# Monthly Prep Thread, May 2008



## Guest (May 1, 2008)

These last couple of months have seen a major upswing in prep activity on the various boards that I read and/or post to. Most of it seems to be related to our slowly souring economy and commodities market follies along with some underlying concern and anxiety about the world situation that we've been coping with these last six or seven years now. All of these things together are heterodyning to nearly swamp the storage food industry to the point that some of the really popular products are now all but unobtainable. Feels like old times such as we haven't seen since the run-up to Y2K.

Prep-wise it's been a busy time at the Hagan household as well. The commodity market follies have convinced us to expand our storage of the longer shelf-lived foods such as grains. We've had over a year's worth for some time now, but as we are able to we're going to boost this to over two years. The foods that have shorter shelf-lives we can't do this with because we wouldn't be able to keep it properly rotated before it went bad and we're only willing to sacrifice so much stuff to free up more storage space anyways. But for foods such as grain wheat that we use literally every day that is hard to come by here in Florida we're expanding our buffer so that we can sit through the worst of the short-term market follies such as we've seen these last several months. 

Our tax refund came back earlier than we were expecting so we decided to use a portion of it for that purpose. Big runs to Sam's Club, the Walton Feed truck pool order, one to Penzey's, and some to the local grocery has brought us all back up to our normal levels of everything and the expanded areas as well. In a minor victory for us we've also finally kicked our diet soda habit in favor of coffee. This may be the motivation I need to finally try my hand at buying green beans and roasting my own. I've wanted to try this for the longest time, but just hadn't gotten around to it. 

Our prep surge is winding down now so that I can get back to agricultural pursuits and some home repair projects which is as it should be. We may have a cannery run this month but haven't gotten a confirmed date yet.

How's the prep month looking for you folks?

.....Alan.


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## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

I started my four days test of prep status this morning. No grid electric or rural water; however, I do have a small solar setup. My plan is to live as a real event occurred shutting down all grid electric that would include water. I will live solely off my preps and no trips anywhere for supplies. I think I am well prepared as I have been a heavy duty camper for years, including professional taught survival training.

I have powered my computer with solar as my laptop's battery was low (I will recharge later today) and run across my first little glitch. No siphon hose to get water out of the 6 gal containers. (I got what I need, but spilled maybe a quart in doing so.) That is what the test is for, to find short comings.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I learned about free frosting buckets from another HT member, in late March or early April. I have filled a number of these with a variety of foods, and showed my Mom when she and Dad came to visit. Last night she called with the very happy news that she had just scored 14 buckets! She is cleaning out Dad's old workshop and moving the tools out to the barn, where he can use them if he wants, but the workshop is being converted to a pantry. She went shopping yesterday and procured supplies to put in her buckets.

I have also been introducing new recipes to my family, using some of the items I store. Mostly recipes with beans, or rice, or pasta. I made some delicious Senate Bean Soup, and Boston Baked Beans!

I bought meat items that were on sale and cooked them up in my slow cooker, packed them in jars with their own wonderful juices and canned them in my pressure canner.

I found flats of canned veggies at my favorite restaraunt supply store and picked some up.


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

I accomplished my best prep to date this week: I talked to my sister and mom and they are wanting to start prepping. Can't get any better than that!


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

Im planting hay, and building a barn


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## ailsaek (Feb 7, 2007)

My peas are six inches high now, and I am planning to plant potatoes this afternoon. We had a frost last night, so DH is thinking he is going to have to replant corn in a week or two. FiL emailed me the other day asking me what kind of grain mill we bought, and if we liked it, so I sent him the link to Pleasant Hill Grain. I'm also preparing the mailing to the neighbors and plan layout for the town for my latest attempt to get permission to keep chickens.


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## wafflenut (Apr 30, 2008)

We are prepping for 16 people, 8 of which are kids, so the task seems monumental at times. As are most, we are in overdrive these days trying to get as much done as possible with limited time & prep funds. No where close to being as prepared as we should be yet, let alone comfortable with. So on we go, with preps on daily basis. 

Still buying and acquiring some free plastic buckets every week. Freezer constantly filled with flour, cornmeal, rice, beans/etc for putting up in them. My dehydrator runs around the clock. 

Scored 30+ more quart canning jars for .25 a piece, and they are waiting to be filled and processed. I can water bath can, but finally going to tackle my fear of putting up meats and get a pressure canner this month. Also MUST get our grinder/mill soon... been comparing and pricing them too long. Suddenly feeling like time is of the essence.

Started a wild yeast sourdough starter, using whole wheat flour and pineapple juice, but something went wrong. Started smelling "bad" sour, rather than a good "boozy" sour smell, so tossed it. Will start again this weekend, maybe with a different recipe.

Son and DH are currently refurbishing our old tiller to get it up and running again ASAP. We live on 1/2 acre lot only, roughly half of which we intend to devote to garden. Outside city limits, and thankfully we aren't restricted here (yet - they are working on it *sighs*) We have rabbits for meat should it be necessary. Just got ducklings last weekend for eggs/meat. And I love them. (not good, lol.) Hoping to get a small flock of chicks too, this week or next. Either Rhodes or Dominiques, maybe a mix. 

All in all we are doing semi-ok. So far have roughly 6 month supply long term storage, which we rotate, and a good 2 week short term supply of prepared foods and water.

But desperately trying to find some rain barrels locally. Coca Cola plant, which used to give them away, said they have no more... ?? I am assuming they have been bombarded with requests. Compelled to get rainwater collection system in place this month.

Learning new skills and retaining so much new knowledge seems to be the most time consuming task of all for me. Budget-wise, buying books takes second place to preps for the time being, so I've been scouring the web bookmarking the best info for printout. I did splurge and buy Cody Lundins latest book this past month though. Lots of good info in there, and I recommend it.

Keep up the good work all.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Learning to make home made pasta. Baking all of our own bread. Will finish getting the garden in this week-end.


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## mj1angier (Jan 3, 2006)

Incresed the garden this year. Got more canning jars and lids. Making most of our bread at home. Have put more rice and beans back, put in a tankless lp water heater, new flooring in kitchen, had some auto repairs done that I have put off.


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## virtualco (Feb 3, 2006)

Harvested the first peas of this season. Cooked them up and yummy! Only got about a cup though.

Steamed some carrots I planted March 2 and picked April 28, and the DW just thought they were just delicious. She gave the 'nod' to another 4' x 8' raised bed.


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## ailsaek (Feb 7, 2007)

I fail at potato planting (couldn't find the tiller), so I weeded my herb garden instead and looked it over to see what survived the winter. I have far too much artemisia and tansy, and they both are trying to take over, so I am thinking of ripping them both out. I'm thinking I could transplant my strawberries to where the artemisia is now, and plant some basil where the tansy is growing at present.

