The Countdown: 10 Things You Need to Know How To Do Before You Lose Electricity!

#4: Have & Use Non-Electric Appliances

Since we are about to hit the active period during our hurricane season here in the US, I thought it would be beneficial to create a 'Top 10 List' of things you should know how to do without electricity. Most of these things will be extremely important if you had to go without electricity for a few weeks (or longer). However, many of them also apply to power outages of just a few days. So, every Friday, until we countdown to #1, I will highlight a necessary skill to keep your house running as 'normal' as possible. Once you learn about these 10 things, you should be able to keep your house running normally during any power outage from a few days to a few months or longer, if that becomes necessary.

I do want to mention, none of these things will include the use of a generator. While generators do work short term, IMHO, there is no way you can store enough gasoline to keep the generator running for a long term outage. My strategy is to use 18th and 19th century skills to keep my house running. I don't even own a generator. 

I created this 'Top 10 List' and the subject matter and countdown order are mine alone. You may not agree with my list. That is no problem! You are welcome to share your ideas in the comments section. We all learn when differing viewpoints are shared respectfully!

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Non-electric appliances can be found in all areas of the home. For example, my gardening tools are all non-electric. I don't have a tiller. If I need to turn the dirt over, I use a shovel. I also don't have a vacuum, I beat my rugs. But putting all that aside  you won't need non-electric appliances like these for a short term power outage. The need grows greater the longer the outage. I have discussed some of these in the previous posts of this series.

Today's post is about non-electric appliances you will need in a short term power outage. That is, non-electric appliances for the kitchen. Most (normal) people have electric appliances in their kitchens. But as we all know, they won't work in a power outage. So, I have made a list of the top five non-electric appliances I use on a daily or almost daily basis. This should give you an idea of the type of appliances you will need if you ever have to prepare and cook food without power.

In my kitchen, I have two kinds of non-electric appliances. Those that are required for everyday cooking and those that are required for every day food processing. I use both on a daily basis and find them critical for working when you don't have (or don't use) electricity. However, this post and this series is about what is needed to maintain your household when the power is out. In that regard, I am sure processing food from the garden or grinding wheat won't be high on your list of priorities.So, I will stick with the appliances used in everyday cooking. I will write another post of the top non-electric appliances I use to process foods once this series is complete.

On another note, I really don't think these are appliances. To me, an appliance implies something with a motor that needs electricity. I call them tools. So I will refer to each as a tool for the rest of this post. 

Here are the top five tools for everyday cooking that I can't live without :

#5: Kitchen Timers

Some people might say that kitchen timers really aren't critical. You could use your watch or a clock and keep an eye on the time instead. That was my thought process for quite a few years. However, after burning many foods in my Dutch Oven because I turned my attention to something else, I can assure you that these are not a luxury, they are critical to cooking without power. Think about it, how many times do you use the timer on your stove? How would you cook if you didn't have that timer? These timers have been critical to my being able to manage cooking different food items at the same time. The are really inexpensive. I got mine at one of the big box stores.


#4: Mortar and Pestle

I use this thing every day. Something always needs to be ground to a powder. Herbs from the garden, vitamins for Molly, something for the plants in the garden like hot peppers for insecticide or Tums tablets for calcium. I have had this one for years and I can't imagine not having it. Some other common uses for a mortar and pestle include making pesto, guacamole and gazpacho. The Indians used it to grind nuts and corn into flours. It is also handy to grind sun dried tomatoes into a powder when you need to thicken tomato sauce. You can find them made from many different materials, mine is made from marble. It is super easy and quick to clean. They are not expensive either. Mine is so old I am not sure the design is available anymore. Here is one I like on Amazon that very similar to mine.

RSVP White Marble Mortar and Pestle



#3: Blender

This is a wishlist item for me. I don't have one (yet). I put it at number three because I think about it on a daily basis as I try to blend, whisk and shake by other methods! We drink kefir smoothies on a daily basis at my house. Making these smoothies would be so much easier if I had one of these. I would also use it to grind up onion or garlic powder. I have been reading about this blender for quite sometime and I believe it does everything all electric blenders do (comments on the Internet say it is only so-so on crushing ice). I am going to ask for one for my birthday. I will write a review when I get one!

Update on 10/28/2013:
 I now have one and I wrote a review on it! You can see that here.


#2: Hand Beaters

Hand beaters are used almost daily in my house. I don't think I would be able to cook without them. While a whisk is fine for small things, you can't beat egg whites with it or mix some types of cake/quick bread batter with it either. I use these hand beaters a lot when cooking with food storage. (Look at some of those posts and you will see this tool in the pictures.) Now, I will say it takes some getting used to. Your hands can cramp the first few times you use it. Go slow at first and then increase speed. Switch hands often! If the directions say to mix for two minutes with an electric mixer, you will need to mix for five to six minutes with these. I have had mine for so long I don't remember where I got them. It has nylon gears similar to the ones for sale on Amazon shown in the link below. 

Norpro Rotary Egg Beater, 12 inch


I also want to say that I have four sets of hand crank beaters. Two have nylon gears and two have metal gears. The metal ones tend to rust and just like gardening tools, require oil to keep them clean. (I use olive oil on mine.) I like the nylon gears better. Easier to use and easier to clean - no oiling required. 


