Wanted you to know!
Wanted to let all of our Amp-3 family and friends know, that Beth was diagnosed with Stage 1 B Breast Cancer in Feb of this year. Following surgery on March 9th, Beth was going to have radiation for 4-6 weeks following that but a test result changed that last week
Tomorrow, Monday April 16th, Beth will be starting 4 treatments of Chemotherapy spaced 3 weeks apart and then 6 weeks of radiation. Beth is feeling really good, God is so amazing and the support has been overwhelming!
David, Kelsey and Matthew along with Beth's family and really close friends have known about this since Jan. and she is really am doing fine. David will be going with Beth to all of her Chemo treatments and the support from him has been thoughtful and caring.
Amp-3 will be up and running during this time of treatment but orders may get delayed depending on how Beth is feeling.
Thank you for all of your support and your love!
Sincerely,
Beth and David
Amp-3, LLC
amp3@reagan.com
So, You Want To Hatch Your Own Eggs, Now What?
This week, I have two guest bloggers that raise and hatch chickens. You want to learn how?? Read this Blog Post and get started hatching your own eggs!
By Chris and Deanna – Chris and Deanna homestead on 33 acres in Southwestern Oregon where they raise most of their own produce, as well as chickens, rabbits and goats. They have a combined 30+ years of experience across a wide array of homesteading skills.
Recently we decided to increase the size of our flock of Jersey Giant chickens. Up until now, we have always bought chicks either from local feed stores or through online sources. This time, however, we decided to take a more “homestead” type of approach and hatch eggs from our own flock of 2 roosters and 30 hens. It was much easier and far more rewarding than we could have ever imagined.
We started by doing lots of research on the various methods and equipment needed to hatch our own chicks. There are varieties of opinions on how hatching and brooding chicks should be done. We settled on an incubator kit by Little Giant that featured everything we would need, including an automatic egg turner accessory. It has a capacity of 41 eggs. We decided to hatch fewer than 41 eggs since we really had no idea what we were doing and did not want to get in over our head.
We chose 10 nice eggs for our first try at hatching. Using the instructions supplied with our incubator kit we candled the eggs to try to make sure they were fertilized. We set the incubator up on our kitchen table so we could keep our eyes on the process. The instructions were clear on how to maintain humidity in the incubator, which we would later find out, is crucial to getting a good result. During our research we found that there is normally a 60% hatch rate on eggs. Our results were just about there.
In went the eggs…and then the wait began. At day 22 we started to notice that some of the eggs were starting to move around a bit. This is normal when they are about to hatch. The next day six of the chicks began to “pip”. This is the term for the first hole they peck in the eggs and is a sure sign that the hatch has begun. At this point, humidity levels are even more important. We did not find out until later that our son had been opening the incubator and moving the eggs so the “pip” was facing up. This created havoc with the humidity in the incubator.
Two chicks hatched normally on day 25 while three seemed to be having trouble and one did not progress beyond the “pip”. We left the process alone and monitored, keeping the humidity up as best as we could. It quickly became apparent that the two chicks having trouble would need some help. Turning to “YouTube University”, we found that you can help chicks having a hard time by actually peeling some of the shell and gently opening the inner membrane for them.
This is something you will want to study up on because there are some specific recommendations to follow if you are going to try it, and it will help you hatch more chicks. Following the information we found, we helped the three chicks hatch by hand. It was an incredible process. All three that were having trouble had a condition known as “shrink wrapping”. This happens when humidity levels vary wildly after the “pip" stage, which is where our helpful son figured into the picture. Every time he was opening and closing the incubator, he was messing up the humidity levels. The lesson learned here is do not open your incubator unless you have to, and then, only keep it open for a few seconds.
At this point, we had five chicks hatched. The sixth that only “pipped” never hatched. We did our own chick autopsy to try to figure out what happened and we found that the inner membrane of the egg was dry and had make it impossible for the chick to hatch.
After the five living chicks were fully dry, about a day later, we transferred them to a brooder. One poor little fellow was born with deformed feet and he did not make it. We feel that this was due to the “shrink wrapping”. The four remaining chicks grew quickly and went to an outdoor brooder when they were about 3 weeks old. We ended up with one hen and three roosters, which was not what our plan was since we wanted to hatch more hens, but we were grateful for what we got and the learning experience we had. We likely will never buy chicks again now that we know how easy and rewarding it is to hatch our own. Do not be afraid to hatch your own chicks. You will make your homestead more self-sustaining and can even sell your chicks!
