Preparations Update

[musketjim]

Been awhile since I’ve posted. My #1 prep has always been physical fitness. This past summer was a bicycling summer. Lots of miles. I’ll post about that in fitness section. Our monthly Thrive orders have been rolling in. We use them pretty consistently and are very familiar with their products. Took Defensive Pistol Level 2 thru our local training organization. Didn’t shoot as well as I would have liked. A lot more timed, movement oriented drills. A lot of fun, but hard to complete with a sub-compact with iron sights. But they were clear about that from the beginning and it was a lot of fun. My wife’s hip replacement is finally done after a year of delay. Recovering well and truly blessed.

 

[LadyLocust]

Got my little kerosene stove all cleaned up, new wicks and tested her out. Steaks and sautéed mushrooms. I am pleased- now have another way to cook if the power goes out.

And an interesting note: from the address and what the woman running the estate sale shared, I was able to find the name of the original owner who was the mother of the man who passed. Her name was Emma and she was born in Russia. I put that tid bit of info in the envelope with the manual.

 

[Amish Heart]

Love it, Lady L!

 

[CalicoKatie]

Got my little kerosene stove all cleaned up, new wicks and tested her out. Steaks and sautéed mushrooms. I am pleased- now have another way to cook if the power goes out.

Love that little stove! It would be fantastic for canning in an outdoor kitchen in summer.

 

[Proud Prepper]

It's not that I think it's pointless exactly, it's more that I think its impossible to prepare for whats coming. That's all. I used to prepare for stuff like economic collapse also, but now that we are actually as prepared as I thought we could be, I am realizing it is impossible. I don't know how to exactly say that better. When we lived in the city, I thought we would be prepared if we moved to a farm in middle of nowhere. Now that we are here and been here for over 7 years I am realizing it is impossible.
Many people can't even live without modern medicine for example ( like your husband?). We can't farm without fuel and vehicle repairs. We could for a little while but eventually the hay will run out, and our old bodies will wear out doing everything by hand. We have no idea what is going to break in the buildings, so we can't really stock up for that either. We do have some plywood and 2 x 4s, and stuff like tarps, but right now I need stuff to fix the bathroom. YOu can't stock up on every potential item you need.
Water: we have free spring water, but what if a nuke down the road contaminates it? Storing a lot of water takes up a huge amount of space. Or what if it just dries up? You don't know what the crazy weather is going to do.
And if the poles flip or the nukes hit, most if not all of us will not survive regardless how much food you have.
I have been a prepper for many years and the older I get the more I realize it's pointless to think you will somehow survive by stocking up 5 years of food. That's all. It's also pointless to stock up on a gazzillion rounds of ammo, because few have a small army. Do you have a well? Your water will run out if you have no power to pump it. Gas will go bad if stored too long. And so on

Sorry this was long but like I said I have been a prepper for a really long time and I do think everyone should stock up on enough stuff for local events but anything more is not even realistic. Food goes bad, even canned stuff. Rotating it is a huge hassle, and personally I like fresh food, so for us total waste of money except a few things. I have enough rice stored for probably a year, same with sugar, salt and other stuff we use that really doesn't go bad. We have animals we can eat if there is no food. Discouraging, huh? LOL

There's solutions to all your impossibilities

 

[Proud Prepper]

that's probably a good move, but how to you decide what to spend your money on? We have this problem also. Few of us have unlimited amounts of money so you have to spend it in a good way. But we can't stock up on too much fuel since it will go bad. We only have so much room to store hay and it will also go bad after a while or not as good anyway. I would like some more solar panels but waste of money if for example a EMP destroys them or it will take us longer to make our money back on what we save in electricity that we live. Can't stock up on vehicle repairs , obviously, since you don't know what will break and we can't fix it anyway
can't stock up on medicine since everything useful requires a prescription, now even animal antibiotics ( I stocked up but they will go out of date in a few years)

Not a problem. Again practical solutions for those things.

