And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as our family did dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Eastern Oregon! Welcome to the LEHI Project! It is all about PRACTICAL APPLICATION of actually USING your food storage, preparedness items, camping gear, skills, etc. Let me tell ya – it pays DIVIDENDS!
So let’s break it down – in 2009 we bought our wall tent, kitchen set, tent stove, cots and sleeping bags – we thought we were SOOO cool! So what to two COOL young adults do with new preparedness “toys” to play with? They camp out in March in the cold and wind of the Utah wilderness. We began at that time an experiment we called the “Lehi Project”. We lasted 3 days. But not until after being cold, wind-blown and pretty much totally unprepared, Initially, the tent took 2 1/2 Disney movies on the portable DVD player before it was set up (Kodiak was barely 2 at the time). Within moments of arrival we realized we needed to begin a list of all the things we wished we had brought. We started with a small scratch of paper and began to IMMEDIATELY write down all the things we HAD TO HAVE, WANTED TO GET, and just plain FORGOT TO BRING. The page was full when we left the desert at the end of 3 days.
Flash forward now to 2012. This is our 3rd year. We look forward to it now every year. We go in late fall, stay out for 7 days and generally get all sorts of weather; complaining only when we have to finally go home to the “real world”. Our “To Bring” list is nearly comprehensive now. I think this last time we added maybe 2-3 things. All this being said, I wanted to shed some light on what I learned this year.
Here are the highlights of the best things I learned from Lehi Project 2012:
#1 SOLAR OVENS ROCK ROCK ROCK! 
We bought our solar oven from Emergency Essentials (www.beprepared.com) and boy oh boy, was this $200 investment SOOOOOOOOOO worth it. If I could afford to create a donation account for each of you to buy one – I would! AMAZING. I baked bread (ummm more on that later, that’s a story in itself), muffins, rice, chicken, quinoa, stews, etc, etc. I didn’t use the propane cook stove once, or a single dutch oven (even though we had both). My stress level was so far reduced by using this oven that I instead of slaving in the tent for 2 hours over all of our cooked meals, I was able to enjoy an afternoon nap each day with my husband. That in itself is worth it! The food was more delicious than traditional oven cooking and much more moist. Never over-cooking, never needing any attention at all. I would put our dinner in the two pots around 10:30, walk away to a day full of fun, and come back and eat a delicious hot dinner whenever we were all good and ready (usually just after sunset around 5:30).
#2 A GOOD TABLE is invaluable! 
We bought a heavy duty plastic picnic-like table for eating and sitting at for the wall tent. I have wanted one for three years but never found the right size, weight or design. We bought this one at Sportsman’s Warehouse. I am REALLY happy with it. It all folds together and the benches aren’t attached so it lends for more arrangements in a small living space. This may seem trivial, but not having a place to eat is pretty rough, especially with a 4-year-old. Not to mention it doubles as a card playing table
#3 Have a FOOD STORAGE DAY. 
I have served as camp cook now for the last 3 years and each time I have challenged myself with lots of tasty dutch oven and cook stove ideas. But as we have all become more comfortable (physically and mentally) with the whole dry-camping experience, we have sought to “up our game”. This year I chose to have a Food Storage Day where we only ate what was in a #10 can. I mean what good is all of this food if I don’t know how to prepare it? And while I know I can make this stuff at home – how would I fare in the bush? Honestly, it was a GREAT experience. We ate BETTER on this day than all the others. And it led me to my next great discovery….
#4 Beer Bread.
Awesome. I will put up a separate post for this (see BEER BREAD!). It is just too neat. After this success, we are looking into buying a pallet of cheap beer for food storage – I NEVER thought I would be getting THAT! Especially since we don’t drink a drop! But the simplicity of this recipe and the high success of it is just too invaluable, besides, who knows, maybe if we don’t bake a lot of bread in times of future calamities, we will still have the opportunity for trading stock to those we miss their ale!
#5 Coleman Northstar Propane Lantern. 
Throw your old lanterns away. Or better yet, give them to someone else who is just getting started being prepared. This lantern for us was like night and day (funny, eh?). Last year while camping we were huddled around the tent stove barely able to see our own feet in the florescent glare of a battery powered LED lantern. It was miserable. Everyone was depressed. Then in steps Phil with his Coleman Northstar Propane Lantern. One click of the start button and it was like (ahhhhhhhhhhhh – hear the angels singing?) LET THERE BE LIGHT! It was cheery, bright, and fun again. It made the difference from wanting to chew our own wrists open to being completely content and happy all night. It is Coleman’s brightest burning lantern and after a week of burning 3 hours+ each night, we went through 1 1/2 small propane containers. Well worth it. We buy the propane from a local propane recycler for less than $1 each.
All in all, this year was the best Lehi Project yet. I wish to encourage EVERYONE, if you own a tent, or buy some neat gear – GO USE IT! Seriously. We used to think we were sooooo prepared, but after doing this now for 3 years, we are still learning and perfecting our primative camping experience. We have become so much more comfortable being self-sufficient and the list we have created of “What Not To Forget” has a special place in the household safe – it is THAT important.
Make a family trip of it. Have some fun. Happy learning, everyone!
~Marcella
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