One final note. We normally use torn up newspaper in our brooders. This time we decided to use wood shavings. It turns out this is a bad idea because new chicks do not understand that they are not supposed to eat the shavings. More than once, we had to take shavings out of their beaks and point them to their food.
Wow! As I read this, I quickly understood that time and patience are needed for Hatching Your Own Eggs! Great tip on the wood shavings too!
Thank you Chris and Deanna for your time in putting this together. Are you interested in being one of my Guest Blogger? Then send me a email at amp3@reagan.com and be added to the list. Looking forward to next week? Post a comment and let me know what you think and what you would like to know more about!
It's been awhile! Don't miss out!!!
Hey there, sorry that I haven't posted lately but we got pretty busy with the ranch and life. The count down is on for the Gleam Outfitter-Give-Away tomorrow. Not sure what that'll about, then check this out!
January 22, 2018! Part 2 from Jerry D. Young!
Hope that you enjoyed last weeks post from Jerry D. Young on his plan for Preparedness. This week we will continue along that theme and give you the 2nd half of his plan.
The best place to start is usually getting the basic human needs taken care of first, no matter what scenario you are preparing for. First you need to figure out what those are, but that is pretty easy. I have a list. The rest can come when you have learned more and not only have, but have practiced with, the initial items.
Begin to study and learn all you can now, and as you go along. Preps without knowledge aren’t nearly as effective as they are when you know the why-to and when-to in addition to the how-to. Do not feel like you must do everything in the order listed. You will need to do many of the things, especially these first ones, concurrently. Some things can wait, depending on your specific situation, but the basic human needs should all be met as quickly and completely as possible.
1. Air:
Fortunately, it is still free and available, for the most part, for most scenarios. If there is a problem with air supply, special equipment and supplies are necessary. Not a beginner’s subject.
2. Water:
Has to be contaminate free, naturally or with other means. And a lot of it. Store a lot, locate a reliable future source, get water treatment/purification. A few 15-gallon water drums, a couple of stainless steel water bottles with cups for the BOBs, a quality water purifier, either a high cap camping filter or a combination of a drip filter for the BIB and a smaller hikers filter for the BOBs. Scout out locations for long term supplies of water.
3. Food:
You can go for a while without it, but not long or you become useless. No cook, add hot water only, & easy-cook shelf stable foods, heavy on meats, fruits, and comfort foods. For both BOB and BIB. Buy in bulk or in case lots when possible. At the least, buy extra of the things you want and use on a daily basis when they are on sale. To build up longer term supplies, double buy each grocery day. Soon you will have a good pantry.
Learn to garden and grow as much as you can as soon as you can. Ditto home canning when you get the garden going. Don't be afraid of the commercially produced crops like wheat and oats. You can grow non-hybrid/organic types in a home garden.
4. Sanitation:
You gotta go when you gotto go. You need the safe means to do so. Chemical toilet, TP, hand washing means, bug spray, antiseptic cleaners, shovel to bury wastes. Toiletries. Charmin camper’s toilet paper and cleansing wipes for the BOBs. Infectious diseases protection supplies, face mask, gloves, goggles and hand sanitizer. And the ladies, and especially soon to be ladies, need large supplies of their needs on hand.
5. Environmental protection:
You need appropriate clothing as well as housing. Sometimes it is more important than food or sanitation in extreme circumstances. This includes being able to make and control fires. The right clothes for the season. Basic camping gear in case the house becomes unlivable.
You are probably already doing the right clothes for the given season, though here in Reno I see people going from heated homes to heated cars, to heated business and back again wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops in 20 degree weather with snow on the ground and coming down hard (I am not joking). Have what you need to keep you comfortable in the weather.
And the camp gear is for when the house cannot be lived in and you need to camp out in the back yard or evacuate. Or even stay in the house when nothing is working. Fallout/blast shelters, like air purification, are another specific topic that deserves separate consideration. Put it in the budget, and start saving, but don’t short the other equipment and supplies unless war is imminent.
6. Security:
Beside protection from the elements, there can be a need for protection from dangerous animals, including other humans. Light is your friend. If you cannot see the threat, you cannot protect yourself from it. Lights and vision devices are an important part of a security plan, as well as all around useful. Once you know you can see it, you can get the actual means to protect yourself from those things in your threat analysis you decided were the biggest dangers. From wild domesticated animals, wild animals, and self-defense in those cases where it might be needed. Training, weapons, defensive measures. For some this is a much higher priority. Evaluate your needs and make the decision.
