In honor of National Preparedness Month we are giving away our favorite and most popular Food Rotation System, the Harvest 72″. This giveaway is worth $459.99. You are eligible for up to 4 entries as outlined below. The giveaway ends on September 30, 2010 at midnight, MST. So be sure to submit your comments before then! We will announce the winner here on our blog, October 1st. Good luck!

Anyone who comments on this blog entry will be entered to win the Harvest 72″. Each comment counts as a separate entry.

(1) The 1st entry is earned by signing up to receive the Shelf Reliance newsletter. The newsletter is one of the best ways to stay up-to-date with all that Shelf Reliance has to offer, including sales, promotions, new products, and online tools. Receiving the newsletter is as easy as entering your e-mail address in the indicated box at www.shelfreliance.com. When you’ve done that, leave a comment on this blog post. This comment should include your first and last name, along with something like, “I signed up for the newsletter.” If you already receive the Shelf Reliance newsletter, leave a comment with your name and something like, “I already receive the newsletter.”

(2) The 2nd entry is earned by becoming a fan of Shelf Reliance through Facebook. Our Facebook page is a great place to read unique company news, network with other food storage & emergency preparedness enthusiasts, and – perhaps best of all – discover promotions that are only available through Facebook. To find the fan page, simply search for Shelf Reliance in the search bar on Facebook or click here. Once you’re a fan, leave a comment on this blog post. This comment should have your name and something along the lines of, “I’m a fan on Facebook.” And – you guessed it – if you’re already a Facebook fan, the comment should include your name and something like, “I was already a fan on Facebook!” Comments made on Facebook will NOT be counted as an entry.

(3) The 3rd entry is earned by leaving a comment on our blog. Tell us which city and state you’re from and how you first heard about Shelf Reliance. For example, “Provo, UT – Saw an ad in LDS Living Magazine.” It’s that simple.

(4) The 4th entry is earned by following us on Twitter. Twitter users can find us by searching “ShelfReliance” on their Twitter homepages. Once you’ve clicked the “Follow” button to receive updates from Shelf Reliance, just leave another comment on this blog post! Those who already follow ShelfReliance on Twitter are entitled to this entry as well, just let us know you already follow us. Our Twitter updates will remind you of current sales and promotions that you can find at www.shelfreliance.com.

Remember, each of the four comments counts as a separate entry. If you just leave one comment that says you’ve done all four things, you’ll only be entered to win once, so be careful about that! Also, you don’t need to do all four things in numerical order (for example, you could just do options 1 & 3 if you wanted). The winner will be chosen randomly, and we’ll be certain to verify that the winning entry is legitimate and fair. Any entries that aren’t in accordance with the giveaway rules will be disqualified and removed.

It’s time to get blogging, get clicking, get commenting! We’re just itching to give this Harvest 72″ away!

Take a look at this!

This great pantry renovation comes to us from Jill of The Bird and The Berry, one of our favorite blogs. While her original organization strategy is nothing to sneeze at, it looks like the new and improved version will make mealtimes that much easier! In Jill’s own words, “Now my pantry is super organized and there are no more jumbled cans.”

To learn more about Jill’s organization and home-redecorating projects, go visit The Bird and The Berry. While you’re there, be sure to enter her Cansolidator giveaway and download these handy labels for your own organization efforts.

Many thanks to Jill for sharing her talents and experiences with all of us. Go check out her original and super-easy ideas at The Bird and The Berry.

In honor of Mother’s Day, which will be celebrated in the U.S. on Sunday, May 9th, today’s post will recognize some great tales of mothers in emergency situations.

After centuries of tests and observations, scientists still speculate about the power of the human body under stress. We can look to incredible feats of athletic strength for answers to these questions, but the one piece of evidence cited most frequently, at least in casual conversations, is the famed ability of mothers to lift entire cars off of their trapped children. This ability is attributed by many to a phenomenon known as hysterical strength. The common belief is that adrenaline and the mothering instinct work together to produce incredible results, allowing mothers to perform in ways they’d never be able to under normal circumstances. But where does this claim come from? Is it all a rumor or urban legend, or is it based in reality? Where’s the evidence?

As you might imagine, claims like this are difficult to test or document. No ethical scientist is going to create a dangerous situation and place a child in harm’s way in order to gauge a mother’s strength (and on a related note, thank goodness for ethics). However, there are some authentic pieces of anecdotal evidence to consider. In 1982, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, a woman named Angela Cavallo lifted a ‘64 Chevrolet Impala from her teenage son. The car had fallen off the jacks that were holding it up while the boy worked underneath the car. Mrs. Cavallo lifted the car high enough and long enough for two neighbors to replace the jacks and pull her son from beneath the car. In her late 50s at the time, Mrs. Cavallo guessed that she kept the car hoisted up for around five minutes and said she couldn’t have picked the car up under normal circumstances.

