Preparations Update

[Tsrwivey]

I wouldn't wash all those dishes either. In my house, anyone that dirties a dish, washes that dish. No one is overly burdened.

I wash dishes as I go along cooking but when the food’s done I just want everyone to relax and enjoy each other’s company. We throw the dirty dishes in the trash. It’s well worth the few bucks spent on disposables.

 

[LadyLocust]

After unpacking today's shipment The Princess announced she has 3 years of TP.

And she just keeps going...

Ben

You picked a good one
I don't think I have a 3 year supply - might need to see to it.

I don't have any, or paper towels. They are an alien concept to me. I have one heck of a rag bag though and plenty of water.

Me too or me either - whichever. We had some nice disposable plates and utensils for our wedding about 10.5 years ago & still have the rest of the bag. I finally put them in the trailer hoping they will get used. Even have real dishes in there.

 

[Bacpacker]

We keep stacks of plates from Sams. We use some at times just to save time. But have plenty in a "need them" situation

 

[Caribou]

At one time we had plastic frames so that we could use the cheap plates. Have used real plates to hold the cheap plates but you have to take care or they slide around.

 

[SheepDog]

I would rather hand wash the dishes we use than to use disposable! Meals are a celebration of all kinds of things. Family, friendship, life and love. We always use the "good" china because that "special" day might get missed. It occasionally gets broken but I bought enough so replacements are on hand. I don't mind using a dirty dish that I just ate off for a snack or dessert after a meal. My wife wants a clean dish so, she gets one.

 

[Tootsie]

I could have all the disposable I could ever want (employee benefits) but we don’t use them. Freezer bags, yes, but no plates or cups or such. Plastic is hard on the environment. Not something I want to add to. I changed my thinking from I have to do dishes to I get to do dishes. It means there was something to eat and someone to share it with.
Even when water was scarce, it wasn’t impossible to clean.
I can see a worst case scenario where they’d be good. Otherwise, meh.

 

[Bacpacker]

I could have all the disposable I could ever want (employee benefits) but we don’t use them. Freezer bags, yes, but no plates or cups or such. Plastic is hard on the environment. Not something I want to add to. I changed my thinking from I have to do dishes to I get to do dishes. It means there was something to eat and someone to share it with.
Even when water was scarce, it wasn’t impossible to clean.
I can see a worst case scenario where they’d be good. Otherwise, meh.

Thats why we use paper when using disposable.

 

[goshengirl]

this reminds me of an old guy i know, didnt have much space for storing things so ghe got a buddy to dig a pit, not too deep, and he went to the local dump and picked up 2 old freezers. they were drained of any fluids and he took the racks out and put them in the pit hole her dug. he stored canned goods and some vac sealed things in there....

This is what I need to do! We have an old stand-up freezer that was amazing when it was "alive," but those days are over. I haven't let it go, though, because I keep thinking it's a resource - just need to figure out what - exactly - to do with it.

I have to ask, am I the only one who has a stock pile of disposable plates, cups, and utensils?

Maybe not a stockpile, but I do have some. Every now and then an unpredicted situation pops up when they really make a difference. And at the farm I don't have running water yet, so I do use them when I'm there. Had to get some more just last week, and dang but those prices!

I don't have any, or paper towels. They are an alien concept to me. I have one heck of a rag bag though and plenty of water.

This is a problem for me, and I know it. I do use paper towels. I use the heck out of each one, for sure, but I do depend on them in certain situations (especially when cleaning stuff out of pots and pans, like animal grease, that I don't want ending up in the septic system). I am working on a rag bag, though....

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

This is a problem for me, and I know it. I do use paper towels. I use the heck out of each one, for sure, but I do depend on them in certain situations (especially when cleaning stuff out of pots and pans, like animal grease, that I don't want ending up in the septic system). I am working on a rag bag, though....

Call me a hillbilly but that is what dogs and bears are for.

 

[goshengirl]

Call me a hillbilly but that is what dogs and bears are for.

I'll keep that in mind!

 

[dademoss]

Call me a hillbilly but that is what dogs and bears are for.

I don't have a bear, but when I use the dog I get yelled at, he seems to make everything clean but somehow "icky". I think his prewash is fine, but SWMBO has a different opinion.

