Breaking News: Milk, Cheese, and Butter

By Kellene Bishop at Prepareness Pro

The Agriculture Department is raising prices on your dairy products. (How they have the authority to do this is beyond me, but for now, it is what it is.)

Farmers claim that it costs more to make milk than they get to sell it. Guess what that means? Can you say milk shortage?? In June of this year, The National Milk Producers Federation said they would PAY farmers to slaughter diary cows in order to manipulate the prices higher based on “supply and demand.” (Despicable, I know.)

Michael Swanson, chief economist at Wells Fargo, told Bloomberg, “The milk price remains well below the total cost of production.”

Cheese is expected to increase in price SIGNIFICANTLY as is butter. What does this mean to you? Start buying cheese and butter while you can afford it, and then wax or can it so that you can have it on hand!

By the way, on the internet you’ll find .50 cent off Challenge Butter coupons, $1.00 off coupon of any two pounds of cheese, plus a .75 cents off coupon of a gallon of milk. (There’s also a .75 cents off of any kind of yogurt.)

To capitalize on these coupons, go to coupons.com. If these offers don’t work for your zip code, enter in 84097. You may also want to use zip code 19542. Albertson’s has a double coupon out this week making your cheese, butter, yogurt, and milk VERY affordable. Limit is printing 2 coupon per computer.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Homemade Cleaning Products

Today I am trying out the laundry soap recipe used by the Duggars, their site can be found here. The only exception to the formula is I used an ivory bar because I have been waiting two weeks for one bar of Fels-Naptha. have already tried the diluted softener sponges in place of regular dryer sheets. It works fantastic! So I had to try this out!



Their site got me thinking and sent me on a search of all the other cleaners that will be needed and what else can we do to become a little more frugal. My guess is that these homemade tried and true recipes may work better than the perfumed chemicals I buy at the store!



Here is where I found some fantastic recipes...and a an overall terrific prepping site! Looking forward to trying them out as well.

Kentucky Preppers Network: Homemade Cleaning Products

What do you use? What corners have you cut? Curious to hear what creative ways people are coping in this economy.

I just went on a search for Fels-Naptha and guess what folks, it is very difficult to find, as I have been waiting 2 weeks for a bar from Amazon. The washing soda is flat NOT AVAILABLE, and so I went to Ebay to search for these items. I finally found a decent deal on the Fels-Naptha, 24 bars for $40.00 which is a lot cheaper than the $4 and up for one bar I had previously found. This means two things, either it is in low production or high demand. By the washing soda being unavailable as well that tells me high demand may be the culprit.

So how is that an indicator the economy is turning the corner? I think what is keeping the economy going as it is, are those of us stockpiling and prepping. Just a thought.

What are your thoughts on OBAMACARE?

I am curious what the readers think about Obamacare? Do you think it is anything to be concerned about, do you mind having more of your freedoms taken so the masses will have mediocre health care? Because to create savings we all have to give up the coverage we have now have a plan that will cover a LOT less and we the taxpayers will and pay a whole lot more.



Here is a thought to ponder, I have had all four systems of medical coverage. Private insurance, self pay, Medicaid, and Medicare. I can say with unbiased certainty that I received the best care with private insurance that was paid by my employer. While in the Medicaid system the services while free, were often not given the same quality of care and definitely the respect previously received.

Private pay, you pay full boat for your services with no contractual adjustment and get dragged over the coals. Dont forget that you must make completely overzelous monthly payments or go to collection. So while Medicaid pays $473.00 for a $4000.00 procedure, the private pay person is expected to pay the full $4000.00. So on and so forth..

Now here is the quandary, if the purpose of nationalized health care to save the middle American money and cover more people, then why, when one is approved for disability does one have do wait 24 months for Medicare as mandated by the federal government. Don't you think a person that has disability does not acquire medical bills within a two year period? How is that different than a pre-existing condition clause?

Stated a little more clearly the point you are approved for Social Security for Disability, Nevada Medicaid will drop you, period. Then for 24 months the disabled person has NO INSURANCE... until Medicare starts and either you hinder your health care and do more harm OR go deeply into medical debt. If you are disabled, you understand how deep that hole can be. Even with Medicare what you are paid in Social Security goes to the remainder of medical bills. This is how the government system works... is that how you want your tax dollars to work for you?

Here is a link to the Heritage Foundation Post. They are a factual, informative group whose mission is to get the truth to the people and how the passage of these bills will effect YOU.. Read their post on this very subject by clicking HERE

P.S. You may wait in incredibly long lines for service so a copy of a medical manual, or EMT's handbook may be essential. Check my previous blog "Let's Talk about First Aid" for medical essentials.

Where do we start?

With all the events taking place in the world, with economy in the tank, with all the nonsense being pushed through Congress in the middle of the night, with our soldiers engaged in two wars 8000 miles away, with a Presidential press conference to watch every 30 days, with unemployment on the rise, with North Korea mouthing off...how can those of us who chose to prepare actually manage to keep our eye on the ball and prepare? The answer lies in a few simple steps.

First, we must turn off the television.  We all instinctively know to limit our children’s time in front of the tube.  Should we be held to a different standard?  Very little lasting good can actually come out of our time in front of the television.  Right now, time is a precious commodity.  How much more time do we have before (you fill in the blank)?  I’m not suggesting to completely unplug; we must keep abreast of what is happening and keep a keen eye for your individual ‘trigger’ that identifies to you that its time to GOOD.  Moderation is the key.