 

[Caribou]

Got my little kerosene stove all cleaned up, new wicks and tested her out. Steaks and sautéed mushrooms. I am pleased- now have another way to cook if the power goes out.
View attachment 119482

Love your stove. It brings back fond memories. I made a living for a few years cooking on a similar stove. The ones I cooked on didn't have a wick, it had a burning pot and ran on the same diesel that the boats engines ran on. My stoves had a railing all around it to keep the pots from falling off and had a moveable rail to lock your pot in place. There is a bit of a learning curve but not bad. You'll master that stove quickly. Heck, you probably already have.

https://www.westernflyer.org/the-olympic-stove/

And an interesting note: from the address and what the woman running the estate sale shared, I was able to find the name of the original owner who was the mother of the man who passed. Her name was Emma and she was born in Russia. I put that tid bit of info in the envelope with the manual.

 

[LadyLocust]

Love that little stove! It would be fantastic for canning in an outdoor kitchen in summer.

Bingo! It will go in the summer kitchen for now and that was exactly what I had in mind.

 

[angie_nrs]

Here's a suggestion for those of you who store stuff in the basement like I do. IF you store anything under pipes, do yourself a favor and make sure those items are in a water sealed container of some sort, or at the very least are covered with a plastic sheet or tarp. Perhaps it's not as important under a straight pipe, but definitely do this at a bend or connection site.

Ha, you know there's a reason I bring this up.....please learn from my mistake. I went to get some D3 supplements (it's that time of the year) out of storage. I have some plastic bins and cabinets located under some pipes. I stacked some tortilla chips on those bins which are in a cardboard box. When I went to get my D3, I noticed some water dripping down the front of the cabinet. WTH? Apparently we had a leak in the pipe above at an elbow connector. I investigated further and it soaked my chip box and there was standing water in there. The chip bags were a bit wet, but the bags are all intact so I think they're OK. I'm not sure if it's just water or if there was antifreeze in the fluid. I moved all the bins out of that area and cleaned the wall with vinegar to help prevent any mold. The carpet behind the bin was a tad moist, so I grabbed a fan to run on it over night. I wondered why the dehumidifier was so busy at this time of year b/c it doesn't usually run constantly right now. That should've alerted me sooner to the issue. What a mess!

I looked at some of the stuff I had just tossed over in that area in cardboard boxes b/c I was in a hurry. I got lucky! None of that stuff was affected by the leak but I would've been PO'd if it had gotten wet. One of the boxes had some pricey dog meds in it stored in their individual cardboard boxes that I hadn't put in a bin yet. I will not make that mistake again.

Moral of my story: Keep a close eye on your stuff and store your stuff in the right places. Clear plastic sheeting could turn out to be a real money saver! From now on, everything stored in that area will be well protected from water issues. Everything will be stored in plastic bins or cabinets AND covered with plastic sheeting.

 

[Neb]

Here's a suggestion for those of you who store stuff in the basement like I do. IF you store anything under pipes, do yourself a favor and make sure those items are in a water sealed container of some sort, or at the very least are covered with a plastic sheet or tarp. Perhaps it's not as important under a straight pipe, but definitely do this at a bend or connection site.

Ha, you know there's a reason I bring this up.....please learn from my mistake. I went to get some D3 supplements (it's that time of the year) out of storage. I have some plastic bins and cabinets located under some pipes. I stacked some tortilla chips on those bins which are in a cardboard box. When I went to get my D3, I noticed some water dripping down the front of the cabinet. WTH? Apparently we had a leak in the pipe above at an elbow connector. I investigated further and it soaked my chip box and there was standing water in there. The chip bags were a bit wet, but the bags are all intact so I think they're OK. I'm not sure if it's just water or if there was antifreeze in the fluid. I moved all the bins out of that area and cleaned the wall with vinegar to help prevent any mold. The carpet behind the bin was a tad moist, so I grabbed a fan to run on it over night. I wondered why the dehumidifier was so busy at this time of year b/c it doesn't usually run constantly right now. That should've alerted me sooner to the issue. What a mess!

