Preparations Update

[Amish Heart]

I have three small freezers. Husband says no more freezers. I always have a problem with needing more freezer space. Thankfully I pieced those chickens up and foodsavered them when we butchered all the meat chickens. Fit in easier than whole ones would. I know this fall or winter we'll be getting another half cow, our neighbors pay us in pork sausage for use of our electricity on the two freezers in our outbuildings, and sometimes there's turkey and ham sales during the holidays. Although this year we have a number of turkeys to butcher.

 

[UrbanHunter]

I currently have 1 large chest freezer and 2 small, one of the small ones is my venison freezer... Unfortunately, my wife has loaded it up with nuts and frozen fruit, so I only have half a freezer ~4 cu-ft to put my deer in. Last year't venison will be what gets canned (so to speak)... We do make low salt frozen dinners, meat loaves, and pot pies; they can take up a bit of freezer space too...

I just want to have enough room to not have to worry about processing a deer with no place to put the meat....

 

[Amish Heart]

Get a freeze dryer.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

I have 4- 28 cft freezers, 4- 20 cft freezers and one I guess to be a 10 cft freezer. I am always trying to find more space.

2 freezers are full of butcher scraps for the dogs. The smallest freezer is for frozen eggs and egg powder, specialty flours for treats, nuts and seeds.

 

[LadyLocust]

This not not a true "preparations update" but a plan that is underway. Usually at the start of hunting season I am faced with the age old question, where are you going to put your meat? For some reason our freezers are almost always full. I have between 25 and 50#s of meat left from last year, my plan is come Labor Day to CAN all my frozen meat from last year and open up the freezer space. That way I have room for the fresh and don't lose anything...

That's a sure fire way not to get anything. Best wait until you get something then scramble while it's hanging to make the room in the freezer, stay up late etc.
@Morgan101 Good to see you!

I've been in power gear trying to figure out what holes we have. We got the new trailer which has a full bathroom (unlike the vintage which just had a potty but no shower). We've been gleaning onions (grateful for that!). I've been doing all I can in the way of the garden produce. Hoping to get some beets in the ground by the end of next week. Received the call yesterday that our beef gets butchered tomorrow (Thurs.) @ $3.10/lb + C/W. That will be nice! Looking at getting more leather. I guess the way to shop for leather is to put about a thousand dollars worth in the cart then decide what I like best. I need to check the weights on what I have before pushing the button. Don't want to get it wrong on something like that. I grabbed an "extra" box of Qt. jars today just to have on hand.

And a little funny: My folks stopped in today to pick some things up and drop some things off. We were talking about oil lamps. Hubby asked if we had any lamp oil - Hahahaha, hardy, hahahaha - whew! That was a good one. Silly fella.

 

[Sourdough]

Guess how many dollars' worth of groceries are in your refrigerator....??? I would have guessed $75.00 to a Hundred. My refrigerator died about three or four weeks ago, and today I finally got around to cleaning the spoiled food out

While I was doing that, I kept mentally adding up the cost of the food. Was slightly over $400.00.......OUCH. I never ever would have thought it would be that much. And that was just the refrigerator, the freezer is still working.

 

[Peanut]

Freezers are still hard to find around here. Usually have to order them and wait.

I got lucky with the 20cuft that died a few months ago. Found a replacement in a city 2hrs away. Sheer luck they had one at all, one that size is even more rare. Or that they waited on the loading dock a few minutes past closing for me to pick it up.

 

[DrJenner]

Just went down to the well driller and paid the last 10k (ouch). They will be out Wednesday to drill. Been busy falling trees that are on the road so they can get their rig out there.
As soon as that is in, we will get the septic in, and hopefully be out on the property in the next month, thankfully before winter. We are digging the root cellar, and have the plans for the barn submitted to the county. Making slow progress, but progress is progress.

 

[UrbanHunter]

We decided to dip into our rainy day fund and order the extra rain barrels that I need to maintain the garden without city water. I also got the okay to start my green room.

 

[LadyLocust]

Happen to see seals and gauges available today for the pressure canner so picked up one of each. Mine are fine, but don't mind having a spare.

 

[Neb]

Happen to see seals and gauges available today for the pressure canner so picked up one of each. Mine are fine, but don't mind having a spare.