They tend to be expensive, so set up a long range budget and start saving money for them now, even if you can’t get it yet due to the overall expense. But as soon as you can, get something that is at least reasonably effective, even if you prefer something else in the future. Don’t put off protection items to get the penultimate weapons system. Train, train, and train some more with them. And don’t forget Operational Security. Be very careful who you let know you have preps. There can be repercussions if other people do know.
7. Fire/Lighting/Sharps:
These are important for safety and utility. You will want several means to start a fire, and a couple of items to contain fire. Fire steel, Lifeboat matches, lighters with some tinder for the BOBs. To heat one room in the house, an indoor safe propane or kerosene heater with a supply of fuel stored outdoors.
You will need lighting for indoors & outdoors. A couple of crank flashlights for both BIB and BOB, candles, propane lanterns, battery lanterns. Tactical lights for defense. Get some lighting specifically for preps, even though you probably already have a couple of flashlights with weak batteries and non-working bulbs.
You will need sharps to cut with. Knives/SAK/Multi-tool, axe, saw, etc. I’m fairly sure you have a knife or two in the house. Probably suitable for most uses, except lacking a sheath. But there are some blades that are better for field use and Swiss Army Knives (SAKs), and multi-tools can be handy, and if you need to build shelter or an outdoor fire, axes and saws will save you much labor.
Just purchased this slick little fire starter for David. American made! Click on image to get more information.
8. Heat/cooling/Cooking:
There quite probably will be a need to maintain acceptable temperatures in home and in the field such as indoor safe propane and kerosene heaters. Gas grill w/tanks, various camping stoves for home or field to cook food when possible (but not in the house). No-cook, and add-hot-water-only foods are desirable in the early stages of a situation. But a hot drink and hot meal can raise the spirits and supply needed warmth in many situations. Not critical at first in some climate, but nice later on.
Others will need to up this on the priority list if in a cold climate and suitable clothes for the weather won’t be available. This could include a generator in addition to non-electrical means so a refrigerator, freezer, AC, stove, medical equipment, fans, etc. can be operated.
9. Medical:
Maintaining everyone’s good health should be a priority all the time. But in some of the scenarios you probably came up with include medical emergencies. Knowledge and the right tools are literally life and death in some instances. Extensive first-aid kits, heavy on the trauma treatment for at the scene and in both BIBs & BOBs and the rest of the alphabet.
These are supplemental kits to your regular home first aid kit. It’s is fine for minor cuts, abrasions, stings, and bruises. In a disaster the injuries are likely to be not only worse, but in great numbers. Stock up with quality in mind and with as much quantity as is possible. Another item to budget early on to get a bit later. And get some training.
Make sure to rotate items that have expiration dates. You can use some of the outdated items in training exercises. Dispose of over the counter medication and any sharps safely.
***A note on prescription medications. Unlike OTC meds, prescriptions medications are limited to how much that can be obtained and stored. Some things, like narcotics, are limited to a single 30-day prescription. Other prescriptions can often be written for a 90 day supply. Work with your doctor to get as large of a supply of your prescription medication as you can get and can afford.
10. Morale/Welfare/Recreation:
If you need to be using preps, that means there is a lot of stress involved. The means to help relieve that stress can be very important. Games, some small toys and some paper and pencils, religious books, movies, books. Something to keep the kids quiet and busy, adults entertained or comforted, or just to break the monotony.
There are many more things on the list, but the first ten are the most important, in most circumstances. If your threat analysis includes certain scenarios, things like HAZMAT preparations climb up into those first ten.
Jerry has given all of us several items to think about and get prepared. If you have followed along from the beginning, some of these have been covered before by me in 2017 when I covered my list of 100 Essentials. Need a list??? Download it by using the link below.
https://www.amp-3.net/resources/
Thank you so much for following along and as always your Comments are always welcome!
Welcome to 2018! My First Guest Blogger....
As some of you may know, this year I will be Blogging in a different way. Still weekly but with some Guest Bloggers thrown in from time to time. This is really exciting to have some other points of view other then just mine. If you would like to share your expertise with my readers, then shoot me a email (amp3@reagan.com) and let me know what your interests are. You would welcome you with open arms...
My first Guest Blogger is Jerry D. Young! Jerry is a very prolific writer with over 150 books and two more on the way. We have known Jerry for about 6 years and I was excited to hear that he would be interested in being a Guest Blogger. Make sure to check out his website by clicking on his picture.
