Goin' Shopping Tonight

[Patti]

I got a special invitation from my friend to tag along to the Bishop's Store House.

I feel this is a huge priviledge because I'm not a member of their church.

The bulk food is sooo cheap. I've checked a lot of prices from various sources (Mountain House, Shelf Reliance, Food Insurance, etc.)

And I have to tell you, there is absolutely no comparison.

I'm excited!!!!

[Patti]

I'm back!

What a night.

I learned how to can!!!!

My mom would be so proud of me.

Anyway, this place was HUGE. I've never seen anything like it in my life. I really was impressed with the amount of food and supplies they give to charity.

The Bishop's store house is open to member to buy bulk food.

Here's some of the stuff I got:

Powdered non-fat dry milk
Sugar
Wheat
Oats
Pinto Beans
Rice
Apple slices
Macaroni
Potato flakes
Refried beans
Hot cocoa
White flour
Fruit drink mix
Pancake mix

This food has a shelf life of 30 years, all canned in #10 cans, with an oxygen absorber.

I did the canning myself!

This stuff will last my family 6 months (or maybe longer) and it cost me a whopping $74.10.

It took us about 3 hours to do the canning and clean-up.

We even canned extra stuff for charity.

As I said, I feel very priviledged to participate and purchase food.

I still need more items for my storeroom (like canned meat, oil, powdered eggs, etc.) And I need to buy an industrial grinder.

And what I'd really like to get is a wood burning cook stove.

[PointnClick]

Good for you... don't think there is anything like that around here...

[HotGuns]

Excellent. I wish we had that around here too.

[PointnClick]

The Mormons have "canning centers" of some sort... invite only... but you can buy the goods, the cans, the oxygen absorbers, the labels, and "roll your own" for a really low price.

Not a lot of Mormons around here, though...

[Bumper]

I am in the Morman's second Mecca. Maybe I better start looking for an invite....

[PointnClick]

Gotta be one close to you, Bumper... one of the tenants of the LDS is to always maintain 1 year of food. From what I have heard, 300 bucks goes a long way in one of those canneries.

[PointnClick]

A quick search turned up this...




Bishop's Storehouse

by R. Quinn Gardner


The bishop's storehouse system is a network of Church-owned and -operated commodity resource centers that function much like retail stores, with the major difference that goods cannot be purchased but are given to needy individuals whom local LDS bishops judge to be worthy and deserving of Church assistance. Recipients are invited to work or render service in various ways in exchange for goods to avoid allowing the goods given to be a form of dole.

The storehouse stocks basic food and essential household items, produced largely from Church agricultural properties, canneries, and light manufacturing operations. The entire system, where practical, is vertically integrated, from farming and harvesting through processing and distributing. All work is performed by Church volunteers and recipients and is largely independent of the commercial economy. The contribution of time, talents, and resources of the membership of the Church in various areas sustains the storehouse.

The concept of the storehouse and the Church Welfare Services emerged from scriptural principles, elucidated by a series of revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith beginning in 1831, a year after the Church was organized. In one revelation, Church members were directed to "remember the poor, and consecrate [their] properties for [the poor's] support" (D&C 42:30). The goods and money thus contributed were to be "kept in [the Lord's] storehouse, to administer to the poor and the needy" under the direction of the local presiding leader, the bishop (verse 34). Bishops were charged to seek donations as well (D&C 104:15-16; Welfare Services Resource Handbook, p. 9).

As defined by Church doctrine, the concept of the bishop's storehouse is founded on the belief that members of the Church should care for themselves and for each other. This is done, first, in families and, second, through the Church. Members are discouraged from seeking assistance from governmental or other social agencies.

The implementation of the mutual help program has varied considerably according to the economic conditions of the members and the organizational structure of the Church. At various times, distribution of goods has occurred through bishops, tithing offices, or bishop's storehouses. Utilization of the storehouse concept received intense emphasis during the United Order effort of the 1870s. From that time forward, most wards maintained their own storehouse until the introduction of regional storehouses (1934-1936). Storehouses figured prominently in the Church's effort to care for its people during the economic depression of the 1930s and formed the basis for a more systematic approach to shared assistance.