#1: Sun Oven

While it is possible to use your grill (both charcoal and gas grills) as an oven, I must say I don't know how I would be able to cook with out one of these. This is my oven of choice. You can read more about how I cook without electricity (Ten Ways to Cook Without Electricity) by using a Sun Oven here. I reach for it first and only consider using other ways of cooking if the sun isn't shining. It even works with on/off cloud cover if you are using it as a slow cooker. Clouds will inhibit cooking when you need a high consistent temperature such as when you are baking a cake or bread. I so love cooking with a sun oven that I am now the proud owner of two of them! My new sun oven is a double oven that holds two pots at the same time. (The sun oven in the picture is quite small and will only hold small pots.) There is also a new oven on the market that will consistently reach temperatures of 400 to 450 degrees. (I know what I am going to ask Santa to bring me for Christmas this year!) I will write a post on the advantages and disadvantages of each soon.

So, there you have it! The tops tools I use to cook with on a daily basis. In my opinion, when you have these five tools, you will be able to cook just about anything, whether you have power or not!


If you liked this post, you may also like:

• 10 Things Countdown: #10 Think Safety First
• 10 Things Countdown: #9 Maintain Cleanliness
• 10 Things Countdown: #8 Wash Clothes
• 10 Things Countdown: #7 Cool or Heat Your Home
• 10 Things Countdown: #6 Provide Essential Lighting
• 10 Things Countdown: #5 Store Shelf Stable Foods
• 10 Things Countdown: #3 Handle Sanitation
• 10 Things Countdown: #2 Obtain Safe Drinking Water
• 10 Things Countdown: #1 Keep Your Family Safe From Harm

More Tips To Help Whole Wheat Bread Rise

One of the most common complaints I hear when people talk about using food storage is that they can't get whole wheat bread to rise well. I can sympathize because I don't like my bread to be as heavy as a brick either. Yet, I still make whole wheat bread. Mine is as high and fluffy as white bread. How do I do it? Well I would like to say it is easy, but it isn't. It takes practice and trying lots of different recipes until you find one that works for you. However, there are some tips that will help.

I have written about tips to help whole wheat bread rise before (I have incorporated some of them into the list below). My advice is to try all of these ideas until you find a recipe and a process that works for you every time you use it, then stick with it! Here are suggestions that have worked for me:

• Use a dough enhancer. I have a homemade one that I love and think it works better than anything you can buy in the store. You can see my recipe for homemade dough enhancer here. I use 1 TBS per cup of flour. 
• Most recipe instructions tell you to let the dough rise in a warm place. That doesn't always work for me when I am making whole wheat bread. I find that you need the environment to be a bit hotter than 'warm'. I let mine rise in 110 - 120 degree environment. You can do that in the oven, a dehydrator (such as one of the Excalibur Food Dehydrators like the Excalibur 2900ECB 9-Tray Economy Dehydrator, Black), outside in a Sun Oven,  or any other very warm place you can find.
• Watch the dough ball, not the recipe. I don't follow recipes exactly, I use them as a guide. Many times when I am trying a new recipe, I find that it isn't working as written because the dough ball isn't the correct consistency for my environment. Now, a dough made of all whole wheat isn't going to look the same as a dough ball made of white flour (at first). Instead, it will look a little bit too wet and sticky. After the dough comes together, let it rest to allow the bran to absorb the liquids in the recipe. Then you should find it has a more 'normal' look. If it doesn't, adjust the recipe until it does. Sometime this requires more flour or water than you think you should add. For example, if it is raining outside, you may need less water! If you live in the desert, you may need a bit more. If you live in a different part of the country from me, you are going to need to adjust the recipe for your environment. Both of us may require different adjustments. So, watch the dough ball. It's consistency will tell you when you have the correct amount of flour/liquid - not the recipe.
• The reason whole wheat bread has that heavy feel is because the bran has rough, sharp edges that tend to damage the gluten strands as they develop. If the gluten strands get cut, the gas that causes the bread to rise escapes and the bread doesn't rise well. Therefore, it ends up thick and dense. One of the ways you can combat this is to remove some of the bran from the flour. I learned this trick when I started making whole wheat angel food cake from food storage. What you do is to gently sift the flour to remove some of the bran. Sifting the flour will remove approximately one tablespoon of bran out of the 3 cups of flour. Sift gently to remove the maximum amount of bran possible. Less bran means less cutting of the gluten strands as the bread develops. Now, you aren't removing all the bran - just some of it, so you still get the health benefits of the whole wheat flour. Sift before you measure the flour for the recipe.
• Use whole wheat bread flour. Personally, I have never seen this in a store. I don't even know if it is available over the Internet. I make my own. You can see all my flour recipes here. I will also repeat it below. It's easy and simple:
• 1 cup whole wheat flour or 1 cup whole wheat all purpose flour (all purpose whole wheat flour is 1/2 cup hard wheat and 1/2 cup soft wheat)
• 1 TBS vital wheat gluten
• 1/8 tsp vitamin C powder (you can also find vital wheat gluten in the grocery store with vitamin C added - if you use that you can omit this ingredient.)
• If the recipe calls for milk, substitute buttermilk, yogurt or kefir. Mix the dairy product with the whole wheat. Don't add anything else yet. Mix into a dough ball. (You can use a machine set on the dough cycle if you would like.) Let it set from a few hours to 24 hours. Then add the rest of the ingredients in the recipe and knead together. (Again, you can use a machine but make sure all the ingredients are incorporated and it looks like a normal dough ball.) This is supposed to make the whole wheat more nutritious by releasing more vitamins. I have read this on the Internet many times in many different places. I will believe it when I see that an analysis has been performed in a lab. I soak whole wheat because I believe the bread rises better! Really! I don't do it all the time, sometimes life gets in the way and I need the bread in a hurry. However, I have noticed a higher rise when I do soak vs. when I don't.
• Really knead the bread. I knead by hand. I would say normally, white bread dough needs about 300 strokes before the first rise. That isn't enough for whole wheat bread.  Whole wheat dough needs between 600 - 700 strokes to really develop the gluten. Try it just once and you will see such a difference! If using a machine instead of hand kneading, adjust the time accordingly. You may need to experiment here to find the best kneading time for whole wheat. 

