This weeks preps check-in

[Oddcaliber]

What are you doing? Feeding an army. LOL

 

[Proud Prepper]

What are you doing? Feeding an army. LOL

Yes and you may soon be part of that survival army. That's just a small amount compared to what we already have.

 

[MOS0231]

Even though I’m retired now I agreed to cover for emergencies for when my son is busy or on vacation. So the little turd is in Utah right now, he’s going to Disney in California in a couple weeks, and then to universal in Florida a couple weeks after that. I think I’ve been duped!

Give it time.
The next round of lockdowns could be just around the corner, and no one is going no where.

 

[Dani]

This is the little bull calf that hunny found when he went out to feed this morning. His momma is Holly, but we actually call her bad momma now. First two calves, she had to get roped and hobbled so the calf's could nurse. I don't have that much time anymore, so she got roped this morning just so we could get the colostrum after I got off work. Little guy has been moved into the isolation pen to make life easier on us. Plan is to just raise him on formula replacer. So much easier to take a bottle out for him.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I just bought a bunch from Sam's Club, 200lbs of rice, 88lbs of pasta. 2 cases of tomato sauce, 80lbs potato flakes, 6 big jars of ghee butter, coffee, tea, suger, lemon juice, 6 big jars of peanut butter, and a whole bunch of other items. $1862.00 worth.

You must be suspecting something with haul.

 

[Brent S]

Give it time.
The next round of lockdowns could be just around the corner, and no one is going no where.

We were considered essential and never even slowed down. It was great driving through Atlanta during weekdays with hardly any traffic!

 

[Brent S]

This is the little bull calf that hunny found when he went out to feed this morning. His momma is Holly, but we actually call her bad momma now. First two calves, she had to get roped and hobbled so the calf's could nurse. I don't have that much time anymore, so she got roped this morning just so we could get the colostrum after I got off work. Little guy has been moved into the isolation pen to make life easier on us. Plan is to just raise him on formula replacer. So much easier to take a bottle out for him.

Congrats grandma!

 

[Mountain trapper]

One of our darling gkids left a gate unlatched between the garden and the lower corral. The cattle just about wiped out the garden, ate all the corn and broke a couple fruit trees at ground level. One was the only plum tree with fruit!
Just got home from the auction. Had 2 flat tires on the trip. Its a real pain changing tires with a heavy load of cattle moving around inside the trailer.
We have a realtor coming out next Tuesday to give us an estimate on the value of our ranch. We're in no hurry to sell this place but we need to get an idea of what we can afford before we buy another property.

 

[KateMTx]

One of our darling gkids left a gate unlatched between the garden and the lower corral. The cattle just about wiped out the garden, ate all the corn and broke a couple fruit trees at ground level. One was the only plum tree with fruit!
Just got home from the auction. Had 2 flat tires on the trip. Its a real pain changing tires with a heavy load of cattle moving around inside the trailer.
We have a realtor coming out next Tuesday to give us an estimate on the value of our ranch. We're in no hurry to sell this place but we need to get an idea of what we can afford before we buy another property.

Sorry about your garden, that sucks!

 

[Amish Heart]

That's not an abnormal haul for a prepper. Good job.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I wouldn’t want to think about getting rid of my place. Only one major life event could make me think of doing that and I don’t want to think of that.

 

[Brent S]

I wouldn’t want to think about getting rid of my place. Only one major life event could make me think of doing that and I don’t want to think of that.

I am fixing and finishing everything here in case I want to sell the place. Likely I will just stay and enjoy it and know all the major things have been done. I don’t think I have the energy to set up another place anyways….

 

[Mountain trapper]

I wouldn’t want to think about getting rid of my place. Only one major life event could make me think of doing that and I don’t want to think of that.

I hate the thought of moving too. But I would like to have it a little easier as I get older. Summers are too dry here, winters get too much snow, I have 3 miles of road to maintain and miles of fencing to keep up. We'd like to scale down to only about 40 - 80 acres or so thats irrigated and with flat land.

 

[Brent S]

I hate the thought of moving too. But I would like to have it a little easier as I get older. Summers are too dry here, winters get too much snow, I have 3 miles of road to maintain and miles of fencing to keep up. We'd like to scale down to only about 40 - 80 acres or so thats irrigated and with flat land.

Yeah, your descriptions of winter there are enough for me to rethink things. Sounds like a great retreat/vacation place for when the weather is nice, just not year round.

 

[dirtdiva]

My grapes aren’t even close to ripe. Some Concordes are getting there but the muscadines are far out yet. I thought my fig trees were barren this year but now they are covered in small figs. Just slow starting I guess. My sister just about 40 miles away has already started dehydrating her mature figs. I haven’t checked the blueberries in a while, maybe when it cools down here.

My blueberries are just finishing and my figs are starting to size up pretty good but not near ripe. My concords are not done but my green grapes are getting there.

