Preparations Update

[Weedygarden]

Stocked up on underwear and socks for the three of us. We are NOT going to run out of that! lol

I slowly add a little extra to our supply with each grocery trip - a couple cans of soup, a can of spam - not a lot, but just building on the stores we already have.

Also preparing by starting an herbal medicine course.

I add to my stockpile the same way. I used to have a neighbor who called me a gradualist.
The herbal medicine course you are taking: is it an online course?

Been ordering some spices and putting them in jars and seal saving.
also, tea. Trying to order more beans in bulk but Frankferd Farms is always sold out. Azure doesn't deliver here, unless they ship and it isn't worth it.
what do you do with your beans? Just put in Mylar bags, pressure can?
How about a recommendation for a cook book to use fresh ground wheat?

It depends on how my beans are packaged when I buy them. If I get a 25 pound bag, then I put them in a 5 gallon bucket. If I get one pound bags, I have a couple ways that I store them. I put the bags in large jars with glass lids and I have buckets that I keep them in. When I buy things that are from the bulk sections at stores, I put them in canning jars. I keep lots of dry foods in canning jars: powdered sugar, miscellaneous pulses and odd beans for Indian food, mostly dal, bulk spices. I use a variety of sizes of jars, depending on what and how much I have.

@goshengirl we are in Australia so check what is going on there in the United States with chainsaw chain supplies and most welcome .

It didn't occur to me until just now that other parts of the world would be having a hard time buying certain items, maybe mostly made in China. I had been thinking that here in the U.S. we are having a harder time because of the import situation.

 

[LadyLocust]

@Sewingcreations15 We just bought a new weed-eater about 2 weeks ago and were looking at the chainsaws also - they had plenty and a nice selection. We would like a smaller one so if we weren't dealing with huge logs, we would have to pack the big saw around.
@lilmissy As others have said, I put mine in jars (dry) and vacuum seal them. I also planted beans for beans this year - KY pole beans and small red beans.
@goshengirl & @angie_nrs Oh wise ones - as many are on this site. I agree inflation is going to change things up a bit!
We don't have a wood burning stove, but have here and there began getting some wood to keep on hand. Worst case scenario, we can use it for cooking, heating water etc. I also filled our propane tanks and will be more adamant about keeping them full. I grabbed an extra gal. of bar and chain oil last time I saw it and might do so again as well as the additive for the gas. We have been keeping our gas cans full; price of gas hasn't dropped much here, down about 20c is all. Keep up the chat, it reminds me of what I need to put on my shopping list

 

[LadyLocust]

PS @Weedygarden I love the "gradualist" concept

 

[MoBookworm1957]

I have increased on smaller scale than you all.
Will go purchase more yeast, bay leaves, tomorrow.
Will start stocking up on socks from the kids departments.
Girls for summer, boys for winter socks, my feet are kid size 4 now.
Picked up some patterns, for shirts, skirts I want to make for myself for summer.
Then will make me clothes for winter using the same patterns different heavier fabrics.
Need a light weight fleece jacket, so will be making that for myself.
I intend to stay busy, with my preps through out the year.
Have increased my dehydrating stores, will be working on potatoes again this weekend.
Same with carrots, celery, onions, peppers.

 

[Weedygarden]

PS @Weedygarden I love the "gradualist" concept

It does describe me, and probably others. No need to buy a years worth of food, or more or less, all at once. I have worked gradually on building my food supply, as money, time and opportunity permitted.

 

[Meerkat]

I add to my stockpile the same way. I used to have a neighbor who called me a gradualist.
The herbal medicine course you are taking: is it an online course?
It depends on how my beans are packaged when I buy them. If I get a 25 pound bag, then I put them in a 5 gallon bucket. If I get one pound bags, I have a couple ways that I store them. I put the bags in large jars with glass lids and I have buckets that I keep them in. When I buy things that are from the bulk sections at stores, I put them in canning jars. I keep lots of dry foods in canning jars: powdered sugar, miscellaneous pulses and odd beans for Indian food, mostly dal, bulk spices. I use a variety of sizes of jars, depending on what and how much I have.

It didn't occur to me until just now that other parts of the world would be having a hard time buying certain items, maybe mostly made in China. I had been thinking that here in the U.S. we are having a harder time because of the import situation.

Weedy we usually buy 15 lb.s an can all of them .

 

[Weedygarden]

Weedy we usually buy 15 lb.s an can all of them .

