Time Is Now To Get Prepared

By Annette Codding
How Prepared are You?
    Every year around this time people start talking about being prepared for hurricane season. Gas, food, water, and a reliable generator are all on the list of things we need to get through. Storm season comes and goes and many times we never needed the things we gathered. But then there are other times when we are either thankful that we had the foresight to prepare…or wish we had. Let's do some things now so that the bumps in the road are a little easier to deal with later.
    Most people that I have talked to about the weather recently have commented that thunderstorms are more intense than they used to be. Heavier rains, stronger winds, and more intense lightning are happening more times than they used to…or at least it seems that way. We had one of those crazy storms here in Cassia recently. A couple of neighbors even reported a microburst. We received over four inches of rain in less than two hours. And the lightning was close and frequent.
    So while we normally think of doing some preparing for hurricane season, it might be a good idea to just be prepared all year long. There are literally thousands of things you can do and gobs of gear you can buy to make life easier when something happens. I am barely scratching the surface here. Think of your own life and see what makes sense for your family.
    I recently learned about a sun oven. It's this neat black box with a clear lid and sides that stand up and lay out at an angle to catch the sun's rays. The temperatures in there easily get to 300 degrees F during the mid-part of a sunny day. Roasts, bread, soups, and cakes can all be cooked in here with zero electricity use. These are a little pricey new, but I found mine on Marketplace for half price. A couple of days later I learned that a family member has one brand new in the box that was a gift. It never hurts to ask around before making a purchase.
    Canning has long been a reliable method for storing food for long periods of time with no electricity needed. Canned stews make a great base for a quick meal. Just add a few more ingredients and you can have a hearty soup that no one will suppose was sitting on a shelf for a year or more. I like to can cube venison with a handful of potatoes, a few carrots, and a tablespoon or so of onion. Then when I heat it up more veggies get added. Dark red kidney beans, green beans, stewed tomatoes, and hominy are our favorite add-ins. An important note about canning: there are mainly two kinds of canning, water bath canning, and pressure canning. Always be sure to use the right method for the food you want to preserve. It really matters.
    Having fresh, clean water is always nice. It's amazing how much water we use each day without ever thinking about it. Having a store of water in bottles tucked away somewhere is a great idea. The best bottles for saving water are the large Arizona Ice Tea jugs. Since we don't use that and it would be silly to buy the drink just for the bottle, we just use what we have. We use the half-gallon juice bottles. The square body is nice for lining up and they are super sturdy and won't easily puncture. Just recently the power was out from an accident on the road. These jugs came in handy for washing up and brushing our teeth.
    There are a ton of things we can do to be ready for anything. Having some fresh food growing in the yard is a good idea. Keeping a few extra cans of gas in the garage will keep you from getting stuck in the panic lines when a storm is coming. A little time preparing now will make the next hurricane feel like just some time off instead of running around trying to find whatever it is you need. We have always loved hurricane days…time with the family, getting to eat good homemade food, and having nowhere to go leave some good memories.
    Until next time, get prepared so that when things go south you can go sit on the porch…or you’ll be in a good spot to help someone else.