Filling Holes in My Prepper Pantry and Beyond - What I Learned from the Texas Storms

Discover how I am Filling Holes in My Prepper Pantry thanks to What I Learned from the Texas Storms about Emergency Preparedness. ➡️SUBSCRIBE: kzbin.info?sub... ⬇️Click Video Title or "Show More" for Addit'l Info⬇️
▶️WATCH THE ULTIMATE PREPPER PANTRY SERIES: • FOOD STORAGE - How to ...
🍎BLOG POST: marysnest.com/how-to-fill-pre...
➡️TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
4:21 Emergency Preparedness Plan for cooking without power
11:06 Solar Generators
12:16 Keeping food cold without power
13:42 How to keep liquids hot
23:40 How to store emergency water
28:07 Emergency lighting
29:23 Wool blankets
➡️FREE 36-PAGE ESSENTIAL TRADITIONAL FOODS PANTRY LIST: marysnest.com/free-traditiona...
➡️SUBSCRIBE TO THE TRADITIONAL FOODS NEWSLETTER - IT'S FREE: marysnest.com/signup-traditio...
➡️JOIN THE TRADITIONAL FOODS KITCHEN ACADEMY (Optional Membership Community): kzbin.infojoin
▶️RECENT VIDEO UPLOADS: / marysnest
➡️POPULAR VIDEO SERIES:
▶️MASTER THE BASICS OF TRADITIONAL "NUTRIENT DENSE" FOODS COOKING SERIES: • Master the Basics of T...
▶️HOW TO STOCK THE TRADITIONAL FOODS KITCHEN PANTRY: • How to Stock a Pantry ...
▶️RELATED VIDEO:
• 10 Best FOREVER Foods: • 10 Best FOREVER FOODS ...
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of my links below are affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay.
✳️MARY'S NEST AMAZON SHOP:
Visit www.amazon.com/shop/marysnest to equip your Traditional Foods Kitchen.
✳️FAVORITE PREPAREDNESS SUPPLIES:
Jackery 500 Portable Power Station: amzn.to/3l98HqP
Jackery 1000 with Solar Panels: amzn.to/30EBsST
Candle Lantern: amzn.to/2OggIi1
Oil Lantern: amzn.to/3eIMPlh
Battery Lantern: amzn.to/30E4UZ6
Cast Iron Tea Light Cooktop: amzn.to/3rEzL3H
Electric Cooktop: amzn.to/3cjt54G
Thermos: amzn.to/3vjzIwo
Stovetop Coffee Pot: amzn.to/3qDM677
Emergency Radio: amzn.to/3tgCUY5
WaterBOB: amzn.to/3exatB8
Water Container: amzn.to/3l8eBbI
100% Wool Blanket: amzn.to/3rS4jzn
All American Sun Oven: amzn.to/2Svwrpf
✳️RECOMMENDED READING:
Survival Pantry: amzn.to/2ZDCLlR
Emergency Food Storage: amzn.to/2yEvreM
Food Storage 101: amzn.to/2RSsKMr
Self Reliance: amzn.to/33X1amK
Nourishing Traditions: amzn.to/2PLIXTG
✳️15% OFF US WELLNESS MEATS: www.tkqlhce.com/click-1003310... and Code MARYNEST
✳️5% OFF VITAL CHOICE SEAFOOD: www.vitalchoice.com/?idaffili... and Code VCAF5
✳️5% OFF MOCKMILL GRAIN GRINDER and WHOLE GRAINS (including Ancient Grains EINKORN, EMMER, and SPELT): mockmill.us/?coupon=marysnest and Code MARYSNEST
✳️LEHMAN'S DISCOUNTS: www.pntra.com/t/SkNIT01OSklDR... (Use code TAKE5 for $5 off orders of $75+; SAVE104U for $10 off $115+; or TAKE20 for $20 off $150+.)
✳️ONE-TIME 15% OFF MASONTOPS AND BREADSMART: www.amazon.com/stores/Masonto... and Code MARYSNST
✳️60 DAY FREE TRIAL WITH PLAN TO EAT MEAL PLANNER: www.plantoeat.com/hi/MarysNest
✳️MORE DISCOUNTS: marysnest.com/shopping-guide/
✳️VIDEO GEAR/SERVICES: marysnest.com/video-gear-and-...
❤️SOCIALIZE WITH ME:
Facebook: / marysnest
Facebook Private Group: / 171869080205145
Instagram: / marysnest
Pinterest: / marysnest
Twitter: / marysnest
📬CONTACT: marysnest.com/contact/
#MarysNest #PrepperPantry #EmergencyPreparedness
▶Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the MarysNest.com website, KZbin Channel, and related social media, including: text, images, videos, or other formats were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched on this video or read on the corresponding website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this channel and the corresponding website.

[@MarysNest]

Hi Sweet Friends, Today I want to share with you how I am Filling Holes in My Prepper Pantry thanks to What I Learned from the Texas Storms. ▶️ WATCH THE ULTIMATE PREPPER PANTRY SERIES: kzbin.info/aero/PLkRuW3pBo2U0WCxRNWm60Yt0ihEQbfpUl ➡️SUBSCRIBE: kzbin.info ➡️Be sure to head over to my KZbin channel’s Home Page where I share lots of organized playlists of videos that I think you will enjoy. Here is the link: KZbin.com/MarysNest ➡️FREE 36-PAGE ESSENTIAL TRADITIONAL FOODS PANTRY LIST: marysnest.com/free-traditional-foods-pantry-list/ ➡️JOIN THE TRADITIONAL FOODS KITCHEN ACADEMY (Optional Membership Community): kzbin.infojoin ➡️SUBSCRIBE TO THE TRADITIONAL FOODS NEWSLETTER - IT'S FREE: marysnest.com/signup-traditional-foods-newsletter/ ▶️RECENT VIDEO UPLOADS: kzbin.infovideos ➡️POPULAR VIDEO SERIES: ▶️MASTER THE BASICS OF TRADITIONAL "NUTRIENT DENSE" FOODS COOKING SERIES: kzbin.info/aero/PLkRuW3pBo2U3b4eu0QraZReKlGzA11h3y ▶️HOW TO STOCK THE TRADITIONAL FOODS KITCHEN PANTRY: kzbin.info/aero/PLkRuW3pBo2U1MqC3YAw7ZRYjuL9FBGSwc ▶️RELATED VIDEO: • 10 Best FOREVER Foods: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opWYdWdqYpaFb9E ➡️FOR THE CORRESPONDING BLOG POST: Don’t forget to open the description under the video and scroll down till you see “BLOG POST”. There will be a link there that will take you directly to the BLOG POST on my website (MarysNest DOT com) that accompanies this video. Depending on what type of device you are watching the video on…To open the description under video, click the words “SHOW MORE”, or the title of the video, or the small downward pointing triangle arrow to the right of the video title. All of these should open the description. ➡️And for more in-depth info...➡️JOIN THE TRADITIONAL FOODS KITCHEN ACADEMY (Optional Membership Community): kzbin.infojoin This is where I share in-depth “Vodcasts” (like a podcast but you can watch and listen or just listen) all about Traditional “nutrient dense” foods, plus 1 monthly LIVE STREAM. This is for those who are interested in delving into all these Traditional “Nutrient Dense” Foods topics in greater detail. BUT DON”T WORRY…this is completely optional, and I will continue to produce all of my free public videos too. I’ve got lots of great public videos coming up here on my channel, so stay tuned. 😉 Thanks for watching! Love, Mary

[@SarahsAtticOfTreasures]

Hi Mary, I grew up on a small farm. We raised or grew almost everything. We were always prepared. We needed to be when we had the big flooding in 92. I live in Florida now. Hurricanes area. I crave snow and cold. Yet, Texas is not use to extreme colds. Thank you.

