This weeks preps check-in

[Gazrok]

Though I have no flower child nor a daisy covered VW It does kindly sound like something out of the 60s.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme......

 

[jimLE]

i got me 2 lil oil lamps for $1.00 today..i figure they'll work great in the bathroom during a power outage..

 

[Dani]

I'm not much of a baker, but it's probably a good skill to learn if shtf. Right now I can just go to Walmart and buy a pie crust. I believe there's a good chance that won't be an option one day.

I think actual lard makes for a better pie crust myself. . . I like the fact that we use all that we can from the animals that get slaughtered and not just the meat. It only cost me some time and the energy it takes to render.

 

[jimLE]

i checked my chicken broth this morning,that i canned a few days ago.and it still looks good

 

[Warriorhealer22]

working on my first vegetable garden. I'm keeping notes to know what to do better next time! And, I found a Guide series 0 degree flannel lined back for $8 at Goodwill store

 

[jimLE]

good luck with the garden and book..

gonna be doing our primary shopping for the month today..in which i'll be be keeping a eye on things,that can be used as a prep untill i get my shopping done.then go from there on what to do,and not do..

 

[Brent S]

working on my first vegetable garden. I'm keeping notes to know what to do better next time! And, I found a Guide series 0 degree flannel lined back for $8 at Goodwill store

Be fore warned, gardening is addictive. I first just wanted a few fresh tomatoes, now I could do it full time!

 

[Maverick]

Since I had a bronchitis attack in 2012 because of the smoke house thus under doctor orders not to enter the smoke house and enforced by the Wife, we tore down the old smoke house and put in a more modern smoker. The dent is from a 14' log (choker broke) didn't hurt the inside, smoker will be tested this fall.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Got the trenches for the water lines dug yesterday. The straight run is to the garden site, the right line goes to the bee house. The building on top of the hill is the hay barn, just need to finish siding it. The new barn will be about 1/2 mile away near the house site.

 

[Gazrok]

nice trenches!

Dang Maverick, no shortage of wood there, eh?

 

[Mountain trapper]

Since I had a bronchitis attack in 2012 because of the smoke house thus under doctor orders not to enter the smoke house and enforced by the Wife, we tore down the old smoke house and put in a more modern smoker. The dent is from a 14' log (choker broke) didn't hurt the inside, smoker will be tested this fall.

View attachment 5727

Nice smoker. I have a Cookshack smoker about half the size of yours. Before Fall I hope to build a walk-in smoker.

 

[jimLE]

i finally started putting my pile of mulch into my garden..2-5 gallon buckets sure do come in handy at times like that.seeing how that allows me to get it done ,without messing up any crops..

 

[Maverick]

Dang Maverick, no shortage of wood there, eh?

Not as much wood there as you would think, roughly about 1 3/4 cords We cutting up more, the wood in the picture is for the smoker and fire pit. Generally I have around 11 cords of wood divided in three locations for heating and cooking.

 

[Maverick]

Nice smoker. I have a Cookshack smoker about half the size of yours. Before Fall I hope to build a walk-in smoker.

Be careful of the walk-ins, that's what got me in trouble after years of using the walk-ins. In any case I still prefer walk-ins

 

[Gazrok]

When I lived in Alaska, nearly everyone had a smoker, and you could smell salmon smoking most days...mmm....

 

[Dani]

Be careful of the walk-ins, that's what got me in trouble after years of using the walk-ins. In any case I still prefer walk-ins

The walk in kind is what hunny and I will eventually be putting in. . .We have it, just need to put in the pipe work now. One of those things he bought from the salvage yard and yet it sits still in progress. It would be nice to have when we slaughter the pigs for certain cause there is a lot of sausage to make up!

 

[Brent S]

Not as much wood there as you would think, roughly about 1 3/4 cords We cutting up more, the wood in the picture is for the smoker and fire pit. Generally I have around 11 cords of wood divided in three locations for heating and cooking.

I've often thought of how much wood and kindling would be needed without electricity. Not to mention having to cut and haul it all by hand. It's admirable how tough our ancestors were.

 

[Maverick]

I've often thought of how much wood and kindling would be needed without electricity. Not to mention having to cut and haul it all by hand. It's admirable how tough our ancestors were.

