Tornado Quick Tips

Hello!

Well spring is upon us and as much as all of us are extremely excited about this time of year we need to take an unwanted break and do a run through and check list for TORNADOES! Not pleasant but necessary.

 

 

 

My Quick Tip List is:

1. Find your safe place

 

2. A set of important paper work

 

3. Blankets

 

4. Extra set of clothes per person

 

5. Water

 

6. Snacks

 

7. If you have little ones, diapers and wipes

 

8. Crayons and coloring book

 

9. Pencil and pen and paper for older ones to draw or write

 

10. Flashlights, extra batteries

 

11. Weather radio

 

12. Cash

 

13. Do not forget to look at our Quick Tip on Electric in under five minutes on this page and gather the supplies for it!

 

14. Be safe and take care! Remember sometimes we could be in our cellar or safe place for a while.

 

15. Please check on the elderly!

 

 

       A Prepper Quick Tip

Planting and Thinning Seedlings

 

How to Plant and Thin Your Seedlings

(before thinned)

(thinning)

(after thinned)

 

Hello everyone! I wanted to show you my seedling this spring. So here is my little collection and as most of us we are having a long winter. So, as you can see everything is in my house, it is still too cold for my green house. I also wanted to show how you thin seedlings, as they call it. Normally you do this at the garden when planting for the summer typically, however it is too cold like I mentioned so we are just going ahead and transplant the over populated seedlings and have more to plant! Now when you do this at the garden you would just separate and chose how many you want to keep and put a few in each spot and that will ensure one or two per spot takes hold. but I think I will have a large garden now, Thank You Old Man Winter! So, when you separate gently take the plants out of container and gently lay them out and ease them apart. Then start all over as if you had bought tiny plants! A QUICK TIP, is to water the seedlings with warm to hot water, this helps with germination!  It's so rewarding! Its like magic! So much for your money!





(table seedlings)

(plants on a table inside)



my table in west window also have a small uv light on the wall



We Hope You Enjoyed Our The Pictures of Our Progress and Our Quick Tip!

Please feel free to ask questions or comment on my way of seeding, hope you enjoy this and do it!

Are YOU Wired to Have a Survival Mindset?

 

They say that survival is 90% mental. Would you agree with that? Or are you one of those that believe your stockpiles and arsenals alone will ensure your survival? Sorry to burst your bubble friends, but gadgets and tools alone will not save you!

 

It All Begins With The Mind.

 

The mind truly is a beautiful and mysterious feature of you. It has the capacity to absorb, learn, analyze, reason and store literally millions of pieces of information. How wonderfully made it is! So how does this brain of yours contribute to your survival?

 

How it All Works
 

Within a moment of any event the brain instantly begins to analyze the situation. This is the body's natural ‘fight or flight’ instinct. Our nervous system responds in a way that it sounds an alarm. How our body reacts to this alarm depends on a few factors. The first of these factors is our own “biologically inherited aggressive tendencies”.  The second factor is our “prior conditioning and learning”. Last, it depends on our own “attention to all aspects of the situation that facilitate or inhibit aggression” (Berkowitz, 1993).

 

Sorting This Out
 

Let’s break this down a bit into a simpler explanation. The first part means that your reaction will depend on your own aggressive behaviors and characteristics. These are those that you inherited, not so much developed. The second is an important part, and one that is promising when it comes to your reaction in survival situations. It is all about the skills you have learned. If you have thoroughly practiced these skills, they have became ingrained in you. So much so that they are almost second nature. The third factor speaks of your own ability to analyze and react to the situation with aggressiveness, if the situation calls for it. Your mind sees the problem and reacts as needed.

 

The Specifics 
 

Okay, but how does all this actually tie into survival? Well, for that answer let’s take a look at the following diagram for answers:

 

 

 

As you can see there are two stages of thought. The first being driven by impulse and the other a higher-order cognitive intervention. When a disaster strikes the first emotion people will feel is one of impulse, to either run from the danger or confront it directly. After this initial impulse stage the person will begin to focus and plan their response.

