three weeks without electricity ... well almost.

September 8, 2008

I would love to use less electricity, but I would never want to be without it completely. I think that's a little too isolationist for me. I like having access to the internet to see what is going on out in the world. I don't think isolationism has done anyone any good.

I admit to being woefully unprepared for no electricity for any length of time, lol. This is a good reminder for me to think about these things, so thanks for bringing this up. I had asked DH to get a couple of good flashlights for us, as all of ours have disappeared. But that's only the tip of the iceberg! I wonder if there are any good lists out there of things you should have on hand for emergencies? I'm sure there should be.

Cyndi

In a message dated 9/4/2008 7:35:58 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, jonesfamilyhomestead writes:

Greetings, how is everyone doing? I pray that this post finds everyone ingood health and spirits. A week ago we lost power in our kitchen andlivingroom. Fortunatly, our house was built before electricity and whenpower goes out, we do OK. The only thing we really need electricity for isour fridge and dryer. Everything else is just for convienience. Well, thisweekend I was going to pick up a new fuse box (ours is way too outdated andthat is what went) and have it installed by our neighbor who knows how towork with electricity. This morning I went into the kitchen and my wife littwo oil lamps in the kitchen and possitioned them so that the whole kitchenwas well lit. I said, "Wow, we could go without electricity." I should leteveryone know that my wife has always been for us living without electricitybut I like my electrical items (TV, computer, lights, ect). She was excitedto hear me say that. So, we talked and this is what we came up with. Weneed the fridge, electric cook stove for the summer (we do have the woodcook stove for the cold seasons), we want to keep the computer so we cancontinue to do our businees and keep in touch with everyone, we need thedryer for the winter and rainy days, and need the washer. We are going todo away with lights, TV, and all other electical items not listed above forthree weeks and see how we do. If we do good, then we will rewire the housefor only the items we said we will keep. We will let you all know how wedo. Take care and God Bless.Love,The Oklahoma Tomcathttp://joneshomestead.tripod.com/My blog: http://thelifeofanoklhahomatomcat.blogspot.com/My : jonesfamilyhomestead/--------I believe - That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don'tlove each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn'tmean they do.

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September 8, 2008

> I admit to being woefully unprepared for no electricity for any length of

> time, lol. This is a good reminder for me to think about these things, so

> thanks for bringing this up. I had asked DH to get a couple of good

> flashlights for us, as all of ours have disappeared. But that's only the tip

> of the iceberg! I wonder if there are any good lists out there of things you

> should have on hand for emergencies? I'm sure there should be.

>

> Cyndi

In Utah nearly everyone has at least a 72 hour kit; many, if not most

have 6 months to 2 years worth of food and water (or water sanitizer)

stocked. It is encouraged by the LDS church, of which I'm not a

member. but I think it's a great idea. Whether it's a short term

power outage, a job layoff, a blizzard, earthquake or apocolypse it

would pay to be prepared...well, I guess in case of the last, a 6

month supply wouldn't be a great help...

If you do a search for food storage you're likely to come across all

sorts of helpful lists and recommendations for getting started. The

thing that often doesn't get done is use and cycle the food. I've had

more friends tell horror stories about cleaning out parents' or

grandparents' storage-decades old time bombs of unlabled home canned

goods and paper wrapped roasts in the freezer dating to the mid-70s.

Or bags of wheat berries their parents admit they have no clue how to

use. It seems to be a coming of age thing, right around college

graduation, they get roped into a storage cleanout.

I'm well on my way to having a 6 to 9 month supply of fruit and

veggies this year. I want to buy about 20 pounds of local beef. The

beef is grass fed and hormone free and they only use antibiotics if an

animal is actually sick. I'm even contemplating a (hand) wheat grinder

and a bag of local red wheat. So is a friend, so we can split one 50

pound bag, as we're both single. I've already made a calendar to

remind me to use the stuff, or in the case of the really good stuff,

to ration it so I don't run out right away.

