This weeks preps check-in

[Mountain trapper]

Right now I am not mobile. I require an electric outlet. I think it will take about a year before I can go the mobile / off grid route. The electric sharpening system makes too much noise to do inside a shop, as it would distract the shop's customers. I hope to find a couple of local stores that will let me set up outside their store, on a regular basis. My manual / hand process is okay for the sales events the wife goes to, as those have very limited sharpening opportunities. My manual system take between 15 and 30 minutes per knife, depending on the dullness of the knife. My prices are very low ($5.00 per item), so I need to be able to sharpen an item quickly. I may approach the shooting range I volunteer at, to see if I can't offer to sharpen items at the range. They have the space and a nice bit of daily foot traffic. Just one of many idea's.

Our local knife maker charges $20 per knife. I thought that was a little expensive. I had them sharpen one of my beaver skinners and a couple hatchets.

 

[user 7704]

When my husband had his restaurant, they had their knives sharpened I always thought the chefs stood there and did it for show.

 

[GaRp58]

We went and bought a corn shredder from 1974 today. The corn we collected last month was dry and still on the cob and we tried to shred it by HAND. After a while, I took a piece of wood and put about 30 screws in it so we could get the corn off the cobs. Too much work. The shredder works so: you turn a large flywheel by hand, put the corn into the top loader, the corn gets shreded off the cob, the corn falls into a box and the cob falls into another box. What falls around the whole workplace gets swept up later.
We got another 40 kilos of wheat and mixed the corn, wheat, rapeseed and oats together for the chicken food. I have to estimate the whole chicken food reserves at about 275 kilos (600 lbs.) if they get around the yard and can eat some grass and insects...we will do fine for half a year.
Got more sunflower oil and yeast. Gave a bit away to the sons family which was getting towards the date to be used. Flour, baking powder, yeast, sugar and paprica powder. His wife was happy.

 

[Dave2001]

I checked online and they were out of stock. They are supposed to notify me when one comes in. Did the same at Cabelas too.

Ill be at Cabelas this coming monday , ill check for you there

 

[EastenerWesterner]

@GaRp58 you inspired me to look around in my to restore pile. A sheller a little older than yours from the 1889 patent date I know there was a 1903 design from the company

 

[GaRp58]

OMG!! I was looking to buy one of those in the next town for about thirty bucks, till I found the big one that we bought on the other side of the Donau. Here is a video in you tube which is like the one I bought for only $12.00!!
Mine if from 1974 and the flywheel is built so that I can attach an electric motor to it with a fanbelt and not have to turn by hand...another advantage if the electricity ever goes out...HAND POWER.
Helena fed the sheller and I turned (donkey) and we shelled about 4 bushel baskets in just under an hour.

 

[Survivor_316]

I just received my great grandmother's antique curio today. I am getting ready to fill it with all of my jars of herbs. I am so excited to have our family heirloom and to be able to make good use of it!

 

[EastenerWesterner]

OMG!! I was looking to buy one of those in the next town for about thirty bucks, till I found the big one that we bought on the other side of the Donau. Here is a video in you tube which is like the one I bought for only $12.00!!
Mine if from 1974 and the flywheel is built so that I can attach an electric motor to it with a fanbelt and not have to turn by hand...another advantage if the electricity ever goes out...HAND POWER.
Helena fed the sheller and I turned (donkey) and we shelled about 4 bushel baskets in just under an hour.

I do believe I got my rust incrusted one for 10-15.
Found a restoration video that made it look easy enough.
My question to you- is yours painted or seasoned?

 

[Mountain trapper]

Next spring I'm going to plant some oats, wheat and barley. Maybe an acre or so. Does anyone know of a machine that will separate the grain from the chaff?

 

[Cindyd]

I have been spending the day printing off PDF's that I have downloaded from the net over time. Also, scouring this site for pdf's that have been shared and posted, for the ones I don't already have. I am printing them off to have paper copies for binders. Pretty sure I will need to get a replacement laser cartridge for my printer to finish some manuals which are hundreds of pages. I also have books that I have bought, so hoping to get all this stuff together with those.

Anyway, I have been meaning to get to this and today's the day. I have found a lot of good information from medical, tactical, security, heirloom seeds, gardening, baking, water, and on and on! Thanks to everyone who posts helpful information here to share!

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Boy did we all get off track during Christmas! LOL

Yesterday I cleaned up and rearranged all the feed stock in the barn. We then went and bought more chicken feed, scratch (which I’ve been feeding in bulk to the deer, geese and turkeys), DE and Timothy hay. Feeling really good about our supplies!

 

[Cindyd]

Larry picked up more chicken feed yesterday, I had plenty of scratch and we picked up some more hay last week. I did a bit of work for my job today even though I'm technically off til the 3rd. Larry sorted through, organized a large portion of our food stockpile and moved it to better storage place..he is now totally on board with preparing, so at least i dont have to argue with him anout that anymore. My son who normally orders and brings our bulk food orders from his work wholesale, is in Alaska working for the next at least 6 wks. I'm concentrating on completing our medical supplies, and other miscellaneous like adding to batteries, ammo, miscellaneous supplies and will look for deals on meat and other to start back canning this weekend. I haven't canned anything since October. I did order some of the TP tablets, morakniv (not fancy fixed blade companion knives X's 2), more paracord, more water filters and 3 liter water filtration bladder for bug out bags, although I'm hoping on not bugging out, but bugging in. Looking at everything done and still to do, feels a bit overwhelming right now

 

[Mountain trapper]

Larry picked up more chicken feed yesterday, I had plenty of scratch and we picked up some more hay last week. I did a bit of work for my job today even though I'm technically off til the 3rd. Larry sorted through, organized a large portion of our food stockpile and moved it to better storage place..he is now totally on board with preparing, so at least i dont have to argue with him anout that anymore. My son who normally orders and brings our bulk food orders from his work wholesale, is in Alaska working for the next at least 6 wks. I'm concentrating on completing our medical supplies, and other miscellaneous like adding to batteries, ammo, miscellaneous supplies and will look for deals on meat and other to start back canning this weekend. I haven't canned anything since October. I did order some of the TP tablets, morakniv (not fancy fixed blade companion knives X's 2), more paracord, more water filters and 3 liter water filtration bladder for bug out bags, although I'm hoping on not bugging out, but bugging in. Looking at everything done and still to do, feels a bit overwhelming right now

6 weeks? I took a consultant job for an oil company one time in Central Asia that was supposed to be for 6 weeks. Turned out to be 4 years.

