Monday, August 31, 2026

When the Water Suddenly Stopped: What a Broken Pipe Taught Us About Preparedness

Last month, we were suddenly reminded just how important preparedness can be when our water stopped running.

Literally.

One minute we had running water, and the next it was gone. Not even a drop.

At first, I went outside to see if perhaps a city utility truck was nearby and the water had temporarily been shut off. Instead, to our dismay, I noticed a trail of water coming from the side of our house and rolling down the street!

We had another water leak. My heart plummeted.

We'd dealt with a broken water line a few years earlier, so this wasn't entirely unfamiliar territory. With the Texas heat, drought and shifting ground, broken water lines are something we've seen more than once in our neighborhood.

And, of course, it happened on a Friday afternoon, with the weekend looming and the possibility of higher plumbing costs right along with it.

After calling several plumbers, we finally found one who agreed to come out that evening. Unfortunately, we were told the actual work wouldn't begin until Saturday. The plumber estimated it could cost approximately $700 to $900 just to dig down and locate the leak, depending on how much digging was required.

That didn't include repairing the pipe.

I questioned him again.

"$700 to $900 just to dig?" My brain tried to calculate how much the total could be. $1500 or $2000?

He nodded.

I told him I'd think about it and let him know whether we wanted to keep the Saturday morning appointment.

Pipe located

Maybe I Could Dig It Myself

The timing was almost comical.

Earlier that very day, I had been online registering for archaeology and anthropology classes at my local college. Archaeology has been a lifelong interest of mine, and I've participated in excavations before. I've also been thinking about how important it is for me to stay active and in good physical condition if I want to continue doing fieldwork.

Archaeological excavations can involve a lot of walking, hiking, bending, lifting and, of course, digging.

So after hearing that someone wanted $700 to $900 just to dig a hole, something occurred to me.

Wasn't I just thinking about how I needed to stay in shape so I could dig again?

The water had already been shut off at the main, so I grabbed a hoe and started carefully working away at the soil.

Before long, I felt the pipe.

Based on our previous repair, I suspected the new leak might be somewhere near the same area. I didn't want to turn the water back on and soak the ground again just to confirm it, so I stopped for the evening and allowed the area to dry.

The following morning, I went back to work on the hole.

My husband was still recuperating from a recent medical procedure, but he came outside and helped as much as he could. Sure enough, we located the pipe and cleared the dirt away from it so a plumber could easily access the damaged section.

From what we could see, it appeared that a connection had pulled apart. The shifting ground may have placed enough pressure on the line that the pipe needed a little additional length before it could be properly reconnected.

I took a photograph and texted it to another plumber. I didn't call back the first plumber as I felt they were overpriced.

He agreed to come out on Sunday and repair it. Because we had already located and exposed the pipe and agreed to refill the hole ourselves afterward, he agreed to have it repaired for $450.

We had turned an expensive emergency into something much more manageable simply by doing the part of the job we were capable of doing ourselves.

I buy my 5 gallon jugs at grocery stores and keep filled for emergencies

Our Stored Water Bought Us Time

There was another important part of this experience that had nothing to do with plumbing.

We weren't panicking about not having running water.

We already had water stored.

We kept containers of water available for flushing the toilets. We placed a bowl of water in the sink for basic hand rinsing and cleaning. Most importantly, our Berkey water filter was already filled, giving us drinking water while the household water remained shut off. (In a true grid down situation, we wouldn't waste water on toilet flushing...)

That stored water did more than provide something to drink.

It bought us time.

Because we could function without running water for a couple of days, we didn't feel forced to accept the first expensive option simply because someone could get the water running sooner.

That may have been the biggest preparedness lesson of the entire experience.

Located! Didn't even need to turn on water to double check.

Preparedness Can Keep an Emergency From Becoming a Financial Emergency

I came away from this experience looking at household preparedness a little differently.

Emergency supplies aren't useful only during hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages or some major national disaster. Sometimes the "disaster" is simply a broken pipe on a Friday afternoon.

Having water stored meant we could wait. Having some emergency money available meant the $450 repair didn't have to become another crisis. Doing some of the physical work ourselves reduced the amount of professional labor we needed to pay for.

And perhaps most importantly, we didn't panic. We were annoyed and inconvenienced, but at least we could manage.

We also trusted what we already knew about our house. The first plumber made it sound as though they might need to excavate a considerable distance along the water line before locating the problem. Based on our previous experience, we suspected where the leak was likely to be.

We dug there first.

And we found it.