It can be a fine line to tread.

 

[Spikedriver]

@goshengirl my brother had an old upright freezer in his farm shop. It didn't run anymore - he just used it to store anything he didn't want pests to get into. Eventually that turned into storing whatever he wanted to store. The door storage was especially handy for small things...

 

[goshengirl]

That's a good point, @Spikedriver - a rodent-free shelving unit can always come in handy.

 

[txcatlady]

That's a good point, @Spikedriver - a rodent-free shelving unit can always come in handy.

Especially welding rods. Don’t have a welder anymore, but we have plenty of old rods in moisture free environment.

 

[Spikedriver]

That's a good point, @Spikedriver - a rodent-free shelving unit can always come in handy.

He kept things like rat poison and fly bait in it - stuff you don't want anything to get into unless you put it out on purpose. Also I think it had some gallon jugs of herbicide and pesticide. Just things you don't want your dog or cat getting into.

 

[Bacpacker]

Especially welding rods. Don’t have a welder anymore, but we have plenty of old rods in moisture free environment.

I was thinking that same thing

 

[Caribou]

I was thinking that same thing

An old refrigerator or freezer with a lightbulb in it for heat is an old trick of welders. Dad started welding over 50 years ago. shortly after that he got his hands on an old fridge. The lightbulb is placed low so the heat rises.

 

[Amish Heart]

I use mine for storing sunflower seed. Mice like to get into that.

 

[LadyLocust]

This is a problem for me, and I know it. I do use paper towels. I use the heck out of each one, for sure, but I do depend on them in certain situations (especially when cleaning stuff out of pots and pans, like animal grease, that I don't want ending up in the septic system). I am working on a rag bag, though....

You can use newspaper for this - that's what they used to use for eons. If you know anyone who gets the paper, maybe ask if they will save some for you. I purchased an end of roll for about $2 from the local newspaper so it doesn't have any ink on it. Probably a lifetime supply. I even use it to wrap gifts etc.

 

[Amish Heart]

My cousin saves the waxy bag that stuff like cereal and crackers come in. She uses that to smear on butter on a pan, clean up grease, all that stuff.

 

[Weedygarden]

I also include paper towels, tin foil, parchment paper, and food and trash bags to that category. I stocked up during sales........before this inflation hit.

I stockpile these as well, but I have been going through my linen closet, cleaning it out, organizing. I had two sets of flannel sheets where the bottom sheet was ripped. I have torn those two fitted sheets into squares about 12 by 12. I keep the squares folded and in a basket. I can and do use them for many things, instead of paper towels. I throw them in the washing machine and use them again.

 

[Weedygarden]

This is what I need to do! We have an old stand-up freezer that was amazing when it was "alive," but those days are over. I haven't let it go, though, because I keep thinking it's a resource - just need to figure out what - exactly - to do with it.

It can be turned into a gun safe. Many of them have locks, and that makes them a great place to store things and keep them safe.

 

[Weedygarden]

My cousin saves the waxy bag that stuff like cereal and crackers come in. She uses that to smear on butter on a pan, clean up grease, all that stuff.

The heavier duty ones can be folded over at the opening and clipped closed.

 

[Tootsie]

You can use newspaper for this - that's what they used to use for eons. If you know anyone who gets the paper, maybe ask if they will save some for you. I purchased an end of roll for about $2 from the local newspaper so it doesn't have any ink on it. Probably a lifetime supply. I even use it to wrap gifts etc.

I love those end rolls. Wish I had thought to get an extra or two and put them away. Both our local newspapers sold out to a bigger company and printing is outsourced. Digital seems to be taking a lot of the business.
I’ll look into where printing may still be done and try to get some. So many uses for that nice paper.
So many things we think will always be there, don’t last.

 

[UrbanHunter]

I don't think I did any prepping this week... But I helped someone else along the way.

I gave them 25 gallons of wheat (Hard red bakers wheat), an old metal V-strainer and w-grinder.

I gave them all the containers that they would need to do a small container garden (I showed them how I was doing mine and how to make them work). The kit I made for them included 4 sizes of nursery pots, 2 starter trays with small hd starter cups and high lids, 2 heating mats 4 solid bottom 3'X6" planters, 3 deep solid bottom square planters (big enough to hold a #3 nursery pot) and I gave them a plastic bag an told them that they could take anything they wanted out of my "working" seed collection. I didn't like their choice of okra seeds so I made them take a package of Baker's Seeds Heavy Hitters. I may have gave them one of my living cucumber plants...

