Chcken Coop

Preparedness Challenge 31

Today is our 31st Preparedness Challenge, but its a new beginning as well. Starting with todays challenge, we will be welcoming our new sponsors USA Emergency Supply (representing Emergency Preparedness) and Tattler Reusable Canning Lids (representing food storage)!

Since we didnt have a December Preparedness Challenge, its been a while since weve come together to talk preparedness. Let me just emphasis the three areas we are concentrating on (because there are so many things one could be prepared for!):

• Food Storage: this is basically to have a "savings account" of food for hard times which could be as a result of any number of things including a job loss, a cut in pay, an illness, etc.

• Emergency Preparedness: for the unexpected major events in life whether its a power outage due to weather, an earthquake, a sudden collapse in the economy, etc.

• Sustainable Living: because the best way to be prepared is to have sources close to home - like your own back yard!

If youre new to prepping, you may wish to read my older posts on preparedness (start with the last post and read forward), but keep in mind that youll need to read more than one or two posts to get a fuller picture of what I mean when I use the term preparedness. Not everyone has the same views on the subject, so please dont assume... read what I say, what others say, and then pray about what God would have you do. Each person will prep differently because needs are different from family to family.



Now for my list this month. As Ive mentioned before, I tend to focus on the sustainable living much easier than the food storage and emergency preparedness, but thats why the challenge is so good for me; it keeps pushing me so as not to neglect these last two categories! Personally, I want to do something in each category every month (or more if I can). Its up to you how much you prepare each month, but I hope the challenge will keep preparedness in the forefront of your mind since its apt to slip to last place on our to-do list!

Heres what I did this month in each category...

• Food Storage: Added venison (2 doe) to my freezer and thus my food storage for the rest of the winter!
• Emergency Preparedness: {sigh...} I dropped the ball on this one! But I did clip a coupon for a fire extinguisher on sale at Costco. Next trip!
• Sustainable Living: I attended a beekeeping meeting and learned about top bar hive methods. Then came home and did a little more research on it. Also, I watched a movie about permaculture agriculture (more on that next week), and I spent time locating a major item needed for this project. Im still waiting on calls back, but its in process. I know this isnt much, but I have about 5 things on my plate that Im working on so that Februarys challenge should easily make up for the small showing today!

Now its your turn to join the Preparedness Challenge. Just write a post on something you did this week to prepare and then link up below or leave a comment. Even one thing a week adds up and it will encourage you to do even more! And by participating in the challenge, it will get you thinking about prepping on a regular basis. The three areas we are focusing on include: 




And dont forget our give away prize from USA Emergency Supply... a 5 gallon water barrel. You can store water in lots of items, but if you need to do it safely and without compromising the integrity of your container, this is an item you should consider (read more here).




Join the Challenge & Enter The Give Away

Leave a comment on something you did this week to be more prepared OR link up your Preparedness Challenge blog post (one or the other please). Posts not related to one of the three areas of preparedness will not be counted toward the give-away. Please be sure to clearly state in your comment or post what you did this month to be more prepared. The three areas we are focusing on include: 
• food storage 
• emergency preparedness 
• sustainable living.