Welcome to DAY 5 of the 2023 7 Day Challenge. For 7 days, we are testing our Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage Plans. Each day will bring a NEW mock emergency or situation that will test at least one of the reasons “WHY” we strive to be prepared!

In order to receive each day’s emergency scenario in your email please sign up for the 7 Day Challenge email list or subscribe via text by texting 7daychallenge to 717-788-3663.

REMEMBER: To get the most out of the challenge, don’t be too literal about the scenarios. Modify them to fit YOUR family’s situation. Also, try to actually DO each day’s tasks. Don’t try to justify why you wouldn’t “need” to. The point is to PRACTICE our skills!

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GIVEAWAY WINNER:

The winner of the DAY 4 GIVEAWAY is Liz Rasmussen who shared a great overview of the contents of her 72 hour kit foods. Hope you enjoy your Emergency Meal Liz, you can add it into your kit now!

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DAY 5: GREEN THUMB (Early Frost)

FROST IS COMING SOONER THAN EXPECTED! Your garden has been producing a good bounty this growing season but now winter is coming early. Harvest as much food as you can and choose a method of preservation to store it for the winter. If you don’t have a garden you can purchase food from a farmer’s market, or practice preserving something you already have on hand. The idea is to inventory your preservation supplies and practice doing it!

PRACTICE:

• Harvest enough food from your garden to be able to preserve something (if you don’t have a garden you can buy some produce from a stand or farmer’s market for this challenge).
• Choose a favorite method of preservation (canning, dehydrating, freeze-drying, freezing)
• Preserve some of your garden harvest. You can do as much or as little as you want. The idea is to PRACTICE whether or not you are a big-time canner or not.
• Inventory your supplies for preserving food, how much would you be able to do in an emergency situation? See “evaluate” section below for more on this.
• ADVANCED TASK: Choose a second method of preservation and practice that as well today!
• Share your experiences in our Facebook Group daily thread

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SHARE:

📸 Take a picture or video of you preserving something today and share on social media. 📸

SHARE YOUR PHOTO/VIDEO AND ENTER TO WIN TODAY’S PRIZE: Tattle Reusable Canning Lids

1. Post in the Facebook Group daily thread
2. Do a public post on Facebook and send me a link to it
3. Share on Instagram #fsme7daychallenge
   (tag me @jodi_foodstoragemadeeasy)
4. Do a short video on youtube or tiktok and send it to me
5. Text the picture/video to me at 717-788-3663

You must tag me or send me the links so that I can see your entries!

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EVALUATE:

Inventory your resources available for food preservation. Here are a few questions to ask yourself :

• Canning: Do you have a water bath canner? Do you have a pressure canner? How many spare lids do you have? How many jars do you have on hand? Do you have options for canning without electricity in an emergency situation? Do you have any guides for canning on hand? (view resources and tutorials on canning here)
• Dehydrating: Do you have a dehydrator? Do you have guides for dehydration? If you don’t have a dehydrator do you know how to dehydrate in your oven? Or sun oven? Do you have supplies to store the dehydrated foods in, i.e. mylar bags, mason jars, etc.? (view resources on dehydrating here)
• Freeze-Drying: Do you have a home freeze-dryer? Is that something on your wish list? Do you understand how to use it and have good results? Do you have supplies to store the freeze-dried foods in? (view home freeze-dryers here)

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PREPARE:

Print out the worksheets below and add items you need to do, to learn, and to buy as you find holes in your preparedness plans throughout the week. Print multiple sheets as needed. These worksheets will become your road map for improving your preps over the next few months.

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I will also be posting a lot on instagram (@jodi_foodstoragemadeeasy) over the next few days as I go through the challenges on my own. Come join the fun there and use hash tag #fsme7daychallenge if you are sharing your own adventures as well.

-Jodi Weiss Schroeder
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net