The sage and the lemon balm came through the winter just fine too, but they're behaving as they ought, so I'll leave them be.

I've currently got seedlings growing in a mini-greenhouse downstairs: five Amish Paste tomatoes, five Brown Berry tomatoes, and ten lavendar plants. I've also got five each of Fish peppers and some sort of basil or another that I am still hoping will come up. Luckily, our produce isn't dependent on my ability to sprout seeds or nurture them to adulthood, as we're also members of our local CSA. I got start canning last year, and I'm looking forward to doing a better job of it this year.


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## tn_junk (Nov 28, 2006)

Bought a water filter last month and this month plan on filling up the (10) 25 gallon carboys that I have with water. 
Also bought bunch of medical supplies last month.
About where I need to be on most everything else.

alan


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## treesonggal (May 4, 2006)

We're driving 30 miles south to Cadillac, MI. on Saturday to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the day we met!!!

We met in the parking lot at Walmart then went for a delicious chicken dinner to a small cafe so we're going to repeat the event.

Also going to a John Deere dealer, a discount bread store, Save-a-Lot, Walmart and Gordon Food Service. We're working on our two-year preps so the truck should be loaded down by the time we head for home.

We've loaded the truck with another pile of scrap iron, aluminum, etc. the scrap yard pays in cash which will be spent in Cadillac.

Made several calls today trying to scrore some free buckets. Most people thought we were NUTS and couldn't figure out why we wanted them - other than for "mixing paint or storing tools!!!"


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## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

Still cold and snowing in Idaho. 12deg. this am bought a greenhouse this year and have started cabbages and tomotaoes, broccoli and cauliflower. recv'd my tree order 20 fruit trees assorted varities they live in the greenhouse in pots burried int he soil until i can take them to my new place in KY. been working on my house getting it ready to sell. not much in the way of storage as i will have to move all of it 1800 miles and with a truck load now it's not looking good on the move.


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## mamagoose (Nov 28, 2003)

Just received my bulk supply of canning lids from Fillmore Container (enough to last 3 years at maximum put up I estimate) and Basic Butchering book by John J. Mettler, Jr., DVM. We've only done chickens, turkeys and deer. We bought electric tape wire to fence in our driveway area so the heifer calf can mow that and keep weaned from her mama, rather than eating precious hay. Bought a tarp and rope to serve as a rain collector, if needed. Thinking I need more. Bought an extra shovel last week and ordered a second swan neck hoe. Purchased 2 new pairs of muck boots and a bunch of new gloves.


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## Quiver0f10 (Jun 17, 2003)

I started an excel spread sheet today of what I want to stock up on and what I already have. I went through my storage area and organized it better. I did purchase a few things today to add to it.

I am getting a new grain mill next week and I am hoping to buy a non-electric also. Once our stimulus check arrives I am place a large grain order, which should take care of grains.

I feel like I am way behind of prepping and like I need to double time to be ready.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I made 12 pints of strawberry jam yesterday (ok, it was April 30) after visiting a farm grown stand. It could have jelled a little firmer, but it's ok. 

This month I'm making it a goal to do SOMETHING about our electric well pump. Either a hand pump, a solar system or windmill. But it keeps me awake at night thinking of a nice, reliable well I can't get to with the power off.

I've got our preps about the way I want them with staples - cornmeal, flour, sugar, oatmeal, beans, fruits and veggies, canned meats. And I've got our toiletries and personal items stocked - tp, meds, shampoo, cleaning items. So now I'll focus on comfort foods.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

We're using the no empty canning jars allowed policy, since grain is so expensive right now we are filling the canning jars with potatoes and rabbit. Dh brought home some buckets that we filled with dry corn and bags of coffee he bartered for.
Spring greens will be ready to can by the end of may. The canning jars will be filled with that then. i am shooting for around 100 quarts of canned mustard, spinich and chard this year. Hoping to can as much in green beans also.


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

Dug my first potatoes today for the year and they were so so good with homemade cornbread tonight. Will start canning them next week when they get a little bigger. Added 5 more cases of jars to the collection today.


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Made my first batch of home made jam. It came out well, but it's really too sweet to be used in sandwiches. So, it's ice cream topping! 

Switched my grandson to cotton diapers. No more stupid disposables cluttering up the house, the trash and the landfill.

Calculated how much dish soap I need to buy for 1 year for a family of 4. Can get 18 bottles for less than 20 bux and store it in the cabinet in the bathroom.

Picked up more ingredients for making laundry soap. I more box and I am in business. If it cleans as well as what I already have, I'm a convert. 

Fixed the broken cabinet shelf in the bathroom, sorted n listed what we need for first aid supplies for a year.

Prepared my shopping list for this week. Dry goods is the prep in rotation this week, so looking for a good way to store dog food.


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## ovendoctor (Jun 28, 2006)

had a hard freeze yesterday[22 degrees] the rhubarb took a beating but is ok
the forecast is for the low 40's at night for the the next 10 days

got the garden all planted tonight,everything looking good

DW said I can not use old tires for planting potatoes in
soooooooooo I used a old snowmobile track instead  
going to keep adding wood chips to the pile for the potatoes

the vacuumed packing of flour is working great with bags

picked up a bug out trailer last week in case things get really stupid and we have to leave in a hurry
fully self contained,90% 12volt system


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## farmermom4 (Feb 17, 2007)

Will be picking up our two butcher hogs from the processor this week, also got 20# of rice for an outrageous price from our local grocer. Since there was none to be found at Costco, Wally World and a larger grocer I felt lucky to get that. Have been transplanting seedlings to pots, some for our garden but most to sell. Need to plant my fruit and nut trees I have healed in a large tub in the basement, the weather has not been cooperating. Will be checking WWorld tomorrow to see how supplies are fairing.
Toni


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## Willowdale (Mar 19, 2007)

K-tec Kitchen Mill finally arrived. It's really solid and well constucted, fast, easy to use, small and stores well, and LOUD! They weren't kidding. It's like being on the flight deck of an air craft carrier. I'm going to keep some earplugs in the kitchen, no joke.

However, I'm very happy with it. I once had a hand operated grain mill that took forever to make enough flour for a loaf of bread.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Made cherry jam last weekend, have lots more puree to be made up this week. Also found a recipe for Chablis jelly that I'm going to try with some wine that is way too dry for me to enjoy drinking. Waste not, want not .