[@MarysNest]

@@SarahsAtticOfTreasures - How true!

[@SarahsAtticOfTreasures]

@@MarysNest People really need to be prepared for anything these days. Our world is not what iui t was even 10 years ago. Tempers are flaring. Covid 19 issue. Loss of work. Anything can happen.

[@MarysNest]

How true!

[@SarahsAtticOfTreasures]

@@MarysNest Hugs Enjoy your day.

[@nancywarren863]

We live in Southwest Texas along the Rio Grande. We lost electricity first for three days and water for four days. I had stored water in used liter bottles. The water was not a problem and lighting was not a problem with enough flashlights, etc. One thing that helped preserve the heat at night was hang blankets across every window. Then when the sun started shining , we let the solar heat warm the house up. Many had restricted the rooms they used during the crisis. We used as much paper plates as possible to limit washing dishes; used one skillet meals. Our gas grill can boil water in a pan to wash and rinse the dishes in a dishpan. We used the rinse water for the next dish water. I used the dirty dish water to flush the toilet! Our emergency radio has solar charging and USB ports for most phone charging cords. That helped keep our phones charged. One thing I started to do for a future emergency is to cook and freeze some foods that only needed to be defrosted. For example the meat for spaghetti sauce plus the pasta. Fried bacon in packets, roast chicken meat , burger patties; anything that only needs to be warmed up in a pan on the grill outside. Those are some of the ideas I wanted to share.🤗

[@KiaTheDMVBison]

Those are great ideas: meals frozen and only need to be warmed up. Chili, stews, lentil soups, meat sauce for spaghetti--excellent suggestions!!!

[@jeannettedodge5886]

Yes they are 🙂

[@marietownsend8396]

An inexpensive way to make a wool blanket is to go to the fabric store and purchase wool suiting. The fabric wont be the size of a regular blanket but will help keep you warm. Sewing 2 pieces by machine or even hand sewing and blanket could be made. This time of year wool fabric is usually on sale. Thank you Mary for the informative presentation.

[@C2yourself]

Years ago my sister bought a couple of men's wool suits at good will for less than $20 each, cut them into squares and made her husband a beautiful quilt for his reading chair

[@caribbeanhouse6372]

Nice Idea.....I got my 90% wool blankets 66x90 at Amazon paid 30.00 got 4 one for each member

[@s.leemccauley7302]

If you study up on the great kilts of Scotland, you will learn a lot about wool and wool fabric to stay warm. 8 to 12 yards of double cloth sewn together for width. I am not talking about the newer style ones that are not the same at all. The great belated ones can be turned into a blanket, bedroll or hammock.

[@caribbeanhouse6372]

@@s.leemccauley7302 .That's great information. Those blankets are my back up to the existing warm blankets I have from Middle East I got many years ago and to my Alpaca Wool Jackets that I got as a gift from Peru they are so soft and keep you warm.

[@marietownsend8396]

@@s.leemccauley7302 Thank you for the info and I will look up what you wrote about. Many years ago I made a blanket out of very heavy weight wool and bound the ends with blanket tape. This was so much cheaper for me.

[@happyshackoils3904]

Hi Mary! Advice from a northern fan. Take your electric coffee pot on the counter behind you and put the coffee grounds in like normal and boil water on the grill or a alcohol stove, then pour the water directly over the coffee grounds and it drips into your pot. No electricity required, then move it to the thermos.

[@deboragregg9961]

I save water in my empty laundry soap containers for flushing the toilet or washing hands ect that way you don't use your drinking water for non potable uses

[@emmawagner471]

Great tip!

[@elanasigrist5185]

I use my litter jugs too. I keep them filled and store them in the spare shower in my basement. You just never know.

[@lorimav]

Yes, I just discovered that too! I am on a well so, no power, no water. My big All detergent jug was nearly 2 gallons and perfect to flush the toilet for even solids. I have 7 gallon aquatainers that are inexpensive but they weigh about 56 lbs. each and not fun to lug up from the basement. I bought from Walmart a couple of cheap 3 gallon jugs that were 4-5$ and stackable also. Being on a well I also know I should probably buy a rain barrel too. Lehman's non-electric catalogue also sells buckets that are designed to draw water from modern wells in case of no power.

[@Sunshine_State]

That’s a great idea!

[@Katya-zj7ni]

I save empty gallon milk jugs washed out and filled for flushing toilets and washing, and always add drinking water a couple of times a month. I’ve lived through snowstorms In Scottish Highlands a few years ago that lasted a couple of weeks without power. Never forgotten it x

[@dagneytaggart7707]

Down blankets store well in vacuum bags. For those bothered by wool blankets, try slipping it into a duvet cover.

[@coachcrystalcrabill9180]

We cooked in our cast iron over our wood burning fireplace... spaghetti, taco soup and heated water for the animals. So thankful for my cast iron! Today was 80... just a couple of short weeks after the snowmageddon... seems like a lifetime ago already.

[@joecohen7334]

"Everyone has a plan till they get punched in the face." I locked in for 6 weeks in my NYC apt because of the lockdown, we even had curfews. As I wasnt brave enough to venture outside after 3 people on my block died, I lived off my preps. I lost 17 pounds in 6 weeks. Due to my self rationing of food. I put out daily posts of what we ate every day and on day 2 I posted what preps I was starting with. We had sterno for probably 2 weeks straight of meal prep incase the electric and or gas stove went out. we had 2 weeks of case water available. If I posted once I posted 20 times, If the power went out or the water stopped running this place would have looked like the Alamo on steroids. I saw where my holes were. Week 1 my drink mixes were gone, week 2 fresh fruit and vegetables were gone, at some point we were using powdered/shelf stable milk, I froze the few eggs we had left when they were 5 weeks past due date, I was unable to get a food delivery for 6 weeks(SIX). By week 14 we moved forever to Florida. I was pushed out of the only placed I ever lived(except for the 2 years in the Army). When I smelled the tires burning from the police cars that were set on fire, and I had to pull out the motorcycle chain to secure my fire-escape window from potential marauders, I knew I could not properly prep in this place anymore. I now have written out menus on what goes with what, food, fuel and water for 90 days. Anything longer than that and it will be chaos no matter where we live. I did manage to get a "vacation over-ride" on my heart medicine and got a 90 day supply . They have since stopped that policy and I am back down to having to wait 2 days supply left to renew.

