to garden and become more self sufficient and will save you a lot of money by being able to save food that might be thrown away before it becomes spoiled. Buy a book on woodworking utilizing hand tools instead of the latest science fiction novel. Prepping skills learned are an investment.

7. If it is necessary and I find it at a good price, can I purchase more? This can help with preps as well as save money in the future.

8. If I need this item, but can’t afford it right now, what am I willing to give up to be able to put myself in a position in the near future to be able to afford it?

9. Who says I need this? Too many decisions are made to “Keep up with the Joneses”. Children are excellent at playing the emotional strings because “Everyone in my class is going to the concert”. No decision should be made because someone else is doing it. If you have plenty of disposable income and extra, by all means, get $2,000 front row tickets! But if it means you will have a great time and an empty pantry, get the artist’s CD and call it good. Unless someone is actually paying your bills, their opinion on what you do or spend money on doesn’t matter.

10. Can this hobby be used in a practical application? Scrapbooking may be fun, but what does it teach you that will be useful some day? I’m not a scrapbooker myself so maybe there is something I’m missing, but I know of people who spend hundreds of dollars doing this activity.

11. Does this person identify with my goals, beliefs and will be an asset? Let’s face it, you end up like who you hang around. If being prepared is your goal, you need to guard the gates of your association and limit it to people who don’t take every chance they can to take verbal pokes at your prepping. Find people who are encouraging to your goals. People who have skills they can teach or are hungry to learn from your knowledge.

　

I have heard the excuse many times from people that they cannot afford to prep, yet they have a satellite dish, the most expensive smart phone with data package, an X Box, drink coffee from Fourbucks every morning and I could go on and on. I truly believe that everyone has within their capacity the ability to prep.


This does bring up some good points we need to always have this in the back of our minds when prepping, regardless of what you are prepping for, if you are just wanting to have extra food an hand or want to be all out being self sufficient.

 

This weeks Food Storage Challenge is

Week 5: 8 cans soup or can your own / First aid supplies Band aids, First aid cream, benadryle (I like to have some of this on hand if someone has an allergic reaction to something you have something to help lessen the reaction.) ect. Don’t forget to plant herbs so you can make a lot of your own.

 

Keep getting water put up.

Now is the time to start thinking about a garden even if you can only have a small one ( there are some some great sites on small and container gardening) every little extra bit will help.

Something else to think about are books all kinds from do it your self to pleasure reading. When things are bad it will be nice to have some how to books and to have some fun reading to take your mind off things for a little while.

How I treated my flu/strep

We have had the flu and strep going around here. We do not do the flu shots this post by Daisy at theorganicprepper.ca  explains why they are so bad for you. I think prevention is the best thing but sometimes no matter what you do you are going to get sick. About a week before we went to Denver I felt like I was trying to get sick. So I started on my cold / flu pills and extra D3, C, and Zinc . By the time we left for Denver I felt much better/ But being a ding dong I didn’t take any of that stuff with me. I did pretty good Thursday thru Saturday but by Saturday evening I could tell I was trying to get sick again. Well luckily Andy had brought some C and we stopped at a store and got some D3 and I started on that. By Sunday I was feeling pretty ugly my throat hurt I was achey allover  and had a headache. The trip home wasn’t much fun. Not sure if it was flu or strep or a little of both.

We got home I started on all my vitamins and cold pills again. Then I started gargling, alternating with peroxide and Cayenne pepper ( a ¼ tsp in a small glass of warm water or OJ)3 or 4 times a day. I drank Mullein tea with honey , lemon and a little cayenne pepper in it. When my ears started hurting I flushed them out with warm peroxide a few times a day. By Tuesday evening I was feeling a lot better so on Wednesday I went into town with Andy (instead of staying home and resting like a normal person would have done). Well by Wednesday night I felt awful again so Thursday I rested and did all these things and by Friday I felt better. I did take it easy Friday so by Saturday I was much better. This is the first time in over 10 years that I have been this sick ( even longer for Andy the last time he was sick was about 12 years ago and he had just gotten the flu shot) I think if I had stayed on top of things a little better I would not of gotten this sick .