If none of the above work when you first start, mix whole wheat flour with some white bread flour or all purpose flour. You can start with  2/3 whole wheat flour and 1/3 white flour. There should be no reason bread made with that combination won't rise! Then, slowly over time, start eliminating the white flour from the recipe and replace it with whole wheat. By the time you get to 100% whole wheat, you should be a gourmet bread maker!

Gardening in a Concrete Jungle

Do you live in a city without a yard? Do you live in a rented house and don't have permission to grow a garden? Watch this video about a man with a creative mindset on how to garden even if you live in a concrete jungle such as south LA!

Caution: You will hear mild swearing in this video.

A Gorilla Gardner in South Central LA

I got this video from TED.com. If you have never watched any videos from this site, you are missing out on some of the most creative and innovative ideas from people all over the world! This site has videos on just about any subject you can think of! 

You should check them out!

I Apologize For Not Posting the Top 10 Today!

I have been feeling under the weather for the past few days and not able to post. Leaving to see the doctor in the next few minutes so I am sorry to say there won't be a post today.

I promise to resume posting as soon as I am able!

The Interpet

My husband sent me this picture from Animal Behavior Matters off of his Facebook page. It is so cute I had to share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

10 Ways To Be More Self-Sufficient Without a Farm

I would love to live on a mini-farm. To me, having my own cow would mean I would only have to go to the grocery store once or twice a year! With a cow, almost everything you eat could come from your own land! Wow! That would be my ideal way of living.

However, I live in reality. Not everyone, (and this includes me) can live on a farm. Land is expensive and commutes to work would be quite difficult if not impossible. So, instead I have a 'bloom where you're planted' mentality about living. I do what I can to be as self-sufficient as I can now. I am not waiting until I move to a more ideal setting. As long as I am moving towards that goal every day, I am more self-sufficient today than I was yesterday.

This is one of the reasons I like to read other blog posts on ideas I can use to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle. I just found another post that gives some additional ways we all can be more self-sufficient/self-reliant.

10 Ways To Be More Self Sufficient Without Having a Farm

I hope you can find a new idea or two that you can apply to your own journey!

The Countdown: 10 Things You Need to Know How To Do Before You Lose Electricity!

#5: Store Shelf Stable Foods

Since we are about to hit the active period during our hurricane season here in the US, I thought it would be beneficial to create a 'Top 10 List' of things you should know how to do without electricity. Most of these things will be extremely important if you had to go without electricity for a few weeks (or longer). However, many of them also apply to power outages of just a few days. So, every Friday, until we countdown to #1, I will highlight a necessary skill to keep your house running as 'normal' as possible. Once you learn about these 10 things, you should be able to keep your house running normally during any power outage from a few days to a few months or longer, if that becomes necessary.

I do want to mention, none of these things will include the use of a generator. While generators do work short term, IMHO, there is no way you can store enough gasoline to keep the generator running for a long term outage. My strategy is to use 18th and 19th century skills to keep my house running. I don't even own a generator. 

I created this 'Top 10 List' and the subject matter and countdown order are mine alone. You may not agree with my list. That is no problem! You are welcome to share your ideas in the comments section. We all learn when differing viewpoints are shared respectfully!

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I had someone tell me once that they had plenty of food storage because they had a freezer in the garage and it was full. While I do agree that buying in bulk and freezing is generally a good idea to help you save money, it won't do anything for you in the event of a power outage. In fact, having a freezer full of food during a long power outage is a liability, not an asset. For the first few days of the power outage, you can still eat normally by using up some of the foods in the freezer. What then? I sure hope you have a plan to can or dehydrating everything else you want to save. 

Let's say that you do have a plan to can most of what is in the freezer. Are you going to eat all that ground beef by itself?  Take a few moments to really think about this. How much food do you have in your pantry? If all you have is a box of crackers, some breakfast cereal, and a few cans of peas, what exactly are you going to eat? While I believe a well stocked pantry is essential to riding out life's storms, I know that I am in the minority here. However, going to the other extreme of having nothing in your pantry isn't a good idea either. Waiting until the last moment to go to the store before a storm is stressful at best, (who wants to fight the crowds to stock up?) and foolish at the least. We have all heard about the store shelves that are completely empty before a storm hits. Why not avoid all the stress, and keep a supply of shelf stable foods in your pantry? Even FEMA suggests that all Americans have three days worth of food at home. I suggest that three days isn't enough. After a storm, FEMA isn't going to magically appear in three days. If help arrives at all, history suggests it will be closer to 10 days or so before you will see the Red Cross or FEMA.