[@lissaestes7017]

My tricks- To keep warm especially at night- put up your tent in the living room and have the whole family sleep in it. Throw a blanket or tarp over the top for insulation. Just being together will keep you warm at night. Sit in your tent in the daytime with your feet in your sleeping bag and wear a warm jacket and knitted hat. For cooking, I have 2 of the butane stoves. One will also run on either butane or propane with an adapter. When you make hot soup or coffee or even hot water, put whatever is left over into a thermos. If you are really cold, go get in your car and run the heater. You always have at least half a tank of gas, right? In other words, use your camping skills. If you think about it, you probably have everything you need. Make it a fun, special time as much as you can.

[@dlsdyer9071]

Keep your freezer packed and don't open it until the power is restored. After the power is back on, then check it. If you have a propane fireplace, find a trivet that will fit in the fireplace than will not compromise the logs. Make sure to have a kettle that has no plastic to use in it. Hot water bottles tucked into cabinets with water pipes that do not get the fireplace heat can prevent freezing. If part of the city water system, leaving the water dripping could also help. We have been without power for 5+ days three times in the past twenty years. If we know a storm is coming we now pre cook food and place in storage containers. We ended up placing those items outside in the cold grill. It worked well.

[@nicolacorreia6456]

We need to get natural fibers back into our lives. Wool is an amazing insulator and naturally fire retardant!

[@humblehalfacre8464]

Rockwool! Although the environmentalists complain that it is poison......

[@servantwarrior880]

I so agree with this. I want some wool blankets and need wool sweaters for six of us. My grandparents raised sheep. I remember my grandfather shearing the sheep and then me grandmother doing something with two wire brushes and she also spun the wool after that. It was so cool...sadly I didn't appreciate it back then. Good memories.

[@chefevilee9566]

Who here says along with sweet Mary “And more”??? In her tone of voice and every distinct way she says it?

[@MarysNest]

You are SO sweet! Love, Mary ❤️😘❤️

[@cathleencaratan3373]

🙋🏼‍♀️😂

[@chefevilee9566]

@G-man thanks for the tent tip also G-man. I know this other KZbinr hooked her blankets to the wall and made a tent connected to their fireplace. With folded back sides. What are your thoughts about that? I like that you said use candles. I’m going to get a couple of those candle lanterns that Mary has.

[@chefevilee9566]

@G-man Oh thank you so much! I never saw that on the Simpsons! But considering I live in South Carolina and going to be living biweekly in Florida pretty soon. That’s a tip that I definitely want to have! We are getting an RV to live in Florida in to start with. I was thinking about the unit and things break a lot in those RVs. So we could do like a tent type of candle situation in there. If it got cold and the power went out. Mind you 55 is cold to me. I have lived down here close to 40 years and do not weather well!

[@chefevilee9566]

@G-man Oh yes I found all of this out about the travel trailers. I was shocked! We are planning on buying in east to west brand which seems to be one the best of the tin and stick travel trailers. But they are all junk. Fortunately the lot where were purchasing the trailer from does give free lifetime warranties. But once again I don’t think that that is the and to be all. One thing that I know we are going to do for sure is put solar panels on the roof. But not right away like some years down the road. One reason is because it is solar panel ready for just a few standalone panels. Then in a few years we will have the roof fixed up from the outside and the panels installed on top. So it should be killing two birds with one stone? But for getting down into Florida and my husband will probably need to be doing some work travel. In the future here with Covid it just seems like the way to go???

[@phyrewillow6463]

Wool is also excellent bc it retains 80% of warming ability even when soaking wet. So even in wet conditions it can help keep you from hypothermia. Alpaca fiber is even warmer and has the same ability as wool. It is also hypoallergenic for those allergic to wool

[@watercolourartincapetown2919]

And it’s also pretty much non-flammable so great to protect against fires 🔥

[@MarysNest]

Wonderful tip!!

[@chefevilee9566]

Wow thanks for this great information

[@joylouise5417]

Thanks for giving folks this tip. I’ve been knitting lap robes with alpaca and, during the Texas Storm, we found that layering the alpaca between blankets increased warmth a great deal. We all learned a lot!

[@phyrewillow6463]

@@joylouise5417 knitters have an advantage, I think!

[@JustAGalOnTheGo]

For about $20 you can get a single butane camping burner in a carry case (one canister can last a couple of days or more). I live in California and have been evacuated twice for wildfires and have lost power for as long as a week, that doesn’t even include the rolling blackouts or scheduled power outages. I even had to sleep in my car during on of the evacuations. Because of this I have had to create several emergency kits for what I need to take right now to leave and what I need for at home emergencies. I’ve also learned how to quickly unload food to a cooler with what I will be eating, then I fill the fridge and freezer with large open plastic containers of ice and tape the doors closed so it doesn’t get accidentally opened. I also have a small duffel that has a thick puffy coat, hat, gloves and rain poncho inside of my emergency gear. I keep movies downloaded to my iPad and have several extra usb chargers. I do keep water and a well stocked pantry and always have plenty of tea lights. It’s so helpful to reflect after something happens to see your needs. 👍 Glad your storm has passed.

[@MarysNest]

Hi Rebecca, such a great tip!! Thank you! Love, Mary ❤️🤗❤️

[@flowerpower2079]

Rebecca Ferrel, why tea lights? I don't understand why everyone buys tea lights instead of candles in a jar or lanterns. My question is sincere. Am i missing something?

[@JustAGalOnTheGo]

@@flowerpower2079 Tea lights are super cheap, you can get a whole bag of them at Walmart for a couple of dollars. I keep flashlights and LED lanterns too but I like to make my batteries last. I just use my regular glassware (highballs are great), I just drop the tea lights in and place them randomly in rooms that I’m using...they burn for about 6 hours. Tea lights are in metal cups so are easy to swap out the next night without having to dig out a melted votive. I clean them later with a little boiling water and run them through the dishwasher. So yea, price and convenience. I don’t use them like Mary is showing but some people do.

[@flowerpower2079]

@@JustAGalOnTheGo Thank you. I guess I'll need to get me some too.

[@NorthnSouthHomestead]

@@JustAGalOnTheGo we get empty baby food jars from mommies with small babies. They work great for tea lite candles and regular votive candles. 😊 Most mommies will give them to you...as long as they don’t have to store them long. Lol Theycan pile up fast. Lol

[@terirudnick2711]

PS. old girl scout emergency cook stove made on the cheep and lasts for ever. Need a cat food or tuna can, card board, and candle wax. Cut card board to the height of can and coil tight in to clean can. Pour melted wax to fill, let cool and firm up. You have a stove. Light the cardboard and with an elevator, (larger can with holes in it or a stand) placed over for air flow you have enough heat to boil and cook. Cover with something flat to extinguish, and you can reuse use it till gone. If you have a battery fan you can use it on the stove top, just take the air filter off to help vent.

[@gourdsbyjm]

I have done this and it works great! I keep cans for this purpose.

[@watercolourartincapetown2919]

What a handy tip for camping ⛺️

[@godsgreenacreshomestead708]

I used to do that years ago and then forgot along the way. Thanks for the reminder!!

[@practicallyprepared9389]

It smells terrible but will heat up liquids.

[@terirudnick2711]

@@practicallyprepared9389 Really? choose a corrugated cardboard and coat it with some bacon fat before you add the wax, that should help.