I may have given them some of my precious metals (iron, steel, brass, and lead), but that's a different topic.

 

[angie_nrs]

We took the truck to town last week b/c we needed a new toilet. Soooo......I told hubs we were stocking up while we were there. I got the from him, but he's on board with it. Or, he just likes a happy wife.

We picked up:
2 bags of dog food (they were finally fully stocked again, yeah)
filled 2 propane tanks that we used over the winter
got 40#'s sunflower seed (and found 40# that I didn't know I had when I put it away)
got 400# softner salt
got another shelving unit
got 200# charcoal
got 2 more cases of soup on sale
hubs got some heavy duty supplies for his equipment
added 4 more gallons of bar and chain oil (have about 10 now)

I wanted to stock up on some more sale items, but the shelves were cleared of those. I don't usually like to go in the afternoon, but with our schedule that day, it was necessary. That's OK since they were going to go in the deep pantry anyways......but still a bit disappointed.

We are considering a potential purchase of a rental property. It's not listed yet and we will likely make a decision within the next few weeks. So, no more PM's for me. It was an unforseen opportunity and we think we can get a pretty good deal on it. My mind is still spinning at the thought of it, but I think we're probably going to try and make a deal. Opportunities always come at the most unexpected times. But we both feel like this was meant to be. I guess we'll see...... If it happens, I consider it a prep b/c it will give us a source of income and also provide a secondary home if we should ever need it.

 

[Weedygarden]

At one time we had plastic frames so that we could use the cheap plates. Have used real plates to hold the cheap plates but you have to take care or they slide around.

I have some wicker paper plate holders for the cheap plates. I don't use lots of disposables, but I do have some stored.

 

[Bacpacker]

I replaced a can of diesel i used this spring. Got a bunch of supplies for the chain saws. Added 2 fertilizers that I don't use a lot of, but use both regularly.

 

[UrbanHunter]

This morning I ordered about 6 months worth of paper products among other things, I wasn't out but I saw that they no longer have limits on the tissue the wife likes and she doesn't like the cheap stuff that I have in stock now. My thinking is right now everyone is relaxing, covid is over, summer is starting, everyone is saying how great the administration is, and it's time for me to get ready for when the big reality show starts...

Last week, I had to order a new back-up power inverter because my daily use unit went down and I had to install my back-up unit in it's place. I am sad the 12 volt inverters don't seem to hold up very well, I am using mine for 12 hours per day/ 7 days a week with a 900 watt load and they work for a few months and then POOF... I have been using 2000 watt units, I am thinking I may need to bump the size up a bit (which I did with this order) but I would prefer that they last at least a couple of years. I am to the point of considering installing 1 inverter for daily use and a second inverter for an emergency backup power unit, but then I would need backup units for them.... Speaking of backup power, we had 2 30 minute power outages yesterday and the normal busy time for outages hasn't hit here yet.

 

[Pearl]

This morning I ordered about 6 months worth of paper products among other things, I wasn't out but I saw that they no longer have limits on the tissue the wife likes and she doesn't like the cheap stuff that I have in stock now. My thinking is right now everyone is relaxing, covid is over, summer is starting, everyone is saying how great the administration is, and it's time for me to get ready for when the big reality show starts...

Last week, I had to order a new back-up power inverter because my daily use unit went down and I had to install my back-up unit in it's place. I am sad the 12 volt inverters don't seem to hold up very well, I am using mine for 12 hours per day/ 7 days a week with a 900 watt load and they work for a few months and then POOF... I have been using 2000 watt units, I am thinking I may need to bump the size up a bit (which I did with this order) but I would prefer that they last at least a couple of years. I am to the point of considering installing 1 inverter for daily use and a second inverter for an emergency backup power unit, but then I would need backup units for them.... Speaking of backup power, we had 2 30 minute power outages yesterday and the normal busy time for outages hasn't hit here yet.

Stay ready, in my area the local news is starting in about the rising covid cases. I don't watch it but a fearful lady I clean for texts every morning to give me an update.