Many people tell me they can't afford to stock their pantry. I understand food is expensive. The paycheck doesn't go as far as it used to! Once, someone told me that shelf stable foods were a waste of money for her because she only feeds her family fresh foods. (What, no pasta?) People who don't want to store even a few items will always find a reason not to do it. And if you don't have other people dependent on you for their survival, that is fine. Everyone has agency to choose for themselves. However, if you have others (especially children) dependent on you for their survival, it only makes sense to keep some foods in storage. 

What you store in your pantry will be different from what I store in mine because our families are different. Start with what your family likes. Here is a list of some all-time favorites that are also inexpensive:

• A box of spaghetti and a can/jar of sauce
• A can of beans and a package of rice
• Dried soup mixes
• A variety of canned vegetables
• Canned tuna and a package of tuna helper
• Canned chicken and a package of chicken helper
• Canned chili with a box of cornbread mix
• Pancake mix and a bottle of syrup
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Any instant meals that say 'Just Add Water' on the label

It doesn't have to cost a fortune to store shelf stable foods like those listed here. If you clip coupons (and only purchase when the store puts them on sale) you can get them for even less! When you store what your family normally likes to eat, nothing is wasted! Eating these foods now, on a regular basis, means you know your family won't have a problem eating them when the power goes out! 

Need more ideas? Here are a few web sites to help:

How Can I Afford to Stock Up?

35 Food Items to Store That are Low Cost and Last

Lessons Learned from Hurricane Sandy


If you liked this post, you may also like:

• 10 Things Countdown: #10 Think Safety First
• 10 Things Countdown: #9 Maintain Cleanliness
• 10 Things Countdown: #8 Wash Clothes
• 10 Things Countdown: #7 Cool or Heat Your House
• 10 Things Countdown: #6 Provide Essential Lighting
• 10 Things Countdown: #4 Have & Use Non-Electric Appliances
• 10 Things Countdown: #3 Handle Sanitation
• 10 Things Countdown: #2 Obtain Safe Drinking Water
• 10 Things Countdown: #1 Keep Your Family Safe From Harm

Make Your Own Garden Insecticide

For the most part, I don't believe in using either insecticide or fungicide chemicals. They work best when used sparingly and only after everything else you tried has failed. A small bottle of concentrate should last for years. This philosophy will keep your garden healthy, in balance and provide a home for the good bugs. The good bugs will help keep the bad bugs in check.

So what should you do when you see the bad bugs getting the upper hand? Try this homemade insecticide! Now I must say, although I call this an insecticide, it really isn't. It won't kill anything. What it will do is keep the bad bugs off your plants until the good bugs come in to help. It also works on rabbits, deer, chipmunks, squirrels and other small critters that want to eat your garden. I read in the Wall Street Journal awhile back that in Africa, it even keeps elephants out of the corn fields! You can use it safely on all vegetables, fruits and herbs. What is it? Chili Pepper powder!

You can go to the grocery store and purchase chili pepper powder if you would like, I prefer to grow my own. You can see how I do that a little further down in this post.  For now, lets start with the instructions to make the insecticide:

1. Mix one to two tablespoons of chili pepper powder in one quart of boiling water.
2. Mix well. Let the larger pieces fall to the bottom of the container.
3. Let the chili pepper 'tea' cool to room temperature. I mix mine up at night and then let it sit until morning.
4. Pour carefully into a garden sprayer. You want the tea in the sprayer but not the pieces at the bottom of the container. You may want to use a strainer to make pouring easier.
5. Add additional cold water to make one gallon.
6. Spray as needed. This works best when the weather isn't rainy. If it rains, you are probably going to have to spray again. 

The spray should last about 10 days. If needed, spray again after 7 to 10 days. This should give the good bugs enough time to find the bad bugs in your garden and 'take over' the job of insect control. If needed, sprinkle chili powder directly on any plant that larger critters like to eat. I have sprinkled powder on tomatoes, parsley, carrots and squash with very good results.

As you may know, I have a chipmunk that has taken up residence somewhere in my garden this year. He loves to eat my tomatoes. I have made a paste of chili pepper powder and water and smeared it on the tomatoes that are starting to turn red. (The chipmunk isn't eating the green ones.) It is raining here almost every day but the paste is lasting well through the rain! I have also tried wrapping the tomatoes in insect fabric with good results too. When the tomato is ready to pick, I move the fabric to another tomato.

Now all this spraying and making paste can get expensive if you are having a bad year for bugs. What to do? Try growing your own! Peppers are easy to grow, not much bothers them and they are not susceptible to many fungal diseases either. I have mine in a grow box. I mixed plain potting soil with compost and filled the container. Then, I planted the peppers and added mulch on top so the dirt won't splash up on the leaves. Peppers are heavy feeders so be sure to periodically side dress with more compost or fertilizer. I  use an organic fertilizer and feed 2 tablespoons per plant twice a month (the first and fifteenth).