If I had taken my stuff to Denver with me I don’t think I would have gotten so sick. Andy and Katie have been trying to catch this stuff but I have keep them on the herbs and vitamins and they are over it. Joleen though did the same thing I did was trying to come down with it then left for Denver with the FFA class to the stock show. She came home not feeling to good but we are trying to get rid of it before it gets bad but she will not take time to rest trying to catch up in school for all the time she missed. Hopefully I can keep her doctored up and she will not get it to bad.

My Cold / Flu Pills

 

At the beginning of cold and flu season I make up a bunch of these then if anyone feels like they are trying to catch something or if something is going around we start taking these in addition to the Vitamins C and D3 and zinc . They seem to keep us from getting sick and if we do catch something they seem to shorten it.

I use equally amounts of Garlic, Thyme, Ginger, Mint, and Cayenne pepper.

I am trying to use things that I have readily available then if something happens and I can’t order any thing I can still make these. The only thing I don’t have readily available is the Ginger but I think it is pretty important so I will use it as long as I can and find something to replace it with when I have to.

Here is what each of these things do.

Garlic

A natural antibiotic, anti fungal and antibacterial, garlic can tackle almost any illness. Garlic strengthens the immune system against colds and flu and is especially useful in treating children. It helps in cases of bronchitis, one of the symptoms of the current flu. . Garlic is also an expectorant, helping to loosen mucus so that it can be expelled from the lungs with coughing.

You can grind your own, by drying your garlic cloves Available from the supermarket , health food store or you can grow your own and dry then powder it in your spice mill or blender.

　

　

Ginger

Strengthens the immune system and helps your body fight colds and flu, as well as bronchitis, cough, sinus congestion, and headaches. Available from the supermarket or health food store as fresh root, or powder .

 

Thyme

Is a natural antiseptic and its natural expectorant properties make it excellent for throat or bronchial problems. Available from the supermarket , health food store or you can grow your own and dry then powder it in your spice mill or blender.

 

Cayenne

Is a powerful anti-oxidant , antibacterial, anti-tumor, anti-fungal, and anti-viral. It increases blood flow to hands and feet. It relieves nausea and fights bacterial infections. Cayenne removes toxins from the body. Its also an expectorant and helps to treat cough, and sinus problems. Available from the supermarket , health food store or you can grow your own and dry then powder it in your spice mill or blender. ( If making your own powder be very careful it is very strong, you may want to wear a dust mask).

　

Mint

It is antimicrobial and antiviral. Great for all digestive disturbances and for

lowering fever. It also relieves pain. Available from the supermarket , health food store or you can grow your own ( very easy to grow) and dry then powder it in your spice mill or blender.

 　

First I mix all the herbs together in a small bowl.

　

 

Then get out my Handy dandy pill maker.

 

 

Put it together

 

 

 

Get out my capsule and put into the machine

 

Then I take my herbs mixture and put in on the machine.

 

take the scrapper and slide the herbs to fill the capsules. ( yes I know my nails need some attention)

 

after you do that take the tamper and tamp it down add more herbs  repeat do this several times until you tamp down and the capsules are full.

 

drop down the top tray.

 

put the tops on the capsules.

 

remove the top tray and you have your capsules. I put mine in a used jar with a homemade label on it.

 

I try to make a bunch at a time so I don't run out just when we are needing them.

Week 7 Self Sustaining Pantry

Before we left for Denver I did get the a box and a half of lemons juiced and canned and got 18 pints of lemon juice and two pints of lemon and honey.,

and dried a dehydrator full of lemons.

Got the rest of the orange peels candied I have almost a gallon of them.

I put some of the lemon peels and orange in vinegar to soak for cleaning vinegar.

