This weeks preps check-in

[user 7704]

Just made 8 quarts of kraut. Cabbage was on sale for St. Patrick's Day. I like making smaller batches in case something is wrong and I wont lose a lot.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I have a Ruger 10/22 but I havent shot it in years.
I need to get some ammo for it for sure,I wouldnt use it if it came to a gun fight so it's kinda been on the back burner.

I've got a 10/22 also, really like it. I'm looking for another one, only in a take down version this time. A couple weeks ago I bought a Ruger .22LR Wrangler to keep in the side by side.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Just made 8 quarts of kraut. Cabbage was on sale for St. Patrick's Day. I like making smaller batches in case something is wrong and I wont lose a lot.

Here's my professional opinion on kraut and cabbage; yuk. My parents made me eat that foul stuff every year.

 

[Flying lead]

Here's my professional opinion on kraut and cabbage; yuk. My parents made me eat that foul stuff every year.

Kraut and mustard sandwiches

 

[user 7704]

Here's my professional opinion on kraut and cabbage; yuk. My parents made me eat that foul stuff every year.

You are wrong. Lol

 

[Mountain trapper]

You are wrong. Lol

 

[TexPrep]

We're smoking a pastrami tomorrow and I do like a little sauerkraut on my sandwich but some places go overboard with the stuff.
They'll put a two inch layer on the sandwich which is far to much for my tastes.
I look at sauerkraut like a dill pickle,a little goes a long way.

 

[user 7704]

We drink the juice. My son tells me to take a slurp.

 

[Cindyd]

Pastrami....gotta have some kraut..but I can eat kraut straight up and drink the juice! Yumm!

 

[Schattentarn]

I got a Chromebook which is a laptop and we are getting my daughter's Chromebook fixed. Why is this a prep? Because we will be moving up to the off grid cabin where electricity is scarce and laptops use only about 200 watts per hour.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

This week I picked up more pasta…50 lbs each at different stores. Yeah, people were looking at me. Also put away more salt. Wish I could get salt by the pallet!

 

[user 7704]

I bought the pure salt block at TSC. They have lots of different types, but if you dig, they have it.

 

[Acdoctor]

well I took the wife and daughter to town last night to do some stocking up , they found pasta of several forms , flower , white rice , sugar , salt , coffee and filters, jelly , bread flower , yeast packets. Wally World was a mad house as per usual.
I also took them to this great little Amish store in Seneca S.C. called Hochstetlers , they have a awesome selection of dry goods , very friendly people and a nice deli meat / cheese selection.
i also filled three more propane tanks for the camper and two for the grill.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Going to start on fence repairs tomorrow. My plans are to start replacing some of the old corners. Starting with this one first.

 

[user 7704]

My son has Spring break this week and I have a long list of preps.

He was saying "but, I'm on vacation".

 

[Cindyd]

My mom and I took a drive a bit south today, a couple of hours away, to see cousins of mine..mom's sister passed away suddenly month ago..anyway..one of my cousins is a butcher...I landed myself a meat order for full fresh beef, and a great price on a 20 cubic ft. Stand up freezer

 

[user 7704]

First day of Spring so my son and I have been working hard.
Mulching potatoes, getting apartment ready for baby chicks to move outside, got my son's lawn mower ready for the season, put away the wood I had on the porch, stored some straw and (I know the chickens are going to use it to hide their eggs, )
It seems to take me longer to get into working outside shape every year. I'm struggling right now and still have clean up and feeding to do. At least my husband is grilling burgers so I don't have to do that.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Just got my new chicks situated in the Greenhouse in a big container under a heat lamp. Not happy with myself as I didn’t check the little peeps well enough and one is not doing well at all. Been trying to get electrolyte water down it. It’s little eyes aren’t even open. Sigh. I’ve never lost one…

 

[user 7704]

Chick prices here had an increase this year of about $1 or maybe more.

How were your prices?

 

[KateMTx]

My container garden is coming along pretty nicely. I also bought a lemon tree that can grow in a container.

 

[Amish Heart]

My cousin just told me chick prices at Tractor are up a buck here. I'm incubating more, not really planning on buying this year unless there's a clearance on meat chicks.

 

[Kiwichick]

I went to the city and did another bulk shop; rice, flour, sugar, pasta etc. Got strange looks from people as I filled 3 big trolleys/carts.
Got some more 100 litre storage boxes to stash all the food in.
Stocked up the first aid and medicine kits.
Stocked up on hygiene supplies.
Ordered more how to books.