 

Conditioning Vs. Instinct

 

We’ve all read about people that have done amazing acts of heroism in terrifying situations. These are accomplished generally through either prior conditioning or natural instinct. One example is of firemen who battle through infernos to rescue a person trapped inside. In this situation it is their conditioning and training that wins out over their natural instinct to run. Another example is of a parent, who alone lifts a vehicle off their child who is trapped beneath. Obviously this is accomplished out of pure instinct and not through conditioning or training. It is natural. It is primal.  

 

 

 

Check Out Our Blog For Part Two to This Discussion Titled: The Survival Persona

 

   Berkowitz, L. (1993) Aggression: Its causes, consequences, and control. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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Author Information:

 Sharon Pannell is a self proclaimed "Prepsteader", both prepper and homesteader. She authors the blog The Trailer Park Homesteader and co-authors the A Prepper Quick Tip blog where she teaches others about the importance of disaster preparedness and self-sufficiency. Sharon believes everyday the stuff can hit the fan, it is not one big epic event necessarily and it only takes one set back to create a hardship; so big or small prepare for it all ! Along with her blog, Sharon can also be found managing her other social media sites including her Facebook Page The Trailer Park Homesteader, TTPH Pinterest Page, TTPH Twitter Page. and co-admins the A Prepper Quick Tip Facebook Page.


 

The Survival Persona

What is it and Why is it Important?

 

A persona is “the aspect of someone’s character that is presented to or perceived by others”. It is the part of yourself you represent to the world. Everyone has their own persona that they show to others, however many of them are not genuine. 

 

 

Some people legitimately believe that when the stuff does hit the fan, they are going to transform into some super-human renegade who is a master marksman with ninja-like skills. Admit it, we’ve all seen these types of people. And what is also disturbing is that some of these same people have persuaded others to trust that they will! This can be a dangerous mistake and one that could ultimately costs the lives of those around them if they are unprepared.

 

The grim reality is that some of those people will not be as brave, brazen, or prepared as they boast to be. The average person who has not been through traumatic situations or seen military action, has no experience in combat or the taking of another human life. To be clear, that in itself is not a negative thing by any means. The point is in a desperate and dangerous world after a major shtf situation, much more is needed than a delusional persona.

 

So What Should One Do?

 

That’s an easy question to answer: learn, learn, learn! Knowledge is the number one prep, one can acquire. This knowledge not only includes a multitude of survival skills, but communication and social skills as well. Learning to communicate will help to lead and influence others. Notice it says lead, not control. In a shtf situation the stress levels will be at an all time high, and emotions will be even higher. A family will need a leader, a voice of reason and direction. Good social skills are also important to learn to interact with others comfortably and effectively. These will help to teach a person how to react nonviolently in conflict, and how to use and read nonverbal methods of communication. While it is true that instances of conflict will happen, it is also important to know when it is best to try diffusing a situation.

 

“When force is necessary, it must be applied boldly, decisively, and completely. But one must know the limitations of force; one must know when to blend force with a maneuver, the blow with an agreement.” Leon Trotsky

 

 

 

 

5 Tips of Good Communication:

 

1. The Ability to Actively Listen

2. Adapting to Differing Opinions (Open-mindedness)

3. Taking Responsibility For Your Own Message

4. Clearly & Concisely Conversing With Others

5. Willing to Collaborate and Ask For Clarification if Needed

 

 

5 Ways to Have Better Social Skills:

 

1. Maintain Eye Contact

2. Show Confidence (Body Language - Strong Posture)

3. Show Interest (Ask Questions)

4. Concentrate on the Task or Conversation

5. Echo (Summarize & Repeat if Needing Clarification to Address Concerns)

 

 

How Can You Use Both Sets of These Tips in a Shtf Situation?

