I grew up on a farm in Idaho. My father had a day job so he could only work on the farm at night and on Saturdays. This left my sisters and I to help in the fields and tend to our very large garden. In the fall, we helped pick and can all the produce. We even picked the wild asparagus growing on the ditch-banks! That, along with the beef we raised, we had food to eat all year. It was a great example of how to be self-reliant. I was also taught many other skills such as, sewing, baking bread and woodworking, which I have been grateful for as I have raised my children.
Once I got married, I lived the opposite life: a big city in Arizona! Stores are in abundance, and with the hot weather, everything I knew about gardening was out the window. I know that many people have succeeded at growing things here, but I failed over and over and quickly gave up. With the desire to have my shelves stocked like I was used to growing up, I had to learn to be very frugal and quickly became a “coupon queen”, as my friends call me. Over the years, I was able to feed my family cheaply and kept the main things we lived on stocked up. Because of the great deals I got, I was also able to help struggling families.
My husband and I became empty nesters a year and a half ago and I got out of the habit of stocking up. One day, I realized that I had very little food left in the house. I panicked!!! That was the turning point for me! At that time, I had a huge impression that I not only needed to fill my shelves again, but I also needed to fill my house! I had an overwhelming feeling that tough times where coming and that I, as a mother, needed to have enough to be able to help feed my family, even if they didn’t live with me! (They are all starting out in life and struggling.) I could hardly sleep for months. My husband thought I was going nuts, but I couldn’t shake the panic I was feeling and could only focus on getting prepared. The more food and supplies I got, the better I started to sleep.
We have definitely had to sacrifice some fun and some wants to accomplish our preparedness goals, BUT so many blessings have poured in that have helped us in our efforts. I have done something every day for the last year! From canning well over 500 pints of meat (among other things) to packaging over one thousand 9mm bullets, I’m armed at all points. In fact, I seal something in my Food Saver every day. I even ruined a Food Saver by trying to seal cornstarch in a canning jar! What a mess! My husband jokes that I will just seal him up when he dies and stick him in the ground! LOL
Thanks to the internet, I have researched and learned so much about being self-reliant. I’ve learned things like: how to store a variety of foods, not being dependent on electricity (especially for cooking), health and first aid skills and have even started to try to garden again. Not only do I have peace of mind, but I truly enjoy preparing. It’s something anyone and everyone can do. Starting out can be overwhelming, but I tell my friends to focus on one area until it’s conquered and then maintain that while you move on to another area. I feel the desire to share my knowledge and skills so I can teach and help others who want to be prepared. I have taught several people to can and some have purchased a Food Saver because they have seen what I have been doing. It’s exciting that many of my friends have gotten the preparedness bug because of my example. I LOVE IT! I love that I can influence people for good! Besides, the more people prepared, the better!!!
Wouldn’t you want that peace of mind too?
S.B. AZ
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Comments
Hello, I feel the same way. My daughter was just here for spring break with my granddaughters. She say my pantry and said I didnt need anything. But I told her yes I did...I still need to raise cows and chickens, ammo and a gun. And I need a well put it on the property. She laughed and told me that I had water why worry...I didnt say anything...BTW I would love to know how you made your own bullets...I would love to do that too.
Deborah
I feel the same. I am just starting and have a long way to go, but at least I am starting.
As I get closer to having an empty nest, it may be 2-3 years down the road, the food is going faster than I thought. After watching the Dooms Day show, my family feels that we should build up the food storage and make sure we have enough to eat. Our goal is make sure that we have enough and make sure we are safe.
This is so inspiring! I bought Greg a Food Saver for Christmas a couple years ago because he said he wanted one and I don't think he's ever used it! We will get it out and use it for somethng for FHE tomorrow night! We have water barrels that are not full!! I do need to make Preparedness a priority!! Thank you for the incentive to get started!! And a few lessons from you would be very helpful too!!! You need to write a weekly preparedness blog!! Thank you!!!
I like how you took your childhood experience and used it to guide to to being prepared today!
Sandie! I need your ideas for the food saver. I have one, still in the box, sitting in my office. You are one of the most prepared people I know! I feel totally unprepared!
I seal everything dry since "air is the enemy". It adds 3-5 times the shelf life. Click on the Food Saver link in your comment and Kellene has a great segment on it!
Thank you for the incentive! I need to get going!
This is awesome! My husband would like the part about storing bullets. Love the food saver. Best thing ever.
It sounds like you have a good variety to what you've stored! Keep up the great work!
Would love to find out what kinds of things you store with your food saver.
You are so inspiring!!!
Thank you for your dedication to preparedness!
You really should start a blog!
I too use my food saver often and can fruits/vegetables. I admire your preparedness. I've been a bit unsure about canning meats though. I garden and can or dehydrate about everything you can think of. The food saver bags are expensive but I use to have a less expensive brand of equipment and the bags were so flimsy and really did not work. My best friend gave me the food saver as a gift and I LOVE it. I too love to sew and am an empty nester and would love to know how to become a coupon queen too. Thank you for the inspiration and sharing your story.
I didn't know you grew up on a farm! That's awesome! No wonder you are so talented! I enjoyed you article!
I agree...you need to start a blog on all the things you have done and share some more ideas with us!!
I'd also love to learn how to can meat! That is something that we will all definitely need!
