I first read Walden by Henry David Thoreau when I was still in high school. Here are some more recent references to his three most available and popular works:
Thoreau, Henry David, and Carl Hovde. A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1980.
Thoreau, Henry David, Owen Paul Thomas, and Henry David Thoreau. Walden, And Civil Disobedience. Authoritative Texts, Background, Reviews, and Essays in Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton, 1966.
According to WorldCat there are some 520 editions of Thoreau's Walden.
Despite his enduring popularity, Thoreau's ideas would not really revolutionize mankind's condition. First, Thoreau had a very low opinion of the common working man. One of his most famous quotes is "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation." This was an interesting perspective from a man who, apparently, never felt the compulsion to keep a regular job and support a family. He also said, " I have lived some thirty years on this planet, and I have yet to hear the first syllable of valuable or even earnest advice from my seniors." What a sour way to view life and those around you! With perspective of age, Thoreau's rejection of "middle-class" values sounds a lot like what happened in the 1960s that was all bad.
Although I was initially attracted to Thoreau's philosophy, I have come to the conclusion that Thoreau's version of "self-sufficiency" and independence is an illusion based on some pretty persuasive fallacies. Basically, Thoreau's view of the world was not scalable. That is if many people tried to follow the solitary, "independent" existence, they would likely starve. It is notable that in his so-called independence he relied on his friend Emerson, for free land to live on during his year or so on Walden Pond. The measure of a philosophy's usefulness and validity is its scalability. Will this idea or system work, not only for one person? But what would happen if millions of people adopted the system or philosophy?
One of the basic differences between the teachings of modern day Prophets in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) and the philosophers, like Thoreau, is the scalability of their teachings. If we all followed the Prophet's teachings and the Lord's version of "self-sufficiency" many, in fact most, of the worlds economic problems would be eliminated. For example, if all of the people of world, not just the Mormons, fasted one day a month and donated their savings to the poor, we would likely eliminate the problem of poverty in the entire world. The Mormon principle is called "Fast Offerings" and members of the Church are encouraged to donate a generous amount each month towards the maintenance of the poor and needy. It is not just the money given in the Fast Offering that makes the difference, but the emotional understanding of the plight of the poor that comes from an honest fast. This concept is the antithesis of Thoreau's independence from all mankind. It is an admission that we are all poor before God and that we should follow the example of Jesus Christ, our Savior in serving the needs of those less fortunate. Following the Lord Jesus Christ in this way would be truly revolutionary.
Subscribe To If ye are prepared...
Posts
All Comments
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Alternative food storage methods
There is no doubt that you should store what you eat and eat what you store. But one alternative is to store some type of emergency food either freeze-dried or the military style MRE (Meals Ready to Eat). All I can say about this type of food storage is, that you had better eat a sample of the food before you store it. Some of the MRE's I have eaten would have been refused by starving Boy Scouts. Most of the suppliers of the freeze-dried and MREs claim a shelf life of from five to ten years or longer. Right now, there are some super sales on both types of food.
Years ago, there were considerably more outlets for freeze-dried and emergency food. Now, it is only common to see freeze-dried food in some of the pricey sporting goods stores, where it is sold to backpackers. The prices, on a per meal basis, are fairly high and purchasing a lot of food in this fashion could cost more than is reasonable. There are, however, on-line stores that sell a wide selection of either main entrees or full meals.
I remember the MREs we got in the army, not that many years ago. The main course was usually highly spiced. They used to have this packet with something like a cracker. We could never decide if it was a cracker or supposed to be a cookie, but in either case, it was inedible. It was rock hard and could have been used for ammunition had we found a way to throw or shoot it. However, suprisingly, some of the dinners are pretty good and will fill you up rather quickly. In later years, on occasion I have taken MREs on backpacking trips with good results.
On sale, MREs go for about $6.50 per meal per person. In freeze-dried food, you can purchase a whole year's supply for one person for about $3000. That works out to about $2.75 per meal, a little more reasonable. For freeze-dried, the manufacturers claim a 20 to 30 year self life. There is a major catch however, the freeze-dried route contains no dairy products, no sweets and no water to unfreeze-dry the food. This storage method has no oil, shortenings, breads or crackers, no salt, no sugar, no spices at all. It is clear that unless you were really into freeze-dried food, living on a steady diet of it would probably get old really fast.
The only person I ever knew who actually bought a whole year's supply of freeze-dried food had, unfortunately, not tried it. When he finally did, he threw away the whole pile. First and most important rule in food storage: Eat what you store and store what you eat. Do not buy any kind of emergency or food storage items without actually fixing a meal and eating it to make sure you can stand it. Enough said.
Years ago, there were considerably more outlets for freeze-dried and emergency food. Now, it is only common to see freeze-dried food in some of the pricey sporting goods stores, where it is sold to backpackers. The prices, on a per meal basis, are fairly high and purchasing a lot of food in this fashion could cost more than is reasonable. There are, however, on-line stores that sell a wide selection of either main entrees or full meals.
I remember the MREs we got in the army, not that many years ago. The main course was usually highly spiced. They used to have this packet with something like a cracker. We could never decide if it was a cracker or supposed to be a cookie, but in either case, it was inedible. It was rock hard and could have been used for ammunition had we found a way to throw or shoot it. However, suprisingly, some of the dinners are pretty good and will fill you up rather quickly. In later years, on occasion I have taken MREs on backpacking trips with good results.
On sale, MREs go for about $6.50 per meal per person. In freeze-dried food, you can purchase a whole year's supply for one person for about $3000. That works out to about $2.75 per meal, a little more reasonable. For freeze-dried, the manufacturers claim a 20 to 30 year self life. There is a major catch however, the freeze-dried route contains no dairy products, no sweets and no water to unfreeze-dry the food. This storage method has no oil, shortenings, breads or crackers, no salt, no sugar, no spices at all. It is clear that unless you were really into freeze-dried food, living on a steady diet of it would probably get old really fast.
The only person I ever knew who actually bought a whole year's supply of freeze-dried food had, unfortunately, not tried it. When he finally did, he threw away the whole pile. First and most important rule in food storage: Eat what you store and store what you eat. Do not buy any kind of emergency or food storage items without actually fixing a meal and eating it to make sure you can stand it. Enough said.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Shelf Life and how to live with it for food storage.
Since most foods are organic, immediately upon their being removed from their vine, plant or tree, they begin to spoil. We do eat non-organic substances, like salt and other minerals, but almost all our nutrition comes from organic substances. Since ancient times, humans have developed a multitude of ways to preserve organic food substances beyond their normal period of spoilage. Many of these methods come immediately to mind; drying, salting, pickling, freezing, canning and adding preservatives. Even if these methods of preservation are employed, organic foods still have a shelf life or time until they become either unpalatable or even dangerous to eat.
There is a detailed analysis of shelf life with a chart showing the Recommended Food Storage times for many foods at the Virginia Cooperative Extension. (Click on the words to go to the site).
To avoid waste, rotate your stored foods on a regular basis. If you put them on shelves, make sure newer purchases are put in the back and the older items come to the front. If you find that items stay on your shelves for more than the recommended time of storage, don't buy those products. Use what you store and store what you use.
There is a detailed analysis of shelf life with a chart showing the Recommended Food Storage times for many foods at the Virginia Cooperative Extension. (Click on the words to go to the site).
To avoid waste, rotate your stored foods on a regular basis. If you put them on shelves, make sure newer purchases are put in the back and the older items come to the front. If you find that items stay on your shelves for more than the recommended time of storage, don't buy those products. Use what you store and store what you use.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Storing Wheat
Wheat can be stored indefinitely if it is kept dry, cool and bug-free. It is best stored in smaller quantities, for example, five pounds or less per container. I have stored wheat in all types of containers and find canning jars or other glass containers to be best. However, plastic containers and foil pouches can also be used. One problem I have had with plastic containers occurred when the wheat got too humid and the weevils hatched. The weevils chewed right through the plastic containers and made hundreds of holes. Needless to say, it was a mess.
Metal containers are OK, as long as the containers themselves remain dry. Most metal containers, even No. 10 cans, will eventually rust in humid conditions. It is convenient to use No. 10 cans, if you have access to a canning machine.
Most methods of preserving wheat focus on preventing the weevils from hatching in the first place and keeping the wheat in an optimum condition. Two traditional methods involve coating the wheat with diatomaceous earth and putting Bay leaves in the containers. Neither of these methods is foolproof. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder of the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard shelled algae. DE is inert and can be eaten without harm to humans. When it comes in contact with insects, of any kind, the DE gets into the cracks in their chitin or shell and cuts it, the insect then dies. It is used by pest control companies to kill insects and spiders of all kinds. I have found it to be effective but not 100%. Bay leaves are only effective when fresh and will not stop weevils if the grain becomes damp.
The other methods of storage focus on depriving the organisms of oxygen. This can be done in a variety of ways, including putting dry ice into the containers until the container is full of carbon dioxide or putting in oxygen absorbing packets. Both of these methods are fairly expensive on a large scale. Another method involves injecting the grain in the containers with nitrogen. Once again, this is fairly pricey.
Opening the container usually compromises the protection, hence, the suggestion that the grain be stored in smaller containers.
I would prefer to store smaller quantities of grain, either in No. 10 cans or canning jars. However, larger containers, including plastic, are satisfactory as long as they are inspected periodically for failure.
Please feel free to add your own suggestions and comments.
Metal containers are OK, as long as the containers themselves remain dry. Most metal containers, even No. 10 cans, will eventually rust in humid conditions. It is convenient to use No. 10 cans, if you have access to a canning machine.
Most methods of preserving wheat focus on preventing the weevils from hatching in the first place and keeping the wheat in an optimum condition. Two traditional methods involve coating the wheat with diatomaceous earth and putting Bay leaves in the containers. Neither of these methods is foolproof. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder of the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard shelled algae. DE is inert and can be eaten without harm to humans. When it comes in contact with insects, of any kind, the DE gets into the cracks in their chitin or shell and cuts it, the insect then dies. It is used by pest control companies to kill insects and spiders of all kinds. I have found it to be effective but not 100%. Bay leaves are only effective when fresh and will not stop weevils if the grain becomes damp.
The other methods of storage focus on depriving the organisms of oxygen. This can be done in a variety of ways, including putting dry ice into the containers until the container is full of carbon dioxide or putting in oxygen absorbing packets. Both of these methods are fairly expensive on a large scale. Another method involves injecting the grain in the containers with nitrogen. Once again, this is fairly pricey.
Opening the container usually compromises the protection, hence, the suggestion that the grain be stored in smaller containers.
I would prefer to store smaller quantities of grain, either in No. 10 cans or canning jars. However, larger containers, including plastic, are satisfactory as long as they are inspected periodically for failure.
Please feel free to add your own suggestions and comments.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Perilous times
Shortly after the great tragedy of September 11, 2001, President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke in the Church's General Conference. He began his talk by referring to the recent incidents and commented, "I need not remind you that we live in perilous times. I desire to speak concerning these times and our circumstances as members of this Church."
We are still living in perilous times. But as President Hinckley went on to say;
"We cannot provide against every contingency. But we can provide against many contingencies. Let the present situation remind us that this we should do.
We are still living in perilous times. But as President Hinckley went on to say;
"We cannot provide against every contingency. But we can provide against many contingencies. Let the present situation remind us that this we should do.
As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And, above all, my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in the Living God and His Beloved Son."
In the past, the LDS Church has urged its members to store a year's supply of food. Recent announcements have focused on a 3 month's supply. A previous copy of the Church's Essentials of Home Production and Storage would produce the following recommendations for one adult (child):
Grains (including wheat, flour, corn meal, oats, rice and pasta) 300 lbs (148 lbs)
Fats and oils (including shortening, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing and peanut butter) 13 lbs (7 lbs)
Sugars (including honey, sugar, brown sugar, molasses, corn syrup, jams, powdered fruit drink, and flavored gelatin) 60 lbs (29 lbs)
Dairy (including dry milk, evaporated milk, and other dairy products) 75 lbs (37 lbs)
Of course, you would decrease these amounts by storing other types of foods. Some of these foods have a long shelf life. For example, wheat can be stored for years if kept in a cool, dry location and protected from insects. Sugar will also keep indefinitely. However, the oils and dairy products need to be rotated and used, or replaced on an annual basis. For more information see the booklet Essentials of Home Production and Storage, available from the Church's Distribution Services for $1.20 US, Item Number 32288000.
Some of these food items are little used in today's fast paced convenience food life style. It is also important to learn how to make edible meals from these basic food items. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible. You might try the book, Food Storage for the Clueless published by Deseret Book Co. Although the book is out of print, there are still copies available on the Web.
More later.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Why do we store food?
Recently, I represented a client in a jury trial. It was a dispute about the amount of inheritance in an estate. In an attempt to discredit my client with the jury, the opposing witnesses testified that my client was acting very strangely, including storing rice in a large quantity. In fact, she had almost 60 pounds of rice and she was obviously, from this fact alone, mentally unstable. At the time, I wondered what the witnesses would think if they knew about the thousands of pounds of wheat stored in basements and storage areas all over the country.
The testimony did raise some concerns, some people not only do not store food, they think storing food is crazy. Why then do we store food? I think the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it well:
We can never tell what might happen to us or our families. Recent labor statistics indicate that "Unemployment rates were higher in October than a year earlier in 361 of the 369 metropolitan areas and lower in 8 areas. Among the 310 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll data were available, 125 metropolitan areas reported over-the-year employment gains, 169 reported losses, and 16 had no change." See the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS goes on to state: "Nonfarm payroll employment fell by 240,000 in October. Job losses over the last 3 months totaled 651,000. In October, the unemployment rate rose from 6.1 to 6.5 percent, and the number of unemployed persons increased to 10.1 million." To show the trend, the BLS states: "Among the unemployed, the number of persons who lost their job and did not expect to be recalled to work rose by 615,000 to 4.4 million in October. Over the past 12 months, the size of this group has increased by 1.7 million."
To put these figures into some kind of perspective there are more people out of work than the live in New York City. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population
It is likely that some, if not most, of these people were surprised to lose their jobs. How long could you and your family survive without an income? How fast would you run out of food? What would you do for housing? What would you do to pay for your car? Your boat? Your ATVs? This is the purpose the Lord had in mind when he told his Prophets to warn us to stay out of debt and to have food storage.
The testimony did raise some concerns, some people not only do not store food, they think storing food is crazy. Why then do we store food? I think the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it well:
"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 can care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others.
We encourage members world-wide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings."We can never tell what might happen to us or our families. Recent labor statistics indicate that "Unemployment rates were higher in October than a year earlier in 361 of the 369 metropolitan areas and lower in 8 areas. Among the 310 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll data were available, 125 metropolitan areas reported over-the-year employment gains, 169 reported losses, and 16 had no change." See the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS goes on to state: "Nonfarm payroll employment fell by 240,000 in October. Job losses over the last 3 months totaled 651,000. In October, the unemployment rate rose from 6.1 to 6.5 percent, and the number of unemployed persons increased to 10.1 million." To show the trend, the BLS states: "Among the unemployed, the number of persons who lost their job and did not expect to be recalled to work rose by 615,000 to 4.4 million in October. Over the past 12 months, the size of this group has increased by 1.7 million."
To put these figures into some kind of perspective there are more people out of work than the live in New York City. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population
It is likely that some, if not most, of these people were surprised to lose their jobs. How long could you and your family survive without an income? How fast would you run out of food? What would you do for housing? What would you do to pay for your car? Your boat? Your ATVs? This is the purpose the Lord had in mind when he told his Prophets to warn us to stay out of debt and to have food storage.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Housing--a pressing issue
Driving around newer subdivisions, in some areas of the country, it is not unusual to see four or five homes for sale, some with notices of short sales, on one small street. The net effect of this situation is families losing their homes. The current forecast for home appreciation is, at the highest, no more than 4.9% for the highest appreciating market in the U.S. in Biloxi, Mississippi. The worst U.S. market is in Ontario, California losing 24.5% value during 2008.
See http://www.housingpredictor.com/worstmarkets.html
For years members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been counseled by their Prophet leaders to get out of debt. Those that heeded the counsel have nothing to fear in a market of falling housing prices. Those who fell victim to the greed of the housing bubble, are many of those now losing their homes to foreclosure.
The FDIC predicts that 1 out of every 200 homes in America will be foreclosed on and every three months 250,000 new families enter into foreclosure.
See http://www.fdic.gov/about/comein/files/foreclosure_statistics.pdf
The FDIC says that "More than 6 in 10 homeowners delinquent in their mortgage payments are not aware of services that mortgage lenders can offer to individuals having trouble with their mortgage."
Maybe it is also time to listen to the voice of the Prophet.
See http://www.housingpredictor.com/worstmarkets.html
For years members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been counseled by their Prophet leaders to get out of debt. Those that heeded the counsel have nothing to fear in a market of falling housing prices. Those who fell victim to the greed of the housing bubble, are many of those now losing their homes to foreclosure.
The FDIC predicts that 1 out of every 200 homes in America will be foreclosed on and every three months 250,000 new families enter into foreclosure.
See http://www.fdic.gov/about/comein/files/foreclosure_statistics.pdf
The FDIC says that "More than 6 in 10 homeowners delinquent in their mortgage payments are not aware of services that mortgage lenders can offer to individuals having trouble with their mortgage."
Maybe it is also time to listen to the voice of the Prophet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