 

Building Alliances

Bartering With Others

Group Leadership

Defense & Offense Scenario's

Problem Solving

 

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Author Information:

 Sharon Pannell is a self proclaimed "Prepsteader", both prepper and homesteader. She authors the blog The Trailer Park Homesteader and co-authors the A Prepper Quick Tip blog where she teaches others about the importance of disaster preparedness and self-sufficiency. Sharon believes everyday the stuff can hit the fan, it is not one big epic event necessarily and it only takes one set back to create a hardship; so big or small prepare for it all ! Along with her blog, Sharon can also be found managing her other social media sites including her Facebook Page The Trailer Park Homesteader, TTPH Pinterest Page, and TTPH Twitter Page.

 

D.I.Y “Mom’s Super Laundry Sauce”

Does This Stuff Really Work?

 

 

So for a while now, I had been seeing these posts all over Facebook for this “Mom’s Super Laundry Sauce” Recipe From Liss Burnell at Budget101.com. After reading a lot of the reviews about how amazing this stuff is, I thought I would make some to try out for myself using the “No-Cook” version of the recipe. I documented the process with pictures for future reference and here is what I did:

 

 

First I had my daughter Moo, dice up one bar of Fels-Naptha which is a laundry & stain remover bar that is made by Purex and can be found in the laundry isle of most stores. You split the one bar between two quart size mason jars.

 

 

After we split the bar of soap between the two jars, we added 1 1/2 cups of hot distilled water (we have very hard water) that I ran through our coffee maker, into each jar. We let the jars then sit overnight. 

 

 

The next day the liquid will be a gel like product, take a butter knife and break up the gel! Next, you add in one cup of mule team borax and one cup of washing soda. Fill the jars to the shoulder with hot water.

 

 

Next, make sure your jar tops are dry and clean then put your blender seal on the jar and insert your blade. Then just screw the bottom part on and then blend together on the “whip” setting until it comes out with a mayonnaise like texture.

 

Word of Advice:

 

Make sure after you mix the first jar of soap, you rinse and DRY your seal and blade BEFORE putting it onto the second jar to mix. I did not, and I broke my seal !!!

 

 

Since I broke my seal and did not have a spare, I had to improvise to complete my mixing! I hot glued the blade onto the jar top and mixed it….it worked good, but afterwards I ordered new seals!

 

 

This was the final product, creamy with a bit of a gritty texture.

 

The Real Test:

 

 

 

I was worried that this product would not work well with my brand of washer because it is a H.E. and is a low water washer, meaning that it has a sensor in it the detects the amount of clothing in the washer and only fills it to cover the clothes to a certain point. It does not fill the whole tub with water, ever. Because of this, I can not use powered laundry soap because it never dissolves completely and comes out on the clothing.

 

Surprisingly….This Product Worked Well !

 

You simply add one tablespoon into each load, makes enough for 128 loads!

 

The clothes came out clean, smelling good, and there was no extra product left in my washer.. what a relief!

 

I would definitely recommend this product to everyone to try!

 

Liss Burnell has a recipe for either a cooked version or a no-cook version.

 

 

Here is the link to both:

 

Cook Version -

 

http://www.budget101.com/myo-household-items/whipped-cream-super-laundry-soap-3993.html

 

No-Cook Version-

 

 http://www.budget101.com/myo-household-items/5-minute-no-cook-laundry-detergent-recipe-4075.html

 

 

If You Try it Out, Tell Us Your Thoughts!

 

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Author Information:

Sharon Pannell is a self proclaimed "Prepsteader", both prepper and homesteader. She authors the blog The Trailer Park Homesteader and co-authors at the A Prepper Quick Tip blog where she teaches others about the importance of disaster preparedness and self-sufficiency. Sharon believes everyday the stuff can hit the fan, it is not one big epic event necessarily and it only takes one set back to create a hardship; so big or small prepare for it all ! Along with her blog, Sharon can also be found managing her other social media sites including her Facebook Page The Trailer Park Homesteader, TTPH Pinterest Page, and TTPH Twitter Page.

D.I.Y Family Size Meals in a Bag…

How We Made Our Own Meals in Mylar

 

The Purpose:

We made 39 meals all using dry ingredients this past weekend to add to our long-term food storage. The idea behind it was to make meals that already had all the necessary items and spices in the bag, and we could simply just add hot water to reconstitute when needed. In thinking about what kind of meals to make, we chose to go with a few soups, a couple varieties of seasoned beans, mac & cheese, black beans & rice, sugar & cinnamon oatmeal, and some biscuit mix. These are great items for camping and prepping!