I write fiction, but in most instances, I write about people that have to deal with manmade and/or natural disasters. Unlike so many other writers, you will find that the way the characters in my books, use sound, smart and effective techniques, methods, materials and systems. That means, you get to read an entertaining novel and at the same time learn some great Prepping techniques.
Jerry has sent me several articles to share with you so I will start at the beginning. This will be the first half and the second half will be next week. Please let us know your thoughts. Leave a comment and share with your family and friends. Now, Jerry D. Young....
My Thoughts On:
Make A Plan/Prepping 101
By Jerry D Young
So you have realized that becoming prepared for whatever might occur in the future is something you want to do. But how to go about it? It can be an overwhelming subject. So it is almost imperative that you make a plan on how to proceed. You are more likely to save money and get what you need as quickly as possible if you sit down, think things out, and come up with a flexible plan suited to your particular circumstances. Plans will be different for every individual or family.
How do you make a plan? One step at a time. Reading this is your first step. The next ones will guide you through the process of putting down on paper, or in the computer, those things you will need to do to get to the state of preparedness you want.
Some assumptions that I think are reasonable that should be taken into consideration when you make your plans:
- The overwhelming majority of preps will be needed for situations that occur at home.
- Most disasters will not be Doomsday, The Apocalypse, TEOTWAWKI or WROL situations
- Most disasters will still have police and National Guard units enforcing law & order
- People will still be responsible for their actions legally and morally
- There will looters and violence in some major disasters, but the proportion of life & death incidents will be much smaller than the number of incidents requiring basic human needs.
- Most households will have some basic items at home that can be used during a disaster. Not everything has to be purchased for use only during one. You can often incorporate into the preps items you already have. (Basic First Aid kits including some OTC & any needed prescription meds. A flashlight or two & some candles. A knife. Bedding)
The actual plan:
1. Threat Analysis:
Sit down with your loved ones and have a discussion about the current situation and what fears and concerns everyone has. No one can prepare for everything, especially in the beginning. Make note of what the things brought up in the conversation. Don’t need to scare anyone, and it could be difficult to get them to admit to any fears, especially the younger ones. But it is important to include them, because not everything you will want to prepare for is life and death
Forget about Doomsday Preps, Armageddon, or TEOTWAWKI for now. Keep it real. Do the best you can to decide what reasons you would bug-out as opposed to bugging-in. Bugging-in is the much preferred action, but there are very good reasons to bug-out. Consider what would drive you from your home, based on your location and situation
2. Prioritize:
Once you know the things you want to prepare for, put them in a general groups of what you want to start with, what can wait a while, and what should be put on the back burner for the moment. Trying to do everything at once is likely to overwhelm and discourage everyone. You don’t want that. A steady progress to each goal you set will get the job done. And I will suggest a couple of goals right off the bat. One is learning and getting all the training you can. Classroom, internet, and book as well as hands on. The other is part of the first. Begin acquiring a good library of prepping books and magazines to read and learn from as part of your educational program, as well as storing them for future use.
3. Goals:
And keep things goal oriented. Set the goals, realistic ones. Goals that can be achieved. Leave the pie in the sky super deluxe bunkers and Mad Max vehicles to the fiction writers. You want something that you can achieve, on a timely basis. Set the level of preparedness you want for the first group of priorities. Once you know where you are going, you can start getting ready to get there. Set some general achievement goals on a timeline to get started. And remember that goals should be realistic to start with, but can be adjusted as things change, you learn more, or things happen that call for a change in the plan.
4. Budget:
This is an extremely important part of the process. A budget is a good idea for all financial matters, but is even more so when trying to get ready for things that might just happen before you are ready for them. You will need to spend some money. But you can’t let other things go, either. Still have to pay the mortgage or rent, the auto loan, and on and on. Get them in the budget. Everything you must pay on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis.
Don’t forget taxes, and the unexpected. And don’t give up everything you like to do. You still need to live a life, especially with a family. Once you have a household budget, you can determine how much you can spend on preps for given timelines. Then you start doing a separate budget, using those numbers, to get the things done you need to do.
Before you put many numbers in, you are going to have to decide on the items you want first, but get the budget set up, and keep it flexible. It will change over time. Once you have a reasonable budget lined out, add the timeframe and amount for the long lead items that you plan to purchase and start saving a budgeted amount per month for that item/those items.
5. Start Prepping
Once the basic plan is in place and the budgets set up, start prepping.
Jerry's first book on Preparedness:
What's Your Plan?
