This weeks preps check-in

[Buttoni]

Bought a bunch more vegetable seeds sealed in mylar for my gardening efforts downstream.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

You and me both! Going to grab some more dent corn and store them airtight. Also, sweet corn and wheat. Hopefully that will keep them viable.

 

[Kiwichick]

Started increasing my supply of canned food since I've got a years worth of dry food. Got more strawberry plants. Going to be tucking them in everywhere. Got more stuff for the first-aid kit, more toiletries, more milk powder, more sewing supplies, more basic maintenance supplies for around the house and garden.

Waiting on payday to do a big stock up. I'll have to shop in the city or online because the local supermarket has put quantity limits on the what items they have in stock. And there's lots of empty bays in the local Bunnings (like Lowes and home depot).

Apparently NZ will be going into another lockdown next month so I want to be ready for that as well.

 

[user 7704]

Don't know where this should be posted, so here it is.

My ice maker must have put too much water in the tray and it froze the tray to the top and now the tray won't flip.

I took a hair drier and melted it until the tray moved and am waiting to see if it empties. Any other ideas? I have always had problems with it not making ice, but don't think this is related.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Installed a new Ham/CB antenna. I'm testing it tonight.

 

[user 7704]

It is pitiful, but I finally have a canner full of pints. 5 of green beans and 2 of okra. Some sites say okra for 15 minutes, but I don't care if it turns to mush

 

[Cindyd]

Given that my garden sucked to high heaven this year..(only got a few several quart size bags of green beans vacuum sealed out of it and a variety of tomatoes), a few squash..I went to farmers market last 2 weekends. Got quite a bit of Brussel sprouts, squash, peaches, apples, green beans, eggplant, carrots and vacuum sealed all in freezer. Peaches were georgia peaches and stopped at a riad side stand about 1 1/2 hours from here and got what they said were South Carolina peaches which were absolutely delicious, some orange blossom honey and black raspberry jam (only kind my mother will eat)..my watermelon went caput this year and I did buy a huge one for $7.00 bucks but we ate that sucker and it was very good! I can't find any good fresh corn yet this year for what I deem worth the asking price around here...I also got some pickling cucumbers and I have to make pickles this weekend before they get too old..

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

Got my Hydroponic growing frame yesterday will have to wait until I get back from BOL2 to put it together. Yes, I know you can DIY build them but, I wanted to see the good the bad and the ugly of the prebuilts before reverse engineering my own.

 

[Oddcaliber]

Finished up my goal of another 1k rounds of 45acp.

 

[user 7704]

Broke down an bought tomatoes. This year the boxes are smaller and the price is higher.

After dinner I decided to start canning chicken breast and making broth from the skin and bones.

Getting the chicken out of the way so I can start on tomatoes early in the morning.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

Started my standby Generator (hadn’t been started in a year).
Checked my charge on my carry with me battery jumpers. Similar to this.

Swear by these things. I even bought for my 20 something kids and they appreciate them.

 

[user 7704]

My husband stopped and bought 2 more cases of tomatoes on his way to the game. He must be taking this whole food shortage thing seriously. He hates tomatoes so he is doing it for the rest of us.

 

[user 7704]

I don't remember which thread, but last Fall I purchased new jars called Pur by Mason. I was asked to post how I liked them.

I prepped the same way as usual. Made sure both jars and water were same temp, but the bottom fell out off of one. There was not a temp difference and the jar was new new. Must have been a flawed jar.

 

[Amish Heart]

Someone else had posted on another forum I saw that the PUR lids didn't seal for them, but the jars were ok. Still picking tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers. And will for awhile, it looks like. Bought two bushels of green beans, and finished snapping them. Some for the freezer, some dehydrated, some freeze dried, some fresh. Bought a case of peaches we've been working through, and a case of blueberries. My favorite cousin and I butchered 25 meat chickens yesterday, and the meat is resting in ice chests in my kitchen right now. I'll start cutting down some of the whole chickens tomorrow, cook some for the freeze dryer, freeze some. Gave a cousin a bunch of hens to get his going (20), and filled the incubators up again.

 

[user 7704]

I'm tired. Been canning since 6:30 a.m. I'm old and broken down.

 

[Amish Heart]

I'm old and broken down today, too. By noon I did a full day's work (for me). And that's ok. You're doing more than most would do in a week.
Aleve is my friend.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I'm tired. Been canning since 6:30 a.m. I'm old and broken down.

Hoping you got a good nights rest! I’d say you outwork many women much younger!,

 

[user 7704]

Looks like more rain and storms today. Need to go pick beans early, before the rain. Give me more to can during the rain. It won't be over 5 or 6 pints, but that is better than nothing.

 

[user 7704]

Yay, have more KY Wonders than I thought. I have my day mapped out. Also have okra a squash I need to do something with. Husband is yelling that the freezer is too full.

 

[Digout]

Installed a new Ham/CB antenna. I'm testing it tonight.

How did it perform?

 

[Proud Prepper]

How did it perform?

It works ok, not as good as I hoped. I have trees all around me. It's only up 25' . I think I will raise it up to 40"

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Bought a bunch more seeds. Trying to purchase enough for family as well as neighbors. I was motivated after reading that seeds will be in lower supply next year, especially certain seeds. As we are aware, lower supply will equal higher prices. Yes, that will be in addition to whatever amount of bidenflation we have to cope with. Did some of my own research and called a couple of seed companies. Both acknowledged there will be a seed shortage.

STOCK UP!

 

[GaRp58]

Looks like more rain and storms today.

We got our first real rain since back in May today. It rain all day yesterday night, today and should go on for another 2 days....hoooray. We are still canning tomatos, pickles and getting the first leeks. Daughter, grandaughter and Son-in-law are here till Wed. and then we are alone again till middle of Sep. when my oldest friend and his wife, daughter and friend are coming for 10 days in the off-season.

 

[Mountain trapper]

We're getting ready to start heading home. Its dry and smokey again today. We'll probably stop along the the river in a couple places and cool off. It'll be another hot day.

 

[joel]

I rotate tin can goods, DW puts up fruits & vegetables in canning jars.
We have two freezers & are working deer season, even with venison still in one freezer.
It was a little dry this year, so the onions did not do as well as last year.

 

[user 7704]

I'm going to can poatoes for the first time. Have you seen the prices?

 

[joel]

I'm going to can poatoes for the first time. Have you seen the prices?

You can store them in a cool dark dry area & not have to can them.
If you have a yard grow them as soon as the ground can be worked, you can put up a open ead hoop house to protect them if you do not have a large container to grow them in. They freeze well too.

 

[Cindyd]

I couldn't believe we got grapes this year as the past 3 or so years they have all disappeared. So I'm making grape jelly today. I looked into the suggestion of canning potatoes and it appears I have to have a pressure canner, which I actually do not have. Couple weekends ago, I made dill pickles, only got 3 quarts and 3 pints. I think I'll make some more..they were actually very good. I have to travel about an hour to find the pickling cucumbers, so that will be next weekend. I think I may go out and get some more apples today and make more apple butter. I made a few test pint patches a few months ago and they have all been eaten.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I added a nice size solar generator to our preps this week. It is a backup to our installed solar and Generac. Just afraid an EMP will take down our installed solar and know we don’t have enough propane to keep the Generac going for a year or more. We have a new gas generator too. I see it as something to give to our neighbors to use.

 

[Cindyd]

A generac generator is on my list...

I started moving things around and getting rid of crap too, that I or we don't need to free up space to make more stock room. Had electricians come out and run electric to out building I have and put in a light and switch and some plug ins a few months ago. Got handy man to cut out and frame a spot and put in a window air unit. I'm using it for canned good storage. Need more shelving. Larry's nephew was here several weeks ago and asked me if that was my "She shed" with the tacky air unit sticking out like a sore thumb..I told him yes, no men allowed!
I ended up with 14 8 Oz. jars of grape jelly I made today. Kind of odd amount but that's the way it worked out with the amount of grapes I gathered. Not a huge amount but I'll take it.
You can tell I'm not too fancy! I slapped a date on the lids with a sharpie! If I get any more grapes this year, I'll put a nice label on the jars and give in a few Xmas gift baskets.