Potential Fails:

As mentioned, these meals are were made with the idea of being ‘ready-to-go’. That mindset was kept throughout the process, and so all spices were mixed in with the items. Afterwards, the realization came that perhaps we should have put the seasoning in separate smaller bags within the main bag? But if you try this method, you can decide which would be best for you. These items are intended for use with a Cast Iron Dutch Oven.

Exact Items We Used:
1 Quart Mylar Bags: Find Them Here
Provident Pantry Butter Powder: Find it Here
Provident Pantry Shortening Powder: Find it Here
Oxygen Absorbers 2000cc 30 Pack: Find Them Here
Norpro 3245 Grip Easy Manual Pastry Blender: Find it Here

You need the various ingredients, Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, pastry cutter, and a sealer (we used a hair straightener on the highest setting, worked perfectly!). Make sure you are storing your oxygen absorbers in a sealed glass jar to keep them fresh. Leave them in the jar until you are ready to seal everything at once. You don’t want them to go bad before you get to use them!
Remember: to seal half of the bag, press out all the air you can, then add the oxygen absorber at the end and seal the bag. Getting all the air out before you add in the absorber, will ensure it’s effectiveness.

Recipes:

 

Super Easy Seasoned Split Pinto Beans:

This is one of the two simplest recipes we bagged. You can do it one of two ways, first you can either cook one pound of your beans, then dehydrate them, and bag or put them in the bag uncooked. Then add 3 tablespoons of Fiesta Brand Pinto Bean Seasoning. See, told you it was simple! The specific seasoning mentioned is amazing and can be used in a variety of bean dishes. If you have freeze dried ham or bacon, you can add it to the bags for more flavor if you’d like. Note: for our recipe, we did not cook the beans ahead of time and plan to use our Cast Iron Dutch Oven to cook them.

Just As Easy Seasoned Navy Beans:

This is the second easiest recipe's that we put together, (don’t worry they get better). We used triple cleaned navy beans that we found on clearance in one pound bags for .55 each at the dollar store! You can also pre-cook the beans, then dehydrate them, and bag or like we did; just throw them in uncooked. Once again we added 3 tablespoons of Fiesta Brand Pinto Bean Seasoning to the beans, seal half way, press out air, throw in one oxygen absorber, and seal. Bam, easy as that nine pounds ready to go!

Lentil Soup Dry Mix:

2 Cups Lentils
1/4 cup Minced Onion (dried)
1/4 cup Dehydrated Green Peppers
2 tbs. Parsley
1 1/2 tsp. Thyme (dried)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (dried)

Combine all ingredients, bag per previous instructions. To cook add 6 cups of water, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender. If you have diced tomatoes add in a 14 ounce can, or if you have dehydrated tomatoes you can add one cup in also. (you can also substitute some of the water, and use 2 cups of chicken broth {reduced sodium} and then only use 4 cups of water.)

Chicken & Rice Soup:

2 Cups Rice
1/2 cup Minion Onion (dried)
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4  cup Chicken Base or Bullion
1 cup Freeze Dried or Dehydrated carrots (optional)
1 cup Freeze Dried or Dehydrated Celery (optional)
2 tbs. Parsley (Dried)
1 Cup Freeze Dried Chicken (optional)

Combine and bag per previous instructions. To Cook: Put all in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven, add 7 cups of water, cover, and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is done. (You can substitute 6 cups of the water for low sodium chicken broth and use one cup of water; if you have it available.)

Black Beans & Rice:

2 Cups Rice (for this we used pre-cooked, then dehydrated rice that we had stored, but it is optional)
2 Cups Pre-Cooked & Dehydrated Black Beans (can use uncooked)
1/2 cup Minced Onion (dried)
1 tsp. Oregano (dried)
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

Combine all and bag per previous instructions. (you can add in 1/2 cup tomato powder while bagging, or one can of stewed tomatoes when your cooking). To Cook: Mix with 4 cups of water, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is done.