What would your plan be if this were to happen where you live? http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2018/01/13/ballistic-missile-false-alarm-terrorizes-hawaiians/
Do you have your 100 Essentials ready to go? Do you have a plan on dealing with Radiation? Here is what we have. iOSAT Potassium Iodide Tablets, 130 mg (14 Tablets) available through Amazon.
We also have three 1950 Radiation Detectors similar to these. Just found two about a year ago at an Antique Store for $40 ea.
This is a different world that we are living in and anything can happen at anytime, it's a matter of how you handle the situation.
Be safe and be prepared!
Join Gleam! Get your Chance to Win!!
Interested in a chance to win our Outfitter???
Join Glean today! https://gleam.io
Follow the action items, for your chance to win our most Comprehensive First Aid Kit. Hope that you enjoy this process as we will be using Gleam from time to time to get your feedback.
Happy New Year!
Wow! 2018 is already here, where did 2017 go? So many important events happened in the past year so let’s reflect on just a few....
America elected a new President, Donald J. Trump! Some of you may be angry about this but personally, he will take our Country back in the direction that our Founders set forth for our Nation. Hopefully, everyone has more $$ in their pockets in 2018 and less in the Governments.
The Natural Disasters that hit our country and Puerto Rico were so devastating, the many are still trying to put their lives back together. A good friend of ours Todd Albi (Silverfire Stoves) was in Puerto Rico and here are a few images from his trip. https://www.silverfire.us/home
Isabella: Takes care of her infirm father, 5' of ocean water ran through home destroying all.
Water boiling in wok.
She's proudly lighting her new stove! This is her kitchen, her former gas stove ruined in flood and Hurricane surge. Over 100 days with no power.
Looking forward to cooking and surrounded with free fuel in yard from storm. Why buy fuel?
Cement power pole in 1/2 from 175 mph wind, commercial roofs gone.
Our Government needs to help these people and we are but we have to do more. They are estimating that it will be 8 months before power is fully restored. What would your plan be?? How do you get through something like this? We all must think about that and get provisions in place to help our family and our neighbors. No one can do this alone....
Over the past year 2017, I blogged about my 100 Essentials https://www.amp-3.net/resources/
I hope that you followed along. Amp-3 's biggest mission is education for all of you out there. Getting prepared for whatever might come our way is our goal and our duty. We love what we do and the people that we get to meet make this very satisfying and rewarding. If you missed any of the past Blog posts, please scroll down and there they are!
Some of you may be struggling right now or maybe loss of love one over the past year. Please remember that your never alone. Reach out and ask for help to a friend, relative, or pastor. They are there for you and always will be.
The year 0f 2017 will be in our memory banks for a very long time with good memories, sad memories and some bad memories but together we can make it through anything.
Hopefully, all of you have had gains in your Retirement Accounts and 401K's with the surge in the Stock Market over the past year as well. This only means you need to be diversified in your investments.
This brings up the need to have Gold, Silver and extra $$ on hand in case of emergency. I suggest that you have a minimum of $100 per person in small bills $1, $5 and $10. The more you have the better your situation if something were to happen to our power grid. Power Outages can be for a few minutes or months like in Puerto Rico. You justnever know...
For the Ranch, this past summer we purchased a Woodsman 505 wood boiler on Craigslist. Installing one of these will save us a lot of $$$.
David, Steve (My Brother) and I, went to pick this up and needed a little help. Watch this video!
Super excited to have this installed to heat the new home and barn. The projects never seem to end when your developing a Ranch. David would love to have one of the Skid Steers but at $72,000 it's not even on the list of my 100 Essentials...
I know that I have mentioned it before but one to the BEST investments that we have ever made was our Camp. Mike and Weston Wheeler, the builders of our Camp are working on opening a NEW Facility in Mt. Pleasant, UT and will be building Camps once again.
Interested in a Range Camp like Camp #216? Call (435) 262-0601 and ask for Mike Wheeler
This Camp it totally off GRID and it's perfect for the Ranch but it's our Travel Trailer as well. This past year we went to Yosemite National Park and stayed in our Camp outside the park in Oakhurst. We loved driving though the Gold Country once again and antiquing along the way. Very Hard to find a place to park Red and the Camp though on this Winding & Narrow Road. Would have loved to stop at a few more shops but just not possible.
Fall brings may leaves to the Ranch so clean up is pretty consistent. Nothing is better then the smell of burning wood and leaves, which we have an abundance of. There really is something peaceful about standing over a fire, watching it burn and adding more to the pile as it burns down.
