This weeks preps check-in

[Brent S]

Brent my husband (the yankee) likes jiffy mix too. That is what his mama made. He also wasn't a rice eater when I met him but rather potatoes. But I have won him over to the no sugar variety. He now eats rice like a pig and loves my Louisiana cooking (or else ) . Smart man

My mother was a saint, but not a chef.... I grew up eating jiffy mix too.

 

[Maverick]

Jiffy is to cornbread what blasphemy is to religion!

 

[dirtdiva]

it's the equivalent of sugaring your grits

 

[Brent S]

it's the equivalent of sugaring your grits

You mean people can eat them without sugar? Lol

 

[dirtdiva]

You mean people can eat them without sugar? Lol

Blasphemy Brent. Blasphemy I say!

 

[dirtdiva]

Let me guess! Cream of Wheat??

 

[Brent S]

Let me guess! Cream of Wheat??

Actually I’m not a grit fan in any form. I’ve tried to like em but they just seem like eating polystyrene... I did buy some Flavored Quaker oatmeal packs That I’ll try soon but no on the cream of wheat either. I mostly eat pretty healthy stuff and know grits seem like good stuff but just never got a taste for them.

 

[Brent S]

I like plain Cheerios with a sliced banana or some frozen blueberries in them most mornings.

 

[Maverick]

I love grits

 

[Brent S]

I love grits

I really really want to....

 

[dirtdiva]

I like grits and butter, oatmeal with cinnamon, raisins and honey. Sometimes rice with over easy eggs. Don't eat cereal. Never have, my Mom always cooked 3 meals a day so got used to all home cooked meals. My kids do not eat cereal either.

 

[Dani]

I like grits and butter, oatmeal with cinnamon, raisins and honey. Sometimes rice with over easy eggs. Don't eat cereal. Never have, my Mom always cooked 3 meals a day so got used to all home cooked meals. My kids do not eat cereal either.

my mom heated a package of ramen noodles in the microwave and split it between my sister and I for breakfast. I do remember some canned biscuits every now and again.

honestly it is a wonder I learned how to cook.

 

[dirtdiva]

My girlfriends mom was like that. She did not cook at all. Total opposite from my Mom and grandma. Both my daughters and my 3 grand daughters cook.

 

[Maverick]

Dad always told us boys from a young age. "If your mom is unable to cook for you, you cook, if your mom is unable to do the dishes, you do the dishes, if your mom is unable to put the dishes away, you put the dishes away, if your mom is unable to do the laundry, you do the laundry, if your mom is unable to put the laundry away, you put the laundry away, if your mom is unable to iron, you do the ironing, if your mom is unable to sew the button, you sew the button. Your mom isn't always going to be here for you, it's best you learn that now."

 

[dirtdiva]

Dad always told us boys from a young age. "If your mom is unable to cook for you, you cook, if your mom is unable to do the dishes, you do the dishes, if your mom is unable to put the dishes away, you put the dishes away, if your mom is unable to do the laundry, you do the laundry, if your mom is unable to put the laundry away, you put the laundry away, if your mom is unable to iron, you do the ironing, if your mom is unable to sew the button, you sew the button. Your mom isn't always going to be here for you, it's best you learn that now."

I raised 3 boys Mav and all 5 of my kids had chores. They rotated each week between the 5 kids. They included laundry, washing dishes and different housework chores including light cooking. I am proud that all 3 of my boys are better trained at housework than their wives. And the wives will tell you that.

 

[JackDW]

I do most of the cooking at my house (Wifey tries but has no imagination when it comes to cooking). I like ramen noodles. I keep little cans of chicken around that I add to the noodles. I also keep a few of the small bags or frozen vegs that I also toss in. With the addition of chicken and vegetables they make a good little meal. I really like real cornbread (like mamma used to make) but I keep boxes of Jiffy around too for a quick meal. Yep, a little too sweet but convenient.

 

[Maverick]

I raised 3 boys Mav and all 5 of my kids had chores. They rotated each week between the 5 kids. They included laundry, washing dishes and different housework chores including light cooking. I am proud that all 3 of my boys are better trained at housework than their wives. And the wives will tell you that.

In recent years I'm been hearing a lot of boys and men say 'that's a women job' ya, that wouldn't hold water around here.

 

[Proud Prepper]

In recent years I'm been hearing a lot of boys and men say 'that's a women job' ya, that wouldn't hold water around here.

Down here in southern Louisiana, we have a long tradition of the men knowing how to cook. I do most of the real cooking at my house. I'm a Cajun and we can and will cook anything that was living.

 

[dirtdiva]

Down here in southern Louisiana, we have a long tradition of the men knowing how to cook. I do most of the real cooking at my house. I'm a Cajun and we can and will cook anything that was living.

Laissez les bons temps rouler

 

[Mountain trapper]

Our junior bull run off last night. I don't even know where to start looking for him. Oh well he'll turn up somewhere.
The wife and I have been doing some serious talking about making some major changes here. We started looking at property up north near our kids. They live near a couple large rivers and a big lake. The wife has finially convinced me that at my age I shouldn't be putting up 100 ton of hay, maintaining miles of fencing, branding and castrating and chasing bulls all without help. I think she's right.

 

[Maverick]

I feel for ya Arctic

 

[KateMTx]

In our family (both sides) we've never known any other way of making cornbread except in a cast iron skillet! I guess I can remember my mother using the cast iron molds for a while when I was young, but went back to making it in a skillet. Both grandmothers used cast iron skillets and my wife has never made it any other way.

We grew up eating cornbread made in cast iron skillets. Our neighbor would make it for us sometimes. My mom would make it in a baking pan so we ate that too, but I really don't think you can beat old-fashioned corn bread from a cast iron skillet.