Going to town today to (hopefully) pick up an older pressure canner I saw in a shop. The freezer is making increasingly ominous noises, and I don't want to lose the meat that's in there! So I guess it's time for me to learn how to pressure can, huh. Always used a water bath canner before ..... we'll see if old dogs can learn new tricks after all.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Got my order of canning jar lids from Fillmore. Have been buying them every payday thru the winter to spread out the cost so have a large stash now. Bought a bunch of canning jars at Dollar General; just unloading them when I was there. Went thru all my stores looking for the "holes"...need to do a spice order to Penzey's. The dehydrated herbs from last summers' garden are holding up and all the herbs coming up good in the garden. Need to do a tolietries run. Our stimulus check isn't gonna be here until June 27 
darn that hubby with the 71 in his SS! We DID not buy rice....have plenty. Wonder how many did who rarely even eat it? I buy the cheapest to make my fat Corgi's food. DEE


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

Big Agriculture Field Days on this weekend and I kept some of last month's prep cash aside in anticipation of finding a few bargains.
Have purchased a few more 70 litre screw-top food-grade barrels. Each one can hold 60kg/130lb of rice, which is a 6 month supply for our family.


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## avandris (Jun 8, 2007)

Got a bulk order in yesterday. #100 more pounds of corn, #100 pounds white wheat, some diatomaceous earth for the chicken house, supplements and 5 more cases of 1/2 gallon canning jars. 
I saw many people picking up rice. All the places around us are completely sold out of the big bags. I had one person mention the rice purchases and continue on to say it was like Y2K and that she was not going to do that again. It was interesting. She said that there were at least twice as many people picking up things this month compared to last month. 

I also picked up a few more buckets at Ace yesterday. They were VERY low on white bucket inventory.


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## awayfrmitall (Apr 7, 2008)

I sealed & packed away:

1. 8 big boxes of dried milk from costco (35.2 lbs)
2. 25 lbs pinto beans
3. 25 lbs dried corn
4. 25 lbs green split peas
5. 25 lbs yellow split peas
6. 18 lbs dried oats
7. 35 lbs lentils
8. 50 lbs rice
9. 5 big vaccum sealed pkgs of yeast from costco (now in the freezer)
10. 6 big jars of grapevine leaves (family tradition of stuffed leaves for holidays... wouldn't be the same without them.)
11. Cooked up 10 lbs of hamburger for easy dinners & vaccum sealed. If the power goes out I'll quickly can them over a propane burner outside.
12. Got stocked up with various canned goods from the canned good outlet... evaporated milk, veggies, chicken soup, pasta sauce, canned meat etc. 
13. 25 lbs of white sugar.
14. 35 lbs of brown sugar
15. 50 lbs of white flour 
16. 1 gallon Mrs Butterworth's fake syrup
17. 3 quarts bottled lemon juice (the various canning recipes that I read called for this vs. real lemon that's fresh squeezed)
18. 5 lbs yellow corn meal
19. 5 gallons corn oil
20. 1/2 gallon real maple syrup
21. 4.5 lbs Minute instant rice
22. Vaccum sealed another 10 lbs hamburger
23. Vaccum sealed & froze 5 lbs of breakfast link sausage
24. 1- 6 lbs can of crisco
25. 2.5 gallons Molassas
26. 12 lbs honey
27. 2 pints real vanilla
28. 5 lbs vital wheat gluten
29. 1.25 lbs wheat germ
30. 40oz. Ground Golden Flax Seed
31. 12 dozen regular mouth canning jar lids
32. 12 dozen wide mouth canning jar lids
33. Had my ex hubby bring two huge moving boxes of my canning jars out of his parent's basement
34. 1 dozen lids & rings for regular canning jars
35. 1 dozen lids & rings for wide mouth canning jars
36. 2 lbs Great Northern Beans
37. 2 lbs Light red Kidney beans
38. 2 lbs Black Beans
40. 6 large 10 lbs cans of black beans from cash & carry for $2.00 clearance because they were mis-labled as Pinto Beans.
41. Foodsaver V2490BC vaccum sealer.
42. Scored a 16 qt. Presto Pressure canner out of my mom's basement. 
43. Got a new water-bath canner.

I know I got more stuff but I thought I would remember instead of keeping a spreadsheet... I should just admit that senility is hitting me at a young age and start writing everything down since trying to remember makes my head spin. :baby04:

~Jamie


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

picked up 2 more 20 lb. bags of rice -after SAMs had none at all in the store I went to another grocery store and they had tons of it. The young girl who was checking me out made a smart remark about "stocking up" on rice and "No one in America will ever starve it is non-sense to stock up" I almost gave her an earfull but decided to just say "really" and leave.


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## Amber (May 2, 2008)

I've always kept extras on hand, but am starting to get an actual supply of items on sale and such. I started an Excel spreadsheet to keep of everything, my goal amounts and the quantity on hand and the amount needed to meet the goal. I also went out and did some price checking today making sure I'm getting the lowest price. I think it's time to start keeping my price book again.

I'm also working on a complete list of things that I need/want to get.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Just got a few medicinal herbs to go in my herb garden. Feverfew, St John's Wort and Bee Balm. Researching their uses and how to prepare them.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Got the 22 qt pressure canner yesterday for $40 (an older Mirro - heavy as all get-out!). I think I'll go ahead and order a couple extra gaskets now, before I need them. Also picked up a new jar lifter since mine seems to have grown legs and walked off.

Most importantly (depending on how you look at it, I suppose), went to the courthouse and found out exactly where my property lines are. We're in a tiny town but neighbors on both sides are trying to claim bits of our yard - unofficially and not _too_ very much, but annoying as all hell. (When you only have 2/3rds of an acre, every bit counts!!!) Now I'm armed with aerial views as well as plats to show them once and for all. And I also know how much fence I'll need since it includes the footage .


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

Moving. YUCK!!! So canned the remaining 21 chickens in my freezer. Sure wish I had thought to inventory everything as I went. DUH!!!


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## shellycoley (Mar 6, 2003)

We went to a you-pick strawberry farm this morning. I made a dozen 1/2 pints of jam, froze a gallon and shared quite a few. There's still a huge bowl in the fridge too.
Also planted straight neck and zuccini squash, and corn this evening.
Shelly


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## pickapeppa (Jan 1, 2005)

I'm coming down with 'something', so puttered around doing yardwork - preparing an area for a chicken run, finished zipping up the coop against predators. We also planned and replanned our planting strategy which increases the amount of our most used veggies - hopefully yielding enough to get us through until next year. 

Planted about half of the starts I've been waiting to get into the ground, of the cold sow varieties. 

I also ordered some fruit varieties from the national germplasm repository, and will be receiving cuttings and seeds throughout the year.

Did some stock-up shopping while at the store this weekend. This week will be focused on reorganizing the storage areas and sealing up some beans and grains.

Received the mushroom spawn in the mail last week, so will be getting that sealed into logs next week, and will be receiving a couple of big club orders next week as well.

Guess I have been busy prepping. I just didn't realize it until posting it here.


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## Guest (May 6, 2008)

In the kinda-sorta prep area we ordered a coffee mill. It's only a kinda-sorta because it's an electric mill, but we're hoping it will also serve as a spice grinder as well.