Our local store had gold fish crackers on sale for 99 cents so I got 20 bags I will use these in the 72 hour kits and in the car kits. They also had pasta on sale for 49 cents ( you have to buy 10) I got 10 macaroni’s the other types of pasta I can make myself.

I was lucky and found a few 100 watt bulbs they were not on sale but since they are going to no longer be making them I am trying to get as many as I can because we use them on our animal waters and in the chicken coop in the winter to keep everything from freezing up.

I also got 300 pounds of pinto beans I traded these out for daycare one of my parents farm beans. I will can a bunch of these so in the summer when we are so busy I can just open a jar of beans for supper.

This next week I will try to get the rest of the lemons done and I have a few grapefruits that need to be worked up.

I have a bunch of lemon peels left that I want to get candied.

Work on onions and potatoes.

I will try to finish up the 72 hour kits they are taking a little longer then I had wanted with being gone and sick and all that has been going on.

I am almost out of laundry soap so I need to make some up.

What are some of the things you were able to do this week towards a self sustaining pantry?

Week 4 Food storage Challenge.

 

Keep working on the water. That is a never ending thing.

　

Week 4: 50 lbs wheat or flour/ Canned meats spam, chicken, tuna ect. or can your own.

If you can find a good sale on meat you can can it canning meat is very easy I show you how to can meat here. I like having canned meat on hand on very busy days I can open a Jar of meat and have a meal put together fairly quick. Get meat that your family will eat no point in getting spam or what ever if they will not eat it.

When you get your flour or wheat, if you have a way to freeze it for a week or so it will help kill all the critters in it. I store mine in a shed outside with spearmint gum in it. I get buckets from the local supermarkets bakery dept to store the four in. We have very cold winters so it stays froze all winter and I have never had a problem with it. If you live in a warmer area you will have to seal it up with oxygen absorbers you can order these online. If you store wheat put it in an air tight container with some dry ice. My dad stored somw wheat this way about 20 years ago he opened one the other day and it was still good and bug free.

I am almost done with the 72 hour kits hope to have a post on them soon. They took a little, longer then I had thought Trying to figure out food for, three days that isn’t to heavy was a little more challenging then I thought it would be. I used our hunting packs because they have lot of stuff in them already but I have had to clean and sort them out they were not as doable as I thought they would be.

How are you coming along on your 72 hour kits?
If you have any questions on the food storage just ask if I don't respond right away just check back I will get an answer to your question.

Have a great week.

National Western Stock Show in Denver

 

 

Andy and I went to the National Western Stock Show in Denver. It was so much fun We went by our selves ( no kids) we don't get to do that very often it was so nice.

We left Thursday Andy had to work half a day so we didn't get out of here until 2:00 so we just went half way.We stopped in Walsenberg to stay the night then the next morning up and headed to Denver. We stopped at a rest area and they had these signs I thought they were pretty good.

 

They make it sound so simple

 

 

 

I never knew this is where the chuck wagons

came from.

On our way into Denver we drove past the  new sports authority field it is big.

We get into town and go get a room then head to the stock show lots of people and lots of vendors selling all kids of things. It was in the upper 50's so nice and warm.

There was a horse jumping going on so we stopped in and watched that for a while. I was really good.

 

 

Then we went to the rodeo had the bronc ridding first.

 

Then the steer wrestling

 

 

 

Team roping.



 

I love to watch the horses pull the wagons it takes a lot of work to get those horses to do that.



Then the saddle

bronc riding.

 

 

The mutton busting it is so funny to watch the little ones try to ride the sheep. Reminded me of when the girls were little and they did that.

They had a small show it was the one armed bandit he rode a mule and herded the two buffalo up to the top of the trailer it was great. He just uses his legs to guide that mule.

Then they had a precision

 riding team they all carried flags and they would weave the horses in and out while running. I bet they spend hours working on that.

