Recommended Preps

Preparedness Supplies

Food

Mountain House Freeze Dried Foods We were first introduced to Mountain House Foods when we owned the sporting goods store. They are a Pacific Northwest company and their pre-made meals are fabulous. Instead of freeze drying the individual ingredients and then putting them together, they make the meal first and then freeze dry it, thus allowing the flavors to better blend. The link above is for a three day emergency kit. While there are more affordable options for long-term food storage, we recommend having a few pre-made meals on hand. Let's face it, in an emergency there are likely to be days when you don't have the time or patience to put together a nutritious meal. Having a few already made will make those days easier.

Here are links to some of our favorite two-person pouch meals they make:

Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef

Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings

Mountain House Biscuits and Gravy

Water

WaterBOB Bathtub Storage - Designed for emergencies, this water bladder can be put into your tub when needed and filled. It holds up to 100 gallons, is BPA free, and comes with a hand pump to make water retrieval easy.

Long Term Storage Containers - We have several of these Reliance water storage containers. They are convenient for storage and dispensing because they include a spigot and are small enough to be lifted. For easy access to your water, simply take out the spigot (it stores inside the container), attach it, set the container on its side and open the vent. We have used ours multiple times for camping and they work really well. Best of all, if you take care of them they should last several years.

Water Filtration and Purification

Heating

Mr. Buddy Indoor Heater - 18,000 BTU

Mr. Buddy Indoor Heater - 4,000 to 9,000 BTU

Vesta Heater/Stove

Cooking

Vesta Heater/Stove

Camp Stove

Lighting

MPOWERED Luci Inflatable Solar Lights - Luci lights are rechargeable inflatable solar lanterns. They store flat but can be easily inflated when needed. We bought our first Luci lights over eight years ago and they are still going strong. Since then, they have broadened the options available and now offer different models with features such as a USB charger and colored lighting.

Beeswax Taper Candles - Candles are always a good lighting option. They provide a soft, warm light and help create a comforting atmosphere. Tapers are one of my favorite candles for prepping because they offer a lot of light for their size. I prefer beeswax because they are all natural and emit a soft, sweet fragrance without the use of harmful artificial ingredients.

Chamberstick Candle Holder - If you use taper candles, it is nice to have a candle holder. These chambersticks are the old style short holder with a finger loop for easy carrying. They have a nice wide base for stability and are a great combination of elegance and functionality.

Oil Lamps

Gardening Supplies

Seeds

When choosing seeds for your garden, especially if you are choosing seeds with survival in mind, it is important to choose non-GMO, non-hybrid, open-pollenated, heirloom seeds so that they can produce seed for you to use the following year. Having them packaged in mylar or a sealed can for long-term storage is essential. Here are some great seed options.

Mountain Valley Seed Company Vegetable Garden Can  - This was the first "survival seed can" we purchased. We stuck it in the freezer for several years before opening it to use. Our can has been open for four years and the seeds are still sprouting and growing well. While it only contains 16 varieties, they were selected for their hardiness and ability to grow in many regions, including those with a short growing season. We couldn't be more pleased with these seeds. For hardy varieties that fare well, this option can't be beat.

B&KM Farms Jumbo Variety Pack - With 50 varieties and a generous portion of each variety, this is a great option for immediate planting or for emergency/prepper supplies. If you are ever in a situation when you have to plant these to supplement your family's food supply, you will likely be grateful for the variety of plants this pack will add to your diet.

Open Seed Vault 32 Variety Pack  - This is a good in-between package. It has more varieties than the Mountain Valley without having as many as the BK&M package. 

Garden Beds and Accessories

Metal Raised Beds - 3x6x1 (2 pack) We bought these to use for our first venture into using raised beds. We purchased raised bed frames because at the time we didn't have time to build them. We chose this set because galvanized metal has a reputation for longevity and this particular set was quite affordable. We are moving into our third garden season with these beds and they still look brand new.

Metal Raised Bed - 8x4x1 (2 pack) This is the larger version of the 2 pack above. Our daughter has these and if you have the space, these are a great option for maximizing your garden space and still being able to reach the center of your beds.

Metal Raised Bed - 8x4x2 The two foot raised bed is great for being easy on your back. It does take a lot more to fill the taller beds like this, however. To save on the amount of soil needed to fill such a tall bed, we employed the permaculture approach by putting down a layer of logs (interspersed with rocks from the yard to help with drainage), followed by branches, and then topping it off with leaves and grass clippings. We then added the square foot garden soil mix that we mixed ourselves.

Plant Stakes We use plant stakes for our easy up garden fencing as well as for staking plants like tomatoes. Keeping certain plants off the ground increases air flow which helps to keep the plant healthy, gives the plant support, and helps the plant grow vertically.

Seed Starting Mats We bought our first seed starting mat in 2023. The room where we start our garden seeds is poorly insulated and gets rather cold, especially at night. The seed warming mat helps to bring the soil to the right temperature for the seeds to sprout thereby accelerating the sprouting time. In an area with a shorter growing season, this has been particularly helpful for getting a start on our garden.