Texted plumber this photo - Pipe (purple edge) completely detached

I'm not saying homeowners should start digging up pipes or attempting repairs they aren't qualified to make. There are plenty of jobs I wouldn't attempt myself. Electrical work, complicated plumbing repairs and anything that could create a serious safety hazard are situations where I want someone who knows exactly what they're doing.

But I learned something else that I'll remember the next time we have to call someone for a home repair:

Ask questions.

Before automatically paying for every part of a job, I can ask the contractor what needs to be done before the repair begins. Is there preparation we can safely do ourselves? Can we move furniture, remove materials, expose an accessible area or handle the cleanup afterward?

Sometimes the answer will be no.

But sometimes there may be several hundred dollars worth of labor that we're perfectly capable of doing ourselves. I asked the plumber how much we saved doing the actual digging/locating ourself. He said we saved ourselves $500!

Our broken water pipe was certainly inconvenient. But in the end, it reinforced something I've come to believe more and more:

Even though we didn't "earn" $500, I'm reminded of the quote: A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED!

Pipe fixed!

Preparedness isn't always about preparing for the worst thing that could happen. Sometimes it's simply about being prepared enough that an ordinary emergency doesn't force you into an expensive decision.

If the Water Stops Flowing: Simple Ways to Prepare Your Home for a Grid or Cyber Attack

The Most Important Prep You Can Never Lose

What Is the Best Cornmeal for Long-Term Food Storage?

Cornmeal is one of those inexpensive foods that I think deserves a place in a well-stocked pantry. It can be used to make cornbread, corn cakes, breading, hot cereal and some very simple old-fashioned breads that require little more than cornmeal and water.

But if you are buying cornmeal specifically for food storage, not all cornmeal is the same.

Look for Degerminated Cornmeal

For the average household, one of the easiest choices for storage is plain degerminated cornmeal.

When shopping, look on the package for the words “degerminated” or “degermed.” Yellow or white is fine. I generally prefer yellow cornmeal, but the color isn't what makes the difference for storage.

The important word is degerminated.

The germ of the corn contains natural oils. Those oils are nutritious, but they can eventually become rancid. Degerminated cornmeal has had most of the germ removed during processing, making it better suited for keeping in the pantry than traditional whole-grain or stone-ground cornmeal.

Stone-ground and whole-grain cornmeal are wonderful for cooking, but if my purpose were putting inexpensive cornmeal away for emergencies, I would choose degerminated cornmeal.

I would also buy plain cornmeal rather than self-rising cornmeal mix. Self-rising products contain additional ingredients such as leavening and salt. Plain cornmeal is much more versatile because I can decide what to add when I actually use it.

Degerminated Cornmeal for Food Storage

What Should I Look for at the Grocery Store?

You don't necessarily need expensive emergency-food cornmeal. Check the regular baking aisle at Walmart, Target or your local grocery store.

One easy example is Quaker Yellow Enriched and Degerminated Corn Meal. Another is Shawnee Best Yellow Degerminated Enriched Corn Meal.

Brands and packaging change, so rather than shopping by brand name alone, I would read the package. The words I am looking for are:

Plain Yellow or White Cornmeal — Degerminated or Degermed

I would avoid buying a large amount of stone-ground or whole-grain cornmeal if my primary purpose were long-term emergency storage.

Cornmeal can be kept in an airtight mason jar for up to 1 year

How I Would Store Cornmeal

Cornmeal should be protected from heat, moisture, insects and air. For normal pantry use, I would transfer it into a good airtight food-storage container and keep it in the coolest, darkest part of the pantry.

For cornmeal I want to keep longer, I prefer the freezer.

I would place the unopened cornmeal package inside a heavy freezer bag or other moisture-proof container, remove as much excess air as practical, seal it and label it with the date. This also provides additional protection against pantry insects.

Freezing does not turn cornmeal into a perishable food. If the electricity goes out, previously frozen dry cornmeal does not suddenly have to be thrown away.

There is, however, one important rule when taking cornmeal from the freezer.

Do not open the container while the cornmeal is still cold.

Take the sealed container or freezer bag out and allow the entire package to gradually reach room temperature while it remains sealed. Opening cold cornmeal in a warm or humid kitchen can allow condensation to form. Moisture is exactly what we don't want getting into food intended for storage.

Once the cornmeal has completely reached room temperature, I can open it and transfer it to an airtight pantry container if necessary.

Popcorn can be ground into meal if needed

What About Really Long-Term Storage?

If I wanted to store corn for many years rather than simply maintain a rotating supply of cornmeal, I would take a different approach.

I would store whole dried corn intended for human consumption and keep a manual grain mill with it.

Whole grain keeps its protective outer structure intact until it is needed. Instead of trying to preserve already-ground cornmeal indefinitely, I can grind a small amount of corn into fresh meal as I need it.

Whole dried corn suitable for grinding can be purchased from bulk-food suppliers, preparedness-food companies, some Amish or Mennonite bulk-food stores, grain suppliers and online retailers. Make sure it is food-grade corn intended for human consumption, rather than treated seed corn or livestock feed.

A hand-operated grain mill is particularly useful for emergency storage because it doesn't require electricity. Whole corn is also quite hard, so I would make sure any mill I purchased specifically states that it is capable of grinding dried corn.

For most households, though, there is no reason to make this complicated.

Marked date for cornmeal for rotation

Keep several packages of plain degerminated cornmeal in rotation, protect them from heat and moisture, freeze extra packages when practical, and replace what you use.

Cornmeal is inexpensive, familiar and remarkably versatile—and in my next article I'll go back in history and show just how simple a meal could become when our ancestors combined cornmeal, water and a hot skillet.

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An electric grain mill I used to use but gifted to my mother (it was loud to run, but very effective!)

Kitchen Mill - Electric Grain Mill - High Speed

My preferred type of hand crank grain mill (my favorite gadgets require no electricity) As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Estrella Cast Iron Manual Corn Grinder

Some of the best cookies with Native American history made from cornmeal

Cherokee Cornmeal Cookies: An Old-Fashioned Recipe Inspired by Early Cherokee Cooking

Sunday, August 16, 2026

Backyard Chickens: Are They Worth It? Eggs, Food Security & the Cost of Raising Your Own

Backyard Chickens

Are Backyard Chickens Worth It?

With egg prices, shortages, and recalls making headlines from time to time, backyard chickens start looking pretty appealing. But are they really worth the trouble—and do they actually save money?

I grew up around chickens, and I've raised my own backyard chickens several times over the years. I've only rehomed my flocks when travel made keeping them impractical, and every time I've had chickens, I've enjoyed having them.

The biggest benefit?

I never ran out of eggs.

We ate fresh eggs every day, and sometimes I had more eggs than we knew what to do with.

Fresh Eggs

Getting Started Doesn't Have to Be Expensive

You really don't need a fancy setup to raise chicks.

I've started chicks right in my kitchen using a dog crate, along with inexpensive feeders and waterers purchased at Tractor Supply. You'll also need appropriate chick feed and, when they're young, a safe source of warmth.

I've even ordered chicks through the mail. Yes, live baby chicks can actually arrive at your local post office!

Baby Chick in kitchen box

Once they're old enough to move outside, you'll need a secure coop and enclosed area.

Because I live within city limits, I've never wanted my chickens roaming freely. I supplemented their regular chicken feed and scratch with table scraps and weeds.

I'd even gather suitable greens and plants, including chickweed and other vegetation growing nearby or from the park, to give them some variety.

They loved it.

My compost bin, however, did not.

Once I had chickens, it seemed like almost every kitchen scrap that would normally have gone into the compost suddenly went to the hens instead.

Box and leaves for their nest. Used a simple office lamp for heat.

Did Backyard Chickens Save Me Money?

Maybe.

After factoring in feed and supplies, I think I roughly broke even.

If your only goal is obtaining the cheapest possible dozen eggs, backyard chickens may disappoint you. Feed costs money, caregiving is a daily requirement, and hens don't produce the same number of eggs throughout their entire lives. If you live on acreage, there are other ways to supplement and replace their feed.

But farming my own eggs wasn't the only reason.

I knew where my eggs came from.

I had fresh eggs practically every day.

I could turn many of our kitchen scraps into eggs instead of waste.

And most importantly from a preparedness standpoint, I wasn't completely dependent on the grocery store for eggs. Or worried about recalls and shortages.

That has value too.

Overwhelmed with eggs

Before You Buy Your First Chicks

Getting started can be surprisingly simple but check your local rules first.

Find out:

How many hens you're allowed to keep.
Whether roosters are permitted.
How far the coop must be from neighboring homes or property lines.
Whether your HOA has additional restrictions.

And don't underestimate predators.

Keeping the girls extra safe during the day

Chickens need a secure place to be locked up every night.

Raccoons, foxes, coyotes, opossums, snakes, dogs, and other animals can turn an unsecured backyard flock into a disaster surprisingly quickly.

table scraps - nothing wasted!

So, Are Backyard Chickens Worth It?

For me, yes.

Not because they saved me a fortune.

They didn't.

They were worth it because we had fresh eggs every day, fewer kitchen scraps going to waste, and one more small piece of our food supply coming directly from our own backyard.

There's also something satisfying about walking outside in the morning and finding breakfast waiting for you. Sometimes from your opened window, you might even hear your breakfast being made!