[@lapismosi8065]

During the storm you are talking about my well froze (I'm in NM). It took a lot of work to fix everything. Lines had to thaw out, outlets and boxes had to be rewired, new heating tapes and insulation installed. 🤣😞😩😫😭 I was without water for a full 16 days. Also during that time the electrical was on and off for the repairs needed. Sure makes you appreciate what you've got.

[@MarysNest]

Oh my goodness! You really went through a lot!! Glad you are back up and running. And yes, it really does make you appreciate what you've got! Love, Mary

[@Estella0707]

A well can freeze? 🥶 oh man:(( I was hoping by getting a well, all my water problems will be solved. 🙁🤭

[@joannathesinger770]

My father was in the Army when I was growing up, and we got stationed in Germany. We went for the weekend to Switzerland...in the middle of winter...and stayed in a hostel (essentially, a family rented out the top floor of their home that was exquisitely furnished), They had thick down featherbeds and comforters on the beds. I remember climbing into this soft nest...which was cold for a moment...but it immediately collected your body heat and you were toasty the whole night. When I got married, I found some down featherbeds and comforters at Ross that were reasonable. Best investment I ever made!!!

[@scruffy281]

We are so blessed with our neighbors also. We are not the most social of creatures but people were checking on us to be sure we were ok. We shared our wood and one of our neighbors offered us an Anker for our phone and we didn't even ask. But for those 4 days our surrounding neighbors helped each other out the whole time. It meant the world to us as I am sure it meant a lot for you guys to . Neighbors like that are worth more than diamonds right? Thanks so much Mary for all these items that you have shown us . We have so many natural disasters here in Texas that it is so important to be prepared. ❤️

[@MarysNest]

Oh Debbie!! How true!! Our younger neighbors showed so much concern for us. It was so sweet. And we were so happy to share firewood and bottled water with them. They told us that they were the ones who were blessed by us. Too sweet!! Love, Mary

[@godsgreenacreshomestead708]

I currently live NW of Houston and it was COLD/ICY. No power, we have a well but with no power it's useless. We used the fireplace, had plenty of water stored for us and flushing toilets, have a grill to cook on and make MY COFFEE under a covered patio. I am building an off grid property in Missouri so this was a perfect test for the preps I've been doing and look for shortcomings as it was -25 up there. Happy to report I only found 1 small item that didn't function well-the small solar generator I bought. I preach it like you do sweet Mary-prepare for every scenario you can imagine, do it on a tight budget, grow whatever you can, have extra, have the right tools, clothing etc. I have never considered it to be out of fear but more like insurance that brings you peace...Be blessed! Texas Deb

[@tricarb01]

Back in the 70s, when I was a child in the UK, we had power cuts every night at 8 o'clock. These sometimes lasted all night. This was when the power company Unions were fighting for more money from the Government. We had Tilley lamps. But the smell was bad. Made us cough. We had to be sure that we had food before the power outage. Grim times.

[@MarysNest]

Wow! This is fascinating. Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@villiehaizlip7626]

Rolling blackout in California will soon be the norm in many places I'm afraid bc 0 emiss*ions will take its toll. Plan in more than one way to supply your need. Gas will be$$ & hard to get so solar, propane & wood are good standbys. We have hurricanes on the coast that scare the heck out of me since Andrew.

[@lorimav]

@G-man Yes, my late husband was Greek Orthodox and kept one burning all of the time when we lived in Greece. When I brought it back with me to the United States and began burning it some times it would not work properly and it was a mystery to me why not. Later I learned that that is a good way to tell if your olive oil is 100% olive oil and not adulterated. My Spanish brand of olive oil was apparently adulterated and would not keep the wicks burning. Now I use Greek or Californian olive oil that I research to be pure.

[@servantwarrior880]

@@lorimav so you can just use 100% pure olive oil in place of lamp oil? If so, that is a game changer for me.

[@lorimav]

@@servantwarrior880 I think that they are lamps designed for olive oil. For example, those sold on Lehman's non-electric catalogue as olive oil lamps. In Greece you can use a heavy weight glass like a Duralex put water in 2/3, add olive oil add these floating devices that hold wicks and they make votives. Mine would not burn without pure olive oil. At Lehman's they sell lamps that would have thicker wicks and would be specially designed for more light.

[@faithboudreau5904]

When I moved to Maine my brother in law’s grandmother who was nearly 100 years old gifted me with a super heavy wool blanket. For 20 winters that wool blanket has kept me warm all winter. I recommend adding hot water bottles to your preps. Heat up some water and fill the hot water bottle and bring it to bed with you. Folks with wood stoves, fireplaces, or grills that run on coal can also use old fashioned bed warmers by using coals from their fires. I have lived thru 4-5 power outages here that lasted 4-6 days each. No fun. As with you one of the first things I bought after my first power outage was a non-electric coffee maker. With a cuppa hot coffee in us, we can face anything..

[@0424Cindy]

If I may, I have some additional suggestions. Living in northern Maine, these items are great for power outage: a Mr. Buddy Indoor-safe propane heater and a single burner propane/butane stove. The two together will probably cost around $100. The Mr. Buddy Heater and burner both use 1 pound propane canisters while some burners may also use butane. On the occasions that we’ve had to use the Mr Buddy heater, we closed off one room and it warms up quite well. The propane burner will heat a teakettle of water in just a few minutes minutes., Also, after our last very cold power outage, my husband bought a dual fuel (gas/propane) generator which he chose to not hardwire to our electrical panel. It is not big enough to power our whole electrical system, but it would be enough to run the furnace for a little bit or the well pump, freezer, etc. He installed an outlet set up that you put into your outside wall that allows you to plug the generator in from the outside and then you can plug appliances into the wall plug from the inside to run them off the generator. It was a very simple set up. My husband did it himself ( he is very knowledgeable of electrical work). Even if you had to pay someone to install it, it is a very quick job.

[@misskat3218]

Thank you!!

[@maryrenaud6732]

In Massachusetts’s we hired a licensed electrician to install a legal transfer switch with specific items to be powered in an outage (furnace...mainly ignition as it burned oil, stove, refrigerator and water, plus minimal lights and a few plugs). This protects the utility workers if power goes back on and your generator does not feedback to the system. We paid about $800 to $1000 for this and it was well worth it. We had heat, hot and cold water, refrig, and ability to cook and run a small TV. I think our gas generator was around 6000 watts.

[@Pluscelamemechose]

@@maryrenaud6732 just switch off the power from the lines, and to your generator. Entire islands use this, and frequently, as our power is çonstantly going out. The guys working on the poles can glance at it, and know my generator will not back power to them.

[@debbieolin8153]

I am fortunate in have lived in many places so I always prepared for the emergencies common to that area. When we had blackouts and cold in Texas, it was no big deal since I already lived through it in Michigan and New York.