 

[Brent S]

I did check the blueberries and there are some but nothing like years past. I’ve got close to 70 bushes about 6’ tall on average. i guess they just decided to take a rest this year. I didn’t water this season and am sure that’s a part of it. They like lots of water early on in the season. Luckily I still have a couple gallon bags frozen still. It looked like I might get a gallon this season. Last year I got 8 or 9

 

[Amish Heart]

Put up 100 ears of cut corn today. Dehydrators filled with squash. Maybe doing salsa tomorrow. Thank goodness I've finally finished canning the grapes.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Yeah, your descriptions of winter there are enough for me to rethink things. Sounds like a great retreat/vacation place for when the weather is nice, just not year round.

My only real complaints here is there is no level ground and we get almost zero rain from April to late October. I guess most importantly is we'd like to be closer to the kids and gkids. I've been looking at real estate near my daughter and anything that we'd be interested is $20,000+ per acre. There is a 1.3 acre place on the river for $500,000 that we're going to look at this weekend.
They still get a lot of snow up where the kids live, but they could come over and shovel for us.

 

[Brent S]

My only real complaints here is there is no level ground and we get almost zero rain from April to late October. I guess most importantly is we'd like to be closer to the kids and gkids. I've been looking at real estate near my daughter and anything that we'd be interested is $20,000+ per acre. There is a 1.3 acre place on the river for $500,000 that we're going to look at this weekend.
They still get a lot of snow up where the kids live, but they could come over and shovel for us.

I’m Leary of buying real estate right now since the market has boomed so much across the country. Part of me thinks waiting a bit for a correction is wise. There’s also part of me that’s looking for a tangible investment right now. Decisions, decisions…..

 

[jimLE]

I bought a 22 quart slow cooker a while back.it works great.i finally bought a food saver last month.finally used it yesterday.. it's not only easy to use..but saves freezer space as well.i also have a small electric/solid power bank.it's idea for cell phones.tablets,etc .I also have a portable car lighter that plugs into a USB port and a 80 watt power converter that'll allow me to use my battery charger during a power outage. I'll upload photos of all that when I can.

 

[Brent S]

I bought a 22 quart slow cooker a while back.it works great.i finally bought a food saver last month.finally used it yesterday.. it's not only easy to use..but saves freezer space as well.i also have a small electric/solid power bank.it's idea for cell phones.tablets,etc .I also have a portable car lighter that plugs into a USB port and a 80 watt power converter that'll allow me to use my battery charger during a power outage. I'll upload photos of all that when I can.

The food saver was one of my favorite preps. Stuff lasts way longer in the freezer now. I make large meals and then portion off bags to freeze for days I don’t feel like cooking. You will be glad you got it

 

[Mountain trapper]

I’m Leary of buying real estate right now since the market has boomed so much across the country. Part of me thinks waiting a bit for a correction is wise. There’s also part of me that’s looking for a tangible investment right now. Decisions, decisions…..

I agree. In this part of the country the prices are out of control. I had a realtor come out last week to give an idea of the value of our place. After seeing the prices of some of the homes and land around our daughters area we may just stay where we are for a few more years.
Our daughter is restoring an old 1914 house. She wants to sell it when finished and buy some land.
I also started talks with the forest service last week about buying a piece of FS land that borders our place. Its only about 120 acres but is has a perfect place to build a large pond.

 

[Brent S]

I agree. In this part of the country the prices are out of control. I had a realtor come out last week to give an idea of the value of our place. After seeing the prices of some of the homes and land around our daughters area we may just stay where we are for a few more years.
Our daughter is restoring an old 1914 house. She wants to sell it when finished and buy some land.
I also started talks with the forest service last week about buying a piece of FS land that borders our place. Its only about 120 acres but is has a perfect place to build a large pond.

It’s not just your area that prices have skyrocketed, it’s just about the whole country. People are getting cash offers way over their asking price. Insane, and scary….

 

[Brent S]

I got my new tractor today! Slightly used anyways. Mine was much older and all the rubber and hoses was beginning to dry rot so I figured it was a good time to sell it. Hopefully this one will outlast me and be the last machine I buy. Will pu a bush hog/finish mower for it ASAP. It’s always fun to get new toys.

 

[Oddcaliber]

Scored a box of 30/30 ammo yesterday.

 

[SHTFPREPPER]

Canned 45 quarts of milk this weekend, filled two incubators with chicken and duck eggs, dehydrated 3 sleeves of celery and am churning 6 gallons of fresh skimmed cream into butter to can up later this week. Have green beans and squash to can over the next 3 days (hopefully) but am babysitting grandchildren 12 hrs/day all week so that may get pushed back.

 

[Brent S]

Have been looking at finish mowers for tractors. Anyone know of well made ones?

 

[EastenerWesterner]

Have been looking at finish mowers for tractors. Anyone know of well made ones?

60 inch tow behind DR runs 2800. They seem to have gotten out of the 3pt market this year. I have their latest ad sitting next to me.
The brush hog I bought last year was better built than the TSC brand.

 

[Mountain trapper]

60 inch tow behind DR runs 2800. They seem to have gotten out of the 3pt market this year. I have their latest ad sitting next to me.
The brush hog I bought last year was better built than the TSC brand.

It may not matter to some people but DR products are mostly made in China now. A couple years ago I bought one of their "top of the line" rototillers. Its a piece of junk. A few years ago my dad gave me his DR brush cutter. Its over 25 years old and still runs great. It was made in the US.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Land Pride is a good USA made finishing mower.