After World War II, the Church Welfare system, centered in the storehouse, evolved into an integrated and complex Church-wide production and distribution system. A higher level of coordination between Welfare farms, dairies, and canneries was established, and a wider range of goods became available. The Church established central storehouses to supply regional storehouses. In the 1970s, with the maturing of the storehouse system, the Church selectively introduced local production and storehouses in areas outside the United States where need and resources warranted. The storehouse system is also available for assistance in cases of disaster (see Calamities and Disasters; Emergency Preparedness).

Presently, the entire Bishop's Storehouse Resource System operates with efficiency and quality equal to commercial commodity activities, but maintains its spirit of volunteer service and local administration. While the bishop's storehouse system effectively assists thousands of people every year with material necessities, its additional value lies in the character development and spiritual growth of both givers and receivers.

[Patti]

There are 110 nationwide....2 in each state.

Around $1,500 will cover a year's worth of food for a large family.

All of their food is grown by themselves, with a few exceptions.

The church members volunteer their time to run the store. They were extremely helpful and kind.

I have discovered one thing. They are very generous and charitable.

They have a calculator at their website, which helps you determine how much food is necessary to supply your family for 3 months, 6 months, a year, etc.

http://www.providentliving.org/

They also have information on proper food storage, etc.

My friends are very strong Christians and they walk the walk.

It started snowing last night when they came by my house to pick me up. Before we started out, they asked me to give the prayer for our safe journey.

I do not get into the difference in doctrine. I know in my heart that they have a deep love for Jesus Christ. Their lives reflect that.

And that's good enough for me. I do not bash other religions because they are a tad different than mine. When I hear others tear down certain religions, it just never has set well with me and it feels uncomfortable. There are fruitcakes in every religion (i.e. Fred Phelps).

I honestly have to say that I have never seen a more charitable religious organization.

And, they are very patriotic Americans. They are defenders of the constitution.

That pushes them up even higher on my respect-o-meter.

Good people!!!

[Patti]

I highly recommend Walton Feed:

http://www.waltonfeed.com/

Good prices, long shelf life, lots of variety.

[CopperKnight]

If you really get into this stuff there is a great forum for the subject of self reliant living:

http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/vb/index.php

It's not moderated very well with keeping dup threads and the like cleaned up, but the forum is very polite, respectful, and like minded.

[Patti]

Thanks, CopperKnight. I'll check that out.

I just placed an order with Shelf Reliance. They have free shipping, which ends today.

Their website has a calculator, where you can get an estimate of how much food you need for your family for a year.

[Patti]

Found another food source:

http://www.readymaderesources.com/cart/index.php

Free shipping ends today.

[Patti]

For anybody who'd like to try their hand at canning, this is a good site:

http://canningusa.com

[Bumper]

Mrs Bumper doesn't post here but I sent her the link for this thread. She has been home canning for years and has started stocking up with food lately. She is intrigued with the Bishop's Warehouse and is now trying to find someone to take her.... :yup:

[Patti]

Mrs Bumper doesn't post here but I sent her the link for this thread. She has been home canning for years and has started stocking up with food lately. She is intrigued with the Bishop's Warehouse and is now trying to find someone to take her.... :yup:

Share this site with Mrs. Bumper:

http://www.simplylivingsmart.com/

I think the 2nd best thing to the Bishop's Store House is Shelf Reliance. It's more expensive, but it's better than some of the other Food Storage companies.

You know, Bumper, when I was growing up, I had no idea that my folks were preppers. It's just how we lived. Nearly everything on our table came out of our garden, Mom canned everything, and we had our own beef. I never knew what it was like to eat at a restaraunt or eat fast food.

We had a two-acre garden. What we didn't grow in our garden, we'd buy from area farmers.

I've gotten very far away from my roots. And now, since my eyes have been opened, I'm feverishly trying to get back to my roots.

Hell, my ideal home would include an old fashioned wood-burning cook stove!

[Bumper]

She's been on that one now most of the night, Patti. I expect we will be getting a big shipment soon.

If we could get rid of this house we would be back on the farm. Right now we are locked into Arizona which is a piss-poor place to be if the SHTF.....