Next was the barrel racing.

And last but not least the bull riding. The rodeo was so good a lot of good Cowboys and a lot of good animals.

 

After the rodeo we went back to the room.

The next day we got up and went to a sports authority store and looked around and

bought a few things there.

Then we headed back to the stock show we went out to the yards to look around. You can't see it to well but most of the carrels are all older and there is a lot of them.

There were a lot of people there I heard someone say that they broke attendace records that Saturday with

65 thousand people.

 

Then we went inside and looked around got Andy hat cleaned and shaped. I had a brand necklace made I had one several years ago and the chain broke and I lost it. This one is a little different it has the rope around it.

We also had a old time picture taken I was a saloon girl and Andy was the sheriff it turned out real cute.

 

 

 

 

After that we went to a wild west show based on the old buffalo bills wild west show it was real good. Here he is standing on the backs of these two horses he gets them to running and manages to stay on.

 

 

They had chuck wagon races they get them things going fast.

 

 

 

After that we walked a round a little more then went back to the room I was starting to feel bad.

 

got up the next morning and headed for home here is a pic of the Rockies at home we get to see the other side of them.

This is the Colorado river it was iced over and looked very cold.

 

 

We get outside of  Grand Junction towards home and there  is snow I don't know if I ever remember seeing snow out there it is all dessert.



 

We get home and it is still cold I was really hoping for some of the 50 degree weather we had had in Denver not the mid thirties that we have warmed up to here.

It was a great trip been a few years since we had go to go.

 

Joleen is there now with the FFA class and have loads of fun.

Back From Denver

Well we are back from Denver had a great time but I came back sick with strep / flu not to sure which I have both are going around. Hopefully I will be back to posting  soon.

Week 3 Food Storage Challenge

Don’t forget to be filling your empty containers with water ( juice, soda bottles even your empty canning jars) Do not use milk jugs they are not made to last very long and it is hard to get them clean enough to put water in. And always be on the lookout for candles ( 2^nd hand stores, garage sales. or on clearance sales.) even if they are a little used.


Week 3 25 pounds Sugar / 10 pounds pasta (If you are going to make your own get 10 pounds flour) I make most of my pasta except for the macaroni which I try to buy when it is on sale.

Also while you are doing this if you see something on sale that you think you will need pick it up. You can catch up the with the list latter. Always better to buy when on sale then not.

Why do we need to know our history? So we don’t repeat it !!

The gun control debate is getting very serious the President is on the verge of signing 19 executive orders concerning gun control. This is illegal and is sparking a lot of controversy.

I think we need to start looking back at some of the world history over at Keeping up with Kelsey she has a post that you can see it here. Part of it is an interview with Kitty Werthman I also found this at http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/11-points-of-comparison-between-life-in-the-united-states-and-life-under-hitler-from-a-woman-who-has-experienced-both

This breaks down some of the things happening today and the things that happened under Hitler that Kitty Werthmann talks about. We are slowly losing all our rights. I look at how things were when I was a child and how they are now, we are in an almost different world. We have changed so much (and not for the better) and I believe we have lost a lot, and when you lose these freedoms they are hard to get back. I do believe we are at a turning point in our country ( a point of no return ) If it isn’t already to late. Our children will never know the freedoms and rights that we have be so lucky to have. People need to be made aware of what is slowly happening in their country before it is to late. Michael wrote this in 2010 you can see how all these things are slowly happening.There are things not in the article that have since taken place . Please read this then go and read “After America, There is no place to go” the link is below.

If you know anything about the United Nations Agenda 21 this is going to really sound scary ( If not please research it).