Normal times I go through about 5-6 cords a year, if we lost propane and electricity I would reduce the amount of wood burning and bundle up more thus not needing to heat the whole house. In reality I can live comfortable with 3-4 cords of wood given our stoves is far more efficient than a pit or open fire place of the past though I think our ancestors were far more conservative in wood usage thus as needed basis, even so that's a lot of wood cutting without the use of power tools. My dad and grandfather talked of bundling up more also most homes back in the day were built with the bedrooms just off the source of the heat (no hallways) such as the bedrooms right off the living room for easier heating during the winters. In my home I would close off the upstairs and use only downstairs if need be.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Normal times I go through about 5-6 cords a year, if we lost propane and electricity I would reduce the amount of wood burning and bundle up more thus not needing to heat the whole house. In reality I can live comfortable with 3-4 cords of wood given our stoves is far more efficient than a pit or open fire place of the past though I think our ancestors were far more conservative in wood usage thus as needed basis, even so that's a lot of wood cutting without the use of power tools. My dad and grandfather talked of bundling up more also most homes back in the day were built with the bedrooms just off the source of the heat (no hallways) such as the bedrooms right off the living room for easier heating during the winters. In my home I would close off the upstairs and use only downstairs if need be.

When I was a kid we heated with wood only. We cut all of our firewood with an old hand saw, kind of like a crosscut saw if I remember correctly. It was a lot of work cutting and splitting wood by hand, although at the time I didn't know any better way. It's just the way it was. I think I was around 13 before dad got a chainsaw. What a time saver that was! Of course we still split with a maul and wedge. Like the old saying goes, wood heats you twice, once when you cut it and again when you burn it.

 

[Maverick]

When I was a kid we heated with wood only. We cut all of our firewood with an old hand saw, kind of like a crosscut saw if I remember correctly. It was a lot of work cutting and splitting wood by hand, although at the time I didn't know any better way. It's just the way it was. I think I was around 13 before dad got a chainsaw. What a time saver that was! Of course we still split with a maul and wedge. Like the old saying goes, wood heats you twice, once when you cut it and again when you burn it.

I remember using the old cross cut saws and still have a few 4, 8 and 10 footers here, kids still like using the splitting mauls even though I have pneumatic splitter but I don't think the kids would like the cross cut saws. ya a lot of hours doing it all by hand.

 

[Brent S]

A good crosscut saw needs to be added to my list before long. I have an 8ft saw blade, with no handles, hanging on the wall for decoration. It might be able to be brought back to life, but is probably too long to be easily used by one person.
I did go out and buy several duplicate yard tools not long ago. I got a second axe, maul, shovels, hoes, rake, steel splitting wedges, and a cant hook. I'll keep on collecting stuff that can be used if we loose the grid, just a little at a time. Sometimes it's easy to take our way of life for granted, with all our luxuries, but if you look around the world, not everyone has it as easy as we do in the states.

 

[Gazrok]

I'm a big fan of redundancy.

This weekend, I hope to be able to knock out the doghouse. We're getting into the rainy season, so just in case he's out, and it starts raining, want him to have a place to go to stay dry. Now, he pretty much goes under the trees, and it works well, but would like him to have his own place, with a little dog bed, etc.

He's rarely out for long, but here in FL, storms can sneak up on us.

 

[Brent S]

I'm a big fan of redundancy.

This weekend, I hope to be able to knock out the doghouse. We're getting into the rainy season, so just in case he's out, and it starts raining, want him to have a place to go to stay dry. Now, he pretty much goes under the trees, and it works well, but would like him to have his own place, with a little dog bed, etc.

He's rarely out for long, but here in FL, storms can sneak up on us.

I built a really nice dog house and the stupid guys never go in it! During the winter I would close them in at night to keep warm together, so I think they thought they were being punished. Oh well, it works as a theft deterrent in the yard.

 

[jimLE]

well.right now,im rereading about water storage..and how to store it,etc,etc..i have quiet a few plastic bottles of dif sizes,saved up already.in which they range from 12 ounce in size.to 1 gallon in size..and yes.my mom thinks that im nuts for doing that..lol..but yet.some of the diff sizes has proven to be worth having during ppower outages.fridge n freezer stayed cold longer..

 

[Joe SA]

Fixing electric spaghetti.

Got this Yamaha Moto4 200 for about 230 $, started sorting out all its nicks and wiggles, got to the wiring and someone did a real hack job on it, now sorting it and fixing it, some of the components are shot, keeping my fingers crossed for the cdi unit.

 

[jimLE]

good luck with the yamaha..

 

[Brent S]

Yeah, that looks like a mess! I usually like a challenge though.

 

[Brent S]

I got a project today too. I brought home an aluminum car hauler trailer. It's an older unit, but I got a pretty good deal on it, so I don't mind doing some work with it. We bought a scissor lift for the electrical business, and needed a way to transport it. I'll post some Picts soon. Being able to repair stuff yourself is really just a part of prepping.

 

[jontte]

nothing big,but did a periscope for spotting things if you lay low.

 

[jimLE]

i like the periscope idea.seeing how a person don't have to stick out into plain view and get it shot off,in a bad n dangerous situation..