Before Winter turns to Spring, Summer to Fall, and the holidays once again come speeding around the corner, let’s all take a moment to consider the months ahead. Time has a way of marching ever onward and it’s up to all of us to get the most from those precious moments, whether you’re working a hundred head of cattle or simply need to pick up pellets for your wood stove. We believe it’s not what we say, but what we do that matters most.
This has been a busy year for us and were already gearing up for 2018. In the year ahead, I will be adding several guest bloggers to my weekly blog. Are you interested in adding information to my Blog? Do you have something your passionate about to help my readers with their preparedness? Then I hope to hear from you! Send me a message on my Blog and I will get in touch with you. This isn't about one person but a network of people who want to reach as many as possible and get prepared.
That’s why you’ll find us here, enjoying the ride and working hard to make 2018 a year to remember. Let me know what you think and if your wanting your name added as a contributor.
Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year and May 2018 be the best year yet! Looking forward to hearing from you!!
Merry Christmas!!
David and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Eat, Drink and be Merry! So blessed to have you as friends and customers.
Remember our Troops this time of year. Enjoy this video and Thank a Vet if you can. Freedom isn't Free!
Christmas Time!
It Took A Year!
Well, my list of 100 Essentials, is coming ot an end but it's really the beginning! Were moving on to Item #95 (Olives, Green Chilies and Canned Vegetables including Mushrooms). These items are need to spice up your receipe's. Stock up and have plenty on hand. Olives are great in bread too! Yum...
Item #96 consists of Mustard, Ketchup, Taco Seasoning, Bread Crumbs and all other spices. These items I get at my favorite store (Cash & Carry) or Cash and Grab as my brother calls it! This is a food service store open to the public and I am sure you have something like this store where you live. It's affordable and convenient for everyday shopping. Like Costco or Sams Club but better!
Well, item #97 is one of my favorites for sure! Cookbooks on Food Storage, Canning, Gardening, you name it! Heading to Goodwill later today and I will be checking out the books there for sure! Yard Sales, Estate Sales, Salvation Army or Goodwill are great places to pick up some extra books.
Item #98 Canned Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Nutmeg. Once again, Cash and Carry or a similar store will be the place to stock up on these items. This is the time of the year to find them, so why not stock up!
Well, our good friend's Ben & Heidi Gilmore own a company called Tech Protect Mylar Bags. Great for your electronics and many more uses. Watch this video!
Remember, you want to have Food Grade for your Food as well as a Heat Sealer to seal them. This is the one that we have. Works great and we have used it a lot over the years.
Well, here's Item #100!!! CASH $$$ remember small bills $10 and less. A minimum of $100 per person in your family. More is always better because you never know when you might need it. Silver and Gold are also important to have on hand.
Thank you for reading along, even though I received only a few comments, I hope that this helped!
Merry Christmas!!!
Wow! This Year Is Going By So Fast...
With Thanksgiving, all ready come and gone, Christmas is on its way and I am on to items # 90 to 94.
#90 is really easy, Chewing Gum, Mint and Hard Candy! Choose your favorites and stock up on them. Personally, I love Lemon Hard Candy, so I have that on hand all the time. I also love Jolly Ranchers!! What about Salt Water Taffy? Whatever your favorite, stock up so you always have it on hand.
Item #91 Powered Eggs! We love OvaEasy Eggs. Just delicious however you want to use them. We have stocked up on these for the past 5 years and my kids love them. Easy to use and affordable enough to keep on hand.
Have you ever heard of sun-dried tomatoes? We decided to take a hint from Mother Nature and copy her at her best. We've discovered a way to use the same principles that go into making sun-dried fruits and apply it to one of Mother Nature's most amazing foods...egg!
OvaEasy crystal freeze-drying process is special because it works at low-temperature and doesn't damage the flavor or functionality of the eggs. We start with wholesome fresh eggs and gently evaporate the water, leaving only little crystals of pure egg. That's why we call them Egg Crystals! When you go to cook our Egg Crystals later, they taste just like fresh eggs! Order yours today (Click On the Photo)
Item #92 Pasta, Pasta Sauce & Pizza Sauce are staples for any home. So add these items to your preparedness and make sure that you rotate you stock. Use the oldest date first.
#93 Dried Fruit, Dried Beans and Dried Vegetables are essentials to have on hand for rounding out your pantry. Having a variety of foods will keep your family well fed and healthy.
Once again, I will bring up the Harvest Right Food Freeze Drier. This is a huge expense but in the long run, you will be able to have the foods items that your family loves when and if times get tough. Click on image to order yours!
