PROJECT NOAH-FEBRUARY WEEKS #7-8

So...you may have noticed I missed a couple of weeks there. I apologize.

Getting back on track!

Purchase Items

1. 6 lbs. of yeast (essential for turning wheat into bread). Freezing extends shelf life.

2. Something from the Dry-Pack. (Wheat, Flour or Potatoes)

3. 5 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup-write date with permanent marker

4. 1 bottle multi-vitamins

Activity (FHE or Saturday)

Video or photograph your home’s belongings for insurance purposes and fun family memories. Don’t forget to open the cupboards, show closets and garage. Have your kids give a guided tour of their rooms. Make a backup copy and store at another location i.e.: work, relative’s or friend’s house.

NEW CATEGORY!!!

Each month we will add suggestions for "Emergency Essentials."

This month's item is a batteryless radio (solar or crank powered)

March Dry Pack items are Powdered Milk, Macaroni, and Rice.

PROJECT NOAH-FEBRUARY WEEK #6

Purchase Items

1. 6 lbs. of salt

2. Think long term! It’s time to plant bare-root fruit trees or berry canes. Consider “fruit salad” trees (four fruits on one root stalk) or mixed apple trees for a variety all in one, or an espalier tree for very limited space. If you have a wet patch in your yard or a fence or hill to cover, berries love extra water and something to climb.

3. Fire-proof box

Activity (FHE or Saturday)

Make copies of your deeds, titles, insurance policies, social security cards, birth certificates and other important papers. Put the originals in a fire-proof box. Store extra copies at a trusted relative’s house or bank deposit box.

Dry Pack  

February’s items are Wheat, Flour & Potatoes.

PROJECT NOAH-JANUARY WEEK #5

Purchase Items

1. 20 lbs. of sugar (if you didn’t do Dry Pack) OR 5 lbs. of honey

2. Large box of Band-aids

Activity (FHE or Saturday)

Show your WHOLE family where the emergency shut-offs are for gas, water and electricity. Here is the FEMA guidelines on shutting off utilities. Explain in detail how and when to turn them off. You may want to write the instructions out and post nearby or print the FEMA page. Consider taping or hanging a wrench also.

Dry Pack Order

February Dry Pack items are Wheat, Flour and Potatoes. Canned Dry Pack flour has a “best if used by” date of 5 years. It can start to have a metallic taste that can transfer into your baked goods. If you have an open bag of flour, it can go rancid after several months. You may need to check your flour and see if you need to replace it.

So this concludes our first month of Project Noah. We are interested in your feedback. Is this a useful program? Is your family participating? Are you still opening my emails? Comment here or drop me a line if you are still participating!

PROJECT NOAH-JANUARY WEEK #4

Purchase Items

1. 8 cans of tomato sauce or tomato soup (write date)
2. 2 Gallons of regular Clorox Bleach
3. Batteries needed for flashlights, radios and smoke alarms



Activity (FHE or Saturday)

Check the flashlights, radios and smoke alarms in your home and make sure they are ready for an emergency. Buy needed batteries to have them working and maybe some extra to have on hand.



Dry Pack 

February's Dry Pack items are Wheat, Flour and Potatoes.
Wheat is the cheapest, the most nutritious and the longest lasting food storage item. Adults need 400 pounds of grain per year. Make wheat the foundation of your food storage. Brigham Young said,” The time will come that gold will hold no caparison in value to a bushel of wheat.” (JD, 1:250)
If you are going to store wheat, however, you need to know how to turn it into food your family can eat.  Anyone have some great recipes/food prep suggestions for wheat?  Please leave comments here!!

PROJECT NOAH-JANUARY WEEK #3

Purchase Items


1. 6 lbs shortening-sticks or can(write date, FREEZE)
2. 1 Gallon of Water per person (write date on lids)
3. Dry Pack (Oats, Sugar and Cocoa)



Activity (FHE or Saturday)

Now that you have your inventory and have calculated what you need (week 1&2 activities), try to calculate the total cost.  Here is the price list for the Home Storage Center.    Dry Pack ordering can be an economical way to build your basic supplies.  This week will involve a little more research to calculate the cost of items you intend to purchase elsewhere.  Once you have an estimated total, divide that total cost by 12 months and see how much needs to be purchased each month. Make a plan that works for your budget.

PROJECT NOAH-JANUARY WEEK #2

Purchase Items

1. 8 cans of tuna, (or chicken or whatever canned meat your family will eat) write date on lids

2. Something from the Dry Pack items for January (Quick Oats, Sugar, or Cocoa)

Activity (FHE or Saturday)

Now that your food storage inventory is done, it’s time to find out how much your family needs and where you might be short in your inventory. It is also a good time to set your goals for the year. I know, you thought I was going to tell you what to buy and take all the thinking out of the job for you. Unfortunately, everyone's needs and resources vary, so I can't give you a one size fits all program.

