Right now, you can save over 40% at Amazon on the All-American 30-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner that I use.  This 30-quart model holds 19 pint or 14 quart jars to speed your canning projects along. It’s the perfect Mother’s Day gift to yourself!

I love my Wonder Mill Electric Whisper Mill . I’ve been using it for nearly 10 years now, and grinding beautiful fine flours for all of my baking.  Nothing beats using freshly ground warm wheat flour for a batch of homemade whole wheat bread.  The results are mouthwatering!

Lately, I’ve been considering which manual grain mill to purchase. Clearly, my many buckets of wheat will not yield the breads my family loves if we were without power. I need a grinder that will work without electricity.  One common complaint with manual grain mills is that they don’t easily grind grains into fine flour. The new Victorio Deluxe Grain Mill seems to be a great solution for grinding grains into fine flours before and after an apocalypse. This grain mill provides home cooks with the ability to use an attached hand crank, or to add an electric drive motor (sold separately) to grind grains with or without electricity.  It features a large hopper for the grains, and grinds better than previous models. The Victorio Deluxe Grain Mill with electric motor also makes it possible to store only one, more compact mill, versus a hand mill and an electric mill. It’s a nice option, especially those who don’t grind wheat frequently, but want to have all of the necessary tools to use their food storage.

I will likely still use my WhisperMill for most grinding, because of its speed and ease, since I grind wheat on a regular basis. However, I like that the Victorio model has evolved into this nice compact mill that works great for manual use.  The best price on this item is through Alison’s Pantry (at just $86.99 this month) , if you have a Representative in your area.   If you don’t, I’ve linked to this product on Amazon.com from this post so you can purchase one for yourself no matter where you live.

Now bake a batch of heavenly homemade bread and you’ll easily convince your husband that the purchase of a new grain mill is a much better investment than a new iPad 3!

I love cookbooks almost as much as sappy romance novels, and I’ve found a new one to recommend.  I’ve been baking bread for over a decade, but attended a class by author Lori Viets and learned that each of us can improve on this great homemaking skill.  Lori’s book, No More Bricks! Successful Whole Grain Bread Made Quick & Easy, is the perfect introductory guide for first-time breadmakers, but it also includes tips and recipes that experienced bakers will appreciate.

It includes four master recipes for Whole Wheat Oatmeal, Honey Whole Wheat, Whole Wheat Rye, and Soft Wheat Egg Dough with over 30 variations to swirl in mix-ins, top with cracked grains, shape into dinner rolls and bread bowls, and create homemade pizzas and stromboli.  The techniques and photos are easy to follow, and I enjoyed the nutritional information on whole grains as well.  Lori’s Whole Wheat Oatmeal recipe has become a new family staple at my house!

This is a perfect gift for a new bride, or just for yourself.  I’ll be using some of these recipes and techniques to teach my own daughters the art of breadmaking.  If you’d like to order one for yourself, just click the photo below.  I’ve linked it to Amazon, where you’ll find the cookbook at the best price.

I gained some insight this week on how we can help each other by sharing our preparedness knowledge.  I received a call from Brian Grobman, a staff member for the Anderson show (as in Anderson Cooper, *gasp*), who interviewed me about food storage and preparedness. Shortly into the call, I realized that a) a family with 5 kids is shocking to our friends in the East and b) there is much that we can share with each other to become more prepared for the unexpected. Brian explained that Anderson would be doing a segment with the Doomsday Preppers cast, and was looking for  a person who could share preparedness information that everyday people could relate to. Basic, practical food storage and emergency preparedness tips.

In our community of food storage bloggers, sometimes we forget that much of our country is just starting out in this process. As fun as it is to share tips on vacuum sealing and how to store large amounts of food in smaller spaces, sometimes we need the reminder that many people just need to hear how to prep a 72-hour kit and store some water. I thoroughly enjoyed my call with Brian, and later with his colleague Katya, chatting about food storage.  I didn’t end up flying to New York to participate in the show with the Doomsday Prepper cast. Alas, they chose Betsy of survivallady.com, who did a wonderful job sharing preparedness tips.  (I’m honored to see that she has included All About Food Storage in her blogroll. Thanks, Betsy!)

Anderson Doomsday Preppers Segment

I love that Doomsday Preppers is drawing attention to the benefits of food storage and preparedness, and that these skills of self-reliance are becoming mainstream. My husband quips that the new pick up line may become, “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be in a bomb shelter with than you!” Awww…

Photo from ourbestbites.com

With all the zucchini from this year’s harvest, there’s plenty to enjoy both recipes!

I get a lot of my food storage products through Alison’s Pantry, a foods company based in Pleasant Grove, UT that delivers products through local Reps in 10 states.  They sell bulk grains, fresh spices in 1 lb. bags, and a delicious line of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables (Achieve), plus buckets and other food storage containers to organize everything.  (I’m not only the AP Sales Manager, I’m also a client…” ) If you live in one of the states below, this month you can earn a chance to win a $100 Alison’s Pantry gift certificate just by signing up to receive e-mail updates on AP sales and special product offers.

• Utah
• Arizona
• Colorado
• Idaho
• New Mexico
• Wyoming
• Montana
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• South Dakota

Just click HERE to join the mailing list. The winner will be drawn on July 11th, and posted to the Alison’s Pantry Facebook page.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43221576/ns/business-consumer_news/?GT1=43001

I found it scary initially, but then thought, “Isn’t this why we’re trying to be diligent about preparedness?”  I still feel faith instead of fear will keep us fed.  Be consistent and organized with planning your food storage, and continue to improve your supply week by week.

1. Offer to present a free mini-class in your area on preparing food storage recipes, or planning your year-supply.  You can even do this in your home with a few friends.  You may be surprised how many people would love to learn what you know!
2. Take a few jars of your prized peaches and leave them on the doorsteps of friends with a note that encourages them to share their bounty with someone else in the area.
3. Help a friend build a few shelves in her storage room to hold more food storage.
4. Teach your kids frugality by inviting them to help you cut coupons and shop for toothpaste, shampoo, and soap to replenish your supply. (The blessing of teaching your children the value of a dollar will always come back around.)
5. Bake something using food storage ingredients and take it to a neighbor who could use a pick-me-up (include the recipe).

I’d love to hear your creative ideas too!

Click HERE for a link to the Pay It Forward Day website, where you can download free printable tags to introduce others to the idea of paying it forward. Enjoy your day!

Too much rain in the corn areas has delayed planting, so only a record corn crop will keep the supply from being depleted next year. Watch for case-lot sales on canned and frozen corn if your family enjoys this vegetable.  I also store freeze-dried corn, which is compact and light-weight, retains the most nutrition, and rehydrates with sweet flavor. 

With steadily increasing fuel prices, we are starting to see people  cut back on their miles driven and some companies are charging higher delivery fees.  It’s a good time to inventory your food storage supplies, see where items may be lacking and search for the best prices to replenish your supply.  Consider whether your inventory has all of the ingredients for meals your family enjoys.  Higher fuel costs will lead to rising food prices in general.

Be prepared, not fearful!