Pressure can? Wet can? (as opposed to dry canning, with no liquid)

 

[LadyLocust]

It does describe me, and probably others. No need to buy a years worth of food, or more or less, all at once. I have worked gradually on building my food supply, as money, time and opportunity permitted.

Goes right along with another aspect of life: I say I don't believe in minimalism or hoarding but I like "enoughism."

 

[Tank-Girl]

I forgot to add that I brought 12 packs of regular mouth canning lids to my preps.
Canning supplies - lids, jars etc are going to be hard to find or way too expensive in the not too distant future.
I can't get regular mouth pint jars from my regular supplier anymore and they have no idea when they are getting another shipment.

 

[goshengirl]

@Weedygarden, I'm taking two courses online:
Making Herbal Preparations 101 Mini Course
Introductory Herbal Course

The mini course was only $10 during the first month of the lockdown, and the Intro course was half price. I have so many books and really could learn a lot from them, to be honest. But I just don't learn like I used to, and I needed the structure of a course. Of course, the self-paced nature of the courses is still a challenge for me.

 

[goshengirl]

@Tank-Girl, I just noticed that today, too - can't get regular mouth lids. Fortunately I have a supply, but would feel better with more (since we're growing a bigger garden this year). Didn't act fact enough...

 

[Meerkat]

Pressure can? Wet can? (as opposed to dry canning, with no liquid)

Pressure can for 90 minutes. in quarts and 70 for pints.

 

[Weedygarden]

@Weedygarden, I'm taking two courses online:
Making Herbal Preparations 101 Mini Course
Introductory Herbal Course

The mini course was only $10 during the first month of the lockdown, and the Intro course was half price. I have so many books and really could learn a lot from them, to be honest. But I just don't learn like I used to, and I needed the structure of a course. Of course, the self-paced nature of the courses is still a challenge for me.

Thank you!

 

[Sewingcreations15]

@angie_nrs we have decided to do the same thing and just buy everything we are in need of at the moment so I went ahead and did it.

@goshengirl yes you are right with these sorts of situations that it affects the world like sort of a domino effect. We are somewhat ahead of the pandemic curve here in Australia compared to the U.S as our restrictions ended earlier so I suppose you could well look on us as an example of the shortages you may/will get there shortly.

@LadyLocust with the chainsaws and mowers most of ours here are Chinese made including Stihl so it depends on whether the States produces some of that equipment there or imports from other countries as to what will happen re shortages.

 

[Sewingcreations15]

Just an Australian update here is one of our Australian largest variety stores supermarkets is just about out of stock of clothing, footwear, towels etc and are not expecting another shipment in until July. They had cancelled orders due to the pandemic thinking they would get less trade and be shut down and got wiped out of stock.

Other major clothing retailers put off paying their suppliers for 8 months so they are working on tick and selling stock before they pay their suppliers.

I am also sure we are going to get massive inflation due to the trade war here as I think that China will increase prices/ for their goods or refuse to sell to us in retaliation for us leading the inquiry into Covid. They have already put out a travel warning to their citizens not to travel here due to racism ( code the government changed the foreign business investment laws), tantrum in progress .

No doubt I think countries in general will be looking for other more reliable trade partners and suppliers .

So on that note just keeping everyone updated on our Australian situation I have further topped up on -

- 2 pairs of leather work boots each for DH and I.
- Found DH's favourite sneakers and bought 4 pairs.
- Got 6 more pairs of jeans for DH and 10 pairs for me for $6.50 each.

Apart from that work shirts for the yard is all we need now to purchase if I find them at the right price.

 

[WVDragonlady]

@Sewingcreations15 is there talk of adding more manufacturing there in Australia like it is here?
People finally realized just how much of our stuff is made in china and there is an interest in upping our own manufacturing of products. People especially want our medications done here instead of china ( simply because china threatened to stop sending meds to us which really angered people)

 

[LadyLocust]

So earlier this year, I went and spent a small fortune on canning lids. They are of course single use - unless you fib, but that's not really safe unless in a real emergency. Tatler reusable lids are currently on sale on their website. I have one small box but have never been brave enough to use them. I just purchased them in bulk - 100 of each wide mouth and regular mouth. Best be gettin' o'er my fears. In the long run, they should save quite a bit and will be nice not to have to purchase lids each year. After I use them, I will see what I think about buying more of the rubber rings for future replacements though I doubt that should be necessary for some time.

 

[Sewingcreations15]

@WVDragonlady yes I have noticed that a few of our manufacturers are now diversifying and the government recently funded a company to build more machines for face mask production, a brewery who couldn't sell there alcohol due to lockdown went into making hand sanitiser.