Spares are great.

The Princess was doing her ongoing effort to perfect her mastery of the bread machine. A loaf turned out funky. She immediately tried another go at it but the bread machine was acting stupid and just flashing a "wait" light.

She broke out her spare bread machine and...

Spoiler: What was wrong

Same results with spare machine. Tried another batch of yeast. Worked fine. Meanwhile 5he first machine cooled down and started acting normal.

Two lessons
Yeast can fo bad between a good day and the next.
The bread machine needs to cool down between loaves.

Spares are good.

Ben

 

[Amish Heart]

Hey Sourdough, if the freezer is still working, freeze an ice chunk, like in an empty juice or milk jug. Put that in your fridge and use it like an old timey icebox.

 

[LadyLocust]

Forgot to mention the other day while visiting with the folks about oil lamps and fire, and Hubby's funny comment on lamp oil.
I do keep a few of these strikers on hand as well. Essentially contained flint and stone.

 

[Tank-Girl]

Forgot to mention the other day while visiting with the folks about oil lamps and fire, and Hubby's funny comment on lamp oil.
I do keep a few of these strikers on hand as well. Essentially contained flint and stone.
View attachment 93219

You can buy packs of replacement "flints" in packs of ten in places where you buy the strikers.
I have one for my gas stove and you'd be surprised how quickly the flints in them wear down.

 

[angie_nrs]

I bought 4 roasts yesterday for $4.99 per pound to add to the freezer. I have roasts from our cow we bought in the spring, but we LOVE a good roast in the crockpot in the winter, so I wanted some extra and that seemed like a good price these days.

I also got a family pack of boneless chicken breasts for $3.99 per pound. It wasn't a very good price, but I bagged it up seperately for the freezer and will be used for 3 meals.

 

[Peanut]

Trip to town, bought 30gallons of off road diesel for the tractors. I topped off the non-ethanol cans in the shop, hurricane season is here, time of year to rotate all my fuels. Bought some Stabil for diesel too.

I got a deal on some schedule 70 chain. Back in the spring I tried to buy some 1/4 inch schd 70 chain at TSC. They were out, didn’t know when they’d get more.

Today they had finally gotten the 1/4” chain I needed. The machine to cut it was broken! The manager remembered me from before and gave me a break. They had 5/16 schd 70 already made up in 20ft lengths with clevis hooks. He let me have one for $50, a bargain! Regular price was $5.80 a foot. 5/16 chain is bigger than I need and heavy but at $50, I’ll take it.

 

[Magpie]

Blackberry season here- and they are impressive this year! Need to get them picked before the farmers are allowed cut hedges again on the 1st. Traditionally they have to be picked by Hallowe'en, because after that date the devil has spat on them Making small batches of blackberry and apple jelly, was given a bag of apples, so pies are also done.
My 2 freezers are full. It's actually the only thing I'm worried about this winter, as we get our electricity from the UK, and they are threatening shortages. I have a generator, but OH sometimes needs it for work. And adding them to the insurance is a bit pointless, due to the 500euro clause. Meaning I have to pay the first 500 myself.
My oil was delivered, paid for out of the last of my savings, and a few more bags of coal. Have some ash trees to be cut also.

 

[Tank-Girl]

I put on my work clothes, boots and gloves and dragged 6 25kg bags of firewood under the crawlspace under the house and stacked them on the rack I have under there.
I have no more energy and I'm very tired.
I'm disgusted that I have this little strength and after this small job I have to take a pain killer and lay on the couch.
I've been a worker my entire life and this isn't sitting well.
Still that was the last of the wood put away and put behind a padlock.
That job was put at the top of the list because crime in this area is ratcheting up and it's starting to rain.
You can feel the tension and the stress crackling in the air around here.
Folks are on a hair trigger.
Even the Landshark can feel it and she's reacting to any little noise now.
The sound of Landsharks bay is a physical thing.
It's a great heavy wall of extremely loud sound that hits you like a truck.
She's a very large dog with a huge broad and deep chest.
Plently of lung capacity which she uses to full effect.