As a side note, the most important thing you can do in your garden to help keep diseases at bay is to mulch. There are a lot of fungal diseases in the soil. They get on the plants when raindrops splash a bit of dirt onto the leaves. Mulching avoids this. 

Here is how to make your own hot pepper powder for an insecticide:

Grow the hottest jalapeno peppers you can find. The hotter, the better. Here is a picture of one of my plants. I have a total of three.

When the peppers are ready, slice them thin. My husband usually slices ours because peppers this hot make me sick when I touch them. I must wear both gloves and a face mask. Don't forget to save some seeds to plant next year!

Spread out on a dehydrator tray. Each piece should have space around it and should not touch any other piece.

I dry peppers as a vegetable at 135 degrees. You can also dehydrate fruits and vegetables in a sun oven. It's easy and it is my preferred method of drying foods. However, it only works when the sun is out. That hasn't happened in my area in a while.

Dry the peppers until they are crisp and break up easily. In the picture below, I have dehydrated 38 peppers. (This is a big family size serving bowl, I am sorry I did not include something to show scale.)

I store the dehydrated peppers in a storage bag until the end of the growing season. Then I will vacuum seal and place in storage until next year. Late next spring, I will grind the peppers into a powder to use as needed during the summer. There are lots of ways to grind them up to make a powder. You could use a blender if you would like. I don't have an electric blender so I usually use a mortar and pestle  I have also used a hand crank grinder as well. It really depends on how many peppers I have to grind!

Making your own garden insecticide is super easy, cheaper than what you can get at the store and encourages a healthy garden! Even better, it brings you one step closer to a self-sustained life!

The Countdown: 10 Things You Need to Know How to Do Before You Lose Electricity!

#6: Provide Essential Lighting

Since we are about to hit the active period during our hurricane season here in the US, I thought it would be beneficial to create a 'Top 10 List' of things you should know how to do without electricity. Most of these things will be extremely important if you had to go without electricity for a few weeks (or longer). However, many of them also apply to power outages of just a few days. So, every Friday, until we countdown to #1, I will highlight a necessary skill to keep your house running as 'normal' as possible. Once you learn about these 10 things, you should be able to keep your house running normally during any power outage from a few days to a few months or longer, if that becomes necessary.

I do want to mention, none of these things will include the use of a generator. While generators do work short term, IMHO, there is no way you can store enough gasoline to keep the generator running for a long term outage. My strategy is to use 18th and 19th century skills to keep my house running. I don't even own a generator. 

I created this 'Top 10 List' and the subject matter and countdown order are mine alone. You may not agree with my list. That is no problem! You are welcome to share your ideas in the comments section. We all learn when differing viewpoints are shared respectfully!

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The short version of this post can be summed up in one word: flashlights. Ideally, you would have one for each member of your family plus some utility flashlights. I know some people who collect flashlights as a hobby! Let me add that if you have flashlights you will also need batteries. I get the large packs at the warehouse stores. I store both regular and rechargeable batteries.

Some of the flashlights we store for emergencies.

While it isn't quite necessary to start collecting flashlights as a hobby, here is a list of some flashlight options you may not have thought about.

• Head Flashlight. I don't consider this a 'luxury' item. I have found that this type of flashlight is critical when you need both hands to do something. Who hasn't tried to hold a flashlight with their chin or under their arm. Not necessary with one of these. I like this one best because you can angle the light. I really like the strap that goes over the head - it makes for a more comfortable fit (IMHO). However, there are others that don't have the over the head strap. They can be wrapped around your arm, leg, belt or anywhere! Lots of options on Amazon for this type of flashlight in a wide range of prices. I am sure you will find one that you like.
• Hand crank or shake flashlights. I have both a hand crank lantern and a flashlight that you just shake to use. I will admit, these types of flashlight have a long way to go before they can compete with a 'regular' flashlight. In my experience, they take vigorous shaking or cranking to charge and the light doesn't last as long as the box says it will. Still, if you don't store lots and lots of batteries (and really don't want to store lots and lots of batteries) you may want to consider this alternative. They do come with LED lights to help keep the battery from draining quickly. My lantern has the ability to 'charge up' using an electrical outlet and then I can just use the hand crank to keep it charged. I got both the hand crank lantern and the shake flashlight in the camping section of one of the big box stores.
• Solar powered lights. There are a couple of options in the solar category that I like. I have a solar powered lantern. On a nice sunny day, mine charges up nicely. (I tend to put it out in the morning and leave it there all day. I am not sure this is necessary, but I usually get busy and forget about it until nighttime when I go looking for it.) Sitting on my back patio, it gets about 6 hours of sunlight during the day. Mine has a basic option for bright or low light. There are others types/brands with fancier options, but I didn't want to pay for them. I got mine at a sporting good store in the camping section.  I also have solar 'night lights'. I made these at a crafting event at my church. They use a solar walkway light and come with a rechargeable battery. They make great night lights! I have one in each bedroom. They cost me just a few dollars each to make. Here is a link that will give you an idea of what I am talking about. The link doesn't show exactly how I made mine, but you will get the idea. Mine is a much simpler design with no tape or glue involved. Doing an Internet search,  I could not find a post that shows step-by-step how I made mine so I will post a 'how to' on how I made one in the next few weeks.
• Key Chain Flashlight. While this type of flashlight doesn't really fit the spirit of the post, if you don't have any other light, it will do! I actually carry two flashlights in my purse. I have one on my keychain and a small hand held one that is no more than three inches long. Both are handy to have if you are trying to find the lock to open your front door in the dark. I have had each for years and haven't replaced the batteries yet! If you are not at home when the power goes off, these can be a lifesaver!