　
11 Points Of Comparison Between Life In The United States And Life Under Hitler From A Woman Who Has Experienced Both  By Michael, on May 18th, 2010

Have you ever heard of Kitty Werthmann? She was a child when Adolf Hitler took control of her beloved country of Austria and strippped away their freedoms, and she is now speaking out about the chillingly similar loss of freedoms that we are currently experiencing in the United States. It is often said that “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it”. So, perhaps we should listen very carefully to what Kitty Werthmann has to say. She has been there. She has lived through it. The truth is that when you do sit down and compare what happened under the Nazi regime and what is happening in the United States today, the parallels are absolutely shocking. The American Dream is not guaranteed for us or for our children. Freedom must be guarded. If not, it will be taken away. In fact, our freedoms are already being stripped away at blinding speed, and once they are gone they are incredibly difficult to get back.
The quotes from Kitty Werthmann that you will read below come from her excellent article entitled “After America, There is No Place to Go”. We hope that you will take the time to read that entire article after you read this one. Sometimes it is really important to get some historical perspective in order to understand what is happening today. The following are 11 points of comparison between life in the United States and life under Hitler from a woman who has experienced both….

#1) Severe Economic Crisis
We all know about the severe economic downturn that the United States has just been through. Many economists are calling it the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Often, when economic times are really hard, it paves the way for massive “change” to be pushed on a society.
Kitty Werthmann describes the economic conditions just before Hitler took over this way….
In 1938, Austria was in deep Depression. Nearly one-third of our workforce was unemployed. We had 25% inflation and 25% bank loan interest rates.
Farmers and business people were declaring bankruptcy daily. Young people were going from house to house begging for food. Not that they didn’t want to work; there simply weren’t any jobs. My mother was a Christian woman and believed in helping people in need. Every day we cooked a big kettle of soup and baked bread to feed those poor,
hungry people, about 30 daily.

#2) Election Of A Wildly Popular Leader
In both the United States today and in Austria back then, a wildly popular leader was elected in the wake of the economic crisis….

I believe that I am an eyewitness to history. I cannot tell you that Hitler took Austria by tanks and guns; it would distort history. We elected him by a landslide 98% of the vote. I’ve never read that in any American publications. Everyone thinks that Hitler just rolled in with his tanks and took Austria by force.

In fact, a lot of promises of “change” were made to Austrians. They were told if Hitler was elected that businesses would be bailed out and everything would be okay again….

We were promised that a vote for Hitler would mean the end of unemployment and help for the family. Hitler also said that businesses would be assisted, and farmers would get their farms back. Ninety-eight percent of the population voted to annex Austria to Germany and have Hitler for our ruler.

We were overjoyed, and for three days we danced in the streets and had candlelight parades. The new government opened up big field kitchens and everyone was fed.

#3) An Obsession With Law & Order

Under the Nazi regime, law and order were quickly restored and there was an extreme emphasis on national security. Does that sound familiar to anyone?….

After the election, German officials were appointed, and like a miracle, we suddenly had law and order.

#4) Women Were Taught That Work Was More Important Than Family
Under the Nazi regime in Austria, just as in the United States today, women were taught that work is more important than family. Kitty Werthmann describes the Nazi mentality of the day this way….

Hitler decided we should have equal rights for women. Before this, it was a custom that married Austrian women did not work outside the home. An able-bodied husband would be looked down on if he couldn’t support his family. Many women in the teaching profession were elated that they could retain the jobs they previously had been required to give up for marriage.

#5) Children Raised In Daycare Facilities
So if the mothers were out working, what happened to the children? Well, they were raised in daycare facilities just as is happening with so many children today….

When the mothers had to go out into the work force, the government immediately established child care centers. You could take your children ages 4 weeks to school age and leave them there around-the-clock, 7 days a week, under the total care of the government. The state raised a whole generation of children. There were no motherly women to take care of the children, just people highly trained in child psychology. By this time, no one talked about equal rights. We knew we had been had.

6) Christianity Drubbed Out Of The Schools
In Austria during those times older children were taught the Nazi way in schools. Christianity was systematically drubbed out of the schools just like it is being drubbed out of American schools today….