Ready-to-Go Mac & Cheese:

One Pound (16 oz.) Macaroni Noodles
1/2 Cup Cheese Powder (Kraft Cheese Powder)
1/4 Cup Powdered Butter (Provident Pantry Butter Powder)

Combine all and bag per previous instructions. To Cook: Mix with 5 cups of water, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes or until noodles are done.

Cinnamon & Sugar Oatmeal:

3 Cups of Quick Oats
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cinnamon
2 tbs. Powdered Butter (Provident Pantry Butter Powder) (optional)

Combine all and bag per previous instructions. To Cook: Boil 5 3/4 cups water, add in mix, cook for 1 minute. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Trailer Park Biscuit & Drop Biscuit Mix:

5 cups All Purpose Flour
3 tbs. Baking Powder
2 tsp. Salt (I used sea salt)
1 cup Powdered Shortening (Provident Pantry Shortening Powder)
1/2 cup Powdered Butter (Provident Pantry Butter Powder)

Makes Approx. 6-7 Biscuits

Combine all and bag per previous instructions. To Make: Add full bag to 1/2 - 1 cup of water (add slowly, so you can judge if you need the entire amount). You may have noticed that this recipe does not include milk or sugar like some, but it is a great and versatile recipe still. If you would like to replace the water with milk it works fine as well. These work terrific in cast iron and are warm and buttery! (can be thinned to make pancakes as well)

*NOTE: if you double this recipe you will make enough for 5 quart size Mylar bags as we did. We separated it all out evenly in 5 different bags, this is why you have to slowly add water until you get the consistency that you need.

To Use For Drop Biscuits: use one entire bag of mix & decrease water to 1/4 - 3/4 cup; add to soups as you’d like.

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In Total We Made:

 

 

 

39 Ready To Go Meals: 9 Seasoned Navy Beans, 5 Chicken & Rice Soup Mixes, 2 Seasoned Split Pinto Beans, 6 Lentil Soup Mixes, 6 Mac & Cheese, 5 Biscuit Mixes, 3 Black Beans & Rice, and 3 Cinnamon & Sugar Oatmeal.

          
  
                                        

If You Have Any Questions, Feel Free to Leave a Comment or Message Us on Facebook!

(Also Feel Free To Test & Exchange Ingredients to Your own Liking)

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Author Information:

Sharon Pannell is a self proclaimed "Prepsteader", both prepper and homesteader. She authors the blog The Trailer Park Homesteader and co-authors on the A Prepper Quick Tip Blog where she teaches others about the importance of disaster preparedness and self-sufficiency. Sharon believes everyday the stuff can hit the fan, it is not one big epic event necessarily and it only takes one set back to create a hardship; so big or small prepare for it all ! Along with her blog, Sharon can also be found managing her other social media sites including her Facebook Page The Trailer Park Homesteader, TTPH Pinterest Page, and TTPH Twitter Page.

 

 

How To Live and Prep For Under $1500 a Month

 

 

While many people think that discussing personal finances publicly is not only wrong, some would probably be mortified to do so. I on the other hand, decided to write this to show you that you don't have to be rich to begin prepping. Our family manages to live on a monthly net income of under $1500. While to some that number may seem low, you learn to work with what you have! We know  that there are many other families like us out there, who are trying to live and prep on small incomes too. We hope that these tips will be helpful.

 

 

 Remember it's not about amassing unreasonable amounts of supplies; it's about doing what you can, with what you have!

 

 

Five Tips To Help

 

 

1. Appreciate What You Have

 

In today's society we live in a world where instant gratification and the power of the dollar is everything. I am here to assure you... it's not ! If we don't learn to appreciate and be thankful for what we have now, do we really deserve to be blessed with more? Learn to appreciate the little things. If you have a roof over your head, food in your fridge, and a loving family... then you have more then some people out there. Never take those for granted and don't forget being broke is not the same as being poor.