I looked at some of the stuff I had just tossed over in that area in cardboard boxes b/c I was in a hurry. I got lucky! None of that stuff was affected by the leak but I would've been PO'd if it had gotten wet. One of the boxes had some pricey dog meds in it stored in their individual cardboard boxes that I hadn't put in a bin yet. I will not make that mistake again.

Moral of my story: Keep a close eye on your stuff and store your stuff in the right places. Clear plastic sheeting could turn out to be a real money saver! From now on, everything stored in that area will be well protected from water issues. Everything will be stored in plastic bins or cabinets AND covered with plastic sheeting.

...and fix the leak?

Ben

 

[angie_nrs]

...and fix the leak?

Ben

It's funny you should mention that. I discovered it just moments before hubby was leaving for deer camp. Ug! He has deer fever so bad in the fall. He contained the leak but the issue hasn't been fixed yet. He'll work on it when he gets home. Thankfully it's not a continuous leak. He said he thinks he knows what happened so he said he'd fix it when he got home. Ummmm.....OK. Apparently it wasn't bad enough for him to change his plans on going to Beer camp.

On the bright side, while I was cleaning stuff up from the leak I decided to go ahead and re-organize my medical cabinet. I've been so busy adding tid bits to it that nothing is where it should be. In an emergency, I would've been rummaging through everything to find what I needed. I have everything grouped according to how I would need things now and all the shelves are labeled with what is on it.

 

[CalicoKatie]

Thought I'd pass along this good deal on a Nesco electric pressure canner,. It is a smaller one and only holds 4 quarts or 5 pints. That's perfect for me because I don't do big canning jobs anyway. This is the best price I've seen and if you got 2 it would still be cheaper than the Presto. It says it's a 2 day deal to get the extra $20 off.

https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-4525099/nesco-95-qt-digital-smart-canner.jsp

 

[Cascadian]

Christmas has been more about family than than gifts for awhile now. This year we sort of combined the two. We got one son a generator and the other a Berkey filter. Today I found a used Berkey at an estate sale for less than half price. It was complete with instructions and all. So I bought that one too.

 

[Peanut]

My vegetable press came today. Thanks @Grimm !

Its a simple half gallon press, has a perforated inner liner. I'll be using it to press out tinctures but it could be used for many things.

 

[Bacpacker]

I need a link for that

 

[Peanut]

I need a link for that

This one is made in italy, decent quality, galvanized inner liner, stainless container. When i was shopping... there are dozens of similar presses on amerzit. All the ones i saw were made in china, like most things these days. What they are made from is vague, some say steel, some galvanized, some say stainless steel, Seemed to be a crap shoot as to what they are actually made from. The descriptions are misleading. I think they are all made with a mix, different components, different metals.

https://us.consiglioskitchenware.com/products/small-vegetable-fruit-press-5inch-2qt-torchietto

 

[Bacpacker]

Thank you Sir

 

[Bacpacker]

I just ordered one of the presses. Looks like a nice quality piece

 

[Pearl]

I just ordered one of the presses. Looks like a nice quality piece

No wasting time on your end!!

 

[Bacpacker]

Might as well jump if you find something nice you can use. Its a good price to. $55 bucks ain't bad

 

[musketjim]

Something a little different for my preps. Physical fitness has always been my number one prep and it took a hit this winter. Had surgery Thanksgiving to work on an issue from a procedure LAST Christmas. It's been a pain in the butt and left me feeling crappy sometimes, butt I'm trying to put it behind me. 'NUFF said. I have not been able to lift, but long workouts on the powermill and steep incline on my treadmill hiking were ok'd. Surgery today should get me up and running by New Years. Training for a 50k winter race in Feb. Ready to hit the weight room in a week or so. In 5 years when they want me to do this procedure again, they can kiss my stitches. Never again.

 

[txcatlady]

Thought I'd pass along this good deal on a Nesco electric pressure canner,. It is a smaller one and only holds 4 quarts or 5 pints. That's perfect for me because I don't do big canning jobs anyway. This is the best price I've seen and if you got 2 it would still be cheaper than the Presto. It says it's a 2 day deal to get the extra $20 off.

https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-4525099/nesco-95-qt-digital-smart-canner.jsp

Did you get the canner? I bought a different brand from a lady on Facebook for $30. I came home and canned carrots. Today I canned 4 pints of chili beans that husband cooked in crock pot and was tired of. It is smaller and only holds 4 pints. Set it and walk away. It had never been used but no book. Love it and may get a larger once next.

 

[angie_nrs]

Might as well jump if you find something nice you can use. Its a good price to. $55 bucks ain't bad

How much was shipping? Or, did you buy some other goodies to get the free shipping?

 

[kd4ulw]

Met up with my sister today to exchange Christmas gifts. She got me a newer Geiger counter that I wanted and a small booklet with good tips, especially if it’s for someone who doesn’t have any knowledge about radiation or its effects. This Geiger counter has a lot of features including detection data history downloads via computer.

 

[Bacpacker]

Very nice. Saved one for my cart to research further. Wish they had a model that detected Alpha as well as Beta/Gamma/Xrays

Who wrote the book..

I placed a small order with Auguston Farms and it arrived today. Added a bucket of whole milk powder and a can of dried eggs

 

[kd4ulw]

Who wrote the book..

Kyle Donovan is the author, he states he is a proud Christian conservative Texan. I see he also has a book on Amazon about raising chickens.

 

[Bacpacker]

Thank you

 

[jazzy]

here is an odd thing that might come in handy
reusable ear swabs for when you run out of q tips during the zombie apocalypse. soft-washable never heard of them before so i got some to try

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09M72QXPX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Weedygarden]

Here's a suggestion for those of you who store stuff in the basement like I do. IF you store anything under pipes, do yourself a favor and make sure those items are in a water sealed container of some sort, or at the very least are covered with a plastic sheet or tarp. Perhaps it's not as important under a straight pipe, but definitely do this at a bend or connection site.

Ha, you know there's a reason I bring this up.....please learn from my mistake. I went to get some D3 supplements (it's that time of the year) out of storage. I have some plastic bins and cabinets located under some pipes. I stacked some tortilla chips on those bins which are in a cardboard box. When I went to get my D3, I noticed some water dripping down the front of the cabinet. WTH? Apparently we had a leak in the pipe above at an elbow connector. I investigated further and it soaked my chip box and there was standing water in there. The chip bags were a bit wet, but the bags are all intact so I think they're OK. I'm not sure if it's just water or if there was antifreeze in the fluid. I moved all the bins out of that area and cleaned the wall with vinegar to help prevent any mold. The carpet behind the bin was a tad moist, so I grabbed a fan to run on it over night. I wondered why the dehumidifier was so busy at this time of year b/c it doesn't usually run constantly right now. That should've alerted me sooner to the issue. What a mess!

I looked at some of the stuff I had just tossed over in that area in cardboard boxes b/c I was in a hurry. I got lucky! None of that stuff was affected by the leak but I would've been PO'd if it had gotten wet. One of the boxes had some pricey dog meds in it stored in their individual cardboard boxes that I hadn't put in a bin yet. I will not make that mistake again.

Moral of my story: Keep a close eye on your stuff and store your stuff in the right places. Clear plastic sheeting could turn out to be a real money saver! From now on, everything stored in that area will be well protected from water issues. Everything will be stored in plastic bins or cabinets AND covered with plastic sheeting.

I've been going through closets. I had just a few #10 cans in one closet and I was surprised at the amount of rust was on the cans. I live in a mostly dry climate. There were no pipes around the cans or near the closet, but I do have a couple 5 gallon jugs of water in there, but they are well sealed. I'm wondering if I need to make sure that there is good circulation in my house and closets?

 

[Pearl]

I've been going through closets. I had just a few #10 cans in one closet and I was surprised at the amount of rust was on the cans. I live in a mostly dry climate. There were no pipes around the cans or near the closet, but I do have a couple 5 gallon jugs of water in there, but they are well sealed. I'm wondering if I need to make sure that there is good circulation in my house and closets?

Something is oxidizing the cans!