If the recent Iowa Hurricane (Derecho) has taught me anything, it is that 2020 is full of unfortunate surprises. While we weren’t directly impacted too much by this recent beast of a storm, it did make me take pause to think about the many ways my family and yours can be prepared for the inevitable zombie apocalypse or other cataclysmic event 2020 has in its arsenal of disappointment.

Food Storage

So, let’s start first the most important essential: food. When storing food for the winter months you have several options, like freezing, canning, or drying your food. I’m going to glaze over these topics, but if you’d like to talk more in-depth, feel free to research these more or to talk with one of our friendly associates at either of our stores or check out Ace Hardware’s YouTube page. They may have more tips.

Canning: If you are a seasoned veteran to canning and have hundreds of jars in your house, this is not your time. Canning lids sold outside of a complete package set are harder to find than toilet paper was in early April.If you’re new to canning and just trying out canning, excellent, this period is great. At the time of writing this complete canning sets, large pots, etc. are in no short supply. While there are different canning methods, water bath canning can be the easiest for beginners to take up and don’t require a lot of equipment. Foods like tomatoes and tomato sauces, pickles, and jams can all be canned with water bath canning methods. I also highly recommend exploring recipes ahead of time as they tend to walk you through all the safe steps.

Freezing: Perhaps the easiest method of food preservation is freezing. Vegetables like peppers, onions, and tomatoes can be frozen without blanching first. Others like broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots require some blanching (boiling for a short time, then submersing in an ice bath) first. For all vegetables, I recommend washing them first and ensuring they’re completely dry, so they don’t get stuck together.

A trick I learned recently with tomatoes is to first wash them, remove the stems, allow to dry and set on a large pan. Place that pan flat in the freezer for two hours, then bag. They won’t stick together, and you can quickly pull what you need to defrost for sauces and more as needed.

Drying: I know my husband looks for any excuse to pull out his Traeger and this is no exception. For centuries, people haves dried fruits, veggies, and meats to store longer. While a dehydrator might make this a bit easier, you could really do this in your own oven, or on a smoker. Traeger and Big Green Egg have endless recipes for homemade jerkies.

Root Cellar: Root Cellars can be used to store root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or beets. While there are a lot of methods for creating a root cellar, the basics require a space that holds a temperature between 32- and 40-degrees Fahrenheit. The best method is to use the foundation walls on the northeast corner of your basement. Just make sure you keep it insulated from any heat coming from the rest of the house. This can also be an excellent area to store your canned foods, wines, or beers.

Fire & CO Safety

So, our food needs are taken care of, but in our frantic rush to store this food you started a fire. This is a huge deal. Call the fire department. Luckily, you have your fire extinguisher easily accessible and ready to use . . .? Right? When was the last time you had your fire extinguisher, carbon monoxide, or smoke alarms checked? Do you have them? These tools aren’t just required, they’re essential, but they will do a lick of good if you don’t regularly have them inspected or know how to access them or use them properly. Smoke alarms should be tested every month and make sure to bring your extinguisher in for regular inspections at a fire protection company.

Power Outages

Okay the fire is out, but unexpectedly the power just went out. Your neighbor decided to dig his own root cellar without calling Iowa One Call first and cut a major line. Luckily, no one was harmed.

Power outages are no fun and they always seem to happen at the worst time. Make sure you have flashlights or candles and matches handy. A Yeti cooler can hold ice for a few days and can be used in a pinch to store perishables. A generator can be extremely useful for long power outages. You’ll want to run this thing outside. NEVER run a generator inside, and never plug one into a wall outlet. No matter what type of generator you have, always consult your owner’s manual first. There are two ways to hook up a generator: plugging in each appliance with individual cords or powering your circuit panel using a transfer switch. If you choose the later, call your electrician to help you out. And be sure to know how much your unit can handle, and don’t try to overwhelm it. Doing so could get you another fire you’ll need to take care of.

Take Care of Your Mental Well-Being

Preparing for the zombie apocalypse can be stressful. Once you have your plan in place, make sure to take care of you. Take time to watch some birds. Pull out your grill. Paint your room a relaxing color. Find a project. Play a game with the kids. Take time to put your phone down and enjoy your space, your time, and the people you love.

Bonus. Be Neighborly

All jokes aside. We're all going through a tough time as we continue to navigate this time of uncertainty. If you haven't already, take time to check in on your neighbors and see how they're doing. Perhaps your vegetable garden was too intense, and you want to share. Perhaps you and your kids went crazy with baking and went way overboard. I think right now we could all just use a good friend. Start next door today, and it might make a big difference tomorrow.

To learn more about preparing for the worst visit ready.gov or talk with one of our helpful associates at Steve’s Ace.