I don't encourage using candles or any other open flame during a power outage. (See Countdown #10: Think Safety First.) However, there may come a time when you have no other choice. Here's what I use.

Some of the candles/lamps we store for emergencies.

• Oil Lamps and Lanterns. I have a very nice oil lantern that I got from Lehman's. They come in colors so you can pick one to match your room decor  That is what I did.  Mine are part of my everyday furniture just like an electric lamp would be in normal people's homes. BTW - since Lehman's caters to the Amish lifestyle, they offer quite a few non-electric lighting options. While the company is a bit pricey, you can see what is available and then comparison shop on the Internet for a better price.
• Canning Jar 'Candle'. I also got this from Lehman's. It uses olive oil/cooking oil so you don't have to store lamp oil. Since it is a single flame, it is a low level light. You can see what is in the room, but you won't be able to read by it. Note: I don't believe this is a good option if you need something to carry from room-to-room. The wick has a tendency to slip down out of the holder and into the oil if you move it. This candle should be considered a stationary light source.
• Candles. Obviously, decorative candles are quite popular and you can find them in stores everywhere. Lots of people tell me you can also get emergency candles at the Dollar Store as well. I don't purchase candles, I usually make my own. I also save candles given to me as gifts. (I very rarely burn candles, except at Christmas time.) Beeswax candles are the best but they are also expensive. If you know of someone who keeps bees, you have a ready source of high quality wax to make your own candles! You can also mix beeswax with other kinds of wax to keep the costs down. No need for molds or such if you hand dip them. Don't forget a candle box to store your candles in.
• Candle holders. While you may decorate your home with pretty, fancy candle holders, when the power is out you will want good, solid, heavy candle holders that won't tip over. Lots and lots of options available at lots and lots of different stores. Most candle holders are designed to be stationary. Place the candle holder(s) where you want them and keep them there. It is not a good idea to be walking room-to-room with heavy candle holders in a power outage. However, there is a very good tin candle holder I like that can be easily relocated to a different area if need be. I have had mine for years. I got it from Lehman's.

Let me suggest another option that our great-great- grandparents used. When the sun goes down, go to bed! When the sun comes up, get up! If you follow the sun, you can greatly reduce your need for additional lighting resources. That will help save on both battery use and candles.

Be prepared and have a few different lighting options available to use when the lights go out at your house.  Keep them in an easy to find location and you won't skip a beat the next time you lose power!

Safety Warning: Open flames are dangerous! Have safety rules for your family regarding the use of any open flame device. Be very careful handling any open flame, you don't want to burn down your house while waiting for the electricity to come back on!

If you liked this post, you may also like:

• 10 Things Countdown: #10 Think Safety First
• 10 Things Countdown: #9 Maintain Cleanliness
• 10 Things Countdown: #8 Wash Clothes
• 10 Things Countdown: #7 Cool or Heat Your House
• 10 Things Countdown: #5 Store Shelf Stable Foods
• 10 Things Countdown: #4 Have & Use Non-Electric Appliances
• 10 Things Countdown: #3 Handle Sanitation
• 10 Things Countdown: #2 Obtain Safe Drinking Water
• 10 Things Countdown: #1 Keep Your Family Safe From Harm

Fresh Tomato Sauce In Five Minutes without Electricity!

This post features one of my non-electric kitchen appliances, my Victorio Strainer. It is one of my favorites.

Whether making tomato sauce, or apple sauce this is a go-to-appliance I use all summer long! Today, I am going to use it to make tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes. Let's start by emptying the contents of the box.

Setup only takes about a minute. There are some additional steps for first time users that you will not have to do on a routine basis. Get a bowl to hold the sauce and another one to hold the discards.

Now get the tomatoes. I picked these yesterday and washed them just before I started.

Cut up the larger tomatoes so they fit nicely into the mouth of the hopper. Unlike the picture on the box, it really works best if you don't overstuff the hopper. I only add a few at a time and then push them into the strainer with the plunger.

Turn the handle. Once the tomatoes feed into the strainer, the handle gets easier to turn. A few minutes later, you have sauce!

When I have processed all the fresh tomatoes, I usually send the discards through once more. You can get a lot more juice and pulp that way.

And you are done! Time from setup to completion was no more than five minutes! Fresh sauce that you can use for lots of different recipes! Mine is going into spaghetti sauce with meat that I will can for the winter.

The Victorio Food Strainer comes with the tomato/apple strainer. You can get other attachments such as a berry screen, pumpkin screen, grape spiral and a salsa screen. Using the appropriate screen for the food, you can make jams, jellies, pie filling, grape juice, salsa and more! All without electricity! Wow! How cool is that!

Garden Update

These should be the HOT days of the summer season. Not the case here in the south. We are lucky if the temp hits 86 or 87. Simply not hot enough to get a good crop of peanuts! I also don't have any figs this year. They keep falling off. The tree keeps making more, but the weather is making the tree drop them! I think it is too much rain. My herbs are too wet as well. Not sure what the final results will be on them. In an attempt to save some, I pulled up a few plants and transplanted them back to a pot. The few that I did that to are doing better than the rest I left in the ground. 