Since we kicked the diet soda habit our coffee consumption has gone up (we expected this). The wife uses this French press thing that wants a finer grind than our heavy duty blender will make which is what I've been using for our regular house coffee. I've been wanting a good quality manual coffee mill for some time but it seems that Zassenhaus is as good as it gets for modern made manual mills and I just don't like them. I reckon I'll set one of the Coronas up and see if we can get a consistently fine enough grind from it to serve.

In the for-real prep category I got the entire warm season vegetable garden planted last weekend.

.....Alan.


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## foaly (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks to the wonderful Oklahoma weather, I lost most of my tomato plants during a big hail storm last week. It's too late to start with seeds again so I had to unhappily go to the nursery and bought some hybrid plants. Keeping fingers crossed that they make it and produce something.


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## ai731 (Sep 11, 2007)

Bought 10 oz of silver today in the shape of Silver Maples, just to see how the process works. It was easy, and the teller at the Precious Metals counter at the bank treated it as a completely routine transaction - I guess that's one advantage of living in a big metropolitan city. 

While I was in the city centre, I also bought 5 doz. canning lids and 4 pairs of wool socks. Anyone who went through my bag would have pegged me as a survivalist nutjob for sure!


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Foaly, if you have any tomato plants left you can take cutting once they are big enough and root the cuttings. They will produce a lot sooner than seedlings.


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## foaly (Jan 14, 2008)

Cyngbaeld--

Thanks for the tip. Most of my small tomato plants literally got sucked out of the pots and blown who knows where. I will remember this for the next time it happens


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Just finished getting our garden in. Butchered our first rooster and prepared him with only things we had on hand. Turned out pretty good.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Got half the tomatoes planted--big storms predicted for the rest of the week so didn't wanna put them all at risk but rain water just seems to grow them overnight and electric storms even more so. Grew 10 different kinds this year. All the new herb plants in. Really try to grow and dehydrate enough for the whole year and looks like I achieved that this year. Peppers,hot/mild/roasting still need to go out but I like to wait until it is really warm at nite. Peas blossoming,regular and snow type. When they are done they'll get pulled and more green beans will go in there. There is never any empty room in my raised beds....leeks planted between the cabbages,onions planted between the lilies--it confuses the bugs!!!! Flowers at the end of each row.
DH built four new benches for the greenhouse and son is building me clotheslines,yipee. All from lumber we had stored and two cedar posts from trees son cut in woods...frugal! We have taken to shopping at home first; amazing what wealth we have in our stuffed 30x40' pole barn! 
Waiting on order of bottles to get some honey ready for sale May 20th;friends raise pastured poultry and that is the 1st pickup date. People who buy 20 chickens at a time are in the right mind set for buying 5# jugs of honey! And they snatch our eggs up like gold. If feed weren't so high we'd expand the flock.
Ordered a bunch of medicinal herb seeds to start now that the greenhouse is a little emptier. Want to study more about this subject. DEE


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I did a lot of garage saling over the weekend but did not find any canning jars. At church Sunday a single father who just moved into a different house told me he has a basement full of canning jars. I intend to help him clean them out!!! I'm going to go see what he has then offer him a fair price. Auction price would be $1 for 1Â½ to 2 dozen jars. I'll offer $1 a dozen.


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## Guest (May 7, 2008)

Penzeys order came in as well as the coffee mill. Got some more vac-sealing to do this weekend now.

.....Alan.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I got 15 pounds of apples for $4.50 at our Bi-Lo supermarket. Dried 10 pounds of apples over the last two days. The last five pounds will be chopped and frozen.

Vac sealed 6 bags of candy (Skittles, Tootsie Rolls, peanutbutter cups, Starburst) and hid them safely away from small eyes.

Received the lye I ordered online (none of the hardware stores around here carry it - too many meth factories evidently), and plan to make soap this week.

Opened one jar of canned butter I made a month ago. It was solid, but grainy, and tasted great melted on bread and mixed in with peas for dinner. I've canned a total of 12 pounds of butter in pint jars.

Checked on the waxed cheddar cheese, and it's still doing fine. We had to eat the Swiss because it didn't keep the wax seal intact.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

I noticed last night at Wal-Mart that canola and corn oil have gone up to ~$3.50 a bottle but "vegetable" (soy) oil is still at $2.58. Guess which I bought to have on hand - even though I prefer canola IF I use any liq oil other than olive.

Other odd notes: Mackeral holds at 0.88/can but there's NONE on the shelf. Canned tuna prices are on the way up. Bread prices are inching upwards. Store shelves of toilet paper are routinely empty _except for_ the more expensive brands and huge multi-packs.

Whilst cleaning at the old house a couple days ago, I found a small jar that still held a couple handfulls of adjuki beans. Dunno why they didn't make the move with us eight years ago (fell out of a box and landed just right so didn't break :shrug:?), but I figure they're still dry, etc. and plan to try growing them this year. Who knows, might work!


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

We went to Costco last week & stocked up on tp, some white flour, and other various items. They did not have ANY rice or beans. I wanted beans! Walmarts shelves were full again, which was nice. Scored some buckets at Walmart! Received Alison's Pantry order this past Tuesday and guess what?! I actually received my wheat order! Was not expecting it. Had just ordered it anyway to see if it would come in. (It was shipped in from Canada instead of Honeyville grain) No one else got theirs though. Also got 6 grain, 9 grain, cornmeal, oatmeal and yeast. I am going to make up some granola next week. My plants are STILL waiting to go into the ground. Hoping to score a tiller tomorrow. Was cold here last night. Only 42 right now. Maybe by June it will warm up? I hope.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

FalconDance said:


> I noticed last night at Wal-Mart that canola and corn oil have gone up to ~$3.50 a bottle but "vegetable" (soy) oil is still at $2.58. Guess which I bought to have on hand - even though I prefer canola IF I use any liq oil other than olive.


Just FYI -- You can find 48 oz bottles of canola oil at Dollar General for $2.75. I've been buying a bottle nearly every time I go in. Don't know how long it will stay that price.


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

How do you all store what you buy other than in buckets? Like toothpaste, alcohol & peroxide and such? I cleaned out my closets today and organized them. My friend who sells Avon had given me a bunch of boxes, so I put all of that kind of stuff in them. They stack well and are pretty sturdy. Then I made a list on an index card of what number the box was and what was in it and taped it to the side of the closet. (I did also put a label on the box.) At least I can keep track of what I have now. This counts as preparedness too, I think!


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## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

Havent done much in the way of prepping I hope to be moving soon to where?? i dunno Idaho or Ky so dont want to have to move a bunch of things. But i have planted a bunch of starts and waiting for it to stay a decent temp in my greenhouse to move my babies outside. Bought a spaceheater and it seems to be working fairly well, had to duct tape the windows shut the cold air blows in at night. raised the temp 8 degrees so that helped. Planted a BUNCH of starts and am trying to extend the garden as much as possible this year. will dehydrate most of the food for my storage. canning jars are heavier and more apt to break in a move.


