This weeks preps check-in

[Brent S]

Got home from town last night just before dark and went to start the generator and it caught fire at the plug. Apparently the adaptor cord I wired up to go from the generators 30 amp twist lock plug to the trailers 60 amp 4 prong plug came loose inside and shorted out causing the fire. Had to dig out the generator that powers the barn and connect it to the trailer. By the time I got everything moved around in the dark (had to heat the tractor before it would start, 5 degs) the trailer batteries were dead and it was pretty cold inside. Everything seems to be running fine now, but I don't like not having a backup power source.

It sure seems like your getting hammered this winter by Murphy himself! (I love murphys laws). No doubt that living where you are takes a certain amount of resilience.

 

[Mountain trapper]

It sure seems like your getting hammered this winter by Murphy himself! (I love murphys laws). No doubt that living where you are takes a certain amount of resilience.

Old Murphy does seem to be hanging around here a lot this winter. It helps to have a good sense of humor too. Some days I do question my sanity to try camping out here in the winter at my age. I'll be 60 in August. I will say that I have gotten in pretty good shape over this past year. One of the first projects I'll be working on this spring will be a reliable power source. I've got $40k budgeted for a solar power system. This will include a 12 kW Perkins diesel generator with a 10kw backup. The new house will be heated with wood with propane backup. The shop will also be heated with wood and have a propane backup. I've frozen my fingers and toes and got frost bite on my face and ears working on and maintaining equipment outside. Even with all these challenges, every time I look out and see the mountains, the trees and wildlife, I know I made the right choice. Can't imagine living anywhere else.

 

[Silent Earth]

I think I need another Compound bow for the family, We have some 62 inch TD Recurves but they are so unwieldy so for short range I bought a Mathews Genesis Pro for home security and because its so bloody hard to change strings and wires on compounds I bought three what I consider disposable bows from Barnet the Banshee quads as emergency back up. Now wife is wanting to do more archery practice so I think its time for a second Genesis Pro and lots more 1820 spined arrows.

I'm also open to considering one of these ultra compact compound bows then are well under 24inches axis to axis if I can find one with a 20 to 30 pound draw weight range, so shout out if you see any please.

 

[DrHenley]

Old Murphy does seem to be hanging around here a lot this winter.

Tell me about it...

So far this winter, I have lost my water heater, furnace, and the yard man (had a heart attack last week). His health had deteriorated to the point where I was having to help him, but he needed the money, which is the main reason I used him. Not much in the yard to do til spring now though, and the weather is warm so we can get by without the furnace for now. Still trying to find someone to fix the furnace that doesn't charge an arm and a leg and your first born...

 

[Brent S]

Tell me about it...

So far this winter, I have lost my water heater, furnace, and the yard man (had a heart attack last week). His health had deteriorated to the point where I was having to help him, but he needed the money, which is the main reason I used him. Not much in the yard to do til spring now though, and the weather is warm so we can get by without the furnace for now. Still trying to find someone to fix the furnace that doesn't charge an arm and a leg and your first born...

If it's an old system sometimes it's cheaper to replace it. I'm far from an heating and air guy but I was able to install a new heat pump package unit myself. It's a little over 10 years old now, so when something goes bad with it that I can't figure out I will just buy a new one. I started budgeting for it about a year ago. The companies in this field are really high now. I guess I understand though. With my son and I in our small electrical company we charge a lot in my opinion. Then insurance, or workers comp, or a new transmission comes up and I realize you have to charge accordingly if you want to stay in business.

 

[Brent S]

Tell me about it...

So far this winter, I have lost my water heater, furnace, and the yard man (had a heart attack last week). His health had deteriorated to the point where I was having to help him, but he needed the money, which is the main reason I used him. Not much in the yard to do til spring now though, and the weather is warm so we can get by without the furnace for now. Still trying to find someone to fix the furnace that doesn't charge an arm and a leg and your first born...

Sorry about the yard guy....

 

[DrHenley]

If it's an old system sometimes it's cheaper to replace it.

That's what the repair man said. So I got a quote. The quote for a new system was $1000-$2000 more than the repair depending on whether I went with a 80% or 90% efficiency unit. Waiting on a second (and maybe third) opinion...

What went out was the blower. But he CLAIMED that the heat exchanger might have a crack (common scam with HVAC companies) and refused to fix the blower. He estimated a cost for a new blower and heat exchanger and said I could get a new furnace for that amount of money, so I said give me a quote...then I had to wait for their "consultant" to come out for the quote. This all dragged out for nearly a week before I realized I was being taken to the cleaners.

 

[Brent S]

That's what the repair man said. So I got a quote. The quote for a new system was $1000-$2000 more than the repair depending on whether I went with a 80% or 90% efficiency unit. Waiting on a second (and maybe third) opinion...

What went out was the blower. But he CLAIMED that the heat exchanger might have a crack (common scam with HVAC companies) and refused to fix the blower. He estimated a cost for a new blower and heat exchanger and said I could get a new furnace for that amount of money, so I said give me a quote...then I had to wait for their "consultant" to come out for the quote. This all dragged out for nearly a week before I realized I was being taken to the cleaners.

At least you are smart enough to question them. How many elderly widows do companies like these rip off daily? I do say that if your system is over ten years old then it's time to consider a new one. The energy efficiency alone will help with the replacement costs. I always tell people to get three estimates on bigger purchases. Go with the guy in the middle. You don't need the most expensive, and don't want the cheapest.

