Preparedness Presenters
THE PLANT LADY (Robin Kennedy)
Wild Edibles: To Eat or Not To Eat
For over thirty years, I have been learning all I can about plants. No, I’m not a botanist, although I am interested in ethnobotany. I have felt driven to learn how plants are used and how those usages are the same or different in various cultures throughout time. And I feel driven to put what I learn in practice, whether as a dye, a medicine, a food, a spice, or a tool and then share the knowledge I’ve gained with others, especially children.
With The Plant Lady, you will learn the basics of wild edibles with emphasis on safety, resources available locally and online, publications for novice to expert. Includes discussion, handouts, and plant samples.
Beuna Tomalino, Garden Inspire
Gardening in Survival Times (and now)
Beuna is a landscape consultant and garden coach who loves teaching people how to grow their own food. She has a degree in horticulture plus is self taught in organic gardening methods. Beuna is author of books on herb growing plus the creator of wild herb card decks.
In her class, you will learn different ideas for growing your own food when times are tough (and now).
Jim Kennard, Food For Everyone Foundation
Mittleider Gardening Methods:
Class #1: Vegetable Gardening
Class #2: Food Production Training
As the oldest boy in a large family in Granger, Utah, Jim was responsible for the outside chores, including the animals and the family garden. That experience became valuable when he was married and he and Eleanor (Knapp) had an all-girl family of 5. They often used hand-me-down furniture and also saved money by growing some of their own food wherever they lived.
In the mid ‘70’s, shortly after LDS President Spencer W. Kimball counseled the Saints that every family should grow a garden, Jim met Jacob R. Mittleider. Jacob was a genius grower with world-wide experience, who was creating the Sandy Stake Welfare Farm garden and teaching LDS families throughout northern Utah his amazing procedures for greatly increasing their yields. Jim was profoundly impressed and converted his own garden to the Mittleider Method, experiencing personally the promised yields of 5 to 10 times his previous results. Jim worked extensively with Dr. Mittleider over the years, and Jacob even personally trained him in Jim’s own garden adjacent to Utah’s Hogle Zoo. The garden was labeled a “Mittleider” garden, and for almost 20 years was easily visible to hundreds of thousands of annual visitors.
By 1998 Jim had spent time working with Jacob on an Adventist University agriculture program in Russia, as well as assisting him at Thanksgiving Point, in Lehi, Utah for several months. He also worked extensively with Dr. Mittleider for two growing seasons in creating a greenhouse, garden, and training program at the Weimar Adventist college in California. In the fall of 1998 Dr. Mittleider, who was a devout Seventh Day Adventist, was finally convinced after more than 20 years that Mormon Jim Kennard was the best he was going to get to carry on his work, and turned everything over to Jim with the challenge to help people wherever he could.
Jim created the Food For Everyone Foundation, established a website, digitized all of Dr. Mittleider’s books and training videos, and since that time gives his full-time efforts to the Foundation. He and his wife Araksya have conducted numerous humanitarian gardening training programs in developing countries, and have given countless free group gardening seminars throughout the USA. They count their blessings in the thousands of friends they have made throughout the world.
In Jim’s classes, you will learn about vegetable gardening and food production with the Mittleider Gardening Method.
Robert E. Strange, The John Birch Society
Class 1: Medicaid Expansion
Class 2: Free Trade Agenda
I have been working to “support and defend the Constitution” since 1960, first in the US Navy and later as a Field Coordinator for The John Birch Society in the 1970s and early 80s. I have seen how informed Americans can provide the correct political action to restore our Constitution. Too many however do not know how to effectively do this, hence our classes and our booth to provide both Information and Action.
In his Medicaid Expansion Class, Robert will show the proper role of government and why the End does NOT justify the means and why you need to be prepared to vote.
In his Free Trade Agenda Class, he will show why it is not just about trade and how we are actually trading away of nation’s independence and destroying our Constitution.
Being Prepared with immunizations – Dr. Jason Hymas, Seasons Medical Clinic
Dr. Hymas grew up in Sugar City. After graduating from Ricks College and BYU-Idaho, he attended the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed his residency at the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Hymas enjoys all of Pediatrics but has a special interest in preventive medicine, newborn care, and treating childhood obesity.
With Dr. Hymas, you will learn the importance of immunizations and why they are an important part of being prepared.
Damon P. Ridley, Edward Jones
Life insurance/Long-term care insurance
I started in the financial services industry 1999 and I have been with Edward Jones since 2012. I work with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and different financial situations. I have attended both University of Idaho and Idaho State University in the pursuit of my BS in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. I am actively involved in the communities in which I live and work. I am a former resident of Island Park and I know live in Jefferson County on a small five acre farm where we have two cows, three sheep, and a half a dozen chickens. I have been married to my best friend for over 19 years and we have 4 children together.
Damon will teach about the importance of being prepared with life insurance and the benefits of long-term care insurance.
Rusty Kappel, The Preparedness Store and Bosch Kitchen Center
Class 1: You can have your food storage and eat it too!
Class 2: Forgotten & Overlooked preparedness items
Emergency Preparedness & Self-Reliance has been an interest, hobby & business of Rusty’s for over 30 years. During this time, he has become an expert in these fields from many hands-on & real life experiences, and is the author of “You Can Have Your Food Storage & Eat It Too”, a recipe book using only dehydrated/freeze dried food storage ingredients. For the last 23 years he has owned and operates The Preparedness Store & Bosch Kitchen Center in Idaho Falls. He loves to teach and share his knowledge, which he has done by being a guest speaker on numerous radio shows, has had many interviews on television & newspaper, and has taught at over 1,500 speaking engagements. Thanks to the support of the community and those who travel to visit his store, he is still able to help, provide, and teach others about emergency preparedness, whole grain cooking, self-reliance and much more. He loves being able to help others and see their excitement. His goal and commitment is to provide top quality products at the most affordable price, and offer fast, helpful and personal service which he feels he can do by keeping this a small, family owned business.
In his class, You Can Have Your Food Storage and Eat it Too, you will learn about utilizing your food storage so it doesn’t spoil.
In his second class, Forgotten and Overlooked Preparedness Items, you will learn about preparedness items you may never have forgotten about or overlooked!
Daniel Davis, Teton Trap Company
Backyard Meat Preparation
Daniel believes that survival skills are paramount to everyone’s knowledge base. He has been a
lifelong trapper and animal control specialist, as well as having a love for hunting and fishing. He is the
owner of Teton Trap Company, specializing in animal control equipment. Additionally he owns
TotallySelfSufficient.com, an online resource for all types of self-sufficiency products. Helping others to
become more self-sufficient is one of Dan’s ambitions. From basic snaring techniques, fishing with
simple tools, to simply living off the land, you will learn valuable skills at Dan’s presentation.
Sam Tower, Rigby Police
Collecting and Growing Heirloom Seeds