Our education was nationalized. I attended a very good public school. The population was predominantly Catholic, so we had religion in our schools. The day we elected Hitler
March 13, 1938), I walked into my schoolroom to find the crucifix replaced by Hitler’s picture hanging next to a Nazi flag. Our teacher, a very devout woman, stood up and told the class we wouldn’t pray or have religion anymore. Instead, we sang Deutschland, Deutschland, Uber Alles, and had physical education.

#7) Socialized Healthcare
Earlier this year, the U.S. Congress passed Barack Obama’s health care law that essentially socialized medicine in the United States. The frightening thing is that the Nazis were big into socialized healthcare as well. One of the first things they did in Austria was to take over the healthcare system….
Before Hitler, we had very good medical care. Many American doctors trained at the University of Vienna . After Hitler, health care was socialized, free for everyone. Doctors were salaried by the government. The problem was, since it was free, the people were going to the doctors for everything. When the good doctor arrived at his office at 8 a.m., 40 people were already waiting and, at the same time, the hospitals were full. If you needed elective surgery, you had to wait a year or two for your turn. There was no money for research as it was poured into socialized medicine. Research at the medical schools literally stopped, so the best doctors left Austria and emigrated to other countries.

#8) Government Handouts Became A Way Of Life
For some reason, people tend to think of the Nazis as capitalists. But they were not. They were socialists. In fact, under the Nazis government handouts became a way of life. Considering the fact that 40 million Americans are now on food stamps, the parallels between then and now are too stunning to ignore….
As for healthcare, our tax rates went up to 80% of our income. Newlyweds immediately received a $1,000 loan from the government to establish a household. We had big programs for families. All day care and education were free. High schools were taken over by the government and college tuition was subsidized. Everyone was entitled to free handouts, such as food stamps, clothing, and housing.

#9) Oppressive Government Regulations

Everyone knows about the oppressive government regulations that the U.S. government keep spewing out. But most people don’t realize that the Nazis were also really big into government regulation of everything. Kitty Werthmann describes it this way….
We had another agency designed to monitor business. My brother-in-law owned a restaurant that had square tables. Government officials told him he had to replace them with round tables because people might bump themselves on the corners. Then they said he had to have additional bathroom facilities. It was just a small dairy business with a snack bar. He couldn’t meet all the demands. Soon, he went out of business.

#10) Gun Restrictions
Today, most people think gun control is such a “liberal” thing to do. But the truth is that totalitarian regimes have always been very much into gun control. In fact, the Nazis couldn’t wait to confiscate the guns from the Austrian population….
Next came gun registration. People were getting injured by guns. Hitler said that the real way to catch criminals (we still had a few) was by matching serial numbers on guns. Most citizens were law abiding and dutifully marched to the police station to register their firearms. Not long after-wards, the police said that it was best for everyone to turn in their guns. The authorities already knew who had them, so it was futile not to comply voluntarily.

#11) Lack Of Respect For Life

Onemarked the Nazis was their lack of respect for life. One of the very first measures that Hitler implemented when he took control of Germany was a law that legalized abortion. His lack of respect for life was very evident during his takeover of Austria as well….
In 1944, I was a student teacher in a small village in the Alps. The villagers were surrounded by mountain passes which, in the winter, were closed off with snow, causing people to be isolated. So people intermarried and offspring were sometimes retarded. When I arrived, I was told there were 15 mentally retarded adults, but they were all useful and did good manual work. I knew one, named Vincent, very well. He was a janitor of the school. One day I looked out the window and saw Vincent and others getting into a van. I asked my superior where they were going. She said to an institution where the State Health Department would teach them a trade, and to read and write. The families were required to sign papers with a little clause that they could not visit for 6 months. They were told visits would interfere with the program and might cause homesickness.
As time passed, letters started to dribble back saying these people died a natural, merciful death. The villagers were not fooled. We suspected what was happening. Those people left in excellent physical health and all died within 6 months. We called this euthanasia.
The truth is that once you see the truth it is impossible not to see the parallels.
We would be incredibly foolish not to listen to the wisdom of Kitty Werthmann. She saw what kind of horror is created when God is pushed out of public life and the government becomes the new “god”.
But that is what is happening in the United States today. God has been pushed aside. Suddenly the government is the answer to all of our problems, the provider of all of our needs, and the regulator of every single detail of our lives.
We are marching down a very dangerous path. It is a path that many nations have gone down before with absolutely disastrous consequences.
Americans have got to wake up. Please send this information out to as many people as you can. If we will not speak out about the need to protect our freedoms now, we may not have the chance to do it later.
No nation is guaranteed liberty and freedom forever.
Do your part by lighting a candle in the darkness.

