I bought all of this wheat... now what do I do with it?

A good friend of mine has been teaching some of the "willing" how to venture into the uncharted territory of cooking with wheat .  She uses wheat in some form on a daily basis. Recently, a large group of us ordered a ton of wheat, literally! Now, we are exploring ways to utilize it to feed the hungry masses within the walls of our own homes.  

On another note, There is a great deal on a HAND CRANK GRAIN MILL through Emergency Essentials. 

Do you have a grain mill for all that wheat you bought? This one works great. If you want an inexpensive way to get started grinding your own flour or as a back up in case of a power failure... Our group rate is through Emergency Essentials www.beprepared.com. Right now you can get a Victorio Hand Grain Mill which is normally $69.95 for only $45.00. This is a great price on a must have item for anyone who stores wheat. I have one as a back up. We only have a week before the order will be submitted. If you are interested let me know soon.

Just Desserts...

It's day three of my November Food Storage Challenge" I've hid the checkbook & debt card.  My goal this time is to spend "0" dollars on grocery & household items.  I did take time last month to inventory my pantry & fridge. I purchased the items I was running low on, fresh eggs, milk etc.

I've also been searchng for fun fall recipes to utilize in my challenge.  I'm particularly curious about soups, stews & slow cooker recipies.  One of my favorite websites is "Our Best Bites".  My favorite fall recipe for today was their yummy "Pumpkin-Ginger Pizookies"  You can check them out here: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/11/pumpkin-ginger-pizzookies/ . 
OK, so I got side-tracked!  Dessert is an important component of a balanced meal plan, right!

Checking out my stockpile, I was pleasantly suprised to discover that I have everything on hand to make this dessert, EVEN THE HOMEMADE ICE CREAM!  My plan is to serve it sometime during the week of Thanksgiving.  I'll let you know how it goes. Until then I'm sure to dream of ginger, carmel & pumpkin ice-cream, Yum!

Our Newly Created Logo!

                                                Design by:  Anna Page Photography

The whole premise of this blog is to promote provident living. I hope to share creative and effective ways to utilize the resources around me to foster self reliance. Two of the best resources I have are my family and friends. Today I have listed the most economical sources to “Shop for the Basics” in our local and surrounding geographical location. Thank you to Tracy Roney and Katie Wiens for all the hard work required to compile the information below. For those who would like for me to email the entire cost comparison spreadsheet, post a request and I will be sure you receive it. By sharing ideas, resources and local money saving opportunities, we will be able to maximize our efforts to educate, save and prosper. With that in mind, my adventure continues.

Comparison Shopping for the Basics (lowest prices):

WHEAT BERRY 25#: $11.45 / oz: 0.028 LDS Church
DRY MILK 25#: $47.20 / oz: 0.118 LDS Church
FLOUR 50#: $12.99 / oz: 0.016 Costco
CORN MEAL 25#: $14.00 / oz: 0.035 Winco (B)
SUGAR 50#: $30.79 per oz: 0.038 Costco
BROWN SUGAR 50#: $34.29 / oz: 0.04 Cash/Carry
BAKING SODA 13#5oz:$5.99 / oz:0.028 Costco
BAKING POWDER 4#: $3.35 / oz: 0.052 Winco (B)
SALT 25#: $ 3.99 / oz: 0.01 Costco
YEAST 2#: $3.99 / oz: 0.124 Costco
HONEY 6#: $13.99 / oz: 0.145 Costco
MOLASSES 1gal: $9.88 / oz: 0.077 Cash/Carry
OIL (Canola) 1gal/1pint:$7.99 / oz:0.049 Costco
Shortening 35#: $25.79 / oz: 0.046 Costco
Pasta (spaghetti) .75/#: oz: 0.047 Winco (B)
Dry Pinto Bean 25#: $17.49 / oz: 0.043 Costco
Rice 50#: $22.99 / oz: 0.029 Costco
Quick Oats 25#: $12.00 / oz: 0.03 Winco (B)

*(B) Bulk

Evaluate, Prepare & Simplify...

October has been a month of evaluation, preparation & simplification. My September Food Storage Challenge ended well. It was a success & I stayed within my $38.00 budget. By utilizing the stockpile I had on hand and trades I made with friends, we faired quite well for the month. Although I was prepared to continue the challenge through October, I modified my efforts for the month. My challenge will begin anew on November 1st. I hope to share some of what I've learned in the weeks to come. Many ideas, good suggestions and food for thought (no pun intended)...

"It Just Popped into My Head"

I was recently asked this question:  "What motivated you to start this self-imposed challenge"?  My first response was that it just popped into my head! 

Granted I have toyed with using my food stockpile in the past, but never to this extent.  And, anyone who really knows me understands that I definitely prefer anonymity.  Now I’ve gone and “told the world” what I’m doing which defiantly elevates the challenge.

My underlying premise is this, self-reliance is multi-faceted. As vital as the material element will be to my success, I also believe that spiritual, mental and physical preparedness are equally important and key to my challenge.  I need to be an open vessel with no preconceived notions or inhibitions.  Hopefully this will teach me and anyone who is so inclined a few things about how to thrive in this wild and unpredictable economy.  This life is meant to challenge so, here I go ... detours, pitfalls and wild beasts, watch out!  I’m no ordinary tourist in this jungle!

What Was I Thinking!

What was I thinking!  A few days ago I challenged myself to live entirely off of my food stockpile & the remainder of my August 2011 grocery budget ( $37) for the entire month of September. Once that cash is spent, there will be no more grocery funds available for the rest of the month. It's now day four and I've got this crazy notion bouncing around in my brain that I can work this challenge and go well beyond September 30th.  It's time to dust off my creativity cap and see what I can come up with.  How prepared am I really?