 

[Cindyd]

Don't even say that out loud ACDude! Lol!

 

[Oddcaliber]

Filled a very large ammo can with 20 gauge buckshot and slugs. Need to sort out the 12 gauge next.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

Filled a very large ammo can with 20 gauge buckshot and slugs. Need to sort out the 12 gauge next.

Got one for the 16. Bought 2 on Black Friday, know it won’t fit all the 12

 

[Oddcaliber]

A customer who I worked on his car gave me 2 Coleman stoves. These are the big boys, the 413. One was sold through Sears and dated 73. The other from 72. Both look almost new with the box and papers that come with them. How good is that?

 

[GaRp58]

How good is that?

Priceless...

 

[Mountain Dragon]

I love my 413. Got mine from an flea market for 20.--, absolutly unused. The packing box was dusty, that's the reason why they sold cheap....

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

I have my portable stoves for hiking and camping (propane and butane and wood) some of them inherited from my father, circa 1970's but my favorite so far is this one. It is a little less portable because of the weight but, comes with a carrying case none the less. It is cast iron.

I like it because you cannot see the flame much once a pot is put on it. It uses both charcoal and wood.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

We spent the ½ the week and weekend at BOL2. Since we had weather in the 70’s it was a good time to do outside work.

We got some more done on the cabin. I pretty well finished off the bath/shower house and got the solar lighting set up on that, cut and stacked more firewood from trees downed in the last storm, did some general maintenance on the RV and reorganized supplies. Discovered some plant life that looks like truffles? Could be an income source if they are.

The closest neighbor once mentioned to us that he had actually taken a day to just sit and actually enjoy being at the property. That stuck with me…we never do that. It is always just work, work, work…so, we took off after 3pm on New Year’s day just to relax. It was needed.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

We spent the ½ the week and weekend at BOL2. Since we had weather in the 70’s it was a good time to do outside work.

We got some more done on the cabin. I pretty well finished off the bath/shower house and got the solar lighting set up on that, cut and stacked more firewood from trees downed in the last storm, did some general maintenance on the RV and reorganized supplies. Discovered some plant life that looks like truffles? Could be an income source if they are.

The closest neighbor once mentioned to us that he had actually taken a day to just sit and actually enjoy being at the property. That stuck with me…we never do that. It is always just work, work, work…so, we took off after 3pm on New Year’s day just to relax. It was needed.

@DirtDiva do you know anything about identifying truffles?

 

[GaRp58]

@DirtDiva do you know anything about identifying truffles?

Truffles only grow under certain trees and it is easy to recognise where they are. Under those trees where they
COULD be growing, you will see that there is little or no grass growing there. Good sign. Get some for your dog or friendly pig. Teach them to like truffles and they will find them for you. Good extra income, just like ginseng roots...

 

[user 7650]

No expendable cash this week since I have to buy a plane ticket. So I guess my prep is my workout routine.

So far this week I did a three mile run and a 2400 meter row on Monday and today I did weight training. Tomorrow is sprints. it still counts.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

Truffles only grow under certain trees and it is easy to recognise where they are. Under those trees where they
COULD be growing, you will see that there is little or no grass growing there. Good sign. Get some for your dog or friendly pig. Teach them to like truffles and they will find them for you. Good extra income, just like ginseng roots...

Got a book on North American truffles but, won't be here until tomorrow.

The largest producer of truffles is in North Carolina apparently, where they are cultivating them using Loblolly pines. I found ours under the Loblolly pines.

World’s Most Productive Truffle Orchard is in the US - Goodnet

Maybe pecan truffles?

Tried offering one to one of the dogs and he spit it out, so, not sure what these are, maybe "false truffles"?

 

[Survivor_316]

.
The closest neighbor once mentioned to us that he had actually taken a day to just sit and actually enjoy being at the property. That stuck with me…we never do that. It is always just work, work, work…so, we took off after 3pm on New Year’s day just to relax. It was needed.

It's good to just sit and "be" on your land to find all the microclimates present, too, I think.

Small wind breaks, recessions that accumulate cooler temps and fog, drier patches, the change in wind patterns over the season... they all help to plant things exactly where they will grow best.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

My youngest grandson has found truffle mushrooms around here. His father has taught him to mushroom hunt and he is darn good at it!

 

[dirtdiva]

@DirtDiva do you know anything about identifying truffles?

DD will admit to truffle ignorance! I forage for mushrooms, ginseng and various local fruit and wild edibles but never truffles!

 

[DrHenley]

One of the most overlooked prize mushrooms is the puffball. I've recently started paying more attention to them. My wife discovered a type of puffball I'd never heard of, which grows at the base of trees instead of in the grass like most puffballs. It also has a small stem. But I looked it up and it was a choice puffball.
Positive Identification? Slice one in half, and if it's solid white inside you are good to go.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

DD will admit to truffle ignorance! I forage for mushrooms, ginseng and various local fruit and wild edibles but never truffles!

Yes, same here. Grandma taught me mushrooms when I was little since we had a pine forest, but, truffles, we never hunted!