 

[LadyLocust]

I put on my work clothes, boots and gloves and dragged 6 25kg bags of firewood under the crawlspace under the house and stacked them on the rack I have under there.
I have no more energy and I'm very tired.
I'm disgusted that I have this little strength and after this small job I have to take a pain killer and lay on the couch.
I've been a worker my entire life and this isn't sitting well.
Still that was the last of the wood put away and put behind a padlock.
That job was put at the top of the list because crime in this area is ratcheting up and it's starting to rain.
You can feel the tension and the stress crackling in the air around here.
Folks are on a hair trigger.
Even the Landshark can feel it and she's reacting to any little noise now.
The sound of Landsharks bay is a physical thing.
It's a great heavy wall of extremely loud sound that hits you like a truck.
She's a very large dog with a huge broad and deep chest.
Plently of lung capacity which she uses to full effect.

Glad you got that put away - sorry you spent so much energy doing it, but sure good that you have it and in a secret/safe place. Not to create projects, but do you have a trap door so that you could get to it from in the house? I'm dreaming here a little - wouldn't that would be cool?

I ordered 1/8" round oil lamp wicks today. I have a couple small lamps that use them so wanted to have replacement wicks. They were difficult to find, but Hobby Lobby online only actually had some.

 

[Tommyice]

Glad you got that put away - sorry you spent so much energy doing it, but sure good that you have it and in a secret/safe place. Not to create projects, but do you have a trap door so that you could get to it from in the house?

I agree that if secrecy and safety are a concern that you have a way of accessing it without it being obvious.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Today the last of my rain barrels arrived... I need to add some better fittings and plan out their installation to make best use of my limited space. They came packed in cardboard so I think I will line all my metal shelves with cardboard so things sit more even. Lots to do and never enough time...

 

[Pearl]

Today the last of my rain barrels arrived... I need to add some better fittings and plan out their installation to make best use of my limited space. They came packed in cardboard so I think I will line all my metal shelves with cardboard so things sit more even. Lots to do and never enough time...

Great use of the cardboard!!

 

[Morgan101]

I saw this on You Tube, and thought it was interesting. A little different concept than the traditional BOB. I like the way he has everything compartmentalized and bagged together. I like the concep[t of having one crate that has everything you need if you have to grab and go. Does anyone else here use this concept?

 

[Hardcalibres]

......... Does anyone else here use this concept?

Yes.

I have standardized on a couple of types/sizes of hard sided plastic containers for modularized gear.

MTM SPUD 7 (one person lift)
Exmil trunks (two person lift)

Hard plastic containers are great for protecting gear while in storage, during loading/unloading, while stacked in a vehicle in transit and in the elements where ever you get to.
They are also great at being space efficient and locking together during vehicle transport to avoid load shifting. A lot of trunks interlock when stacked - so that you only need one load restraint strap for each stack.

For gear that is in the grab and go category, trunks avoid the risk of leaving important stuff behind or relying upon lists. If all the gear is in "those trunks", then that is all you need to remember to pack....Loading is also a lot faster with trunks.

Trunks can be palletized.

At a campsite, the trunks and SPUDs also provide furniture (ie tables and stools respectively).

Trunks minimize the wear and tear on the contents much more effectively than bags/packs do.

 

[Morgan101]

Yes.

I have standardized on a couple of types/sizes of hard sided plastic containers for modularized gear.

MTM SPUD 7 (one person lift)
Exmil trunks (two person lift)

Hard plastic containers are great for protecting gear while in storage, during loading/unloading, while stacked in a vehicle in transit and in the elements where ever you get to.
They are also great at being space efficient and locking together during vehicle transport to avoid load shifting. A lot of trunks interlock when stacked - so that you only need one load restraint strap for each stack.

For gear that is in the grab and go category, trunks avoid the risk of leaving important stuff behind or relying upon lists. If all the gear is in "those trunks", then that is all you need to remember to pack....Loading is also a lot faster with trunks.

Trunks can be palletized.

At a campsite, the trunks and SPUDs also provide furniture (ie tables and stools respectively).

Trunks minimize the wear and tear on the contents much more effectively than bags/packs do.

Can I like and agree at the same time.

 

[Caribou]

Just ordered enough flags for the next few years @ 25% off and free shipping. Made in America.
https://gracealley.com/collections/...roidered-american-flag?variant=29298032869410
P.S. We have gotten good quality here before.