More recently, two mothers in England worked together to lift a 1-ton Renault Clio off a young boy who was run over outside of their homes. In June of 2009, Donna McNamee and Abigail Sicolo heard the screams of the eight-year-old and jumped into action. According to Miss Sicolo, “The car was so heavy. I bruised my arm and shoulder when we were lowering it.” Both were stunned at the strength they demonstrated in that moment.

And lest you think that hysterical strength only works on motorized vehicles, a tale from Quebec shows that it works on ferocious bears as well!

In 2006, a woman named Lydia Angyiou was watching as her son and his friend played a friendly game of hockey. When she saw a polar bear approaching the boys, poised to attack, she tackled the bear and wrestled with it while the boys escaped and called for help. Ms. Angyiou did sustain some injuries, but was ultimately okay. The polar bear, however, was not; in order to save Ms. Angyiou’s life, a neighbor swooped in and saved the day by shooting the bear. I love polar bears as much as anyone, but I have to say, that is one impressive story, and I applaud this mother’s protective instincts.

These heroic moms and others like them really make their mark by doing what’s necessary in tough moments. Most mothers will never need to rescue their kids from cars or bears, but they make sacrifices all the same. One sacrifice comes in the form of thinking ahead and preparing for tough times and unexpected events, whether that means building a food storage supply or practicing fire escape plans with the entire family. We’d like to thank all of the moms out there who help prepare their families, the moms who make lunches and go to soccer games, the moms who work hard at home and in the workforce. Have a great Mother’s Day!

Share your own stories of incredible moms in the comments section!

From the time of our company’s founding, word of mouth has been one of our greatest advertising tools.  Our reputation was built on customers sharing their opinions of Shelf Reliance with anyone who’d listen. The ease and reliability of Shelf Reliance products have had people talking to their neighbors, family members, and co-workers for years now, and at some point along the way, customers began asking how they could sell and distribute the products for themselves. After months of planning, testing, and experimenting, Shelf Reliance has come up with the perfect answer. I introduce to you …

Shelf Reliance Home Parties!

Please join us for the official launch of Shelf Reliance Home Parties on Saturday, April 17th.

Place: Golf Clubhouse at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah
Time: 1:00-5:00 PM (1-3 Open House, 3-5 Launch Presentation)
Admission: absolutely free

Come see what we have to offer, from Food Rotation Systems to THRIVE Foods, and learn all you need to know about the benefits of hosting an event in your neighborhood or becoming a Home Parties Independent Consultant. The open house will feature delicious food, a cooking demonstration from the talented Kelsey Nixon, door prizes, and plenty of people to answer every question you come up with.

For those of you who don’t live nearby, never fear! You can still get involved by using the contact information provided at the end of this post or by clicking here. This is just the beginning, and with the help of people like you, Shelf Reliance Home Parties will be available in your area before you know it.

The goal of Shelf Reliance Home Parties is to share the vision of preparedness and food storage with people across the country. There’s a certain sense of accomplishment that comes from building your own future while helping others prepare for theirs, and Shelf Reliance Home Parties is the perfect opportunity to experience this for yourself. Our great-tasting food and competitive pricing have made us a leader in the industry, and this new business opportunity will allow you to benefit from our history of excellence. Whether you’re interested in a career with Home Parties, want to host a few parties here and there, or just want to see what it’s all about, we invite you to attend and hope you’ll stay to chat!

To learn more about this exciting opportunity, please visit www.shelfreliance.com/parties. If you have further questions or would like to get involved right away, send an e-mail to parties@shelfreliance.com or call (877)743-5373.

Bring a friend, a neighbor, a parent – anyone at all! The more the merrier, as they say. We’re excited to see each and every one of you on April 17th. Be sure to bring your questions and your appetite. We’ll see you there!

Thanks for reading today! Please share your own advice for implementing protein in your food storage in the comments section below.

Taking care of yourself emotionally is vital at any stage of life, especially since your own emotional state has a profound effect on family members and anyone else you spend much time with. One person’s positive attitude or calm demeanor tends to rub off on others. Similarly, pessimistic or aggressive family members can create toxic situations for everyone in the home.

The importance of emotional health is only magnified when a disaster takes place. In the aftermath of a disaster, adults and children alike are prone to feeling stressed, frustrated, and drained. We hope the information we share today can help you to look after your emotional health and to recover quickly when unexpected problems come along.

What is a disaster?

“Disasters” can be anything from natural disasters, like the earthquake that’s caused so much devastation in Haiti, to car accidents or the death of a loved one. A “disaster” can be big enough make national news or small enough to only challenge one family. Even the long-term stress that comes from a dangerous job or caring for a sick child can create reactions like the ones seen in victims of traumatic events. It’s safe to say that we’ll all experience several disasters in our lives, and the ability to deal with those disasters in a safe way is key.