We do have some manufacturing here too but like in the States we need to have more manufacturing here across the board.

The Australian minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergencies recently came out and said it was a mistake more or less to put most our eggs in one basket in regards to imports and exports. He has said we will now be finding other markets to other countries for exports and imports spreading the risk and trade with like minded countries .

Recently heard a cargo ship full of barley that was heading to China got diverted and the product sold to another country . Oh yes in case no-one heard China put a 80% Tariff on our barley imports to there. As we have no official trade agreements with China then most of our products can easily be switched to other markets over time.

I don't think it is over by a long stretch and think we will be hit with other tariffs too so I am expected shortages in many areas until we start importing more from other countries or switch a lot of our manufacturing back on shore.

 

[hiwall]

I have a bunch of leather on hand but I was low on snaps so I ordered many of those to have on hand. And I have a lot of heavy waxed thread but it is all white or cream color so I ordered some dark brown to have in stock. Trying to think of everything I can to stock up on.

 

[Sewingcreations15]

Good move @hiwall and yes that is what we are doing too on anything that could have shortages due to country of origin etc.

We also just topped up on more jeans being 6 pairs for DH and 10 pairs for me and I also topped up on tracksuit pants and long sleeved t-shirts too. The jeans I got were all $6.50 a pair new which is bargain considering most jeans to buy new here are $25 - $30 a pair usually.

 

[goshengirl]

I kept having this feeling that I needed to pick up something at Home Depot, but couldn't remember what. I've struggled with memory issues, so this isn't unusual. But I made a trip there and went around the store, hoping something would jump out at me. Nothing was, and I was getting pretty hard on myself. While I was eye-candy shopping in the kitchen department, the salesman and I struck up a conversation. I commented how no one had chest freezers these days, and I'd need to special order one. His face lit up - turns out they'd just unloaded a 7.1 cu ft chest freezer (the size I wanted) off a delivery truck. He said they weren't expecting it, he can't even place orders for chest freezers these days. Needless to say, I snapped it up.

Here I was feeling so hard on myself, thinking it was a memory issue. Instead it was an intuition issue - I was meant to go pick up a freezer! Now with a second freezer, we're able to place another beef order and we'll be able to freeze some of our garden harvest.

 

[Sewingcreations15]

Well done @goshengirl and that is what we have here is one 400 lt freezer for meat and the other for homegrown garden harvests and bread.

 

[Tank-Girl]

SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! I have 12 ducklings and 12 meat chicks ordered for August.

So happy!!

 

[Sewingcreations15]

@Tank-Girl SQUEEING in excitement with you .

 

[lilmissy]

I forgot to add that I brought 12 packs of regular mouth canning lids to my preps.
Canning supplies - lids, jars etc are going to be hard to find or way too expensive in the not too distant future.
I can't get regular mouth pint jars from my regular supplier anymore and they have no idea when they are getting another shipment.

How do you keep them? I bought some at a yard sale once and none of them sealed. We figured they were to old?

 

[Amish Heart]

I seal them with the food saver jar sealer attachment, or an O2 absorber

 

[WVDragonlady]

Added more canned pineapple for the hubby to the pantry
Also more egg noodles which I'll get to sealing in jars here this afternoon along with the pastas I bought
Also added some more canned veggies and more tp and paper plates


Have to take the gas bottle from the grill to get filled. We keep 6 of the 25lb and have 4 of the 40lb ones stored. Just need to rotate through them

 

[Tank-Girl]

It's hard to know where to put this but everything I brought today pretty much comes back to improving my position.

Paid 4 weeks rent instead of 2.
Brought a wood fired tent stove, kettle and cast iron fry pan.
Brought new women's steel cap work boots, shorts, polo tops, "smalls", and another 8 boxes of regular mouth canning lids.
2 extra 20 kg bags of mixed grain that I'll grind for the baby ducks and meat chicks when they come.
Thermal beanie, thermal work socks, thongs (flip flops) garden snips, a 10 ltr bucket and a colander.
Assorted pantry top-ups including yeast.

The yoyo reels I ordered haven't turned up yet and I'm hoping they don't get napped by customs.

I think I did pretty well considering people in my neighborhood are still drinking and drugging until 4 in the morning with their helicopter money.

 

[lilmissy]

I seal them with the food saver jar sealer attachment, or an O2 absorber

Oh my! I never would have thought of this. How old of a lid have you used that worked?

 

[Amish Heart]

Don't know. If it looks ok, just try it. It'll either work or not.