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## MoGrrrl (Jan 19, 2007)

I organized our canned goods and canning jars a little bit better this morning. We have more empties than I thought. I guess that's a good thing; I hate so spend money on canning jars. But there is less food than I remembered.

A Costco trip is also in order today. Maybe get some sugar and honey.

We're going to visit the CSA tomorrow. We always get enough for the fridge and something for the freezer.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

One of the hens decided to help with preps and presented me with 10 babies this morning! LOL More meat and eggs coming up!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Amongst other practical goods, 4 doz canning jars at an Amish auction for $6 total (3 doz wide mouth qts, doz pints) and another large reservoir oil lamp, bringing the total to 4 usable and two antiques I'd rather not use unless necessary (they were my great great grandma's). Fun stuff included a canopy to put in front of our big canvas tent when camping (we used a tarp last year when it was so windy and wet), a portable magnet roller (we're re-roofing, so handy!) and 104' of 6' tall privacy fence. No place near enough fence, mind you, but it's a start. Oh, and a purple martin house .

Yes, I consider it all prepping materials for one reason or another. 

Day old ducklings were going for $6 each!  Crazy people! Orschelen's has them for $4.35.


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## Willowdale (Mar 19, 2007)

Finally got around to swapping the overpressure valve on my All American canner for the stem and weight. Took me, oh, three minutes. 

Repaired two bikes, so I can start riding to work next week. Save on gas, get in better shape, and not reliant on the car in a pinch.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

Got some surplus metal ammo boxes at Princess Auto yesterday. 2 120mm mortar round boxes off the clearance rack, gonna mount them on the two tractors that don't have chain lockers so I don't have chains rattling around under my feet. And 6 9mm boxes to put on equipment for carrying spare parts around. Finally got planting today and got 75 acres of corn in before the bugs drove me off the tractor.


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

That's an awsome amount of stuff to have done in a week, Jamie.
How long would the beans/split peas/lentils last you, at your normal consumption rate?


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

went to Sams today, only go about 3 times a year. 

#100 lbs of sugar
4 boxes of tea
kitty litter


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## Henry (Mar 1, 2006)

I heard that all chainsaws will be EPA-ed to death after 2010. So decided to buy a couple of Husky 346ne to be sure I had a good saw for the next 20 years. We have crosscuts, bow saws etc but we do rely on the chainsaw now and will have fuel for them long after the price or availability stops us from driving.
On another note we harvested left over carrots this week. We always leave about a hundred pounds in the ground besides what we put in the root cellar. You should know that our snow is 30' deep and has just left the open fields. If the snow is deep enough before the cold hits they do very well. Some years the cold hits early and we loose them. I say we loose 1 in 5 years not a bad average. Right now they are firmer [say real crispy] than the root cellar carrots but have a little less taste. Just thought some northern prepers might want to know about the carrots.


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

We just got back from a road trip to visit friends and relatives in NW Arkansas, NE Oklahoma, southern OK and northern TX. On the way out AND back, we stopped at War Eagle mill near Rogers, AR. Brought back 50 lbs of white wheat, 50 lbs of corn, 25 lbs of unbleached flour, 10 lbs of buckwheat flour, 5 lbs of oat bran. I love that place.

Now, I have spent most of today studying Alan's instructions for storage, (finally broke down and printed the entire thing). We're in good shape regarding food grade plastic buckets with gasketed lids, but remain unsure of exactly what requires mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, vacuum packing... So much to learn.


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## avandris (Jun 8, 2007)

My name came up on the waiting list at the grain inspection office and I went and picked up 300lbs of uncleaned wheat(for the chickens) and 50lbs of cleaned wheat(human grade) for 7 cents a pound. Yep, I said seven cents. Since it was near Costco I went and picked up a few things there too. It was a productive day.


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

Avandris, you going to clean any of that chicken grade wheat to food grade?
When I found that food grade is not sold in bulk in our area, the Wheat Board suggested that I get the wheat from an animal feed store, and clean it myself. I was told that the difference is chicken grade is blow-cleaned twice to remove the chaff, etc., whereas food grade is blown three times.

ETA: Just had a look at the thread headed "Results of 15-year old food storage on Youtube". Confirms what I'd been told about the difference between food and animal grade wheat. (Good info on that video btw.)


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## avandris (Jun 8, 2007)

I sure am going to clean it for us. The chicken will get some sprouted or cracked next winter, but I will clean it for us if we need it. I am still on the list so hopefully I will get called to pick up more. 

Check out the closest grain elevators where they inspect the wheat/corn/etc to see if you can get some of the grain that they use for inspection.


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## pickapeppa (Jan 1, 2005)

Picked up my food club order today - for a mix of short and long term storage (mostly short term).

Our club ordered a total of $1200 worth of supplies, and only $800 were delivered. The rest were out of stock.

The driver had no clue what was going on and why they're so out of supplies.

The next order comes in next week. We'll see how much of it ends up delivered.

They (the club that delivered today) finally got their shipment of wheat in. When I checked my order last week, they still had 180 25 lb bags of hard white wheat in inventory. When I checked my invoice last night, they weren't delivering any, saying it was out of stock.

The only wheat that is available is organic ($1/lb), and they have 8 50 lb bags, no 25 lb bags. That will be gone by next week, or even sooner.


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## ailsaek (Feb 7, 2007)

My first chicks arrived yesterday - twelve straight-run Blue-laced red Wyandottes and Silver-pencilled Wyandottes.


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## wantabunch (Jan 7, 2008)

Got some stuff sealed up into #10 cans today - 50 lbs rice, 50 lbs flour, 75 lbs oats. Parents & sister did some too. This evening I'm going to plant out my garden starts. Never started stuff indoors by seed before, learned a few things, namely START SOONER! Oh well, next year I'll know better and start things a month earlier. (beginning/middle of Feb). Noticed one of my water containers has developed a crack. Need to replace that.


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

I stopped by WalMart to see if I could get some buckets from the bakery. The lady behind the counter told me that they are no longer allowed to give away or even sell the buckets, because WalMart is taking part in a recycling program!:grump:


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

I'm supposed to go pick up 15 (or, really, as many as I want up to about 50) 5 gal buckets tomorrow for $2 each. A guy in a nearby city says he gets a reliable 70 or so per week. They're former pickle or bbq sauce buckets, but I have so many uses waiting for buckets, that won't matter!


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

Luckily the Aunt of a friend owns a restaurant, and she saves her pickle buckets for me. No lids though.