MY FAVORITE HOMEMADE COUGH SYRUP

 

Well the cold and flu season is here and I like to have this on hand if someone gets a cough.

This cough syrup works so well for us. It doesn't taste very good but works. The other day a friend of Joleens had a bad cough and Joleen told her she needed some of my cough syrup, she told her it taste awful but it works and Joleen hates to take it but she knows it works.

I make a gallon every year and it will usually last all year. It is better if it can sit a few weeks before you use.

 

Here is what you need

 

5 LEMONS

2 LARGE ONIONS

3 ½ CUPS HONEY

1 PT BLACKBERRY BRANDY

1 PT PEPPERMINT SCHNAPPS

 

GALLON JAR

 

 

SLICE THE LEMONS AND PEEL AND SLICE THE ONIONS

 

 

 

 

 

LAYER THE ONIONS AND LEMONS IN THE GALLON JAR.

 

 

 

 

 

POUR THE HONEY OVER THE LAYERS.

 

 

NEXT POUR THE SCHNAPPS

OVER THE LAYERS

 

<

 

THEN THE BRANDY.

 

COVER AND STORE IN A COOL DARK PLACE FOR A FEW WEEKS BEFORE USING.

 

 

IT WILL KEEP UP TO A YEAR IF KEEP IN A COOL DARK PLACE.

WHEN I GET READY TO MAKE MORE IF I STILL HAVE SOME LEFT FROM THE YEAR BEFORE I POUR IT UP IN TO A DARK BOTTLE AND USE WHILE WAITING FOR THE NEW ONE TO SIT.

 

GIVE ADULTS I TBL CHILDREN UNDER 12 GIVE 1/4 TEASPOON DO NOT GIVE TO CHILDREN UNDER ONE.

WHEN WE HAVE A BAD COUGH I GIVE IT IN A 2 OUNCE SHOT GLASS.

 

I found this at http://themilkmanswife.blogspot.com/ I have been using this for a while but Heidi found me so I am able to give her credit now.

Week 6 Self Sustaining Pantry and Week 2 Food Storage Challenge

 

 

I wasn’t able to get a whole lot done this week we had a family tragedy. So all I got done was 12 pints of oranges canned , 8 pints of orange juice canned and a quart and a half of candied orange peels. Made a gallon of cough syrup ( which will last us all year) and some herbal cold/flu pills made, I bought a large pack of Toilet Paper for storage.

This next week I need to get the two boxes of lemons worked up. I have a few more orange peels that I need to get candied and if time allows I will work on onions and potatoes.

Week 2 Food Storage Challenge.

5 Cans of cream of chicken soup. If you plan on making your own ( I will post the recipe soon) then get a couple jars of chicken broth granules.

Detergents, Bleach, and cleaners. If you plan on making your own then you will need some bleach, borax and lye ( make sure it is 100% lye ) The borax you can get at any grocery store but the lye you usually have to go to a hardware store. You will need Baking soda but we will get that a little latter on.

With everything going on I wasn’t able to start on the 72 hour kits I will try to work on those this week .

What were you able to do this weeek towards a more Self Stustaining Pantry ? love to hear from you.