[@schoonerkiva]

I saw some news footage and saw that people were not using thier RV's, boats, or long-haul semi truck rigs during that winter storm and power outage. They are built to be used off-grid, fully self-contained, have propane heat, bathrooms, and cooking facilities. That was surprising. Taking advantage of these types of rigs and will give a much more pleasant experience in the cold. Melanie Schooner Kiva 🇨🇦

[@annburge291]

Chihuahua Mexico...we got the tail of the Texan weather. Snow in the desert is really welcome because it was the first moisture in 18 months. We have a wood stove for heating and cooking because our gas lines tend to freeze a couple times a year. Electricity also gets cut, mainly because it depends on water and it freezes. This year the gas line from Texas froze and was cut. For a few days. We are pretty used to not having services. We always have water stored in bottles. Gas cook tops with small gas tanks that can be brought inside if needed, wood stoves... It's more of the animals freezing that cause problems. We covered the chicken coop with tarpolins that flapped wildly in the wind and placed a barrel of compost in the centre for warmth. The dogs came inside. The turtle ponds were covered completely with three layers of plastic held down with ropes and rocks. Mexicans tend to store dried foods... and our family was no exception.

[@MarysNest]

Hi Ann, Wow!! You did a great job! Love, Mary

[@Katgirl2024]

@Mary’s Nest ...have you looked up hay box cooking? The modern way to do it is with a large insulated cooler and blankets (or rags, towels, old clothes) you can cook soaked dried beans or even meat with only five minutes of active cook time. It’s best for soupy type foods....you need the liquid. So basically you bring to a boil and boil for five minutes whatever food you’re cooking with the lid on (it needs to get hot too) then immediately set the pot with the lid ON in a cooler wrapped in towels. Cover all sides of the pot, top and bottom with towels or blankets and fill the cooler with the towels. Secure the cooler lid and wait FOUR hours and your food will be cooked and still steaming hot. I use a thermometer with a sensor to make sure the temperature inside the pot stays above 140° (without opening the lid) it’s the old fashioned slow cooker. You can also cook stew or soup on a road trip this way. 😃 After four hours you will have hot soup, minimal effort and fuel.

[@charlettenitzsche4160]

I am in the process of installing solar for my whole farm. However, I bought a 2400 Bluetti last fall. It has quite a bit of power and longevity . Check out Alaska Prepper's channel for his reviews on the various kinds of solar generators.

[@MarysNest]

Oh Charlette! Thank you so much for this info! I will definitely check out Alaska Prepper! Love, Mary

[@lisapop5219]

Love Alaska Prepper!

[@lawhoff9581]

@@MarysNest Hobotech is a great resource for solar power stations. Bluetti AC200 - a new one coming out on Kickstarter soon EB500 - it is a 5900 watt unit!!. Get a gas generator to charge when there is no sun. Running a gas generator a couple of hours to charge up you solar power station is much better than running a gas generator continuously.

[@malindafoster5719]

@@lawhoff9581 Great idea! I am looking into buying a solar generator but wondered if there was a better way to recharge it if there is no sun or electricity. I also didn't want to be outside chasing the sun to power up the generator in the ice and snow and injure myself. You have to move those solar panels around every so often to get sun. I know you can plug it into your car some how but that's not attractive to me either in a snow storm.

[@lisapop5219]

We have a small propane cook top and a butane Korean cook top to cook with. They were a lifesaver when we got hit with an ice storm and 4 day power outage in 2014. We were more prepared because my husband was still in the military and he had been using the Coleman for over 20 years in the field. So he had the coffee maker and other things like hand warmers. He was also able to hook up our vehicles to run the tv. It was good to get information and for entertainment on local channels. We were also well covered on blankets and sleeping bags. We bought a decorative electric fireplace heater that the car can run too. We also have a great generator that can run our deep freezer. We didn't need it that time because it was so cold. We mostly have power outages in the spring and summer. That's more difficult for me because I hate being hot and sweaty, especially trying to sleep. So we have battery powered fans lol. Moving around with the military, we've lived in every clime and place and have been through blizzards, hurricanes, ice storms, fire storms, typhoons and earthquakes. We've been near tornadoes but thankfully never been hit by one. I think we've accumulated a bit of everything for emergencies by now lol.

[@lynsmith2698]

We live in Northern BC in Canada in a somewhat remote area at the end of the power grid. So our power goes off all the time. So we always have so many of these items on hand. Regarding the Texas storms. We felt so terrible for you all down there. Its not the norm. And so, so many people are caught off guard and not prepared. It only goes to show, no matter where you live, city or country, you need to be prepared. Great video Mary. Thank you

[@trumpingtonfanhurst694]

The Big Freeze was actually good in a way - It turned a lot of my Texas friends into preppers, so they will be better prepared to deal with what's coming.

[@saphirediamondspearlzsdpje3127]

I just ordered a lot of stuff after watching the news on the TEXAS severity. Especially with the water and no heat.

[@MarysNest]

Smart thinking! It is so important to be prepared. Love, Mary ❤️🤗❤️

[@kelleyjerred8032]

I've always had several ways to heat besides regular heating with electric. We have a gas heater connected straight to the gas line in ur home then I found a wood stove. And I have a gas stove. So different ways to heat ur house is being better prepared

[@nicolewilliams2468]

Very wise. I did, as well, & I’ve started packing 27-gallon rubber containers w/ emergency stuff for my in-laws & my parents. Wool blankets, wool socks, wool caps, gloves, hot hands chemical heaters, freeze-dried food, water supplements like Liquid IV, etc.

[@thatgrumpychick4928]

Prepared, not scared. People laugh at preppers until the storm, fire or flood happens and suddenly were not so crazy. I love your energy and presence. I live in Australia and we get wild storms and wild heatwaves. We have two shelves dedicated to food just for if we're flooded in or when times are light. We have shelves for medication, dog food, cleaning products and bathroom stuff. And a black out box.

[@gracehillgranny5445]

In the fall I converted my hear and cooking to propane gas. I was very thankful for having done so. I keep my tank full.

[@willow3310]

Sweet Mary one thing I can recommend to add to your emergency power out preps are fondue pots that heat with the little sterno canisters. You can really heat soups and broths and get water hot for instant coffee or tea.

[@heyokayheyokay9153]

You teach more than cooking. You teach survival! Thank you for thus channel.

[@connietademy7952]

I have an All American Sun Oven. It works in the winter too, even with snow on the ground. If you can see a shadow, you can cook in it.

[@dhoffman4955]

I've been making cold brew coffee for years: coffee, water, Mason jar x 24 hours, filter. May drink hot/cold. I have a metal filter meant for pour-over coffee. Requires no energy.

[@s.leemccauley7302]

Great timing. With the 1400 checks going out folks can prep up a bit. Especially those that have learned from the latest disaster.

[@MarysNest]

How true!!

[@lisapop5219]

Agreed, this won't be the last time

[@debbieframpton3857]

I've always been a person that stocks up I've been doing this for 40 plus years. I have a friend who takes her tax refund and stocks up for a year

[@tedrudiselle7802]

Sterno is readily available... chafing pots are always donated at thrift stores...I use their bases with Sterno and whatever pot or pan I have that fits...not only can you warm things up...but you can fry steam veggies, and cook many things...I use these a lot....they can be used for more than just keeping food warm... Cindy

[@midwesternviolet8768]

On-line restaurant supply stores have Sterno at very reasonable prices.

[@TXTeacher1111]

Mary, you made me laugh so much when you talked about running to the coffee maker each time the power came on for the few minutes that it did every 14 hours or so. I did the exact same thing! I can handle things so much better when I’ve had my coffee! 🤣 The game changer for me was the little butane camp stove that we had, which can be used indoors, and the hand water pump we had that fits on 5 gallon ozarka water bottles (we have delivery, but the coolers take electricity to run) that I bought at Walmart for about $8.00 three or four years ago. We are now investigating generators as Texas’ greatest threat is the heat. More information is still needed. But yes!! Coffee and a warm meal were EVERYTHING during those 5 days!