How do people react emotionally when disaster strikes?

As you might expect, there’s a wide range of emotions that can be inspired by a disaster. According to the Red Cross, here are some of the most common responses to difficult situations:

• Feeling physically and mentally drained
• Having difficulty making decisions or staying focused on topics
• Frustration that occurs more quickly and more often
• Arguing more with family and friends
• Feeling tired, sad, numb, lonely, or worried
• Experiencing changes in appetite or sleep patterns

Looking at this list, it’s striking to notice how important it is to know and understand your own behavior before you can evaluate your emotional health. For example, if you’re usually indecisive or if you tend to worry a lot, then those symptoms might not be as meaningful after a disaster. But if you’ve always been an incurable optimist and are suddenly feeling depressed, or if you’re starting arguments even though that’s completely unlike you, those symptoms are likely very telling.

What’s the best way to respond to these emotional troubles?

The Red Cross offers these suggestions:

• Take care of your safety. Find a safe place to stay and make sure your physical health needs and those of your family are addressed. Seek medical attention, if necessary.
• Eat healthy. During times of stress, it is important that you maintain a balanced diet and drink plenty of water.
• Get some rest. With so much to do, it may be difficult to have enough time to rest or get adequate sleep. Giving your body and mind a break can boost your ability to cope with the stress you may be experiencing.
• Stay connected with family and friends. Giving and getting support is one of the most important things you can do.
• Be patient with yourself and with those around you. Recognize that everyone is stressed and may need some time to put their feelings and thoughts in order.
• Set priorities.Tackle tasks in small steps
• Gather information about assistance and resources that will help you and your family members met your disaster-related needs.
• Stay positive. Remind yourself of how you’ve successfully gotten through difficult times in the past. Reach out when you need support, and help others when they need it.

In most cases, the symptoms pass quickly after a disaster. Once people have the chance to rest and regroup, they’re able to think clearly and recover. If unusual behavior persists for longer than two weeks, it may be a sign that the person should reach out for more assistance.

For more information on this topic, take a look at this Red Cross document: Taking Care of Your Emotional Health after a Disaster

***UPDATE: Thanks to all who took part in our THRIVE Cookbook poll! The feedback you provided has been very helpful so far. At this time, we’ve removed the poll from our website and are evaluating the responses. Keep an eye out for the THRIVE Cookbook to make its debut!***

Many of you have enjoyed having resources like our Recipes section and the Shelf Reliance YouTube channel to find fresh ideas for using your THRIVE food storage in everyday meals. We’re excited to announce that our latest addition, the THRIVE Cookbook, is well on its way. The newest member of the Shelf Reliance family, Kelsey Nixon, is developing new recipes and tips every day, all to help you make delicious, healthy, convenient meals for your family!

As we’ve been working on this cookbook, several questions have come to mind. Our goal is to make a resource that’s helpful and worthwhile for you, and to do that, we need your help! We’ve created a short poll of just 13 questions (all of which are optional), and we’d love to get your feedback. You can participate in the poll by clicking here [editor's note: as indicated above, this poll has been closed and the responses were great!]. We appreciate your thoughts and your time. Have a great day, and be looking for our new THRIVE Cookbook in the coming months!

From now through December 17th, Shelf Reliance will be hosting 12 Days of Deals.  Check our website each day to find out which item is discounted, then snag your own before midnight!

We’re kicking things off today with out first item – the 2 Person Survival Pack. Regularly priced at $160, this pack is on sale for $89.99 through midnight tonight. The pack comes in a sturdy backpack and includes individually-packed water boxes, high calorie food, sleeping bags, ponchos, and a flashlight that can also be used as an alarm, a radio, and a cell phone charger.

The 12 Days of Deals excludes Sundays, so the offers listed on Saturdays will actually last two days. To find out the new item each day, simply visit our homepage and look for a slider like the one above. Happy Holidays from Shelf Reliance! We hope you’ll find an item for every special person on your list.

A 2003 manual from the United States Department of Agriculture gives some great guidelines for keeping your food from going bad in case of a power outage. The manual, entitled Food Safety and Food Security: What Consumers Need to Know, is a fantastic resource for information on food handling, the USDA’s inspection procedures, canned foods, and other topics. Today’s blog post will give you some food safety tips that will save you money and keep you safe in case of an emergency.

A power failure can be inconvenient and uncomfortable, especially when the weather is extreme. It’s best to keep a supply of nonperishable food at home, cutting down your dependence on food that has to stay chilled or frozen. Of course, since most power failures only last a few hours, the food in your freezer and refrigerator can be kept safe if you follow a few simple rules. Some are common sense, and some require a little more thought. Continue reading