What Are You Preparing For?

“Do I have enough food?” 

“Would you rate my food storage?” 

“How long will this last?”

Of course, no one can answer those questions.  That answer varies by each individual family.  Only you can answer those questions for yourself.  Here’s how to find your answers.

First, decide what you are preparing for.  Is it:

·         Job loss

·         Unexpected financial crisis—need new appliance or car

·         Medical crisis

·         Natural disaster

·         Riots

·         Economic depression

·         Hyperinflation

·         Solar flare/electromagnetic pulse (EMP)

·         Famine

·         Civil war

·         Global war

·         Nuclear disaster

Approaches to preparing for job loss or medical crisis differ vastly from preparing for global famine, and yet at the same time there is a lot of overlap.  With a job loss there is still the government safety net and family or perhaps a church to rely on.  Government services may disappear with a solar flare or EMP.  A famine or nuclear disaster could wipe out food supplies but industries might still be humming along. 

How long do wish to prepare for?  Regardless of your goal, the food should be what you are accustomed to eating.  Don’t add the emotional and physical stress of unfamiliar foods to people already frazzled by a society descending into chaos.  What length of time are you preparing for?

• Two weeks.  This is simply a matter of storing cans, packages, and water to prepare, if necessary.  Add a camp stove for heating water and soup.  This may be all you need for most natural disasters and riots. 
• One month.  With a bit longer period, it’s still important to focus on familiar foods that can be easily prepared without too much thought.  Continue to emphasize canned and boxed foods with plenty of calories.  Also add in vitamins and comfort foods.  This storage will help get through a job loss or unexpected financial or medical crisis.  
• Six months, a year, or more.  Natural disasters or riots might only be problematic for a couple of weeks before the government steps in restores order and utilities.  It took nine months for my husband to find a good job when his small mining company was sold to Canadians.  Famines and wars can last years, and the situation world-wide sure isn’t looking very good.  Solar flare or EMP?  That might be a couple of years before life returns to normal.  Apparently all the transformers are made in China.  Civil wars aren’t normally resolved too quickly.  We’re already at a tipping point, and it isn’t going to be a simple matter of North vs. South next time.  We’ve got Communists and socialists vs capitalists, black vs white, progressives vs conservatives, rich vs poor, and flyover country vs cities.  It’s going to be a mess.  Gardens supplement really well, but do you have seeds?  Do you live in an area conducive to year-round gardening?

What do you want to eat?  In the run-up to the pandemic, so many people focused on rice, pasta, beans, and canned goods, and they patted themselves on the back saying they’d be so happy to have this food and wouldn’t be picky about eating it.  Of course, many had a rude awakening.  The comfort foods ran out quickly, people were bored just sitting at home, and they ate a lot more than they thought they would.

What skills are you willing to learn?

• Baking bread?
• Making yogurt?
• Dehydrating?
• Pressure canning?

How much time will you have?  Preparing long-term storage foods from scratch takes a lot of time.  That’s why throughout history most of a woman’s workday was focused on food preparation.

What are your options for cooking?  The pandemic shut down didn’t affect our electricity, but natural disasters are known to knock out utilities.  Riots and wars affect our supply as well.  What if you don’t have electricity or gas?  How much can you cook on a barbecue?  What alternative cooking methods do you have?  

Only when you have answered the above questions can you begin to determine the kinds of foods, quantities, and best food storage methods for your family to have in place before disaster strikes.  Just buying food willy-nilly and throwing it on the garage floor (yeah, I read of some guy doing that, and he was actually surprised that mice got to it before he packaged it properly) smacks of running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  Take a deep breath, determine what path you think this country is on, and how things will shape up (or shake down) in your area.  Then decide on your course of action and first food storage goals.

21 august 2020

No-Knead White Sandwich Bread for Beginning Bread Bakers

We see increasing numbers of people storing food and other supplies to meet the challenges in our future.  Most every week I notice someone buying large quantities of basic staples, and that person or couple doesn’t look like the ranching type in town for the quarterly supply run.  I also hear numerous reports of people buying bread at the store, only to get it home and find that it is moldy or starts molding very quickly.  You may even know someone in one group or the other.  People in both groups are eventually going to want to make their own bread.  And heck, we may even be teaching our own family members how to bake bread soon enough. 

The following is adapted from a recipe at Mary’s Nest and is a good starter for all beginning bread bakers.  No-knead means it takes less time.  White bread dough is usually more forgiving than wheat dough, so good results are more likely.  And almost everyone wants sandwich bread for PB & J’s as well as toast for breakfast.  It’s pretty versatile stuff. 