If you follow this program for the next 50 weeks, you will accumulate the following:

1 fine point Sharpie

5 gallons of Water per person(plus 3 more in 72 hour kit)

Peanut butter

8 cans of Tuna or Meat

6 lbs. of Shortening

8 cans of Tomato Soup/Sauce

2 gallons of Bleach

Batteries for flashlights, radios & smoke alarms

20 lbs. of sugar or 5 lbs. of honey

Large box of Band-aids

6 lbs. of salt

Fruit tree or berry canes

Fire-proof box

6 lbs. of yeast

5 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 bottle of Multi-Vitamins

7 boxes Macaroni & Cheese/Macaroni

10 lbs. Powdered Milk

Large package of Toilet Paper

8 cans of a Vegetable

A hand-operated Can Opener

8 cans of Pineapple or Mandarins

Large box/bag of Rice

Jam or Jelly

Feminine Hygiene Products

2 lbs. of Beef Jerky

2 bars of Soap per person

6 cans of Chili or Beans

Large plastic bottle of cooking oil

Diapers/Formula/Contact solutions/RXs

Large box/bag of Dried Fruit

Large box of Matches

Charcoal/Sterno/Wood/Propane

Spices & Herbs

Bouillon Cubes

4 lbs. Spaghetti

4 bottles/cans Spaghetti Sauce

3 boxes Baking Soda

20 lbs. of Flour (total)

1 can of Baking Powder

6 lbs. dried Beans, Lentils or Split Peas

1 large bottle of Tylenol or Motrin

8 cans of a favorite Vegetable

Shampoo, Toothbrushes & Toothpaste

3 large cans Fruit Cocktail

Backpack, Duffel Bag or Wheelie Suitcase*

1 large container powdered Tang or Lemonade

Battery-powered or hand-crank Radio & extra Batteries*

8 cans Beef Stew, Raviolis or other meal in a can

Light-weight Flashlight & extra Batteries*

Pick an item YOU would like to store

1 Whistle and Dust Masks for everyone*

White Wheat from Cannery

Moist towelettes, garbage bags & ties for sanitation*

2 large boxes Instant Potatoes

2 large boxes Regular Oatmeal

Basic First Aid Kit*

5 Bottles 100% Fruit Juice

Plastic Sheeting & Duct Tape for shelter (or tent)*

Vegetable Seeds

Water, 1 gallon per person per day for AT LEAST 3 days*

2 large boxes Saltine, Ritz or Graham Crackers

At least a 3 day supply of non-perishable food & can opener*

Large can/bag Nuts or Trail Mix

Local maps (road & topographic)*

5 boxes Dried Cereal

Wrench or pliers to shut off utilities*

5 cans Cream of Chicken Soup

2 lbs. Margarine or Butter (date & freeze)

1 large box/bag Pancake Mix

1 large bottle Maple/Berry Syrup

3 lbs. Brown Sugar

1 large bag Chocolate Chips

1box of Cornmeal

6 cans of Evaporated Milk

6 cans of Refried Beans & Green Chilies

6 cans ready-to-eat Soup

1 Crowbar ∆

4 cans Green Beans or Peas

1 large bottle Dish Soap

Pliers, Screwdriver & Wrench∆

3 large cans Peaches

Hammer∆

6 cans Beef or Chicken chunks

1 large box Stuffing mix

1 Mess kit per family member∆

Compass & Flare signal∆

4 large cans or bottles Applesauce

2 large boxes Granola bars

Duct & Plumber’s tape or Strap Iron∆

Needles & thread∆

4 large cans whole or diced Tomatoes

Assorted Nails & Wood screws∆

Patch kit & can of Seal-in-air for tires∆

2 lbs of shelled Walnuts, Almonds or Pecans

Matches in waterproof container∆

*72 hour kit items ∆ Tool items

Comparing this list to your calculated needs will allow you to see gaps you might need to fill in independently of our Project Noah experiment.

The following message from the First Presidency can be found in the pamphlet "Prepare Every Needful Thing:"

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to“prepare every needful thing” (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity

come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops

as they care for others.

We encourage Church members worldwide to prepare for adversity

in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in

savings.

We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your

savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into

debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you

can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve.

We realize that some of you may not have financial resources or

space for such storage. Some of you may be prohibited by law from

storing large amounts of food. We encourage you to store as much as

circumstances allow.

May the Lord bless you in your home storage efforts.

The First Presidency

With this guidance in mind, consider your aims for the year. There are many useful tools for calculating the needs for your family. This handy link calculates for you exactly what you need based simply on the number/ages of people in your family:

I found this pdf of the booklet "Essentials of Home Production and Storage." On pages 20-27 it has a handy chart for filling in your family's needs and your current storage. This booklet also has a lot of recipes and tips for food storage and may be worth checking out, even if you don't use the chart.

There are about a billion other tools out there for calculating what/how much you need to buy. A few more guidelines I found:

The recommended amounts of basic food items per person for each month is as follows:

• Grains 25lbs
• Beans 5lbs
• Powder Milk 5lbs
• Sugar or Honey 5lbs
• Fat and Oils 1lb
• Salt 1/2lb
• Water (see water storage)

SUGGESTED AMOUNTS OF BASIC FOODS FOR HOME STORAGE*

Per adult for one year

Grains lbs. 400

Legumes** lbs. 60

Powdered milk lbs. 16

Cooking oil qts. 10

Sugar or honey lbs. 60

Salt lbs. 8

Water (2 weeks) gal. 14

*See also Essentials of Home Production and Storage, 1978

**Legumes include dry beans, split peas, lentils, etc.

So, the bottom line is--this week's goal is to set your goal. Evaluate the needs of your family and set a reasonable goal for this year. Are you aiming to get in a year's supply? Just working on that three month basic? And then identify what that really means. Chart out exactly what you would like to have stored away and then take into account what you already have and what you will gather over the next 50 weeks with Project Noah and you should have a better picture of where you are headed.

Good luck!