 

 

2. Don't Spend, What You Don't Have!

 

If you don't keep track of where your money goes each month, it is easy to lose track of it all together. Create a budget of some sort that helps you to track your expenses. This can help you watch those pennies at work! Ditch the credit cards they are only hurting you further. Even if you are making those monthly payments the interest alone is putting you in debt. Instead try to pay for things in cash, that way when it's gone you're done. Never, never, get yourself into more debt to prep! Bills and necessities come first, then and only then use a portion of the left over money to purchase your supplies. Notice I said portion, not all. The last thing you need to do is to spend whatever you actually have left over and something unexpectedly comes up and you have no way to take care of it.

 

 

3. Live Frugally

 

There are many ways to stretch those dollars by living frugally. A couple of examples of this is to make your own cleaning and hygiene products. One way we do this is to make our own laundry soaps. The initial investment  is around $10-$15 and with that we can make a years worth of detergent. Think of how much that could save your family, and that's just making one product. We also make our own fabric softener, dryer sheets, dish washer cubes, and all purpose cleaning spray. Another way to save money is to coupon, but learn to do it correctly. If you just clip one or two here and there you will not see the benefit. However, if you find out what stores double coupons, their limits for 'like' coupons (meaning the same coupon), and go on sites like Consumer Queen or The Krazy Coupon Lady to use their store match-ups you can save hundreds. They also have sections on their sites to teach you how to coupon if you would like to get further information. In my experience I have learned to spend $80 in a shopping trip and save up to $300 !  (See one of my own hauls Here) Another way to be frugal is to learn to grow your own food! Yes, gardening can save you hundreds and potentially thousands if you use standard or heirloom seeds (not hybrids) then grow your own food and save the seeds for future planting. Also learn to preserve those garden goodies through methods like canning, dehydrating, and freezing. For meats check into local butcher shops or buy in bulk. Just like vegetables and fruits, meats can also be canned, froze, or dehydrated for long term storage. By the way, you can also save tons of money by cooking and eating at home.

 

 

4. Barter, Side Work, and Sell Your Junk!

 

One good practice to use now is bartering. People have been bartering and trading since the beginning of time. You can barter for items or services to help you further in your prepping. You could also make a little extra money through finding side work if your able. Whether it is through family, friends, posting flyers, or through just simply checking out online resources for labor help on sites like craigslist. Another great way to make some extra money is by organizing your home, garage, or storage shed and selling what you don't use. We all have extra stuff just sitting around, so why not turn that stuff into cash! Facebook has many online garage sell sites that allow you to post items and let the buyers come to you. You can also check out your local craigslist and post the stuff to sell for free.

 

 

5. Choose Quality Investments

 

So what do I mean by quality investments? I'm specifically talking about survival tools and supplies that you will purchase for your prepping. While it would be nice to have the funds to buy the survival store out, it's simply not feasible. Make sure that you are using your money wisely and buying products that are of good quality. Do the research and read the reviews, they matter. In the event of a crisis the supplies you have, ultimately may need to save your life so don't take chances! Comparison shop and read the details of each product. Search for information and videos of the products in action. Once you find a good quality product and are comfortable with your research, go for it! This may sound obvious, but next learn how to use it properly now while you have the time. Remember, knowledge is power and when shtf it is live saving!

 

 

 

 We Welcome Your Questions and Comments!

 

 

 

(I receive no compensation for the links included in this article, only including them as a resource)

 

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Author Information:

 

Sharon Pannell is a self proclaimed "Prepsteader", both prepper and homesteader. She authors the blog The Trailer Park Homesteader and guest authors on the A Prepper Quick Tip Blog where she teaches others about the importance of disaster preparedness and self-sufficiency. Sharon believes everyday the stuff can hit the fan, it is not one big epic event necessarily and it only takes one set back to create a hardship; so big or small prepare for it all ! Along with her blog, Sharon can also be found managing her other social media sites including her Facebook Page The Trailer Park Homesteader, TTPH Pinterest Page, and TTPH Twitter Page.

Carla's Chicken Enchiladas

Carla's Chicken Enchiladas   

       Hello, this is my Chicken Enchiladas, hope you make them and enjoy them as much as we do!