 

[Dani]

Our junior bull run off last night. I don't even know where to start looking for him. Oh well he'll turn up somewhere.
The wife and I have been doing some serious talking about making some major changes here. We started looking at property up north near our kids. They live near a couple large rivers and a big lake. The wife has finially convinced me that at my age I shouldn't be putting up 100 ton of hay, maintaining miles of fencing, branding and castrating and chasing bulls all without help. I think she's right.

I know that has to be heartbreaking. You have done so many improvements there and just finally able to move into your home. But I can understand the getting older part and you really cant do it all on your own. If something happened while you were out and about checking fences or cattle no one knows to go looking for you when you are at home alone. Maybe if you do move you can still do some of these things you love but on a smaller scale. Raise a cow or two for slaughter, just not a large heard. And you can still do your chickens and ducks with no problems. Do a greenhouse and have your garden with some fruit trees. But you could be around your family, especially those grand kids. As Granny always said, getting older is for the birds. . .

 

[Brent S]

I’ve thought about moving to a better area for retirement too. The problem is I have this place just about complete and it’s taken years. I’m not sure I want to undertake this kind of a project again. Not to mention all the mature grape vines, apples, plumbs, cherries, pears, figs, blue berries and blackberries. It took five years for most of these to really start producing.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I’ve thought about moving to a better area for retirement too. The problem is I have this place just about complete and it’s taken years. I’m not sure I want to undertake this kind of a project again. Not to mention all the mature grape vines, apples, plumbs, cherries, pears, figs, blue berries and blackberries. It took five years for most of these to really start producing.

I understand that. My plans are to have everything built and planted before we sell this place. The only thing that I want to do is layout the buildings, orchard and garden and pick out the colors and plants. We'll split our time between there and here until we sell. We'll need a smaller tractor and implements for the new place so I'll sell my current equipment with the ranch.
My daughter thinks we need a house boat. She found a "cozy" 78 footer for sale. I told her to keep looking.

 

[dirtdiva]

I understand that. My plans are to have everything built and planted before we sell this place. The only thing that I want to do is layout the buildings, orchard and garden and pick out the colors and plants. We'll split our time between there and here until we sell. We'll need a smaller tractor and implements for the new place so I'll sell my current equipment with the ranch.
My daughter thinks we need a house boat. She found a "cozy" 78 footer for sale. I told her to keep looking.

Arctic my husband and I were exactly in your same position 6 years ago. 70 acres and a new house less than 10 years old. Established fruit trees, berries and gardens. Outbuildings for pigs, goats, chickens and cows. Stocked ponds. My husband was burning off a thicket and stumps and the fire back blew and flared on him. Called 911 and no one showed. No fire dept, no medical help. My teenage daughter and I put out the fire ourselves and drove my husband almost 2 hours to a hospital with a burn unit. He almost lost both hands. For almost 6 months I had to do both our work. We then realized it was time. All the kids were gone but the youngest and she was ready to fly. It was hard walking away but the best thing we ever did. We actually have time to spend together. We have the same things we had there (except cows) pretty well just on a smaller scale.

 

[Maverick]

I know here on the property given my age, stroke and getting busted up, if the kids wasn't here living on the property we would have had to sell everything, no way one person could have taken care of everything from prepping for fire season to prepping for winter. When life changing events takes place one's perspective becomes very clear. When I hear my Wife silently cry at night I realized in the end, she is going to have to deal with this ****.

As they say, we ain't young and stupid anymore, we are old and stupid that needs to wise up. Ya I know, the stubbornness some of us have.

 

[Brent S]

Our priorities change as we go thru life as well. What we thought we wanted earlier just isn’t important later on sometimes. I think quality of life is the most important thing. I’m not ready for the nursing home by any means but have definitely slowed down. I have also come to realize that there are some projects around here that I just won’t ever get completed. I’m actually ok with that though.

 

[dirtdiva]

Our priorities change as we go thru life as well. What we thought we wanted earlier just isn’t important later on sometimes. I think quality of life is the most important thing. I’m not ready for the nursing home by any means but have definitely slowed down. I have also come to realize that there are some projects around here that I just won’t ever get completed. I’m actually ok with that though.

Brent for us we were just TOO far off the beaten path. Living rurally is great until you need help. When you get older and develop health issues or even have an accident most rural emergency services (fire/police/ambulance) have been cut to the bone. If they were there in the first place. When you are having a heart attack and know that no one will be able to get to you in time it just changes your perspective. Most couples today the man is older than the woman. Statistically women outlive men. When and if something happens to you can your wife carry on by herself? I know what it was like to homeschool my daughter, take care of the house, garden, cooking, livestock and laundry and ride a bush hog for 6 hours in the heat. Or cut and bail hay. Or repair fences. Because my husband could not. I do not want to be doing that at 80. The kids have moved all over the country. All 5 kids have college educations. 4 are married. Three own their own businesses. Not one kid was coming back to those woods to live. They were chasing their dreams and that is the way it should be. My husbands goal he wanted a property that he could mow in 1 hour. The ambulance is 8 minutes away the hospital 25 max. Smaller house, smaller property and smaller responsibility. We still garden and can and have a few chickens, ducks and rabbits. We just buy our beef and pork direct from a younger farmer. No more blizzards with 8 foot snow drifts. Lots more fishing and visiting kids and grandkids.

 

[dirtdiva]

Ordered 200 assorted sizes of mylar bags and oxygen absorbers plus additional vacuum seal bags since they are disappearing from stores entirely. That should hold me awhile. Already have plenty canning lids and rings.