Food Storage

How to 'get' your food storage.
Curious how your preparations compare to others'? Take this 2-minute survey about your preparedness and at the end see the combined results of all contributors.

Long-term Storage

1. Enter your information in the Food Storage Calculator and print it. (You will need to download a copy for yourself first.)
2. Print Cannery price list from providentliving.org. 
3. Go to ksl.com's food storage listings and buy what you can from there.
4. Go to your local stores that may have the best prices and record the prices. For me that is Costco, Winco, and Walmart. At the last store, purchase the food they have the best price on (don't forget to compare cannery price as well from price list). 
5. Go to the cannery and purchase everything there that is the best price (801-785-0997, 940 W Center Lindon, open Tue and Thu from 9am-7pm). They have several items that can be purchased already canned. The rest of the food you buy there, you will can there. Also buy cans/lids/oxypacks etc. and check out a canner for the rest of the bulk food you have or will buy at the other stores and will can at home. You can't bring in your own food into the cannery to can there.
6. Go home and put away your new food. 
7. Go back to the other stores that had better prices and buy the bulk food.
8. Can the food at home and put it away. Make it a family project!
9. Return the canner. Lindon cannery allows you to check out the canner from Tue to Thu or Thu to Tue. Tue and Thu are the only days they are open.

Three-month Supply

Flesh out food storage with 3-month supply. This is the stuff you already buy at the grocery store, chili, canned vegetables, ketchup, soup, baking supplies, etc. 

72-hour Kit
What would you need to have to 'bug out' for three days or more?

Love,

Ben

Please comment if you have suggestions. 

Gold, Silver, and Other Precious Metals

Purpose
Document how to invest in precious metals.

What to Purchase
Gold and/or silver. The ratio is up to you.

Purchase gold in the form of coins minted by a government. Do not pay more than say a 10% premium over gold content for numismatic (collectors) or semi-numismatic coins.

'Old' US Gold, 1933, St. Gaudens, Double Eagle

Purchase silver either as 'junk' silver (1964 or earlier US issue dimes, quarters, half-dollars, or silver dollars) or silver coins minted by a government, or silver rounds minted by a private mint. I recommend junk dimes for the precious metals portion of your emergency fund.

'Junk' Silver Quarters and Dimes

How/Where to Purchase

1. Go online to check prices and timing (if desired). Check prices at some of the places listed at  inflation.us/bullion-seller-reviews/. I like Provident Metals for selection and pricing. For market timing, I like the interactive chart at  www.kitco.com/charts.
2. Decide how much of what you want to buy. And how much it will cost (there is no tax).
3. Go to your bank and withdraw the amount of money you will need. If you withdraw more than $10,000 per day you have to fill out government paperwork, so stay under that amount. The reason for cash purchases is to limit paper trails.
4. Check your classifieds for good deals locally. The place to go in UT is www.ksl.com.
5. Go to your local coin shop and buy what you want with cash. At some limit there is government paperwork the coin shop will have to submit, so stay under that limit. The limit is currently greater than $5k. To find a US Mint coin dealer go to www.usmint.gov. Check your yellow pages for other coin shops. In Orem our coin shops (in order of my preference) are:
1. Anderson Stamp and Coin, 214 N University Ave, Provo, UT; 801-375-7645. I like the owner and his prices.
2. Rust Coin & Gift, 1774 N University Parkway #52, Provo, UT (Brigham's Landing on Freedom Blvd.); 801-377-1574. I like the selection.
3. American Coin, 1170 S State, Orem, UT (In back of HUR Jewelers store); 801-235-9090. They seem to be primarily numismatic.

Where/How to Store

Keep a detailed record of what you have purchased. Keep the precious metals in your possession. Hide them in or around your house or some other location you have reasonable long-term control of. For outside storage, find or make a waterproof container and do some midnight gardening. You can have an excuse to go digging such as sprinklers, planting a plant, etc. Do it when others will not notice. Make a map. Hide the map. Make a copy of the map and give it to your most trusted friend. Do not label it with anything to tie it to the property where your treasure is buried.

Richard Maybury has put together some You Tube videos that cover some similar material to this blog. http://www.youtube.com/user/RichardMaybury#p/u/14/K5qrKVASvEw.   Part 4 of Maybury's videos on precious metals covers storage.

Love,
Ben

As always, please comment if you have something to add.
(Updated 1/26/12)

Don't Take My Word for It

Please use any and all of my materials as motivation to follow the council of a prophet of God, Harold B. Lee, as stated in October conference 1972:

One more matter: There are among us many loose writings predicting the calamities which are about to overtake us. Some of these have been publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the world to the horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon which there cannot be unquestioned reliance.

Are you priesthood bearers aware of the fact that we need no such publications to be forewarned, if we were only conversant with what the scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness?

Let me give you the sure word of prophecy on which you should rely for your guide instead of these strange sources which may have great political implications.

Read the 24th chapter of Matthew—particularly that inspired version as contained in the Pearl of Great Price. (JS—M 1.)

Then read the 45th section of the Doctrine and Covenants where the Lord, not man, has documented the signs of the times. [D&C 45]

Now turn to section 101 and section 133 of the Doctrine and Covenants and hear the step-by-step recounting of events leading up to the coming of the Savior. [D&C 101; D&C 133]

Finally, turn to the promises the Lord makes to those who keep the commandments when these judgments descend upon the wicked, as set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 38. [D&C 38]

Brethren, these are some of the writings with which you should concern yourselves, rather than commentaries that may come from those whose information may not be the most reliable and whose motives may be subject to question. And may I say, parenthetically, most of such writers are not handicapped by having any authentic information on their writings.

Some other scriptures that are also helpful are: 1 Nephi 13, 14, 22; 2 Nephi 1, 6, 26-30; Alma 10, 37; Helaman 11, 13; 3 Nephi 6, 16, 20, 21; Mormon 6, 8, 9; Ether 4, 9, 11; Articles of Faith 10;  D&C 29, 63, 64, 76, 77, 84, 88, 97, 105, 109,; Isaiah 11, 28, 29, 66; Ezekiel 28, 39, 48; Daniel 7; II Thessalonians 2; and Revelation 8, 9, 11-13, 16, 17, 20. (These are primarily from Duane S Crowther's books "Prophecy Key to the Future" and " Inspired Prophetic warnings," both excellent.


In addition, here are some talks, lessons, and videos:

1. "Stand Independent Above All Other Creatures" by Bruce R. McConkie.
2. "Prepare Ye" by Ezra Taft Benson.
3. "Prepare for the Days of Tribulation" by Ezra Taft Benson.
4. "If Ye are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear" by L. Tom Perry.
5. "Lay Up in Store" by Keith B. McMullin.
6. "Family Home Storage and Finances" Lesson.
7. "Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction" Lesson from Old Testament.
8. "To Be Learned is Good If..." by Boyd K. Packer, October 1992 General Conference.

Here are some videos. 

Dallin H. Oaks:

A Member:



Love,
Ben