Author Archives: S
February Stock Up
Welcome to February!
Did January just zip by for anyone else? Pretty sure I just blinked and it was gone.
February’s stock up list is smaller than January’s and is mostly holiday driven. We’ve got Valentine’s day, Fat Tuesday and Lunar New Year specials to keep an eye out for.
We’ve got oatmeal and breakfast cereals as well as food bars (think nutri grain and granola bars) heading up our list. Oats especially keep for long periods of time if stored properly and can stretch out anything that has ground meat pretty cheaply.
Pancake mixes and syrups are of course on sale for Pancake Day (Fat Tuesday) which falls on the 13th this year. Mixes make whipping up these treats easy and quick. Just a note though, if you get the ‘add water’ only type mixes they may not keep as long as other mixes as they contain additional fats that can go rancid. These are best for regular rotation in your pantry, not a long term storage option. Syrups are a quick source of sugar and energy as well as being a good treat for morale in an emergency. (I think we all know that real maple syrup is better for us than the artificial stuff but the price is right on the latter. Choose what is best for your family)
Coffee often goes on sale in February however this year it seems like coffee prices have skyrocketed, so make sure you watch for sales. No one wants to be uncaffeinated. (Want to know more about storing coffee long term? Read here)
Candy! Valentine’s is all about the sweets. I’m personally hoping to get a bunch of cinnamon hearts which I will vacuum seal in mason jars. This will keep them fresh for a long time. You can do the same with other candies and keep in a cool, dry place for optimum storage. Keep an eye out the day after for half price sales.
Lastly Lunar New Year (February 10th in 2024) is a great time to stock up on Asian staples like rice, noodles and teas. Spices, cooking oils and produce are often on sale as well. And keep in mind, most Asian grocery stores sell butane for small stoves, not bad to have on hand.
Let me know what you’re stocking up on this month!
January Stock up Update
January Stock Up Update
January had a big list to start out the year. (you can find the original list here ) The goal of the stock up lists isn’t to convince you to go buy everything, but a compilation of things that are likely on sale to stretch your budget; if its something you need, you may as well get it cheaper, right?
You also don’t need to go to the big box store and buy the largest case of whatever. For example, I took one 6-pack of toilet paper out of the Costco pack and put it aside. You could put a single roll aside, or one bar of soap. Putting anything up is better than putting nothing up.
On the subject of soap, I got some toiletry sets for the holidays so I put some of that aside instead of spending additional money (’cause who has that in January?). A lot of stores also have left over gift sets from Christmas and you can pick them up for way less money than buying the same separate products off the shelf.
I didn’t personally get everything on the list. I dehydrated citrus left over from the holidays. A friend is buying bulk flour and yeast so I’m waiting on that to come in. Unfortunately hard wheat is out of my budget right now (#10 cans etc are pricey in Canada), and I didn’t find any great deals on health foods that my family likes. So know that you don’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to buy anything from anyone’s lists. Being prepared is a personal journey and you have to do what works best for you and your family otherwise you will just throw away money when things go bad or no one will use the items you bought.
Ready for February’s stock up list? It will be posted tomorrow!
January Stock Up
Starting now in January, I’ll be posting a monthly stock up list. I’ve looked through lots of trends and sales patterns to come up with the list I’ll be following.
Some of the items are seasonal while some you can switch around between months to suit your family better.
Remember to visit us on social media for more updates!
Those Old Onions
It happens to the best of us, you reach into the bag of onions and you find greens. Sometimes you can still use these onions but other times, well, they’re gross. Instead of tossing them in the garbage or compost heap, watch my video on how to plant them so you get more onions!
Scenario: settler winter
Here’s a quick scenario I posted on my social media accounts, let’s get YOUR thoughts!
Scenario time: it’s back to little house on the prairie. Winter is coming. You have nothing but the clothes on your back and a house. What do you need to survive winter (family of 4 let’s say)
Homemade Play Dough
As 2020 rages on, I find myself looking for more activities to do with my kids. For the past 6 months we just kind of focused on making it day to day, doing some school work and some “home” work, such as gardening, baking, cooking and cleaning. Now that its time for school again, I’ve been trying to incorporate more education while keeping it fun.
Today we made play dough from scratch. I found this recipe online years ago and have kept a copy of it written in my books (so if its yours, let me know!). Making play dough can show children math and measurements (including fractions), you can play with colours to work in art subjects. It certainly counts as sensory play, digging your hands into the dough and kneading it.
I like this recipe because its very easy, contains ingredients I always have on hand, doesn’t include cooking and is totally non toxic. Here it is!