[@MarysNest]

Hi Tiara, We are kindred spirits! Thanks for the great tips too! Love, Mary❤️🤗❤️

[@franniefargo9454]

Check out the Generac whole house generator. It runs on natural gas and kicks in when there is a power outage. The whole house runs normally. You have air conditioning in the summertime, heat in winter, tv, stove, fridge, microwave, hot water......

[@farmville67]

I like to be prepared so this fall we bought a new camp stove and fuel. We lost power in oregon for 6 days from ice and snow storm. We were able to fry eggs, ham, heat soup etc with no problem. We have a fireplace but pretty much used our supply of wood up staying warm. Have a pour over cup coffee maker so that helped. I have since then purchased a first aid kit, going to get wool blankets. We are retired but might buy chains in case we had to get out.

[@NorthnSouthHomestead]

Hi Mary, We bought simple tap lights (square...not like the round push lights) from the dollar tree for power outages. In our living room, we have 4 of them hanging low enough to reach, but high enough to light up the room. They take AAA batteries. We turn on 1 of them. It lights the room well, for just over 2 hours. Then we turn on the next one. We get 8 hours of lighting from those 4 little lights. We have 2 in each bedroom, 2 in the kitchen, 1 in each bathroom, 1 on each nightstand,1 in the laundry room, and 1 in each hallway, that we only turn on when needed. We keep the batteries charged, and we keep atleast 3 sets of batteries on hand per light. We have a battery charger and we recharge the batteries as soon as possible. Such a simple thing, very low cost, hours of lighting, and we don’t have to use our generator to run lights in the house. We are planning on buying atleast double the amount for back ups...plus extra for our young sons room...they came in very handy during last years storm that left us without power for 4 days...our son was able to play in his room without the worry of candles or lanterns. Hope it helps. We also have a surge protector that plugs into a car lighter. If need be, we could recharge the batteries using that, in our cars. Also, My mothers law lives in Michigan, and she built wooden frames and put plastic on them...she attaches them onto her porch, to block wind ,rain,snow...so that she can use her gas grill during power outages if need be.

[@meanderingmuse8101]

I've used Sterno cans in an emergency for cooking. Has anyone else used these? I bought them at the dollar store, and always keep a few stocked in my pantry.

[@lorimav]

No but I bought a couple to be prepared. I heard that Safe Heat is rated for indoor use. Supposedly not every Sterno can is. You need to read the label. After doing a little research, I am debating between a Coghlan's or Sterno stove that can use these cans or can also use a Trangia type alcohol burner for much faster heating. I am also looking at the Trangia cooking system but it is a little pricey. At least storing denatured alcohol, safe heat, Heet, or Everclear, in the home is not explosive.

[@meanderingmuse8101]

@@lorimav when I used mine it was for outdoor cooking after a hurricane in FL. I had a makeshift stove made from a cooling rack, 4 cans, a baking sheet and slab of marble to hold the Sterno. Was good for light cooking such as eggs, heating coffee and soup. I need to look into a Sterno stove.

[@dawnjenney5519]

Yes, I have several of these in my pantry for an emergency. Sterno and my fondue pot is a great way to heat food, water too. We have holiday fondue traditions so I bought my daughters one for Christmas this year.

[@TXJan0057]

I have a French press. Something that you might consider is an electric tea kettle they draw very little power and mine will work on my cars inverter.

[@wildcatdiva4974]

Thank you for the suggestion, I will get one.

[@jujube2407]

@@wildcatdiva4974 ours will not run on the cars power...we tried! Hahhaa

[@wildcatdiva4974]

@@jujube2407 My husband says electric kettle will pull too much juice so yep that’s a no go.

[@jujube2407]

@@wildcatdiva4974 yup!

[@nataliebutler]

As a Brit it astounds me that anyone can live without a kettle 😄

[@emtpwanabe]

Must be in the air today because this is what I’m doing today as well! Evaluating where I still need work!

[@MarysNest]

Hi April, Yes indeed! I think as many of us warm up we are re-evaluating a lot of things! So glad we're learning together. Love, Mary

[@sherlynpatterson4304]

I made sure I had some meat and stews already cooked and frozen and sandwiches and a few filtered bottles of water if needed. That really gave me peace of mind when our power went out during the storm. Luckily the power outage was for less then a day.

[@lindastoops5343]

And it's a good idea to "practice". Have a SHTF drill a few times to makes sure you have a routine that works for you. I had everything we needed but making it all workable was a real eye-opener.

[@MarysNest]

Oh Linda!! How true!! Love, Mary❤️🤗❤️

[@makulewahine]

Every holiday season I buy battery candles because I can't handle regular candles. They stay on for 5 hours and I set them to start just after dusk. They give off just enough light to help me see when I am walking around. Not for any real illumination but comforting at a time when the electricity is off.

[@MarysNest]

Great tip!

[@rosepaul9681]

Solar lights from outdoors can be brought indoors at night. Also, Lucie light for camping is solar.

[@annalynn9325]

I’ve been waiting for this video from our Central Texas prepper! Now tried and true!

[@marygallagher3428]

I recommend you get a portable butane stove rated for indoor use (such as those used by caterers) that runs on butane canisters. Each canister will last for about 2 hours of cooking time with the stove turned on the high setting. Pair that stove with a thermal cooker (such as those sold by Saratoga Jacks, etc., or a Wonder Bag, or HopeSac, or one you make yourself from a cooler and blankets), and you can cook 2 hot meals a day for one week on about 4 butane canisters. Also, I highly recommend the indoor-safe portable heaters made by Mr. Heater, such as the "Big Buddy", that run on canisters of propane. To be on the safe side, I'd also recommend getting and using one or more battery-operated Carbon monoxide alarms for every room in which you are using an indoor-safe propane heater or a butane stove :-)

[@debrabendickson8088]

The pool noodle work to put on your pipes so thay dont freeze and make shur that if it gets that cold let your sinks drip

[@wendypeckinpaugh1078]

I found out in an ice syorm/blizzard in southern KY that 4 pint ball jars, a four wick candle and a cake cooling rack makes a very good pot of coffee or way to cook a lot of things. You can even heat with candles. I had 72 various sizes of candles heating my home. I even made candles with candle heat with the spare with king I kept in my craft stash. When the hubby made it home three days later, he brought up a kerosene heater from his parents down the hill.. can cook lots of things on top of a kerosene heater. I also put all my frozen food in garbage bags in the snow and filled the coolers with snow for the refrigerated foods. Necessity IS the mother of invention/creativity.

[@wendypeckinpaugh1078]

He never complained about my candle stash after that! Wicking not with king. 😉❣👍

[@caribbeanhouse6372]

It's so easy to listen to you. No one gets bored, you keep the attention of the person. Also you always provide good information and the different options to obtained the same results at the end.