 

[Tank-Girl]

Just put 2 x 100 count FenBen tablets into the stockpile.
This wasn't a cheap exercise and this is only a 100 day supply.
Added onto that express postage.

Cancer protocols ALWAYS come first when it comes to prepping and stockpiling.

 

[ladycat]

I took advantage of the crazy sales Amazon had last month, sales like they used to have before covid - they're probably getting rid of last year's stock before the new crops come in.
This is most of my subscribe order that got here yesterday (views from 2 angles). Mostly food, but also a bunch of cleaning supplies and 2 big bags of dog food. About 3/4 of the order got here today, the rest due today or Monday. $150 for everything, and most of the remaining holes in my preps now filled!
When I get $150 worth of groceries from Walmart or Sams, it doesn't half fill the trunk of my brother's car. This order is enough to fill his trunk and back seat!
I'm very pleased with myself. I have almost no holes left to fill in my preps! Now all I have to do is replace what I use, and hope I don't have to hock the house doing it, because I'm guessing in the next few months the hyper-inflation situation is going to accelerate!

 

[Peanut]

I have a new chainsaw, a Stihl ms251! Took it for a test drive today and threw everything at it. I was cutting up large tree tops into smaller pieces so I could skid them out with the tractor. Trees were laying on each other, kick backs and pinches waiting to happen on every limb.

It has a chain brake like most saws. Activated by bumping the front guard or letting the automatic inertia brake work. Both worked very well. At one point, when I could do it safely, I let the saw kickback, brake worked!

It’s sort of neat how the choke turns off automatically when the throttle is pressed. I really like that feature compared to the old saw. The balance is good, handles well. I had a big limb kickback and knock the chain off, quick and easy to put back on and tighten. So I’ve had my oops moment...

I also cut a big pine over 24in in diameter. There was pressure on the cut, trying to pinch the bar. I easily widened the cut only the width of the bar, it cut straight and true.

And fuel, lite on gas. It’s supposed to get 20% better fuel economy than the model it replaced. I ran it for about 1/2 hour, only used a half tank of gas.

The engine actually has a break in period. They recommend not running at full throttle until the 3rd tank of gas. So I still don’t know how it’ll cut at full throttle. 2/3 throttle was impressive, can’t wait! It cut like a dream compared to the old husqvarna.

I’m a happy camper!! Now if the old saw can be fixed cheaply I’ll have a backup saw too.

 

[LadyLocust]

I have a new chainsaw, a Stihl ms251! Took it for a test drive today and threw everything at it. I was cutting up large tree tops into smaller pieces so I could skid them out with the tractor. Trees were laying on each other, kick backs and pinches waiting to happen on every limb.

It has a chain brake like most saws. Activated by bumping the front guard or letting the automatic inertia brake work. Both worked very well. At one point, when I could do it safely, I let the saw kickback, brake worked!

It’s sort of neat how the choke turns off automatically when the throttle is pressed. I really like that feature compared to the old saw. The balance is good, handles well. I had a big limb kickback and knock the chain off, quick and easy to put back on and tighten. So I’ve had my oops moment...

I also cut a big pine over 24in in diameter. There was pressure on the cut, trying to pinch the bar. I easily widened the cut only the width of the bar, it cut straight and true.

And fuel, lite on gas. It’s supposed to get 20% better fuel economy than the model it replaced. I ran it for about 1/2 hour, only used a half tank of gas.

The engine actually has a break in period. They recommend not running at full throttle until the 3rd tank of gas. So I still don’t know how it’ll cut at full throttle. 2/3 throttle was impressive, can’t wait! It cut like a dream compared to the old husqvarna.

I’m a happy camper!! Now if the old saw can be fixed cheaply I’ll have a backup saw too.

I "smaller" chainsaw was something we purchased this past year also. I wanted one that was easy for me to run if I had to. Our other one is huge and I'm sure I could run it but the smaller one is probably safer - I'm not exactly a giant person. Also, extra chain and oil.
Had to get a new freezer - just got a smaller chest freezer so it doesn't block the window. The old one died about a year ago and I was actually hoping not to replace it but. . . .