And you can teach me how to coupon too! See you've got great ideas for your first blogs!! Thanks for sharing!!
great article, please do not vacumn seal the husband :)
loved reading this your are an inspiration
You are the 'real' deal when it comes to being prepared in all things! You practice what you preach and you 'teach' what you preach and I have 365 bottles of meat to prove it. You Amaze!! Thanks for everything.
Your committment has been an inspiration and because you have shared your experiences, other are making strides they wouldn't have made otherwise.
Keep up the good work, Sandie! xoxox
I need lessons! :)
Do you make house calls?? You're very inspiring!
You are awesome, Aunt Sandie!
I need you to come help us organize our new house!
You are inspiring Sandie.
Im not sure why that first sentence appeared.
Wish we still lived by ya'll. You could teach me how to use my food saver.
You sound like an expert. I hope you win.
I need to teach my girls how to bake bread too.
You are amazing! Love ya!
I love this one!!
Great Advice
great that you share with others
Wow! thanks so much for taking the time to help others!
This is such a great thing!!! Keep on preparing!
Thanks for sharing your story! You have inspired me to do the same!
I have used my food saver a ton since Christmas!!
I love my Food saver too, and Yes I do want that peace of mind!!
Thank you for the boost of inspiration!!!
We planted a Garden, trying to be obedient!!
You are a wealth of knowledge so inspiring!
You have me convinced that a food saved is a must have.
I love your willingness to share everything you have worked so hard to learn with others.
This is inspiring! I have 3 months worth of food in my garage, which shocks many of my friends that haven't grown up with the encouragement to have food storage. I know I can do more, though! Thanks for the ideas!
I am looking into Food Savers. I feel like I throw away so much produce! My mom bought a Food Saver after talking to you and she said she can keep a lot of produce up to a month in the fridge after sealing it! Awesome!
I wonder how long a dead person would last without decomposing if they were vacuum sealed. Seems like a long time... Sorry, gross comment.
Thanks for the advice on taking one thing and mastering it before moving on to the next. I think sometimes it's overwhelming to be thinking about everything, but taking one thing at a time would be so much easier :)
I liked hearing about your childhood and what you learned to help you know how to be self reliant now.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I loved your story!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the inspiration
I don't know, I could see a use for vacuum sealing a husband. Preserves the shelf life ;)
You are a true prepper- even canning ground beef. That's dedication!
You are awesome! What a great example!
Amen, sister! You need to win a prize or something :)
Thanks for your example! I'm building up my store because of you. Brings peace of mind every time I buy another jug of water or bag of rice.
THE WORLD NEEDS MORE LIKE YOU
You've motivated me! Love that your husband is afraid you are going to seal him up!!!
You've motivated me
You are an inspiration!
Thanks for helping me get my supply going!
Great article!
Motivating to get a peace of mind!
You are doing so well! I appriciate your help!
Great essay!
Thanks for the motiviation!
You rock! Keep preppin!
Way to go Idaho! Keep spreading the word!
What an inspiration!
I am also an empty nester and still feel the need to prepare for my family and others.
Thanks for your example….motivated me to get back in the swing of things and rethink my storage needs.
Love it!
I love that I can share with you what I have accomplished and that you are as excited as I am about it! THANKS!
You are a wealth of knowledge!
You should win a "preparedness" award. YOU ROCK!
I would give you 50 votes if I could! You inspire people to be better.
You are truly amazing! Looking forward to you helping me someday.
Oh, and I haven't broken into my vacuum sneaked m&ms yet, aren't you proud?
Nice job! Loved your essay!
Awesome writing! You sound like you're prepared for anything. Good job!
You're an amazing example.
Thanks for the inspiration!
It's good to know you can still prepare even though you dont have land to grow a garden!
Keep up the good work!!!
Awesome!
Great information!
What an inspiration!
So when you ruined your food saver, did you have to buy a new one?
I want to be on your team!
This is amazing..keep it up!!
I want a food saver now. You have talked me into it.
Lets do some saving together!!!!
Good story!
You're amazing!
This makes me want to get started!
At one time I had 375 bottles of canned food in my storage that had sttuff from our garden..now I have no bottles and no garden:(.
you go girl!
I'm encouraging my kids to do this!!!
I started a garden this year too!
Thanks for the preparedness advice.
Great essay!
Thanks!
Where do you recommend starting?
I suggest starting with the basics: wheat, rice and beans and store water. Slowly add the rest as you can.
You are a true inspiration! Sealing pasta in qt jars with a food saver has been easy and fun!
Thanks for your example! This is awesome!
Good job!
Very inspiring! I need to get me a Food Saver!
What a ray of sunshine you are to those of us "plodding" along. You're pretty amazing!
I'm panicking just reading your preparedness because I have enough to last about 6 or 7 hours around my house if I'm lucky and only if I hide some of it from the grazers!!!
When you do something, you really DO something!! Never half way. You go girl.
Seriously?? 500 pints of meat? That's got to be a record in the Guiness book of food storage!
What an example of how when we do what the Lord wants us to do, it brings true peace of mind. Why is that such a hard lesson for us to learn?
A wonderful example ofthe importance of preparation. When all else fails food would be the item of choice. Cannot eat money. Self reliance is a lost art that will find its way back into society. Great message