Well, with Christmas just around the corner, I hope that I have given you a list of 100 Essentials to add to your preparedness! May the Blessings of Christmas be with you always. Remember the reason for the season is Jesus Christ the King of Kings....
Happy Thanksgiving
We hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your Family and Friends! Have a safe weekend and enjoy the weekend.
100 Essentials #87 and #88
Well, were almost done with our list of 100 Essentials. Item #87 Stay Alert Gum
Gum 5 times faster than coffee
Each piece of military caffeine gum contains 100 mg of caffeine, which is about the amount found in a six-ounce cup of coffee.
“Because it’s chewed, it delivers caffeine to the body four to five times faster than a liquid or pill because it’s absorbed through tissues in the mouth — not the gut, like in traditional formulations,” Dr. Kamimori, a behavioral Army researcher, said.
A sleep researcher, he learned of the idea of delivering caffeine through gum in 1998. Congress funded the first study on the gum a year later.
When the study validated how fast the caffeine was absorbed in the body, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command began developing and testing military caffeine gum for use in sustained or continuous military operations when Soldiers typically don’t get enough sleep. To order (Click Image)
Item #88 Hats, Bandanas, Neckerchiefs ( Your Probably already have these) If not, any great Farm and Ranch Store will have these. We prefer Coastal Farm and Ranch but what ever you find will be great to have on hand.
#89 Goats, Rabbits, Quail Chickens (Cages, Food, Water Containers) I was just at Coastal earlier today and they had several different Rabbits. My father would slaughter one every Saturday and that's what we had for dinner. Easy to skin and better then Chicken in my opinion.
Now Goats, Check out the link below and choose the best one for you. I have a friend who raises and sells Boer Goats and is doing really well breeding and selling. Great way to earn a little extra cash for your Farm or Ranch.
Now, I have several friends that are raising Quail for meat and eggs to produce more. Here is a great article about Raising Quail. (Click On the Photo)
There is so much information on raising chickens but here are a few of my favorite rescourses. (Click on the photo for the Link)
You will soon understand the value of growing your own food! Enjoy the process, eat well and your family will love you for it.
100 Essentials #81 to #86
This week kind of ties into last week, so here we go with with item #81 GardenGloves, WorkGloves & Warm Gloves. Garden and Work Gloves for Spring, Summer and Fall and Warmer Gloves for Winter. Stay warm and free of blisters is always my goal and my need for gloves. Most of you already have these in your homes but if not we love the local farm and ranch stores. Can we say Coastal Farm and Ranch!
Item #82 Lantern Hangers. These items just make seeing at night a whole lot easier. Also great to play cards by in the evening with some hot chocolate!
Moving onto # 83 Screen Patch Kits, Glue, Screws, Nuts and Bolts are the next item on our list. Buy in bulk and save when you can. We recently went to a garage sale, at a home where the man had lived for 80 years.
He had everything in while plastic jugs. We purchased a lot of these items there. Look for Garage Sales, Estate Sales, Barn Sales and Hardware Store Sales. Don't wait until you need these items. If your always looking your will find what you need.
Watch this video and learn how to repair a Screen Door or Window.
Item #84 Screwdrivers, Hammer, Wrenches, and General House Tools. Once again, I love Made in America when it comes to tools. The older the better, so i look at Antique Stores, Estate Sales, Garage Sales, ect. Lately, I have been collecting old Ford Tools, I love anything Ford so the hunt is on...
Now this next item is a must for everyone who prepares. #85 Cigarettes, Cigars, Lighter, Paper Book Matches (Getting Harder to Find). Now we don't smoke (anything) but we have these in our preps to use for bartering. Some folks just can't do with out and will gladly barter to get them. We have a few cartons on hand just in case.
#86 is another bartering item to have on hand. Wine and Liquor. Purchase the travel size and stock up. These will be great to have on hand and enjoy a couple if you choose. Love these stored in Mason Jars. Great idea!
Hopefully, I have given you a few more ideas on items to add to your preps. Stay tuned as were winding down my list of 100 Essentials. Let me know what you think and items that you have so I can add them to mine. See you next week!
100 Essentials #76 to #80
This week we start with #76 (Roll On Window Installation Kits) Save $$ with reducing escape of heat or cooling through your windows with this inexpensive window treatment. You can do this!
Item #77 (Graham Crackers, Saltines, Pretzels, Trail Mix, & Beef Jerky) These are great for the kids and I love them too. Stock up and place in heavy plastic containers to help prevent rodents from getting in.