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

MisFitFarm said:


> Luckily the Aunt of a friend owns a restaurant, and she saves her pickle buckets for me. No lids though.


I have seen the lids at lowes and larger walmarts


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

16-5 gal buckets with lids now grace our household. They come from a bbq restaurant (and the smell home drove me nuts it was so yummy! We plan to eat there sometime soon.) that rinses them and sells every one they get for $2 each. 

Get this: the management/crew asked the suppliers (these are pickle and bbq sauce buckets) if they returned the buckets for a discount or whatever. They were told to just throw them away.  They then asked the upper management what to do since they all agreed that was utterly stupid and wasteful. UM said they didn't care, really. So they rinse out between 30 and 70 buckets a week and sell them. The manager said the vast majority of people use them for container gardening (I was the only one she knew of planning to use them to store dry goods mostly). I guess that makes sense in a small city where land is at a premium.

A few of these are going to be brew buckets .


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

I canned 12 lbs of butter last night in 1/2 pint jars. Its so pretty! But it was a pain to shake all those little jars as they cooled. I was pleased with the outcome and will do more if I can match the $1.65 per lb price again.

I have strawberries ready to jell, it should be enough for 10 more pints of low sugar(made with apple juice) jelly. And I'm picking wild blackberries everyday to make more jelly. Dh said he thought he found a gooseberry bush on the place - what do I do with gooseberries?

We eat kale with maple sausage and onion cooked in - has anyone ever canned that? I'm going to try it tomorrow with the extra kale. I don't really have any room left in the freezer, and we are raising 3 pigs this year too that will have to go somewhere eventually.

I got some peanuts to plant in the garden. We are planting a lot this year that is new for us or that neither of us has grown since we were kids at home. New for us is sweet potatoes, sunflowers, dent corn, and peanuts. Add to that more purplehull peas than we've ever planted before and all the regulars.

I got a couple of more free 5 gal buckets from the bakery.

And talked to my dh about setting up the well for use in case we have no electric. He's coming around.:clap:

Halo


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

So far this month:
I have 12 jars of strawberry jam put up, 6 jars of pickled eggs, I canned up about 2 gal of leftover whey in pints/quarts (ok, call me crazy, but it is liquid and if water is in short supply it will work for making bread/rice/soup/etc) 
Learned to make cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta. and it is turning out good so far! Next will be canning whatever is possible of those cheeses - oh and I will learn a homemade velveeta soon too, and it will be canned.

Must butcher a goat tomorrow, she got bred and I didn't want her that way, she was slated to go into jars anyway, may as well get it done.

Had $600 worth of supplies delivered last week, lumber for the house addition and 4 rolls of fence/t-posts. Got 100' of fence up tonight after rain storms.

Have mangle beet seeds out for goat feed, lots of peppers, tomatoes, onion, lettuce doing well, and much more to get out asap. Tiller is down, so we are doing it the old fashioned way, with shovels, hoes, picks... *[email protected]!*

I got my hand operated grinder finally installed and working. Got impatient for my Walton order and ordered wheat, rice and more from Wheat Montana and Something Better. Most of it is already here. Got 16 oz of double strength vanilla, vanilla beans, and 20 pounds of sea salt last week.

I need to start finding some buckets, I have lots of 5 gal paint buckets, but am a bit hesitant to put long term food storage in it.

All seems to be going well. Maybe we need to put our hand pump on the well for the no electric days... need to talk with DH about that.

That is about it so far. Hopefully next week will have all the garden done.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Mama J, several years ago all I had was 5 gal buckets that originally held paint and/or sheetrock plaster. I scraped and cleaned them out as best as I could (ie, took a long time but those things nearly sparkled when I got done!) and they worked perfectly fine for storing sugar, dry milk, flour, beans. I realize they weren't designed to be food safe, but they were very sturdy and what I had. So, it _can_ be done if you're careful.

Still trying to find a source of milk here. My goat won't be bred until fall, but I sure would like cheese and butter now! There's a local family who sometimes has extra milk (but I don't know if I want the weekly visit from them trying to save my soul even though they're a very nice couple).


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## Guest (May 15, 2008)

My wife decided she wanted her own Dutch Oven lid lifter so since we were ordering from Lehman's anyway I bought a glass washboard. Another just-in-case prep I hope I never have to use! {laughing}

.....Alan.


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

Got a few thimbles Alan? You could learn to play that washboard.
When I was a lad, the local get-together often had a group of 'musicians(?)' playing the spoons, washboard, tea-chest bass, and lagerphone, all clustered around the piano in the hotel dining room. Then television arrived..........


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Well Falcon, I think I may just employee those buckets! they have been serving as water buckets for awhile, I bet a good scrub and stuff kept in bags inside the buckets and it will work, don't you?
I really need to find another storage place in this house, but it was too small to begin with! 

Wish you were closer! I have so much milk, I would share with you! (and I promise no preaching!) lol!


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

Kmac15 said:


> I have seen the lids at lowes and larger walmarts


Thanks! I'll look next time I go.

I scored four more pf the 2.5 pound bags of rice at Dollar Store last night, for $1.00 each. They had six, but I only took four, I didn't want to be greedy! But, if they are there the next time I go in, I'm snagging them, fair only goes so far!


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## Traci Ann (Jun 27, 2005)

Got my co op order in. 2 more bags of brown rice. But I stocked up on our soap and shampoo - with 4 each of shampoo and conditioner and 2 gal of Dr Bronners for hand washing in the foam dispenser - It lasts about a year per gallon.

I have my grain order coming in the next week - more spelt, kamut and rye. Also whole corn for cornmeal and grits.

I also bought another 50 lb bag of raw sugar. So I have about 80lbs now. I will order another in 2 weeks when I buy canning jars.

My in laws bought us one of those mantis tillers. So this weekend when they bring it down we will be rippin' up some soil. Better late than not at all. I have about 50 plants that need to get in the ground - toms, cukes, peppers, squash.

Lookin to get a couple of pigs this month, but no luck yet. I did get 13 more baby chicks as part of a surprise hatch!! We brought 10 in and left her to raise the other 3.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

well, I got in 25# of oats today, a huge can of lecithin, and 2 pounds of very expensive wild rice (I just love that stuff!)
Need to get up and get some stuff in the garden.
Traci Ann, your gonna love that mantis tiller! I used mine till it died, and cannot convince DH to buy another one! :Bawling:


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

Traci Ann - I agree with MamaJohnson on the tiller - you'll love the little Mantis. I wore one out years ago when I had garden beds built. I'd love to have another, my dh , however, is somewhat enamored of big machines. Our tractor is too big for me to climb up on without a crate, and the tiller is too much for me to handle too. A 6 foot 2 somebody just doesn't look at machines the same way a 5 foot 2 somebody does!