[@victorialg1270]

Get some outlet timers. The kind that can be on for 15 minutes and off for 45 minutes. Use them for your freezer and refrigerator. Cuts power usage by 70 %. Very helpful for the solar generator. Extra wool blankets for the windows if it is cold. A practice weekend is a great thing to do.

[@MarysNest]

Hi Victoria, Great tip! Love, Mary ❤️🤗❤️

[@klflorida]

Is that sufficient to keep the food from going bad?

[@jaha5761]

What a great idea! I never lost power during the Texas event. Half of my city was without power for a few days, we were asked to conserve to prevent further outages. This tip would have helped, I’ll keep it for next time. Thanks!

[@crystald3655]

@@klflorida If the fridge and freezer are well isolated and work correctly, and you don't have the door open for more than a few seconds it should be. I've been without power for 24 hours a few times and the food in the fridge and freezer was fine.

[@MagicHeide]

Quilts & wool blankets are awesome, so are crocheted afghans! If you sandwich an afghan between a light layer and a heavy one(blanket or quilt) it creates a thermal effect that increases your warmth. Plus, crochet is a great stress relief!

[@lynsmith2698]

Oh i meant to tell you about something in my last comment and forgot. You might consider checking out the little Butane cook tops. They come in a little case with handle. You buy the canisters of butane and screw one in the cooker. Light it and it will boil water or soup or beans in no time. We have one as a back up to our propane 3 burner cook top. Because i do all my pressure canning on that propane stove thing we always have 20lb bottles of propane on hand. But getting back to the butane one. It works really well and in Canada they cost about 20.00 and the butane cans are about 10 bucks for 3. They last a really long time and i love it comes in a little carrying case. Anyways just a thought

[@AnneDaleHomestead]

Great tip to remember the connections and upgrades. That is something we forget. Thank you! 🪴🌱👒

[@SuzanneU]

We're planning a weekend drill. I think the drill should be a full week, and my spouse is becoming less resistant! We live in earthquake country, so I think it's very important to be prepared.

[@Jean-tt6on]

I am in north Houston and prepping for another freak winter storm. My family had been recovering from being sick so I didn't want anyone outside trying to cook on the grill, so I did it. Never again. After 4 days of gathering wood and starting outdoor fires, my face was peeling, my lips were cracked, my bones hurt and all of this after moisturizing and layering on a million coats. My skin has never gotten that dry, I am Mexican with oily skin and that freezing weather burned my skin. Took me like 3 weeks to finally look and feel back to normal from those 4 days of outdoor cooking.

[@DrValerie800]

Mary! You need an outdoor kitchen! (or a grate/pot hanger in your fireplace) It looks like you have enough room on your property to build a little covered & screened area where you could have your grill, so you don't have to stand out in the sleet/rain. You could even put a little rocket stove in there, so you're warm when you need it. You might also want to get a couple solar thermoses; they get the water boiling hot even with spotty clouds (it took a couple hours but since the sun was out between the clouds, the water got HOT). And, for extra lighting, you can use pasta jars and a small flashlight. Fill the jar with water and a dash of bleach (to keep the water clear), put aluminum foil, shiny side against the outside of the jar, about 1/3 of the way around the jar). Then when you need it, set a small flashlight at the clear side of the jar. It will reflect enough light to see your way around. For the fireplace, you can have a removable grate/grill , rotisserie and pot hanger built into the fireplace. My dad built that in ours back in the 60's, when it was normal to be without power or a week or two at a time due to severe storms (in the SF Bay Area!). We cooked on that without any problem, plus it kept our house warm enough since the temps normally didn't get much below 30F. We never worried when the power went out, due to my parents being prepared. Although we didn't have a 'prepper pantry', they did keep emergency supplies and plenty of food, mainly because mom ONLY shopped the sales and wouldn't drive the car 3 miles down the hill to the grocery store because that was an "extra" trip that took too much gas (and gas was 17 cents/gallon). And yeah, I had to walk to school, 3 miles, in the snow...but that only happened about once every 30 years, and oh yeah, they closed the schools then (no snowplows). LOL. Oh geez I'm getting old!

[@huffpede]

I love the info you give to us all, and am grateful for you, but... I just am finishing up with this episode and grew sooooo frustrated how you carried on with the weather. I live in the north half of this great county, and I do believe we go through far more worse weather than you all have had, so we don't need another weather report with all the hand waving. Please stick to giving us the Real info you have. Thank you. Other than that you're show is spot on.

[@tinamcguigan8600]

If the sun is out, you can use the sun oven in winter too

[@askmslynnllc5363]

We moved to Indiana the year of the blizzard. We were in the house less than 2 months at the time. The windows did not have a tight seal so my mother put blankets over the windows. We closed the door to the lower section of the house. We had heat but if you are without heat you you can cuddle in the smallest part of the house and if possible use tarps or blankets to trap heat in that room. Smaller the area the less it takes to keep the area warm. We use are grill all winter long, just have it as close to a door with a window as possible so you can retreat back to the house while food is cooking.

[@carolinesuchman9723]

If you ever go to Mexico you can get incredibly beautiful hand-woven wool blankets for about 500 pesos, which is maybe 20 USD depending on the exchange rate. If you go, try to visit a community where they make them. They’ll show you how they make different dyes from natural materials, how they spin the wool, and how they string and weave the looms. It’s a great learning experience for kids.

[@concernedcitizen9466]

Thank God for you Mary. You are saving people's lives with your advice and guidance.

[@lynnemoore1515]

Racka that are used for campfires would also work in your fireplace. They make a hanger that would work to holding your dutch oven over the logs or coals, just like the ones the pioneer's used.

[@MarysNest]

Oh Lynne!! What a great tip!! Thank you!! Love, Mary❤️🤗❤️

[@HavaWM]

It’s funny, Mary, that you said that it’s easier to deal with a power outage during the summer than when it’s super cold. I was just thinking the other day how terrible it would be if we had a power outage during the summer! 😝 I live in Idaho, and we have cold weather items and a wood stove and lots of wood and a propane stove that can be manually lit even if the power is out. We’re ready for any power outage up to two weeks long that happened during the winter, I’d say. But during the summer? It’s so hot, and our AC wouldn’t be running, and we couldn’t just put our fridge items outside in the snow to stay cold… I’d MUCH rather have a power outage during the winter than the summer! I really think that has so much to do with where we live. I live in the frozen North, so I’m used to cold. I’d rather be cold than hot any day of the week!

[@cookingsherry8784]

I remember my grandmother had an old perculator coffee pot for her stove, and she never went with the drip type coffee makers. I found a stainless steel one at an antique shop and bought it for emergencies and camping. I also bought a graniteware one for the same reason as a backup.

[@Pamela-B]

We keep Hand warmers, toe warmers, body warmer packs in our emergency supply. They heat up when exposed to air. Sold in most outdoor sections in stores. They last for a couple years until used. Another thing I keep are glow sticks for light without candles.

[@KanDee_Olson]

Military surplus stores usually carry wool blankets. We have several from when my husband was in the military in the 80s. Still great and we got more when he was in Afghanistan, which can get in the negatives too.