 

[Dani]

This is Callie with her new babes! It was her first so was impressed that she had twins. . . one looks like her and the other looks like their daddy. Both babies ate well and momma's instincts kicked in just fine. I was also able to start some transplants with some heirloom seeds. Placed on some shelves on the back porch right now since we are having some beautiful weather right now with highs in the mid to upper 70s. Hoping they will all take OK. If so, I will have 24 beefsteak tomatoes, 12 cherry tomatoes, 12 eggplant, 12 swiss chard, 24 green bells, & 12 more cabbage.

 

[Silent Earth]

Are there any wild goats in the US like you have wild boar and wild horses?

 

[Mountain trapper]

Are there any wild goats in the US like you have wild boar and wild horses?

Yes. There are mountain goats in some western states and in Alaska, as well as big horn sheep.

 

[Brent S]

View attachment 6459 This is Callie with her new babes! It was her first so was impressed that she had twins. . . one looks like her and the other looks like their daddy. Both babies ate well and momma's instincts kicked in just fine. I was also able to start some transplants with some heirloom seeds. Placed on some shelves on the back porch right now since we are having some beautiful weather right now with highs in the mid to upper 70s. Hoping they will all take OK. If so, I will have 24 beefsteak tomatoes, 12 cherry tomatoes, 12 eggplant, 12 swiss chard, 24 green bells, & 12 more cabbage.

They are really cute! Isn't it a little early to start seedlings though?

 

[Silent Earth]

Just been out and bought a second Mathews Genesis Pro Compound bow, its the simplest of the compounds with only one cam, and offers good draw length adjustment, let off etc

 

[Dani]

They are really cute! Isn't it a little early to start seedlings though?

Not in my area. First part of April is normal to have everything in here and even if we do have a cool Snap, it doesn't last but overnight and they can get covered for protection. I have rarely seen it get back down in the 30s, not to say it can't happen.

 

[DrHenley]

Are there any wild goats in the US like you have wild boar and wild horses?

Mountain Goat - and unlike the boar and horses, this one is endemic to the U.S.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_goat

 

[Silent Earth]

Looks like my mother in law

 

[jontte]

you better not let your missus read that,mate!
she'll use you as target practice for that bow....

 

[Brent S]

Mountain Goat - and unlike the boar and horses, this one is endemic to the U.S.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_goat

I've always known a lot of old goats from the US

 

[WGregMiller]

Yep. Ain't we two of them?

 

[Brent S]

Yep. Ain't we two of them?

Some days more than others.... .

 

[DrHenley]

I've always known a lot of old goats from the US

HEY, I resemble that remark

 

[Maverick]

Mountain Goat - and unlike the boar and horses, this one is endemic to the U.S.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_goat

Ya we have the big horn here just a little North of me.

 

[Maverick]

No preps update. I haven't ordered nor really done anything since December. Snow has set in and we hunkered down and in Winter mode for the most part. It's a lot of cooking eating and drinking.

 

[Dani]

We ended up going to the feed store so I could get some more seeds for the garden & some more onion sets. Plus since going threw the city stopped by to look at carpet prices because it will need replaced down at the rent property before we rent it out again. It has been raining most of the day and supposed to be again tomorrow. Hopefully I can get the onions in before the end of the week. Hope it dries out soon! A couple of the kids down the road stopped in for a visit & they got to go out and pet critters and we went out in the garden to see what we could harvest. Its muddy out there but they enjoyed helping to pull up the carrots. They always seems interested in what goes on over here and let's faceit, I enjoy having a couple girls come down to teach them things.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Haven't done much for prepping lately either. But I did get the barn wired and now have lights and outlets. For now the barn is connected to its own generator.
Yesterday I met with a builder to start getting quotes for building the house, shop, fur shed/tannery, barn extension and siding on the old hay barn. I'm also researching what I'll need for our solar power system. I checked and the Feds are still offering a 30% tax credit incentive for installation of solar electric systems. I think the State offers a 10% tax credit too. That will be a big help to make it more affordable. 2017 will be another big construction year up here. We should be about 95% completed with everything by next fall.

 

[jimLE]

Well.im in the need of .more lamp oil.in which i rememered a gift card i have.so i'll be getting that today.pluss im thinking of more pint canning jars as well.but gotta check out the price's first.

 

[Dani]

Thelma had a little buck this morning. She is another one of my new mom's so have been out watching to make sure she is accepting just fine and she seems to be doing OK. Still needs to pass the afterbirth, but that can take awhile for some.

This is the two sisters born a couple days ago. . . I just thought this was a sweet picture. I have noticed that Callie tends to pay more attention to the one on the right than the other. She ended up leaving the other out in the rain last night while she and the other sought shelter under the trees. I picked the other up and set her by mom and she went straight to nursing. I ended up staying out with them until about 1 this morning before going in for bed. When I got up this morning, I grabbed my coffee, opened up the front door and could hear Callie in distress calling for her babe. Still in PJs I threw on my boots thinking all kinds of things. . . Did she some how go threw the fence, wandering along the canal, did she fall in the LNVA? Finally found Her by herself sleeping in the barn! I am going to have to watch out for that little one for sure. Apparently Callie needs to go back to mom's bubble world class 101. . . give mom no stress is the first rule and keep track of your babes!!

 

[Gazrok]

My weekends have mostly been to keep up with the new boarders. We've got a pretty full stable now, which is great for board income, but just makes a bit more work for me on the weekends. We have our two, plus 5 other horses we are boarding, so 7 in all. I've only really got room for one more (and that's if I put an expansion to the chicken coop....we had a hen get sick, and the others would have killed her...she's all better now, but the others won't take her back...so keeping her in a stall for now...but need to build on to the coop, see if proximity will work).

 

[jimLE]

they are cute..

 

[Gazrok]

I'm also researching what I'll need for our solar power system.

The more I looked, the more I became convinced that propane was simply more cost effective. Especially when you consider the constant wear and tear on batteries and cells.