Halo


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## Traci Ann (Jun 27, 2005)

Thanks Ladies!! I am SO excited!! My plants should be just as excited!! LOL! I am 5'9" but each year I feel about 10 years older!! My son and daughter are also excited about the tiller!!

I ordered 50 lbs more of 7 grain today and should get my baking soda and powder in next week! About 10 lbs of each!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

HaloHead said:


> I'd love to have another, my dh , however, is somewhat enamored of big machines. ........... A 6 foot 2 somebody just doesn't look at machines the same way a 5 foot 2 somebody does!
> 
> Halo



Oh my oh my! this sounds just like my situation!
Halo, I think we need to get together and protest!!!!


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

mamajohnson said:


> Oh my oh my! this sounds just like my situation!
> Halo, I think we need to get together and protest!!!!


Before we start organizing, I want to remind you that we are the '5 foot 2 somebodys' not the '6 foot 2 somebodys', so our protest results might reflect that!

Halo


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## gideonprime (Oct 17, 2007)

Canned a about a dozen pints of Loquat preserves.

Have started harvesting tomatoes and greenbeans as well. Been too busy eating them to put any away for storage


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

HaloHead said:


> Before we start organizing, I want to remind you that we are the '5 foot 2 somebodys' not the '6 foot 2 somebodys', so our protest results might reflect that!
> 
> Halo


ROFL! oh yeah, that is why my protests have fallen on deaf ears.... that and the added excuse he IS deaf! rofl!

And on the prepping front....
Got a goat butchered this morning... now I'm headed back to the kitchen to get the old girl in a few jars and make some sausage!!! woohoo!!!!
(DH did agree to build another closet to accommodate my storage needs!!!) :happy:


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## Traci Ann (Jun 27, 2005)

Got the tiller!! WOOHOO!!! And do I ever love it!!

Got the blueberries planted - 3 more bushes!

Got a son that got a GREAT start on the garden!! He is just 13 and SO excited to help with this!


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## avandris (Jun 8, 2007)

I bought 15 raspberry plants for $8 today. I have half of them planted. I will do the others tomorrow. My darn sunburn got the best of me today. I need to remember not to just put sunscreen on the kids, but on me too. 

We also were able to borrow a tiller and have some sod broken, but I think I want to dig the sod off first and then till. The person we borrowed it from showed us how to use it by tilling up the sod, but I don't like the grass in the tilled soil.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Planted more garden this week. Will do more tomorrow and buy tomato, cabbage & pepper plants next week. I have sweet potatoes stems rooting in water so hopefully will have them in the ground by the middle the week. Continuing to eat out of the freezer so have saved $'s on groceries. I hope to get it cleaned out so I can defrost in another few weeks before I start filling it again. Right now I'm saving as much as I can and plan to stock up on wheat when prices drop which I'm counting on as wheat futures have dropped. I also want to stock up on meat to can which will require a lot of $'s.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Traci Ann said:


> Got a son that got a GREAT start on the garden!! He is just 13 and SO excited to help with this!


You have a jewel there! Keep him home as long as possible!! lol!
I have two that would work at anything for me in a heart beat (and one of those went and got old enough to move out and get married dang it!), and one I have to beat to get any work out of. 

So hang on to that sweetie as long as you can!


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Tilled up our first garden yesterday. Bought fencing for it today. Been working in some soil amendments. Under a frost/freeze advisory the next couple nights then should warm up in time for our planting date up here which is June 1st. 
Got my dozen or so five gallon garden containers from last summer prepped and ready to be planted again as well. 
Got a couple dozen more canning jars. Need to fill them up. 
Bought a heavy duty manual meat grinder for cheap at an auction
Got an electric meat & food grinder at a yard sale yesterday
Earlier this week I got a couple cases of #10 cans of our favorite foods
Got an additional shelving unit to put in the basement to store more foods on
Have a very smooth flowing rotational system now
Finally up to three months worth of stored food, not quite that on the non-food items but working on it. 
Need to buy more O2 absorbers <scribbles on his list> 
Goal is now 6 months (do I have the "sickness" now, will the goal keep going further and further out every time I reach one? LOL)

I have found myself reluctant to let anyone other then my wife and I go into our basement now. Our families already think we're nuts and we keep quiet about what we're doing, they don't need to see the storage down there.


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

Jerngen said:


> I have found myself reluctant to let anyone other then my wife and I go into our basement now. Our families already think we're nuts and we keep quiet about what we're doing, they don't need to see the storage down there.


A very wise stance, Jerngen: Otherwise SHTF and you'll have as many 'friends' visiting you as there would long lost relatives at the reading of a billionaire's will.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

Got a trailer load of well composted horse manure (several years old) over the weekend for the gardens. 

Finally got my green beans, okra, tomatoes, peppers, and cantelope planted. Have to pick up some sweet corn seed and sweet potato plants and the garden will be IN. I wanted to try eggplant this year, and may still if I find a plant while we are picking up the corn and sweet potatoes. I never got the peas planted because our garden spots stayed too wet early on --- I may try to grow them in the fall, or maybe in the greenhouse this fall/winter. 

Our hive of bees swarmed and we managed to rescue the swarm and put it in a second hive. Hopefully they will take to the surroundings and stay. We were lucky to be there when the swarm took place! 

I've started picking up a couple boxes of canning lids when I see them at the store. Not bargains, but just stocking up.


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## shellycoley (Mar 6, 2003)

It's been tight money wise the last couple of weeks here.
I did go to Big Lots over the weekend and picked up 1/2 pint and pint jars $6.50 a dozen
and lids for .99 bands and lids for $1.99. That was my $20 prep allowance for the week.
The garden is comming along nice. We have harvested collards twice and broccoli twice also. Transplanted cabbage, peppers, basil yesterday. The potatos are blooming and I found a cherry tree on the place!
Shelly


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## AR Transplant (Mar 20, 2004)

I stopped by atchison kansas on my way home from visiting family. Farmers direct had white wheat and I picked up some for my friends and me. It was $25.99 for #45 sealed in a bucket for long term storage.

My real goal is to get more of my friends interested in baking with wheat. Then we could get serious about buying larger quantities.

I also stopped at an herb store in butler mo, Sandy's Herbs store was very nice and they carry a large variety of frontier products as well as others.
I am going to try some mail order supplements that she recommended to me.