I may be fooling myself, but I think I will save a lot of money this

way and eat very well. The up front costs are fairly high, but I

don't think I'll spend much at the grocer this winter-pretty much just

dairy (local), eggs (friend's) coffee (locally roasted), chocolate

(definitely imported, Swiss is my favorite), citrus and fish.

Ellen

September 9, 2008

Some of the things we find that comes in handy for power outages are:

Flashlights or oil lamps

a non-electric way to cook food or food that doesn't need cooking

a battery powered radio

a non-electric phone

can anyone else think of anything?

Love,

The Oklahoma Tomcat

http://joneshomestead.tripod.com/My blog: http://thelifeofanoklhahomatomcat.blogspot.com/My : jonesfamilyhomestead/--------I believe - That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn'tmean they do.

- Ellen

Monday, September 08, 2008 4:47 PM

Re: [RFSL] three weeks without electricity ... well almost.

> I admit to being woefully unprepared for no electricity for any length of> time, lol. This is a good reminder for me to think about these things, so> thanks for bringing this up. I had asked DH to get a couple of good> flashlights for us, as all of ours have disappeared. But that's only the tip> of the iceberg! I wonder if there are any good lists out there of things you> should have on hand for emergencies? I'm sure there should be.>> CyndiIn Utah nearly everyone has at least a 72 hour kit; many, if not mosthave 6 months to 2 years worth of food and water (or water sanitizer)stocked. It is encouraged by the LDS church, of which I'm not amember. but I think it's a great idea. Whether it's a short termpower outage, a job layoff, a blizzard, earthquake or apocolypse itwould pay to be prepared...well, I guess in case of the last, a 6month supply wouldn't be a great help...If you do a search for food storage you're likely to come across allsorts of helpful lists and recommendations for getting started. Thething that often doesn't get done is use and cycle the food. I've hadmore friends tell horror stories about cleaning out parents' orgrandparents' storage-decades old time bombs of unlabled home cannedgoods and paper wrapped roasts in the freezer dating to the mid-70s.Or bags of wheat berries their parents admit they have no clue how touse. It seems to be a coming of age thing, right around collegegraduation, they get roped into a storage cleanout.I'm well on my way to having a 6 to 9 month supply of fruit andveggies this year. I want to buy about 20 pounds of local beef. Thebeef is grass fed and hormone free and they only use antibiotics if ananimal is actually sick. I'm even contemplating a (hand) wheat grinderand a bag of local red wheat. So is a friend, so we can split one 50pound bag, as we're both single. I've already made a calendar toremind me to use the stuff, or in the case of the really good stuff,to ration it so I don't run out right away.I may be fooling myself, but I think I will save a lot of money thisway and eat very well. The up front costs are fairly high, but Idon't think I'll spend much at the grocer this winter-pretty much justdairy (local), eggs (friend's) coffee (locally roasted), chocolate(definitely imported, Swiss is my favorite), citrus and fish.Ellen---"Let food be your medicine" Hippocrates

September 11, 2008

Well, I know you're doing your own canning, but I have a problem with storing up store bought canned food for emergency purposes. But I guess one of the outcomes of an emergency is not having access to fresh food, lol.

When my MIL sold her home to move to a retirement home, they cleaned out 30 years worth of old home canned food in the basement. I have to admit being traumatized by all those old, oozing cans. Ugh! I can still see it, is was horrendous. My MIL never threw anything away.

I think you're on the right track with your food plan! I wish I was half as organized, lol.

Cyndi

In a message dated 9/8/2008 2:48:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, stringweaver writes:

In Utah nearly everyone has at least a 72 hour kit; many, if not mosthave 6 months to 2 years worth of food and water (or water sanitizer)stocked. It is encouraged by the LDS church, of which I'm not amember. but I think it's a great idea. Whether it's a short termpower outage, a job layoff, a blizzard, earthquake or apocolypse itwould pay to be prepared...well, I guess in case of the last, a 6month supply wouldn't be a great help...If you do a search for food storage you're likely to come across allsorts of helpful lists and recommendations for getting started. Thething that often doesn't get done is use and cycle the food. I've hadmore friends tell horror stories about cleaning out parents' orgrandparents' storage-decades old time bombs of unlabled home cannedgoods and paper wrapped roasts in the freezer dating to the mid-70s.Or bags of wheat berries their parents admit they have no clue how touse. It seems to be a coming of age thing, right around collegegraduation, they get roped into a storage cleanout.I'm well on my way to having a 6 to 9 month supply of fruit andveggies this year. I want to buy about 20 pounds of local beef. Thebeef is grass fed and hormone free and they only use antibiotics if ananimal is actually sick. I'm even contemplating a (hand) wheat grinderand a bag of local red wheat. So is a friend, so we can split one 50pound bag, as we're both single. I've already made a calendar toremind me to use the stuff, or in the case of the really good stuff,to ration it so I don't run out right away.I may be fooling myself, but I think I will save a lot of money thisway and eat very well. The up front costs are fairly high, but Idon't think I'll spend much at the grocer this winter-pretty much justdairy (local), eggs (friend's) coffee (locally roasted), chocolate(definitely imported, Swiss is my favorite), citrus and fish.Ellen

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September 11, 2008

Maybe propane, firewood, or charcoal for non-electric ways to cook food. I do have some kerosene lamps, I forgot about them. The food thing still is a concern. At Costco they sell these emergency food kits, which I'm sure contains some really scary stuff, lol, but I'm curious what they consider emergency essentials.

Cyndi

In a message dated 9/8/2008 6:04:02 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, jonesfamilyhomestead writes:

Some of the things we find that comes in handy for power outages are:

Flashlights or oil lamps

a non-electric way to cook food or food that doesn't need cooking

a battery powered radio

a non-electric phone

can anyone else think of anything?

Love,

The Oklahoma Tomcat

http://joneshomestead.tripod.com/My blog: http://thelifeofanoklhahomatomcat.blogspot.com/My : jonesfamilyhomestead/--------I believe - That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn'tmean they do.

- Ellen

Monday, September 08, 2008 4:47 PM

Re: [RFSL] three weeks without electricity ... well almost.

> I admit to being woefully unprepared for no electricity for any length of> time, lol. This is a good reminder for me to think about these things, so> thanks for bringing this up. I had asked DH to get a couple of good> flashlights for us, as all of ours have disappeared. But that's only the tip> of the iceberg! I wonder if there are any good lists out there of things you> should have on hand for emergencies? I'm sure there should be.>> CyndiIn Utah nearly everyone has at least a 72 hour kit; many, if not mosthave 6 months to 2 years worth of food and water (or water sanitizer)stocked. It is encouraged by the LDS church, of which I'm not amember. but I think it's a great idea. Whether it's a short termpower outage, a job layoff, a blizzard, earthquake or apocolypse itwould pay to be prepared...well, I guess in case of the last, a 6month supply wouldn't be a great help...If you do a search for food storage you're likely to come across allsorts of helpful lists and recommendations for getting started. Thething that often doesn't get done is use and cycle the food. I've hadmore friends tell horror stories about cleaning out parents' orgrandparents' storage-decades old time bombs of unlabled home cannedgoods and paper wrapped roasts in the freezer dating to the mid-70s.Or bags of wheat berries their parents admit they have no clue how touse. It seems to be a coming of age thing, right around collegegraduation, they get roped into a storage cleanout.I'm well on my way to having a 6 to 9 month supply of fruit andveggies this year. I want to buy about 20 pounds of local beef. Thebeef is grass fed and hormone free and they only use antibiotics if ananimal is actually sick. I'm even contemplating a (hand) wheat grinderand a bag of local red wheat. So is a friend, so we can split one 50pound bag, as we're both single. I've already made a calendar toremind me to use the stuff, or in the case of the really good stuff,to ration it so I don't run out right away.I may be fooling myself, but I think I will save a lot of money thisway and eat very well. The up front costs are fairly high, but Idon't think I'll spend much at the grocer this winter-pretty much justdairy (local), eggs (friend's) coffee (locally roasted), chocolate(definitely imported, Swiss is my favorite), citrus and fish.Ellen---"Let food be your medicine" Hippocrates