$50 gets just 18 litres (4.75 gallons) of petrol now, and that's with the temporary fuel subsidy.

 

[Dracos]

I have picked up range brass and reloaded them. The problem is that you have no idea how many times it has been reloaded already. Always look for the sealant around the primer. Manufacture almost always put sealant around the primer. Few reloaders do.

 

[Digout]

This week I picked up more pasta…50 lbs each at different stores. Yeah, people were looking at me. Also put away more salt. Wish I could get salt by the pallet!

You can get salt in large bags (20Kg) at swimming pool suppliers. But make sure you read the content label to make sure it is pure Sodium Chloride and doesn't have other additives in it.

 

[DrHenley]

I have picked up range brass and reloaded them. The problem is that you have no idea how many times it has been reloaded already. Always look for the sealant around the primer. Manufacture almost always put sealant around the primer. Few reloaders do.

Nearly all the range brass I have was once fired factory ammo when I picked it up. I can tell because I'll find the ammo box in the trash (which I retrieve to store resized brass in). Reloaders generally don't leave their brass on the ground.
45 ACP is such low pressure, brass almost never wears out. The first thing to go is the primer pocket getting a little loose. Since the bullets don't have a cannelure, the case mouth doesn't get overworked like it does in a revolver cartridge. I've had plenty of 45 Colt cases split, but rarely 45 ACP.
9mm brass, on the other hand, gets beat up enough that it doesn't last indefinitely like 45 ACP and 380 ACP brass. But no matter, 9mm brass is so plentiful at the range I can pick it up until I'm tired of picking it up.

 

[Brent S]

I have one Brent. I've used the vibrate mode on Leon but it didn't work. Turn the shock on 2 and put it on me and I almost peed my pants. I've been afraid to try it on him.

It will definitely get his attention. Start out on the lowest setting and see how he does. After two or maybe three shocks the vibrate mode will be enough to stop him in his tracks.

 

[Brent S]

I have to remind myself of this constantly. It's easy to get disheartened reading about the preps and knowledge some of you have. Some members attitudes are a bit overwhelming at times but I know they mean well.
Money (and kids) are my biggest restrictions. There're Kiwi DINKs with incomes 7x mine complaining they don't have a "comfortable" life oh well.

This week I...
• did a bulk food shop adding a couple hundred kilos to the stockpile. Trying to keep everything in balance so it can be made into edible meals. Balancing calories, nutrition, flavor
• started working on a food and medicine garden
• pre-ordered some dwarf fruit trees
• stocked up on medical supplies
• ordered some more how to books
• updated the go bags
• updated my list; have done/need to do, and have/need to get. Helps me focus on progress and stay on track

Things are going downhill fast here in NZ. It's going to be an interesting year (or few) to put it politely.

Sounds like your right on track. One thing to remember is when building up a pantry, which I feel is really important, there comes a time when stuff starts expiring. You can only store so much reasonably. I rotate but with just my wife and I I still end up taking stuff to the local food bank. At least it dosen’t go to waste. Even when things are safe after expiration they tend to get mushy and loose flavor too.

 

[Brent S]

Started clearing the six foot high stickers in my garden area. Lost about a pint of blood from those suckers! Evil things… decided I will finally use roundup on them to hopefully kill the root system that is so invasive. So I am just cutting them down and burning for now and will spray after they start shooting you again. Really disheartening to have to use chemicals in the garden but I don’t see any other choice now.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

Started clearing the six foot high stickers in my garden area. Lost about a pint of blood from those suckers! Evil things… decided I will finally use roundup on them to hopefully kill the root system that is so invasive. So I am just cutting them down and burning for now and will spray after they start shooting you again. Really disheartening to have to use chemicals in the garden but I don’t see any other choice now.

Roundup doesn’t alway work on woody stems. I’ve been fighting poison hemlock for 2 years. If they get too big roundup doesn't work. Next step is Triclopyr. Some other types of brush killer already has it in.

 

[GaRp58]

MY PREP FOR THIS WEEK: going shopping for my family in Germany. They already have a problem with mustard, apricot jelly, flour and sunflower oil. We are going back again for check-ups for my wife the end of April and will start buying this week. Around 50 kilos of flour, 50 liters of oil and all the mustard and jelly we can find. IF the SHTF before the end of the month, WE WILL BE READY FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS.