This weeks preps check-in

[Proud Prepper]

Can we do the same to RETIRED AND OLD POLITICIANS?????????
Just have to find the right person-circle to FEED THEM TO.....

No one's going to eat that! Not even starving cannibals!

 

[GaRp58]

No one's going to eat that! Not even starving cannibals!

Oh well, just a thought before we pollute our gardens with the "new fertiliser" made from "old fertiliser".
If you can it right, we could sell it to China as "new American SPAM": JUST NEED THE RIGHT CANNING...
Special
Political
American
Mulch....
SPAM.....

 

[GaRp58]

We did some foraging this week. Got some hazelnuts for energy food and lots of corn for the chickens to eat.
The combines did not do the best job harvesting the dried corn last week and we picked up about 200 lbs. of dried corn still on the cob. We are in the process of husking it and pulling the kernels off the cobs. We can grind it to cornmeal on the neighbors machine.
The hazelnuts will be baked on the woodburning stove till dry and then cracked and packed away. Baking or snacking, either way, free energy.
BAGS OF CORN STILL ON THE COB:

FIRST BAG OF PICKED CORN:

PILE OF HAZELNUTS:

 

[Survivor_316]

Came home today to learn my husband gave my kids a driving lesson and bought the oldest a small shotgun.

(My kids are nowhere close to driving age.)

I suppose I'll just take some deep breaths and try not to be a helicopter mom.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

Came home today to learn my husband gave my kids a driving lesson and bought the oldest a small shotgun.

(My kids are nowhere close to driving age.)

I suppose I'll just take some deep breaths and try not to be a helicopter mom.

If it makes you feel any better, I drove on a highway at age 7. Before seatbelt laws and all of that my uncle would set me on his lap (more like on the edge of the seat between his legs) and let me steer! These were country type roads...but, that was when I started to learn to drive.

 

[Survivor_316]

If it makes you feel any better, I drove on a highway at age 7. Before seatbelt laws and all of that my uncle would set me on his lap (more like on the edge of the seat between his legs) and let me steer! These were country type roads...but, that was when I started to learn to drive.

That does make me feel better! It was just on our property here.
I figure my husband's right. They need to learn just in case. It's just that they still seem like babies to me!

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

That does make me feel better! It was just on our property here.
I figure my husband's right. They need to learn just in case. It's just that they still seem like babies to me!

I guess he figured if I was old enough to cut a straight line in the grass with the lawn tractor...it was time. Then my dad used an old rototiller engine to make a wood go cart for us. I was about 9 then.

After that he bought a scooter that went about 50 and seated two. He taught us how to drive it and let us take it around our country block whenever we wanted. My brother and I would sometimes take it on the back roads to town in the summer and get ice cream with our allowance money. My mom had a fit. My dad just shrugged.

The way people tell it today, it is a wonder all of us didn't end up dead with all of the things we used to be allowed to do!

 

[Survivor_316]

I guess he figured if I was old enough to cut a straight line in the grass with the lawn tractor...it was time. Then my dad used an old rototiller engine to make a wood go cart for us. I was about 9 then.

After that he bought a scooter that went about 50 and seated two. He taught us how to drive it and let us take it around our country block whenever we wanted. My brother and I would sometimes take it on the back roads to town in the summer and get ice cream with our allowance money. My mom had a fit. My dad just shrugged.

The way people tell it today, it is a wonder all of us didn't end up dead with all of the things we used to be allowed to do!

Yeah, I suppose if you all made it, my kids should be ok.

 

[GaRp58]

Just now reading both of your stories, I rode minibikes at 12-13, motorcycle at 13, cars at 14 and we never had seatbelts or airbags, fell out of trees, off bridges, shot each other with BB guns and fired skyrockets at each other on the 4th of July... we shoulda been crippled and blind at 15. Jumping off houses and out of barns into hay or leaf piles, wrecking bicycles and throwing knives and hatchets...we did not have internet or sometimes a TV, so we just did what we did at spur of the moment. I was glad to see my son doing the same stuff at 14-15 that I was doing at 7-8...if my mother had only known........

 

[DrHenley]

Came home today to learn my husband gave my kids a driving lesson and bought the oldest a small shotgun.

(My kids are nowhere close to driving age.)

I suppose I'll just take some deep breaths and try not to be a helicopter mom.

Look at it this way Survivor, the earlier they learn to drive, the more "muscle memory" they will have, and the safer drivers they will be when they get their licenses and get on the road. Not just from lots of practice, but also, it won't be as big a thrill to start driving and maybe they won't do the foolish things *some* of us () did when we got turned loose on the roads.
I say encourage it, don't discourage it.

Same with shooting...

 

[Survivor_316]

Look at it this way Survivor, the earlier they learn to drive, the more "muscle memory" they will have, and the safer drivers they will be when they get their licenses and get on the road. Not just from lots of practice, but also, it won't be as big a thrill to start driving and maybe they won't do the foolish things *some* of us () did when we got turned loose on the roads.
I say encourage it, don't discourage it.

Same with shooting...

Good point!

 

[Proud Prepper]

I just ordered 10 each of these in hard red and hard white berries. They on sale, not bad, especially if you can't or don't want to pack your wheat for long term. They packed in a bucket for you, no buckets, bags or O2 packets to buy, just store them. I'm out of buckets and buckets have gone up, it's close to the same price without the work. It's real good tested grains. I bought them for friends and family for gifts.

Wheatland™ Hard White Wheat Berries • 25 lbs Bucket, Mylar Liner & Oxy Pack • Emergency Food Storage • Family Farmed in Utah/Idaho • 13.9% Protein •
Non-GMO • Lab Tested Chemical-Free • Premium Quality • Sproutable • 25 Year Shelf Life
$56.95 each, includes shipping.

 

[Cindyd]

I had a fairly light day today...got 7 pints sausage canned, which finished up what was in freezer of that, 5 more
Quarts of potatoes canned, 4 quart bags vacuumed sealed each of Brussel sprouts and baby PortaBella mushrooms, took inventory of all food I've canned and realize I've gotta kick things up! I'm going to try n stop working by 5pm this week each day, instead of going to 7pm..and get variety of dried beans canned, whatever meats are in freezer in freezer bags and can whatevercthst is, can more potatoes and hopefully the order of ground turkey n chicken will come in this week, and will can that, plan for more spaghetti sauce and tomatoe sauce this weekend (gotta order tomatoes). Oh yeah, and have pulled BBQ pork on my list to try n get to hopefully this week also...I MAY take off Thursday n Friday just to plan canning only days. If not,
I'll be happy if I can get 1/2 this list done...will be miracle if I get it all done, but we shall see. I did also get rice out of larger bags put into gallon mylar bags with absorbers in and am trying to get all my rice stash transitioned to myler bags, which is easy n pretty fast. I ordered a bunch of oxgen absorbers and variety of myler bags that came in Saturday, so working on that in between other. I did make large pot of chicken soup on side today also. Not much for today, but whew! what I still need to do!

 

[bill harrell]

Look at it this way Survivor, the earlier they learn to drive, the more "muscle memory" they will have, and the safer drivers they will be when they get their licenses and get on the road. Not just from lots of practice, but also, it won't be as big a thrill to start driving and maybe they won't do the foolish things *some* of us () did when we got turned loose on the roads.
I say encourage it, don't discourage it.

Same with shooting...

I have a friend I work with regularly who got pulled over and arrested for driving cross country somewhere in Arkansas as he was on his way to see his grandmother. He was 12 and they put him in an orphanage in little rock where he had to scrub the baseboards with a toothbrush to get supper. No joke. I verified the toothbrush part by meeting someone else who lived in the orphanage.
Also , the officer complimented him on his driving skills.

 

[Survivor_316]

I have a friend I work with regularly who got pulled over and arrested for driving cross country somewhere in Arkansas as he was on his way to see his grandmother. He was 12 and they put him in an orphanage in little rock where he had to scrub the baseboards with a toothbrush to get supper. No joke. I verified the toothbrush part by meeting someone else who lived in the orphanage.
Also , the officer complimented him on his driving skills.

Not helping, Bill. Not helping.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

This weeks preps were accomplished by my wife.
A hose that can fill 1lb propane cylinders from larger tanks. CA is banning throwaway tanks after 2023.
A counter top hand juicer for our citrus trees.
She is taking the process seriously.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I don't remember when I first started driving, but it was probably a tractor or feed truck first at a very young age. Silly things like government permission slips (aka licenses) didn't mean much to dad, and still doesn't to me. When cars came out with seat belts dad would cut them out of our vehicles. Any time we buy new vehicles the first thing I do is disconnect all of the safety buzzers and the day-time running lights. I know when to turn my lights on, and I'll decide if I want to wear a seat belt, which is seldom.

 

[Cindyd]

I guess I was a late bloomer. I was 14 and our uncle let us take turns in his toyota land cruiser stick shift, him in with us, my sister and I, and his daughter. We got to drive in what we called the "bottom" area where they lived in Ky. Even though, It took me 3 tries to get my driver's license at age18. I got married at age 18, and was the first chance I had to go for my license. First time out I backed straight into a power pole up on a curb..yep! And in sister n laws car. (No, I was not pregnant when I married at 18, just stupid)..lol

Both my boys rode dirt bike motorcycles in the mountains, ran bobcats and other equipment at age 12/13 and could drive a stick shift no problem..pretty much other equipment like chain saws, etc...they still have all their arms, fingers and legs...luckily!

 

[Cindyd]

I have less than 5 minutes left tonight til my pinto beans finish in canner! Yay! I stopped working at about 5:15, took care of chickens, visited briefly with mother, got back and put 7 quarts on tonight. Tomorrow it's Lima or great northern. Dried bean canning for next 3 days is my plan.

 

[Dave2001]

I don't remember when I first started driving, but it was probably a tractor or feed truck first at a very young age. Silly things like government permission slips (aka licenses) didn't mean much to dad, and still doesn't to me. When cars came out with seat belts dad would cut them out of our vehicles. Any time we buy new vehicles the first thing I do is disconnect all of the safety buzzers and the day-time running lights. I know when to turn my lights on, and I'll decide if I want to wear a seat belt, which is seldom.

I grew up around sawmills and logging operations, was driving loggers and lumber trucks at age 12 and working on our farm with large tractors, combines and cultivators, One day after we got out of school for summer break we went to mill to work and absolutely loved working there and on farm, Was NO video games or cell phones back then at all,
PS: worked on weekends too cleaning up around mills for monday work!!!

 

[GaRp58]

I grew up around sawmills and logging operations, was driving loggers and lumber trucks at age 12 and working on our farm with large tractors, combines and cultivators

Wow what a start in the work life. I can only remember mowing lawns, trimming trees and rototilling gardens, shining shoes and taking out the papers as a kid to make money. The big stuff came in the Army. Trucks and tractors and rockets up to 52 tons and then driving 20 states on a flatbed out of Houston and then a 57 1/2 foot drybox behind a '79 Freightliner. Driving 65 tons of wood in Sweden in a 26 meter long tractor trailer (80 feet) is a challenging experience to stay on the road in the curves also. My little experience on tractors and combines came with visiting my wifes family in Serbia who are all farmers and were happy to have some time off and let me drive when we had time there on "vacation"....

 

[Mountain trapper]

I grew up around sawmills and logging operations, was driving loggers and lumber trucks at age 12 and working on our farm with large tractors, combines and cultivators, One day after we got out of school for summer break we went to mill to work and absolutely loved working there and on farm, Was NO video games or cell phones back then at all,
PS: worked on weekends too cleaning up around mills for monday work!!!

When I was a kid dad would take me up the the logging camps around Oregon while he worked on equipment. I loved seeing the old skyline yarders pulling logs out of the canyons. Back then there were many one log truck loads. There were still logging trains in some areas, and on the Columbia River were huge log rafts being floated down river.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

When I was a kid dad would take me up the the logging camps around Oregon while he worked on equipment. I loved seeing the old skyline yarders pulling logs out of the canyons. Back then there were many one log truck loads. There were still logging trains in some areas, and on the Columbia River were huge log rafts being floated down river.