With all of our new found free time created by turning off the television, we can now concentrate our efforts on a building a viable and workable plan.  A proper plan must always begin with the end in mind.  We all have our own idea of what the future holds.  What does that reality look like to you?  Is it a nuclear catastrophe?  Is it a revolution?  Maybe its hyperinflation and civil unrest?  Whatever your reason for being on this website & reading this blog is, get that vision crystal clear in your mind.  Once its clear, consider what a day in that reality will look like.  How did you get there?  What skill set will you need?  What items will you need?  Will you need to be able to defend yourself?  Who will be with you?  Will your current shelter suffice?  Commit these thoughts to paper and build a comprehensive ‘to do’ list.  This list must be attacked with a sense ferociousness.

Lastly, prioritize and keep things in perspective.  The natural tendency will be to try and tackle it all at once.  That’s simply not possible.  Prioritize!  In your new reality, what skill(s), thing(s) will be most important to you? Protection?  Food?  Water?  Shelter?  I’d argue that not much else will matter if you aren’t right with your maker.  If you are so inclined to believe in a higher authority, it will be helpful to remember that nothing you are or will experience is happening without his prior approval.  If something is happening, it’s part of his plan.  Keeping that thought in mind, prioritize your list...and get to work.

Good luck.

Spegetti Sauce Ala Thrive Products from Shelf Reliance

As you search for the best products to place in your food storage, it is best to give these things a try. Don't buy things you normally would not eat. That being said, Shelf Reliance has food options that others such as Mountain House did not have, such as whole eggs, cheese blend, butter powder, and tomato powder. So before I did a hefty investment I bought quite a few pouches of things to try. From Shelf Reliance and The Ready Store.

This one was a success! Thrive Tomato Powder, which I assumed could be made into a tomato paste for creamy soups and red sauces. To my delight it works perfectly, with no compromise in taste over store bought canned products. So with a few fresh things, and some hamburger meat I suceeded in making some darn good Spegetti Sauce. Yea!



My THRIVE Spaghetti Experiment:

2/3 Cup Thrive Tomato Powder
2 Cup Water .. or more depending on desired consistency
1 Diced Fresh Tomato
1 Grated Carrot
1 Small Can of Mushrooms
1 lb Hamburger
Dash of Garlic and Onion Powder

Add your preferred amount of desired spices

Simmer Sauce for 15 Min then add browned hamburger meat .. or meatless if you desire.

And Tada .. Better than Ragu.


I was impressed, next time I will use the carrots, mushrooms, and possibly some onion from THRIVE as well instead of fresh.

This will be added to my food storage recipe binder, and from them I have also tried the drink mix, and banana chips. Yummy. I think one of the appeals to me is the lack of preservatives and things I cannot pronounce, along with saving me money from going grocery shopping. I have not found a negative yet, but with my animals, and canning my gardens harvest I can feel better that my food supply is diversified and growing.

From Prepared to Practice

I learned a valuable lesson this weekend. That we can prepare, learn, create, and believe we are as ready as we can be for the unexpected. However, until we put it into practice we may not know if we are as prepared as we need to be.

I had intended to attend a solar cook-off in Taylorsville, California. To gather information for use here on the ranch, and also to share what I had learned with you. A week prior the lists were made, shopping done, two days prior packed the 5th wheel and got the ranch ready for us to be away for a couple days. We really thought we were prepared.

Now, very few trips have been made in the 5th wheel, and I really had not gone on long trip in quite some time. That being said off we go... two hours into the drive, we blew a tire on the 5th wheel. Luckily, my father is a wonderful driver and other than the damage to the 5th wheel inside and out, we were able to safely get to the next exit. Then we realized that yes, we had the spare but the tire iron was missing. We were unable to change the tire without assistance. Our tire was changed, new ones purchased and we were back on the road 15 hours later.

The trip went on and there were several things we forgot. As prepared as we thought we were we truely were not. So what about our emergency preparedness? Will we have what we need when we need it? Like having cans of food without a non-electric can opener. How do we know for sure?

Maybe a trial run will be an important part of our emergency preparedness. Put our skills to the test and do a simulation of an emergency medical situation, living without power for a few days, etc. Because everything we have done to prepare is useless unless you have all the tools to benefit from your self sufficient resources.

Have any of you tried a trial run? What happened? I would love to hear your expierience!

Ice Cream Sandwich

As I have been stocking up my long term storage, I have wanted to try some pouches of the very things I am stocking up on. So I know what I really want to have a lot of, and others to avoid. While ordering these pouches of freeze dried food I came across something I thought as odd. An ice cream sandwich.



So needless to say I HAD to have it, even in tough times we all need a treat now and then. Honestly? It was quite tasty! A Mountain House Freeze Dried Ice Cream Sandwich, other than feeling odd for not being cold, nor did it drip all over it was just as good. Maybe even a little more filling than your normal ice cream sandwich. I will order more..as I do love ice cream.

This weekend I will be attending a Solar Cook-Off, which I am sure will give me insight on a new way of cooking and I will be sure to share my adventure.

The Greatest Depression

If you sometimes wonder ... am I being overboard? Is it just me? Maybe a little radical? Dont wonder visit the Trends Research Institute to a well known forecaster, Gerald Celente , who uses history and statistics to "predict" what is next! It does not only validate what we are doing, but that we need to do more!




So as we all get our gardens going, food storage in order, binders made of information we will need, and just get prepared folks, and no matter what we are ahead of the game!

A very good point he states in the video, and we all need to think about very seriously is ...

"When people have nothing, they have nothing to lose" Gerald Celente