The good news? The temps here are perfect for tomatoes and squash.  No bugs on either as of today. I haven't seen any tomato horn worms yet this year. I am sure I will soon, but none so far. I can tell when they arrive because they love tobacco. I only get one or two on my tomatoes but, I can spend hours picking them off of the tobacco.

Here is a picture of my late planted squash. Planted just before July 4th, they are about to flower now. You can also see the blossoms from the carrot in the background. I should be harvesting seed from that soon.

Lots of healthy green bean plants too. No bugs yet. I have baby green beans now but not big enough to pick. 

Here are the peanuts. The plants look good but I would be much happier if it got hot outside.

Here is a lovely picture of the wild tobacco. I am going to collect seeds from this plant so I am letting it bloom. These flowers are yellow/green. The flowers of the cultivated tobacco are purple and white. You can see the cultivated variety 'One Sucker' in the back of the picture on the right.

The apples are doing well too. I have noticed that my Red Delicious apple tree can't tolerate the same kind of fungicide that the Golden Delicious can. I have a bit of leaf burn on the Red Delicious. I had been using Neem Oil. I am going to have to switch back to Daconil. While it washes off in the rain, both trees can handle that better.

Now that it has stopped raining every day, I am getting more strawberries! I am also still picking blueberries. A little late for blueberry picking in the south but I will take it! 

There are always both pleasures and disappointments in a garden. While you enjoy the bountiful harvests this year, hope does spring eternal because there is always next year to learn from this year's disappointments!

The Countdown: 10 Things You Need to Know How to Do Before You Lose Electricity!

# 7: Cool or Heat Your House

Since we are about to hit the active period during our hurricane season here in the US, I thought it would be beneficial to create a 'Top 10 List' of things you should know how to do without electricity. Most of these things will be extremely important if you had to go without electricity for a few weeks (or longer). However, many of them also apply to power outages of just a few days. So, every Friday, until we countdown to #1, I will highlight a necessary skill to keep your house running as 'normal' as possible. Once you learn about these 10 things, you should be able to keep your house running normally during any power outage from a few days to a few months or longer, if that becomes necessary.

I do want to mention, none of these things will include the use of a generator. While generators do work short term, IMHO, there is no way you can store enough gasoline to keep the generator running for a long term outage. My strategy is to use 18th and 19th century skills to keep my house running. I don't even own a generator. 

I created this 'Top 10 List' and the subject matter and countdown order are mine alone. You may not agree with my list. That is no problem! You are welcome to share your ideas in the comments section. We all learn when differing viewpoints are shared respectfully!

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Keeping Your House Cool in the Summer

Controlling the temperature in your house is important. We have all heard the news stories of people without air conditioning dying from heat related injuries. I have used all of the tips listed below with success. Even with temperatures in the high 90's, I can keep the downstairs floor of my house at about 80 - 82 degrees. I don't find this hot. I set my air conditioner at 80 anyway so I don't really notice the difference. (Full disclosure, when my husband comes home from a business trip, he turns the air conditioner down. I understand that he is hot and tired from a long trip - he travels a lot.  When he leaves on his next trip the air conditioner goes back up to 80 degrees. I mention this so you will know your satisfaction with these ideas may vary if you think a beautiful day is a crisp 40 degrees.)

Personally, I think keeping your house cool in the summer is the harder than heating it in the winter. (I may be biased on that because I live in the south). A very hot day after a bad storm will also be a very humid day. This is when the number of people with heat related injuries soars quite high. Most of our modern homes were not built to keep the summer heat out. So, try these ideas to help keep your house cool when you can't run the air conditioner.

• The first simple tip is to open the windows. If you have a two story house, opening the windows upstairs allows the heat to rise and escape out of the upstairs windows. If you have a breeze, it is even better. Open the downstairs windows and put a wet sheet, cheesecloth, or other thin fabric over the windows. When the breeze blows, the wet sheets will cool the air coming into the house. Warning: this idea is maintenance heavy, you will have to re-wet the sheets often. It doesn't have to be potable water. Water out of a creek, pond, pool or hot tub will work just fine. I have used this idea and it works really well if the wind is blowing. Not so much if there isn't any breeze. 
• If it is at all possible, keep the sun off the windows. The best idea is to put awnings on your house. (This is something you can do now to save on your cooling bills. Make them retractable so you can get the sun in the winter if you need it.)  I do understand if most of you are saying 'yuck!' I am not fond of the look of awnings either. However, I must tell you they really do work. I have found the next best thing to awnings is a bath towel or space blanket. Drape the bath towel over the upper windows (on the outside of the window) to keep the sun (and heat) out of the house. You will not believe how well this works until you try it! Don't use too thick of a towel because you won't be able to get the screen back on. In the picture below, I opened the upper windows, draped towels over them (on the outside), then closed them and replaced the screens. Then, I opened the bottom half of the window and hung wet cheesecloth. I used my blinds to secure the cheesecloth. The cheesecloth was tucked in between the slats and the blinds pulled up halfway. If you don't have enough space blankets to cover all your windows (I don't), use towels on the east/west side of the house and space blankets on the south side.