[@kayjay2588]

As a former BSA Scout Mom, and old-school camping enthusiast, a good invrstment would be a small camp stove and bottled propane. Use outdoors in well-ventilated space, like a covered porch, or gas/fume free garage. Cast iron holds heat but takes longer. I use copper bottom stainless steel and I have a great stovetop coffee percolator and a few teapots. Filling carafes and Thermos is number one, two is cooking foods you can eat hot or cold, like chicken. Preserving your fuel is important. Battery Chargers and solar chargers are cool (as long as you have sunlight) so a gas generator is the best option you have and knowing how much electric you need Is important for your medical equipment, heat/water/sewage pump, freezer and fridge, too

[@cindyskillman544]

What a great story about the blanket! 🥰 I can just imagine your grandpa looking at you from heaven, smiling that you're still using his blanket. 🤗

[@FaithandFlour]

I'm glad you were so well prepared Mary! Thank you for all of the great ideas. I had loads of suggestions to get a Water Bob and now I know what that is! The storms were certainly a learning experience and I am so grateful to you for helping me get our Prepper Pantry ready. It was such a blessing to have everything we needed that week. I'm also grateful for the wool blankets and down comforters we kept from back East! 😄 Much love! 💛Robin

[@donnacochran3335]

Your experience Reminds me of how people who are effected by hurricane's!! You could be a millionaire or not have a dime and for those day's and sometimes week's until power and water are restored EVERYONE works together!! Wouldn't it be nice if we could work together without being in a crisis situation? Crisis brings out the best in humanity here in the United States, at least in the south. If you ever experience a natural disaster you will never forget what it felt like to help and be helped by total strangers. It makes you SO VERY grateful!! Mary, I'm so glad you guys are okay! We lived in Amarillo for a short time. Until this year in Georgia I don't think I remember experiencing that kind of cold and wind!! Land hurricane's were really different to see. Texas is a beautiful state!!

[@victoryhillstudioanimalpor2625]

Bought a stove-top percolator and hand coffee grinder this Christmas 😉 Found myself using them when our power was cut for a few hours! We live in an Italianate Victorian built in 1857 in the Rochester NY area. We have a well within the house as well as a drilled well. We are pretty well prepared for heat with a wood cook stove in the kitchen and a wood stove in the living room!

[@sandrad518]

I have a woodstove I use for heat all winter, no better kind of heat. I also have a gas stove in my kitchen, love it and will never have electric again. A coal bbq and a generator to at least keep fridge going for a long time. But, I live in mountains over 4k feet, so like you said, all this is normal here.

[@dlgrilli]

Thank you for doing this. It made me evaluate where we are with being prepared. I was pretty pleased with all the boxes I could check, but there were a few hole I identified thanks to you. Excellent information in your video.

[@maryrenaud6732]

Also cash! We were able to go to a restaurant for breakfast after hurricane Irma because we had cash and the restaurant had a generator. A hot meal and coffee and other people. This lifts your spirits greatly!

[@sharonantonissen6019]

Hi Mary. You are the best!! I have already been canning for about 30 years and I have learned so much from you! Thank you. You are up there with the greats such as Brexar Prepper and Linda's Pantry. You are the best!

[@HelenSab]

Loved this video. I'm always thinking what I'm missing in preps. More of these kinds Mary! Glad you're well!

[@MarysNest]

Hi Helen, So happy you like this. Love, Mary

[@ruthgaver1256]

Mary, I’m so happy that you and yours made it through the storm! Thank you for all of the helpful tips 👩🏻‍🍳🤗

[@sylviajauregui5468]

Beautiful antique wool blanket. I love preserving and passing down well made things. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

[@keciastarks1630]

Great advice Mary...thank you so much! I'm a fellow Texan in Tyler. We were very fortunate to of had power during the recent snow storm but we were without water for 7 days...boy did that teach me A LOT!

[@lola8590]

Luckily we had switched out my electric stove for a propane one before the Texas storms. We were without power or water for 4 days. We had to melt snow for water for the chickens and animals and for washing dishes. For the most part we did a good job of prepping. Love those propane burners. Stock up on propane!!!!

[@janetthompson1372]

I love your practical & calm approach to preparing.

[@annamcdonald7757]

We also live in in south Texas and we’re with out electric for days. One blessing we had was a single burner butane burner stove from Sam’s club( under $50.00 with 4 cans of butane) . This was a great way to cook meals and make coffee and tea as needed.

[@ColRubyDimplesManacha]

So glad you all are safe! Thank you for the great tips!

[@INSIDERUSSIA]

Hello from Russia! Great video, great channel. Thank you!

[@melissaoldham8992]

Im in Austin and we were out five days and nights - no heat, power or internet - definitely added these things to my prep - thanks Mary ! im enjoying your videos

[@isabelleandmichael]

Excellent video, thank you. I'd like to recommend an idea I recently heard about. An electric blanket plugged into the solar generator does not use a lot of watts. We have the Inergy Apex solar unit and we are going to try this next time the power goes out. The blanket doesn't have to be turned on all night but off and on as needed to conserve battery. I hope this helps.

[@pennynewell3459]

We here in central Oklahoma where without power for over a week. I was so glad I have been prepping and was prepared.

[@pennynewell3459]

I bought a small single burner stove that uses both propane and butane. Have used it many time during outages.

[@angelpearce]

Very good informational video Mary. This is exactly what I was hoping to hear from you after the storm was over. It’s so important to find out how did our preps work out for us and what adjustments do we need to make. 🦋

[@paulasmith7803]

I bought a percolator about 10 years ago. i did buy a two burner camp stove, 2 actually. I have used a rocket stove to quickly heat up all kinds of things. It comes in handy.

[@veracampbell9583]

We all can learn from the storms that came through. Great video Mary. God bless y’all.

[@annmarie4794]

Thank you for sharing such a needed video. Be blessed sweet Mary ❤️

[@tammysoto3019]

I absolutely loved this tutorial, great information...Thank you Mary

[@krisr8011]

Canadian camper here. Do you have cans of Sterno fuel in Texas. It's a solid clean burning cooking fuel in a re-closable can. Light it under your trivet. Much warmer than a candle. When you are done, you put the lid back on, out goes the flame and save it for later.

[@janenorris6113]

I have a Coleman’s camping stove which runs on propane. You can boil water, cook raw meat, cook bacon and eggs, and even beans. PS I didn’t need to use it. I live in San Antonio, Tx. There were areas of the city without power and water, but not in my neighborhood. We were mightily blessed. My daughter who lives 5 to 7 miles away were without both for days at a time. They hooked up their generator and melted ice and snow for water. When their water came back for short periods of time they were able To fill their their tubs and containers. The alert to boil water had been issued but their generator powered their water distiller which gave them purified drinking water. Those were rough days for a lot of people. Thanks to God that we made it through.

[@lulamamie8524]

Excellent information Mary! Thank You for sharing ❤️

[@belindaroy762]

Thank you so much for posting this video

[@Nannaof10]

Perfect, Mary! Thank you for sharing your ideas.

[@lornabartlett2744]

Thank you Mary I so appreciate your video and all the details to share with us in this adventure of 2021 of the changing climate in Texas region and 🇨🇦🥲🙏🌸 globally

[@farmco6897]

Styles from the past really start to make sense when the power goes out and its cold..canopy beds for instance were invented for warmth...same with wall tapestries...they were beautiful but also insulation..God Bless, Thanks for great info!!