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
optional colours and/or scents (I use these cake colours, they’re much more vibrant but careful, they can stain clothes! https://amzn.to/2Rw5ML5 )
Mix your dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Mix your oil and water in a cup and slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry. Add a few drops of food colouring (and/or your skin safe scents) and mix until your dough starts to form. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until its smooth. If your colours aren’t bright enough you can add a few more drops and work it in well. Store in a ziploc bag to keep from hardening.
Like I said above, I like that this is a non toxic recipe and I make sure to use safe for consumption essential oils so if my animals accidentally get into it I don’t have to worry. (My kids are a little too big to be putting stuff in their mouths anymore but you never know!)
Let me know if you try it! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @burroakburrow
Chive Blossom Vinegar
Every year I have a bumper crop of chives, regardless of the weather. I’ve started using the blossoms as I can’t possibly eat all the chives themselves, especially if I let them spread their seeds everywhere. My favorite way of using the flowers is making flavored vinegar.
Here’s a quick video we made:
Simply fill a mason jar with the fresh beautiful flowers and top off the jar with white vinegar. (If you want to get fancy, white wine vinegar is amazing in this.) Let the jar sit in a dark place for a couple weeks. When the vinegar is a pretty pink color, it is ready to use. Strain out the blossoms and use the vinegar on everything! Its got an awesome light onion flavor, it tastes so good on salads, raw veggies or anything potato.
Let me know if you try it!
Supplies:
Jars (https://amzn.to/2UrfDTh )
Chive seeds ( https://amzn.to/2yWd3hq )
Vinegar
My New Greenhouse
Guys, I’m so excited about my greenhouse. It was a birthday gift from a friend but I’ve finally got the chance to set it up and start using it. If you follow my Instagram, you’ve seen it but here’s a quick pic and the promised review:
Greenhouse!
It recommended two people to set up but it really was only a one person job, the trickiest part was getting the tarps on. It’s 6x6x8’.
It has stood up to strong wind and rain in the Canadian spring season. My plants inside are super happy. It has two built in shelves with lots of space for more shelves of your own.
Here’s a quick amazon link if you want to check it out for yourself (https://amzn.to/2ZfFMIR)
Dehydrating Apples
I try never to waste food, but especially right now during the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s not so simple to just go to the store.
I had a bag of apples that the kids just weren’t eating fast enough so I decided to dehydrate them before they went bad (they were already on the soft side).
I used a mandolin slicer (you can get the same one here) to slice the apples thinly. I put them in water with a bit of lemon juice while slicing to keep them from turning brown.
I then spread them out on my dehydrator and turned it on low for about 12 hours. I like to add the chips to muffins and loaves but you could also rehydrate them and turn them into apple sauce. My dog likes to eat them as treats and they’re a lot healthier than some other treat options.
To store, I put them in a mason jar with an oxygen absorber. You could also vacuum seal them but I don’t expect mine to hang around too long as I’m already planning ways to use them.
Unsure Times
For about the past month or so, my Facebook, Instagram and email inboxes have been overflowing. My texts almost constant. So, rather than type a response a hundred times, I’m now directing people here to my blog. (Yes, I’m back to writing after much too long).
First; preparedness is not about hoarding. I have 4 boxes of Kleenex, maybe 9 rolls of toilet paper and 6 cans of chicken noodle soup. Preparedness is about knowing what to do.
To survive, the human being needs: air, water, shelter and food, pretty much in that order. So, I know how to purify water, I can walk outside and find an edible plant within 5 feet of me pretty much wherever I am. I constantly learn as much as I can. All the gear in the world is nice, but if it ran out, or you had to leave it behind, knowledge weighs nothing.
I’ve always been open to teaching people how to garden, how to can, how to forage for wild edible and medicinal plants. (Hopefully starting a YouTube channel soon!) If it gives you peace of mind, let me help you. I’m not interested in opening a survival school, but one on one, small groups or online, I’ll teach you what I can to help you sleep better at night, knowing you can take care of yourself and your family, without 300 rolls of toilet paper.
Specifically related to the current virus (covid-19): stay hydrated, rest up, eat healthy. Don’t panic. Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer if you don’t have access to soap and water at the moment. Reach out to your friends and family, take care of each other. The human being is a social creature, we need our community. Be decent.
Its ok to be afraid, things are a little uncertain right now. But I’m afraid of everything (thanks a lot PTSD) and I’m actually very calm about this, surprisingly, given the immune status of some of my family.
Try not to give in to panic, keep your cool, and figure out what’s actually important. Most of what’s truly important can’t be found in any store or bought for any amount.
Be safe, be prepared and be kind.
BurroakBurrow 