• If you need to, retreat to the coolest room in the house. If you have a basement, this is the place to be! If you don't, rooms on the north side of the house should be cooler because the sun won't shine directly in the windows. (South of the equator, the south side of the house is where the cooler rooms are.) Block these rooms off from the rest of the house to keep the heat out.
• If your house isn't cool enough using any of the treatments above, take a wet piece of cheesecloth and put it in front of a fan. Now, if you don't have any electricity, you won't be able to plug the fan into the outlet, you will have to use a fan that runs on batteries. (You do have one, don't you? You store batteries too, right?) This way you can point the fan anywhere you want. Now, use common sense here, don't wrap the cheesecloth around the fan, you will need to hold it up with something else and position the fan behind it. At our house, we have done it successfully by placing the fan on the seat of a chair (with slats in the back) and then draping the cheesecloth over the back of the chair. This is the same idea people used when electricity was first available in homes but before air conditioning was invented. If ice was available, people would put a bowl of ice in front of the fan. Not everyone had access to ice though, and it was very expensive when it was available. Most people used a wet piece of lace or other thin fabric, draped it over a dowel and put the fan behind it. To conserve batteries, use the fan for short durations, such as when you sit down to dinner, or when you come back in the house after time in the hot sun.
• Remember, the purpose of these ideas isn't necessarily to cool the house, it is to keep your core body temperature in the normal range. If you can do that without cooling the house, it is much less work on your part. Try taking a nap in the heat of the day. In many countries, shop owners take siesta breaks in the afternoon and then go back to work in the cooler hours of the evening. Is it too hot to sleep in the afternoon? Take off your clothes and drape a wet sheet over you. I have done this on camping trips where the afternoon temperatures went into the high 90's with high humidity. Be sure to sleep on the floor where the coolest air is.
• If you are not satisfied with any of the ideas above, go swimming! This is a great idea if you have a creek near your house. (Watch for snakes!) If you can't go swimming, pour a 5 gallon bucket of water over you. Head, clothes, feet, get everything wet. The Army did this to me many times when I was in training during the hot summer months in North Carolina. You will be quite surprised how cool you will feel. 

Keeping Your House Warm in the Winter

It is equally important in the winter to keep the house warm enough to keep everyone healthy.

This is a no brainer if you have a fireplace or wood stove, you have a ready source of heat. (I highly recommend carbon monoxide detectors for your home if you have a fireplace, wood burning stove or kerosene heater. They don't cost a lot and you can find them at the big box stores and home improvement centers.) If you are not fortunate enough to have a fireplace, try some of these tips below:

• Limit the area in your home that you are trying to heat. Section off your house with blankets, old quilts or bedspreads. Try to pick a room on the south side of the house. If that isn't possible, try the west side. (If you live below the equator, select a room on the north side of the house.) Even with a fireplace, sectioning off your house will help keep the heat where you need it. Depending on how cold it is outside, lots of people in a room that is sectioned off from the rest of the house will help warm it up just by being there. Have everyone put on layers of clean, dry clothes. Hats and mittens too.
• Open up the drapes during the day in your designated room to let the sun in. Then close them at night. As we all know, the windows will allow the heat and light in during the day to warm up the room. However, there is something about this idea that many people may not realize. A dirty window will reduce the radiation effects of the sun. Make sure your windows are clean to take advantage of all the warmth the sun has to offer. As soon as the sun goes down, close the drapes or blinds. You may want to even put a blanket over the windows to keep the cold out.
• Create a warm microclimate. Do you have a tent? Set it up in whatever room you decided will be the designated room and get in the tent. This is a great idea for sleeping. Again, this idea works on the principle that people give off heat and they will warm the air around them. Invite the family pet in as well. The more in the tent, the warmer it will be. Snuggling up to each other helps too. If you don't have a tent, you can make an improvised one from a tarp, plastic sheet, or whatever you have. Be resourceful!
• Creating a warm microclimate might be easier in your car, trailer or RV. If possible, move the vehicle so the biggest windows face to the south. Please don't run the car to heat it up, you can die from carbon monoxide poisoning!

Final Safety Warning: Know the symptoms of both hypothermia and hyperthermia. Have the tools and knowledge available to help anyone in your family who may be experiencing either of these exposure injuries. This is deadly serious stuff that can kill.  It is critical that you keep your core body temperature within the normal range.The tips above can help you create microclimates to do just that. However, you alone are responsible for your family's safety.

With just a bit of knowledge and a few simple, inexpensive tools, you can create an area in your home that can keep you relatively cool in the summer or warm in the winter. Remember, the goal is to keep everyone healthy until the power comes back on!

If you liked this post, you may also like:

• 10 Things Countdown: #10 Think Safety First
• 10 Things Countdown: #9 Maintain Cleanliness
• 10 Things Countdown: #8 Wash Clothes
• 10 Things Countdown: #6 Provide Essential Lighting
• 10 Things Countdown: #5 Store Shelf Stable Foods
• 10 Things Countdown: #4 Have & Use Non-Electric Appliances
• 10 Things Countdown: #3 Handle Sanitation
• 10 Things Countdown: #2 Obtain Safe Drinking Water
• 10 Things Countdown: #1 Keep Your Family Safe From Harm