Here is a tip on keeping Saltine Crackers fresh:
Stay Fresh
If pantry pests, such as weevils, aren't an issue, you can store crackers in their original sealed packaging. Store crackers in an airtight bag, or glass or plastic container after opening the package; glass containers work best for keeping pests out of your crackers. You can store sealed crackers for up to eight months in a dark, cool pantry, but they retain their maximum freshness for only about one month after opening.
Refresh Stored Crackers
Heat can refresh crackers that lose their crispness but have no other signs of spoilage, such as mold or an off odor. Spread the crackers out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake them in a 425-degree Fahrenheit oven for two to four minutes, or until they become crisp again. Store refreshed crackers in a sealed container.
Item #78 (Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts, Jam and Jelly) We love all of these! Grab a large whole wheat tortilla, spread on Peanut Butter, add Banana and yum!!! Nuts, well we love them to. Always have about 10 cans on had at all times. You can never have enough nuts! Healthy and filling for you and your family. Peanuts, Cashews, Almonds and more. Make sure you have enough to last when you need them.
Item #79 Lumber. You will need this to repair buildings or make items that your family will need. Best to stock up when on sale or if someone is moving and doesn't want to take it with them. All sizes and all types as you never really know what you might need or when you will be needing it.
Item #80 Wagons, Wheelbarrows & Carts (For Transportation and Work). These are necessary items and can be picked up anytime you see them. We look at Estate Sales, End of Season Sales, pretty much if we find them at a good price then we will pick them up. Extra parts for these items are also great to have extra of. You never know when something is going to break down.
Sorry about the delay in getting this post done. To many projects and not enough time. As always, let me know your thoughts and how your doing on getting your 100 Essentials list completed.
October is a great time to get your 100 Essentials #71 to #75 in stock!
Wow! What a week...
This past week has been nothing more than interesting and frustrating at the same time. We just moved into our new home in the Portland area and we were suppose to close on 8/18, then 8/25 and finally closed on 9/7. We have had no internet but still able to look at Amp-3 orders on my phone and computer by using my Verizon Hot Spot. Can't print and email was spotty.
We have had several orders online and a couple phoned in. Needless to say, were a bit backed up. All orders should be shipped by Friday, September 15th. Several of our items come from Texas and that has also added to the delay. When it rains, it pours but God never puts more on your plate then you can handle.
If you waiting for an order, look for the tracking information by the end of the week. Thank you for your orders and your patience!!!
Another new product for Amp-3!!!
Praying for Texas and Louisiana!!! 100 Essentials #66 to #70
Hope that you feel your getting some valuable information by following along. This week were on to Item #66 to #70.
Item #66 Board Games, Horseshoes, Cornhole, Dice, Playing Cards are just a few of our favorites. Check out your local Goodwill, Antique Store or make your own. These will help you pass the time while having fun with your family. Recently we were in Denver at the Brewery and played Corn Hole for over 2 hrs. Had a Blast!!! We're definitely making a few sets of these to have down at the ranch.
#67 on my list os 100 Essentials are items to control pests. D-Con Rat Poison, Roach Killer, Wasp Spray, Mouse Traps, Ant Traps and so on. While we have been down at the ranch a lot this summer working on our barn, the yellow jackets, wasps and hornet nest are a consistent on the rafters of the barn. Here is the best solution that I have found to date. These babies work great and you can refill them easily, You Gone!!!
Item #68 Paper Plates, Napkins, Paper Towels, Plastic Cups and Plastic Utensils are easy and affordable to stock up on at your local Costco or other big box store. Clorex Wipes are also needed items to buy when ever you sell them. Stock up and Save!!!
Onto Item #69 Baby Wipes, Hand Sanitizer, Antibacterial Soap are items need to keep you and your family clean. Do you know that the #1 issue for most folks will be hygiene and keeping clean. Wash your hands and keep the bacteria away as much as you can. This is going to be vital in staying alive. Look at Costco, The Dollar Store, Big Lots and so many of the big box stores will have what your looking for. Don't wait stock up today!
Item #70 Rain Boots, Waterproof Jackets, Waterproof Hats and Gloves. Items to keep you dry and warm. Looking at the Devastation in Houston, TX I see so many folks walking around with out shoes and coats. This is a good way to cut your feet and get bacteria in those cuts. We are heartbroken about what is happening on the Texas Border and we are praying for the thousands of American's that have lost everything.
We will be donating to Samaritans Purse, will you join us???
Click on this image if you wish to donate to help the victims of this historical disaster!