That is soooo cool!

We decided to cut out about 10-15 acres of the pine at BOL2. The previous owner did not thin on time and we found some bore beetle larva that were killing trees stressed by the drought and hot temps this summer.

We will have to take out several hundred trees to make room for usable pasture land (some healthy stands will be thinned and left). There will still be about 35 acres of pine left in need of thinning that will remain.

We want to save enough of the timber to build at least one log cabin there and haul a bunch to the nearby mill to make into boards and beams. Some of it will be too small or bug infested so it will be treated and turned into firewood.

With the drought, the price of high quality hay has gone crazy. It doubled our feeding costs.

 

[GaRp58]

Got me some extra super glue after seeing how many funny things you can do with it using baking powder and styrofoam to do repairs on almost everything....

 

[Mountain trapper]

That is soooo cool!

We decided to cut out about 10-15 acres of the pine at BOL2. The previous owner did not thin on time and we found some bore beetle larva that were killing trees stressed by the drought and hot temps this summer.

We will have to take out several hundred trees to make room for usable pasture land (some healthy stands will be thinned and left). There will still be about 35 acres of pine left in need of thinning that will remain.

We want to save enough of the timber to build at least one log cabin there and haul a bunch to the nearby mill to make into boards and beams. Some of it will be too small or bug infested so it will be treated and turned into firewood.

With the drought, the price of high quality hay has gone crazy. It doubled our feeding costs.

Have you thought about getting your own sawmill? With that much timber you can mill lumber for all of your needs and the rest locally. I've had two band mills over the years and never had to buy lumber. Made a good income selling custom cut lumber too.
Every fall and spring we thin out hundreds of trees, mostly small useless trees. We've finally had enough moisture to start burning the slash piles.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

Have you thought about getting your own sawmill? With that much timber you can mill lumber for all of your needs and the rest locally. I've had two band mills over the years and never had to buy lumber. Made a good income selling custom cut lumber too.
Every fall and spring we thin out hundreds of trees, mostly small useless trees. We've finally had enough moisture to start burning the slash piles.

Actually, yes. DH has been looking but, he has expensive taste in machinery, so we will have to save up for a while. Still trying to finish the house at BOL2

 

[Mountain trapper]

Actually, yes. DH has been looking but, he has expensive taste in machinery, so we will have to save up for a while. Still trying to finish the house at BOL2

My last mill was a Woodmizer with a 42 hp Kubota diesel. It was all hydraulic, log loader, turner, toe board, de-barker, laser sight and computer set works. It was well worth the money. When I sold it I got close to what I paid for it. Listen to Mr DH, sounds like he knows quality.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

My last mill was a Woodmizer with a 42 hp Kubota diesel. It was all hydraulic, log loader, turner, toe board, de-barker, laser sight and computer set works. It was well worth the money. When I sold it I got close to what I paid for it. Listen to Mr DH, sounds like he knows quality.

Was it portable? Given that we don't have the equipment to move the logs, like a grapple (we have a trolley and the rest is grunt work), it would be easier to mill in the area of the property we are cutting...

 

[Mountain trapper]

Was it portable? Given that we don't have the equipment to move the logs, like a grapple (we have a trolley and the rest is grunt work), it would be easier to mill in the area of the property we are cutting...

Yes it was portable. You can move pretty good size logs with a ATV, or a UTV, up to the loader on the mill and then just use a peavey to roll the logs on the loader. I used to have a loader with forks for the large logs, and a team of horses to move up to 24" diameter logs.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

Yes it was portable. You can move pretty good size logs with a ATV, or a UTV, up to the loader on the mill and then just use a peavey to roll the logs on the loader. I used to have a loader with forks for the large logs, and a team of horses to move up to 24" diameter logs.

My horses have hauled logs but, there are some places, I can't use them or the tractor like near the pond (we have two huge 36" diameter cypress that came down on the dam last spring....an excavator is on the list too.

I already mentioned what you said to him and he is watching the video and drooling. LOL