No-Knead White Sandwich Bread

6 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

2 tablespoons oil

3 cups warm water

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  Add oil and water to flour mixture and stir to form a shaggy (sticky) dough, making sure to fully incorporate the dry ingredients.  Cover dough with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place to rise.  Let rise about 1.5 hours.

Oil hands very well.  Remove the plastic wrap and deflate the dough by pressing down on it.  Divide the dough in half. 

Grease two bread pans thoroughly and place one-half of the dough in each pan, pressing the dough into the corners of the pan as needed.   

Let the dough rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes, until the dough is even with the top of the loaf pans.  Just as the dough is finishing rising, preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Place the loaf pans on the center rack of the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the crust is golden.  (You can check for doneness with a thermometer.  The center of the bread should reach 195-200°F.)  When done, remove the pans from the oven and set them on a cooling rack. 

Immediately brush the tops with butter.  After loaves have cooled in the pans for 10 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and set it back on the cooling rack to finish cooling. 

Let cool completely before slicing. 

Family reviews:  It’s hard to be completely unbiased here, because we all really love whole wheat bread.  White bread just doesn’t get us twitterpated.  However, this recipe makes a pretty good loaf.  Being no-knead, it is definitely an easy starter loaf.  And it is surprisingly soft for a bread that doesn’t contain any eggs or milk. 

Links to related posts:

Basic White Sandwich Bread 

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread  

No-Knead Whole Wheat Bucket Bread  

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvnQemlD_5c

Otitis Externa (Swimmer's Ear) Identification, Treatment, and Prevention

 Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on knowledge and understanding you might wish to acquire in advance of a disaster in case no higher care is available.  As long as our society is functioning, you should leave anything more substantial than applying a Band-Aid to the professionals.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care. 

For the first decade of my life, I lived across the street from a house that had an Olympic-sized swimming pool.  My mother said one of the previous owners had in fact been an Olympic swimmer.  Anyway, I didn't really care about that.  I did care about that pool and was very fortunate that Bill and Janie invited us over to swim often.  I absolutely loved to swim at that age.  I loved diving for pennies and building up my lungs each summer to be able to swim all the way across the pool--lengthwise--and back, underwater without taking a breath.

Invariably, I would get an ear infection at the beginning of each summer.  I don't remember any physical pain associated with it, but there was the excruciating torture of not being able to swim until the infection was resolved, and then being prohibited from going under the water for another week after that.

Swimmer's ear, otitis externa, is an external ear infection of the outer ear canal.  It most commonly afflicts children between the ages of four and fourteen years in the summer, when kids are swimming.[1]  However, otitis externa infections can also develop due to minor trauma to the ear canal.  While often the result of trapped moisture altering the pH of the ear canal, these infections can also be the result of cleaning, over-cleaning, or scratching the ear canal with a foreign object, including Q-tips, fingernails, or bobby pins.[2]

Symptoms of a swimmer's ear infection include:

• Swollen ear canal
• Redness of ear
• Tenderness or itchiness inside the ear
• Touching, pulling, or pressing the ear increases the pain
• Odor
• Watery discharge
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

Otitis externa can be distinguished from a classic otitis media infection by the following:

• Fever and cold symptoms + no tenderness of external ear structures = otitis media
• No fever or cold symptoms + tenderness of external ear structures = otitis externa[3]

Treatment:

• For mild swimmer's ear, treatment may not be necessary as the infection will resolve on its own.  
• For more painful cases, a 1:1 mix of water and white vinegar will help restore the pH level in the ear and thus promote healing.  Some physicians would prescribe a short course of oral steroids like prednisone for severe symptoms, but if your supply is limited you might wish to save them for more serious situations.  
• Oral antibiotics, especially for a true swimmer's ear due to moisture being trapped, are unlikely to be effective, but may work when the infection is due to a trauma.  All medications are taken for 5-10 days.
• Keflex, 250-500 mg, 3-4x per day
• TMP-SMZ DS, 1 tablet 2x per day
• Cipro, 500 mg, 2x per day[4]
• Warm compresses to the ear will help reduce the pain.  Ibuprofen may also be taken for pain.[5]

To prevent future occurrences, especially after swimming or excessive sweating:

• Towel dry the ears thoroughly.[6]
• Lie down with ears to the ground, pulling the ear lobes slightly to facilitate draining, and let water drain.[7]
• Carefully swab the ear canal with a little rubbing alcohol to help dry it out.[doctors debate this one--some say no one should put anything in their ears]

Links to related posts:
Otitis Media Ear Infections
Keflex
Cipro

References:
[1] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 436-37.
[2] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 154-55.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] The Survival Medicine Handbook, 436-37.
[6] The Centers for Disease Control, https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/rwi/ear-infections.html, accessed 19 June 2020.
[7] Ibid. 

19 august 2020

Stopping Impetigo in TEOTWAWKI

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on knowledge and understanding you might wish to acquire in advance of a disaster in case no higher care is available.  As long as our society is functioning, you should leave anything more substantial than applying a Band-Aid to the professionals.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care. 


I've never experienced or even seen a case of impetigo, but I do remember seeing it on the papers all elementary school kids took home to their parents.  Impetigo was something that would get you sent home from school post haste because it was so contagious.  Since I don't have children in public school, I'm not sure what they do now.  Maybe a participation trophy?

Anyway, impetigo is a minor bacterial infection of the skin typified by quickly spreading sores with shiny yellow crusts.  It most frequently occurs in children, especially on their faces and particularly around the mouth, but it also occurs on the extremities and sometimes the trunk.  Scabby lesions and shiny, yellow, crusty sores that don't heal are often impetigo.[1]  Impetigo may begin with an insect bite or a scratch.  It spreads easily to other people or other parts of the body from the sores or contaminated fingers.

Impetigo is generally caused by Staphylococcus or Streptococcus bacteria.  For all infections, wash the sores 3-4 times per day with soap and cool water, gently soaking off and removing the crusts.   For small patches of infection, a physician will try using topical agents before turning to oral antibiotics.  Use any of the following 2-3 times per day.

• Bacitracin
• Bactroban (mupirocin)
• Silvadene[2]

Because impetigo is contagious to others as well as to other parts of the body, wear gloves when cleaning the sores and applying medication.  Then cover the sores and wash the hands well again.

For a more extensive or resistant infection, or if there is a fever, the following antibiotics are often prescribed:[3]

• Augmentin, 250-500 mg, 3x per day
• Keflex, 250-500 mg, 3-4x per day
• TMP-SMZ DS, 1 tablet, 2x per day
• Doxycycline, 50-100 mg, 2x per day[4]

If none of these work,  Cipro or Levaquin are other options.  Erythromycin may be used for a mild infection in patients allergic to penicillin. 

How do you know if an antibiotic is working?  On the first day, the symptoms probably won't decrease, but they shouldn't worsen either.  By the second to third day, symptoms should be greatly improved.  If not, a physician will add another antibiotic or change to a different one.  Treatment should continue 5-7 days.

Non-pharmaceutical options for treatment include:

• Honey.  Dilute this enough to use it as a wash and apply with a cotton ball or clean cloth twice per day.[5] 
• Usnea tincture.  Use this straight or dilute it in a 1:1 ratio with cool water and apply with a cotton ball or clean cloth twice per day.[6]
• Bleach.  Add 1/8 teaspoon to 1 quart of cool water and apply with a cotton ball or clean cloth twice per day.[7]
• Gentian violet.  Apply 2-3 times per day.

Regardless of the treatment option selected, all scabs should be covered to prevent spreading.

Do not let an infected child play or sleep with other children until the infection is completely resolved.[8]

Links to related posts:
The Medicinal Uses of Honey
The Medicinal Uses of Usnea
Augmentin
Cephalexin

References:
[1] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 212.
[2] Ibid.
[3] David Werner, Where There Is No Doctor, 202.
[4] Armageddon Medicine, 212.
[5] Stephen Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, 191.
[6] Ibid, 200.
[7] Armageddon Medicine, 212.
[8] Where There Is No Doctor, 202.

 26 august 2020

Food Fatigue, American-Style

In the ramp-up to the pandemic crisis and shutdown, we watched scores of videos of people panic purchasing rice, beans, and canned chili.  We read countless accounts of rapidly depleting stocks of freeze-dried goods among internet suppliers and other long-term food storage sources being entirely wiped out.  More experienced individuals cautioned the nouveau panic preppers about the need to store a much wider variety of foods because they would get tired of the same rice and beans and canned goods.  Most of these warnings were entirely dismissed.  After all, "If people are hungry, they will be grateful to eat anything."

However, we are Americans.  We've been blessed to live in a time of unprecedented prosperity, with a vast array of food choices to fit every palate, and often ready-to-eat within just a few minutes.  But with shortages in stores and difficulties in manufacturing and shipping, not to mention reduced shopping opportunities, options become more limited.

Several weeks into eating rice, beans, and Spam, or if luckier, lots of freeze-dried meals, these panic preppers came to recognize the folly of their thinking.  They wished they'd stored a greater variety of foods, and especially that they'd given more thought to comfort foods.  Transitioning from the great variety of a modern American diet to the more common staples of our predecessors is a bit of a shock to the system.

Still, after my family's experience, it was no surprise to us.

Several years ago, when my family and I lived on three acres on the outskirts of Kansas City, we felt the need to expand the size of our garden to nearly 1/4 acre.  The lot fell to me to inform my sixteen-year-old son, the CROO (chief rototiller operating officer), of the decision.  He was pretty well aware of events in our country and world at the time and supportive of our efforts to prepare.  Still, he was sixteen and not exactly pleased about tilling up more land.  (He did at least get his picture taken and could look at himself on Google earth, operating the rototiller, for a few years.)

While he recognized the need to prepare and learn while times were good, he wasn't excited.  So he insisted that if he was doing all this work, we were going to be planting a whole lot more corn and watermelon.  (That's it?  I couldn't believe I was getting off so easily!)  "Done!"  We did indeed plant a whole lot more corn and watermelon, several varieties in fact, in different sizes and colors.

It was a fantastic year for gardens, and we had boatloads of corn and watermelon, and everything else.  So while the main dish for dinner changed each day, corn and watermelon graced the table every evening.  After about three weeks of this, Luke voiced something of an objection.  Not strong, mind you, just a little bit of a complaint about corn and watermelon every night, even though the rest of dinner varied.

Quite surprised, I asked Luke, "Don't you remember insisting that we plant more corn and watermelon this year?"  That classic deer-in-the-headlights look appeared on his face.

"Would you have done anything differently in my situation?  If your hard-working children insisted on planting their favorites--corn and watermelon--would you have done it?"

 “Yeah.”

“Would you have been really surprised when they got tired of eating it?”

“Yeah.”

We also grew a lot of potatoes that year, and baked potatoes were frequently on the dinner menu.  They're easy, filling, and everyone likes them.  We had all the usual condiments--ketchup for some of the kids, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper.  Sometimes we added green onions or shredded cheese.  And yet, after a month of having baked potatoes twice a week, the kids were getting a little tired.  So I decided to add some bacon bits to the topping choices.

It was like they had died and gone to heaven.

Both of these experiences were great lessons for everyone in the family. No matter what our favorites are, we absolutely have to have variety. Flavor fatigue is real, and that was at a time with lots of other fresh produce and everything we could possibly want from the store, without any other outside stresses.  We can't entirely prevent economic, political, or societal upheavals from affecting our families.  However, we can greatly mitigate the stress they feel by having a wide variety of good food to feed them.  

20 august 2020

Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café—Chicken Tortilla Soup

The way things are going, it won’t be long before fast food is something we can only see in the rearview mirror.  And yet, there are going to be days when we need some good food fast.  Chick-fil-A is apparently this country’s favorite fast food restaurant (8 years in a row!) according to a New York Post article that appeared earlier this month.  And one of the most popular menu items is their Chicken Tortilla Soup.  It’s good food, fast, and made right at home quickly with mostly long-term storage items.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

(Do not drain liquid from any of the cans)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

½ teaspoon salt

3 cans (15 oz) cannellini beans, divided

1 cans (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (i.e., Ro-Tel)

1 can (15 oz) cream-style corn

1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn

1 can (15 oz) black beans

2 pints canned chicken

1 tablespoon lime juice, or to taste

Tortilla chips, for serving

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in oil.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until onions become translucent.  Stir in cumin, oregano, and salt. 

Puree 2 cans of cannellini beans in blender until smooth.  To the sautéed onions and garlic, add the pureed beans, the remaining can of cannellini beans, and the next five ingredients.  Stir to combine.  Simmer over medium heat until heated through.  Add lime juice and salt to taste.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Now, Chick-fil-A’s chicken tortilla soup is made with a rotisserie chicken, and truly, that makes a world of difference.  Like many things, rotisserie chickens are hard to find and expensive when you can find them, or will be soon.  And they’re kinda a hassle to DIY.  The canned chicken will not have the same texture as the rotisserie chicken, and that may be a turn-off.  But it’s a good soup even without the chicken, so you may want to try it that way before adding canned chicken.

Links to related posts:

Corn Tortillas

Flour Tortillas 

Homemade Ro-Tel 

How to Pressure Can Chicken