90. Does the California Drought Affect you? --about Food Storage
“The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat. Gold is not to be compared with it in value.” Brigham Young (Journal of Discourses, 1: p. 250).
I just read an article from "Meridian" which came out on Jan. 30th -- and it seems appropriate to post it. The article asks for a Fast Day on Feb. 2nd, and that has passed, but we can still pray for rain! We need to be able to recognize the Signs of the Times, and Be Prepared! I'll be the first to admit I haven't kept up as well as I should have. I know we can got to www.storelds.org, and order some products. When in "storeslds.org" in search, write food storage, and the page will come up. Also if you have an LDS food storage place near you, you can go and see what they have you can buy. I use quite a lot of potato flakes, and put a cup or two in bread, and/or cookies, and it gives a moist texture!
I just read an article from "Meridian" which came out on Jan. 30th -- and it seems appropriate to post it. The article asks for a Fast Day on Feb. 2nd, and that has passed, but we can still pray for rain! We need to be able to recognize the Signs of the Times, and Be Prepared! I'll be the first to admit I haven't kept up as well as I should have. I know we can got to www.storelds.org, and order some products. When in "storeslds.org" in search, write food storage, and the page will come up. Also if you have an LDS food storage place near you, you can go and see what they have you can buy. I use quite a lot of potato flakes, and put a cup or two in bread, and/or cookies, and it gives a moist texture!
Please join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in California as we fast and pray on February 2nd for rain and snow in California.
“The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat. Gold is not to be compared with it in value.” Brigham Young (Journal of Discourses, 1: p. 250).
Could that time have come?
A few Facts:
The year 2013 was so dry that mandatory water conservation orders are beginning to sweep across the state of California. The governor has declared an “extreme drought emergency.” Everyone in the state has been ordered to cut water consumption by 20%. The northern Sierra Nevada, a region crucial to statewide supply, received only 10% of average snowfall in December. Reservoir levels are 30-40% of normal.
Most people think of California as a tourist destination where you can visit Hollywood film locations, see celebrities, enjoy Disneyland, and go to beaches. In addition to California ranking as the top tourist destination in the United States, with it’s 80,500 farms and ranches it also ranks as the top food producer for the nation.
More than half of the country’s fruit, nuts, and vegetables come from California. Did you know that 90% or more of all the almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwi, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, strawberries, and walnuts consumed in the United States are grown in California, as well as 100% of the olives and 21% of the milk and cream? Not only just nuts and berries, but also most other fruit and vegetable varieties are grown by the truckload in California. You may think you don’t eat some of these, but do you use their byproducts such as olive oil? Many are used as ingredients in other foods we consume, such as ketchup and cereals. Higher prices on these crops will result in higher prices on any product using California-grown crops for ingredients.
California is rarely thought of as a cattle state but it ranks fourth in nation-wide production behind Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska. California ranchers are already selling off their herds as feed and water become too expensive to maintain a profitable ranch.
What does the California drought mean for you? It means higher food prices, food shortages, water shortages for the big cities (Los Angeles and San Fransisco), water shortages for states supplying drinking water to southern California, unemployment going up in California and for anyone transporting and prossessing foods throughout the country, and the list goes on.
It is time to take a serious look at our self-reliance preparations and especially our food storage. Can you afford food prices to increase? How will you feel when you have to do without due to shortages?
“Cash is not food, it is not clothing, it is not coal, it is not shelter; and we have got to the place where no matter how much cash we have, we cannot secure those things in the quantities which we may need. … All that you can be certain you will have is that which you produce.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1937, p. 26.)
President Kimball counseled us to become self-reliant because the prophecies of old were coming to pass. He said, “Now I think the time is coming when there will be more distresses, when there may be more tornadoes and more floods, …more earthquakes.…I think they will be increasing probably as we come nearer to the end, and so we must be prepared for this” (Conference Report, Apr. 1974, p. 184).
Have we seen this happening the last ten years and increasing every year?
It’s time to take a serious look at storing food now. Vaughn J. Featherstone promised:
“Change the mix in your family’s diet. Get your protein from sources less
expensive than meat. The grocery bill is one bill that can be cut. Every time
you enter the store and feel tempted by effective and honest merchandising
to buy cookies, candy, ice cream, non-food items, or magazines—don’t! Think
carefully; buy only the essentials. Then figure what you have saved and spend it
on powdered milk, sugar, honey, salt, or grain.
“The Lord will make it possible, if we make a firm commitment … All we have
to do is to decide, commit to do it, and then keep the commitment. Miracles
will take place; the way will be opened ... We will prove through our actions
our willingness to follow our beloved prophet and the Brethren, which will bring
security to us and our families.” (April 1976 General Conference)
What everyone should do now, before food prices rise:
- Store and freeze a good supply of beef
- Stock up and store produce that is in season now
- Save and store 100% fruit juices
- Store abundant supply of any fruit or vegetable grown in California or any product using these as an ingredient.
- Store foods which contain any California grown produce as ingredients.
- Plan and plant a garden
- Can or freeze and store produce grown in your garden (find a mentor to help plant and can if needed, help is out there!)
"Surely the Lord loves, more than anything else, an unwavering determination to
obey his counsel." (Howard W. Hunter, General Conference, October 1982)
For help getting started follow Carolyn’s facebook page:http://splashurl.com/nqjexce Don’t forget to like her page and remember to pass the link along to others. Contact Carolyn directly at: Carolyn@TotallyReady.com
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