Keep supply of safe food and water for emergency use
Emergencies – fires, severe weather events, and national disasters – can jeopardize the safety of your food. Without electricity, food stored in refrigerators and freezers can become unsafe. Eating these foods can make you very sick.
The U. S. Department of Homeland Security recommends that every American have a three-day supply of food and water on hand for times of crisis. For people living in rural areas, having a two-week supply of food and water can reduce the stress of being stranded after a 100-year blizzard or wind storm where deep snow drifts or downed trees make travel dangerous or impossible.
A good plan is to have an adequate supply( three days is recommended; two weeks is better) of nonperishable food and safe drinking water for each family member.
These recommendations come from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security and the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Safe drinking water:
Each person needs 1 gallon of water per day – half of it for drinking and half for cooking and personal hygiene.
• Do not use contaminated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, make ice, or make baby formula.
• Use bottled water that you know came from a safe source.
• Boiling water is the preferred way to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. Boiling water at a rolling boil for 1 minute will kill most organisms.
• Disinfect water with 1 / 8 teaspoon of unscented liquid household chlorine bleach for each gallon of clear water. Use 1 / 4 teaspoon if the water is cloudy.
Emergency food supplies:
• When storing nonperishable foods, remember to check expiration dates and follow the rule of“ First-in, First-out.”
• Choose familiar foods that your family will enjoy and that are high in calories and nutrition.
• Stock up on foods that require no refrigeration, water, special preparation or cooking.
• Be sure to have a manual can opener and disposable utensils.
Food storage tips:
• Keep food in a dry, cool spot.
• Open food containers carefully so that you can close them tightly after each use.
• Wrap perishable foods such as crackers and cookies in plastic bags and keep them in sealed containers.
• Empty open containers of sugar, dried fruits, and nuts into screwtop jars to keep out pests.
Growing profitable winter crops – continued from page i –
used in soups and other dishes. Much like chard, leeks are grown in summer, fall, and winter in West Virginia. When planted in low or high tunnels, they can be overwintered and sold to restaurants and winter farmers markets.
Markets for winter-grown produce are developing in West Virginia. The Farm to School Program is a very promising
• Inspect all food for signs of spoilage before use( bad smell, unusual color, mold growth).
• Throw out canned goods that are swollen, dented, or corroded.
Shelf life of stored foods:
Six months: boxed powdered milk, dried fruit, potatoes, and dry crackers.
One Year: Canned fruits, vegetables, soups, and fruit juices; peanut butter; jelly; hard candy; vitamins; and ready-to-eat cereals.
Indefinite: Wheat, vegetable oils, dried corn, baking powder, soy beans, salt, cocoa, tea, instant coffee, white rice, bouillon, dry pasta, powdered milk in nitrogen-packed cans.
When the electricity goes off:
First, use perishable foods from the refrigerator.
Then, use foods from the freezer.
Finally, use the nonperishable foods you have stored for emergencies.
By John Hyman, Safety and Health Specialist, WVU Extension Service
market outlet for state growers. In addition, sales to restaurants and other institutions are continuing to expand. Growers should explore fourseason production as a way to have a steady cash flow from their land.
By Lewis W. Jett, Commercial Horticulture Specialist, WVU Extension Service
Insert Provided by WVU Extension Service and Davis College of Ag., Natural Resources, and Design
Fall 2012 / iii
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 15