What Kickstarted my Prepper-life?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  By Jeanette Vale

It was the year 2007 in Tracy, California.  My husband and I lived with our two children in a two-story home in a middle-class neighborhood.  I was a stay-at-home mom and a part-time real estate agent.  Being prepared for emergencies was nowhere on my radar, in fact, I used ninety-five percent of our kitchen for dishes and office supplies, only the pantry held a few cans of food.   My client had just closed escrow and the commission check I earned was burning a hole in my pocket.  Payday felt great and I wondered how best to spend the money.

I was walking through my kitchen one day when a thought popped into my head. “You should learn to cook with wheat”.   That was a strange idea. I am sure it did not originate from me because I had no such desires. I liked grocery shopping and eating at restaurants. Why would I want to learn to cook with wheat? Being a believer in the ‘big guy in the sky’, I figured He sent the message and so I began implementation. I was raised in a home that stored food in bulk for times of emergency, including wheat, therefore this seemed to lean towards that familiar territory.

I bought a cookbook specifically about cooking with wheat (thank you LeArta Moulton) and then I loaded up on wheat--the whole grain --which is fun to run your fingers through. 

Not only did I load up on wheat, but my shopping sprees also eventually included bulk rice, sugar, oats, oil, beans, and other staples.  It was strangely thrilling to shop and fill my kitchen cupboards!    

 To my family’s dismay I began experimenting on them with wheat recipes.  For instance, if you separate the gluten out of the wheat flour you can make taco meat.  One night I fed my family real ground beef, and my husband begged the truth, “Is this the fake stuff?!”  They couldn’t tell.

I even made dog biscuits for Baloo.  When I opened the oven door he trembled and danced because his cookies were done. His whole body wagged as he gobbled them up.

 The funny thing about that light bulb idea: “You should learn to cook with wheat”, is that it set off a domino effect over the next fourteen years (a serendipitous journey).  I meandered from one subject to another subject as I learned the skills of economy and self-reliance--a lifestyle that is congruent with being prepared for emergencies and hard times.  

I think if the idea came, “You should prepare for a zombie apocalypse”, I would’ve run for my bed, paralyzed with fear.  Fear is not an effective motivator. 

So, if you are new to this adventure, treat it as such. As you  make it fun, other family members might push the ball forward with you. Being prepared brings great peace.

In my next post I’ll share that dog biscuit recipe and tell you more about that fake ground beef! Until then, step on, prep on and enjoy the ride.   If you like real beef, as a freeze dried product, click here:   Legacy Freeze Dried Entrée Buckets - Beef

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