Making contacts and finding different sources are vital in preparing. I am always happy when I find some good ones that pan out.

ar


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## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

Since my shoulder surgery two weeks ago, all prepping has about come to a standstill. What I have prepped will have to do. This the first year I won't have any garden. I can't run a tiller, use tools, etc because I only have one working arm until the end of july. I did plant some bean seeds in some outside pots a few weeks ago, so at least I'll have a few bush bean plants come up. 
I was pricing cornmeal yesterday, and it was $3.40 for a 5 pound bag at Kroger. At Biglots, I bought three 5 pound bags of Martha White yellow corn meal for $1.70 a bag .... literally half price. I also bought another big industrial box of minute rice. I think I'm in good shape prep wise considering.
The next big prep is to purchace half a cow from the butvher, and share it among all the families so everyone has meat preps.
Ohio Rusty ><>


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## Traci Ann (Jun 27, 2005)

Got a good start on the garden. My dh and son got it half tilled and I started planting...Got 16 tomato plants in with 6 left to plant. We still have peppers out the gazzo to plant and cukes, squash, and watermelon...but 1 step at a time.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Thanks, AR Transplant, for posting about Farmer's Direct in Atchison! I had forgotten to bookmark them and couldn't remember the name ...... they're a couple hours away or more from us but the prices are so good, I'm trying to get a few families together to make a run. Of course, those same families are feeling severely pinched right now by the economy, so.......


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## Traci Ann (Jun 27, 2005)

I noticed today - what I think was - another Farmer Direct in Bolivar MO...about 2 hours the other way from you.


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## virtualco (Feb 3, 2006)

Removed peas (getting too hot) from garden and planted beans in it's place. Planted 128 carrot seeds (two rows in raised bed garden).

Sunflowers plants are over eight feet tall now and the head is getting bigger. The local parrots (which are pests) will be coming by for a look (to steal my seeds really) soon as they have done in years past.

There is nothing like the satisfaction of growing tomato plants from seeds and eating the fruits of your labor. (in the stores tomatoes are over two dollars a lbs)

I have not bought store tomatoes in ten weeks. What a savings as we like tomatoes to eat.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Traci Ann said:


> I noticed today - what I think was - another Farmer Direct in Bolivar MO...about 2 hours the other way from you.


_Really?_ Might have to look into it -- that would be great! (If so, it'd be a better drive.) Thanks!


.... "Farmer Direct" is the name of the Atchison co-op and I can't find any other in a relatively quick search by that name elsewhere. The one in Bolivar may be a farmer direct co-op of the same sort, which means I need to make a roadtrip and investigate!


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## Traci Ann (Jun 27, 2005)

Maybe someone who lives over there can tell for sure...It was right off 13 between the Stckon exit and the middle exit. I was running late to get home and just happened to see - whatever it was - Farmer's direct something (small grain elevator) - It was on the west side of the highway.


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## sgl42 (Jan 20, 2004)

finally broke down and ordered a retsel grain mill. they said 2-3 weeks delivery lead time, based on their current order volume. ordered organic hard red and soft white wheat, plus split peas, which i'll pick up after it comes in within the week. 

just in time for the "too hot to bake" here in TX. sigh. maybe i'll have to get/make a solar oven! ;-)

set of 3 cast iron skillets, and 2 liters olive oil, arrived today from last weeks Amazon friday sale purchase.

--sgl


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## awayfrmitall (Apr 7, 2008)

Got my order of 2 new gaskets for my pressure canner, A wide and regular jar sealer attachments for my vaccum sealer & some extra vaccum cleaner bags. 

Also got the hand-crank grinder I ordered from Chuck that appears very sturdy and strong enough to handle corn.


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## Guest (May 22, 2008)

Made a cannery run yesterday. No white wheat, three case limit on the red, but we did what we could. No I have to move the mattress and box springs in my bedroom to see how much will go under the bed. The rest of the stuff is going to have to go elsewhere. I'm almost ready to replace the computer desk with a piece of plywood and two stacks of boxes on either side to support it.

.....Alan.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

bump.


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## Traci Ann (Jun 27, 2005)

My baking powder and soda are in...25 lbs of each, but I'm splitting it with a friend.


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

I haven't gotten nearly as much done as I would have liked this month. My lovely redbud trees got here from Texas, then we had a nasty frost and they died before they even had a chance to bloom.  My garden boxes are all ready to go down and be planted. I got 2 pickup loads of semi-composted horse manure and black earth from a local farmer. Hoping to get that tilled into the ground this weekend. In this place, anything I do is an improvement. Will be adding more organic material in another week, then planting. Our seasons are so screwed up I don't feel safe putting much in the ground until June. The seedlings I started indoors have been destroyed by these zillions of kittens everywhere, so the whole garden will be going in from seed. This should be very interesting.

When I found this forum last year, I knew that time was limited before the economy really tanked. I thought I had more time than this, though. I'm now sending an email to my park manager trying to get permission to convert to wood heat. I'm sending him the link for the li'l house heater and hoping to convince him. Otherwise, it is gonna be wickedly cold in this house this winter. There is just no way we can afford to run the furnace all day and all night this year. 

One prep I did make was the decision to change my major in college. I've been working for a year on my BA in Administrative Office Management. I'm adding a specialization in medical office assisting. No matter what happens, there will always be hospitals and doctors. I should at least be able to find work in that field for a few more years. 

I have also decided NOT to open my craft shop. To open a small business right now, other than perhaps a second hand clothing store, would be too high a risk for me to justify. People are not spending money as freely, and it's only going to get worse. At least a second hand store might pay for itself. A yarn store will be a luxury in a few years.


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

Ninn, I feel your pain! Between the crazy weather and circumstances here, I only got green beans and squash in a couple of raised beds. Everything else is on hold. I have been stocking up on canned goods and rice every chance I get, so at least I have that much. But due to the situation here, I've only got about three to six months of food put back. But, I did buy extra garden seed, so I'm counting those in my preps! I just feel like "I'm spinning my wheels"!


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

Well, I haven't posted here before, but I'd like to jump right in if ya'll don't mind.

We had a nice little stock pile of supplies going until last month. Due to circumstances and this recession that our "wonderful" elected leaders are denying, we had to dip into them hard. I guess that's what they were there for, and I'm thankful they were. I've spent a lot of time on this board today reading and learning and, needless to say, it got me to thinking about how I can do more with the limited items we have available. And then it hit me! I have (had) a $25 WM gift card that I got from one of the sites that I read email from, that came in earlier this month and I had forgotten about it. I got to looking at household stuff around here and realized we didn't need any "stuff" for awhile, so I bought more garden plants, potting soil, and seeds. I'm having to make the switch from large 1 acre gardens to container gardening, and it's kinda throwing me through a loop. But I've scrounged some planters and buckets and are putting them to good use. So after all these storms blow through tomorrow, I'm going to be planting more stuff. Didn't realized I had so much until I got to adding it all up. A lot of ya'll would laugh at the piddley amount I have, but it's a work in progress and DH said he's very proud of me for being so resourceful under extremely trying circumstances lol. So far I've got 9 tomato plants (3 different kinds), 3 summer squash, 1 zuchinni, a couple dozen bush green beans, 2 cantaloupe, 2 cucumber, and 1 jalapeno pepper. Seed wise I've still got garlic chives, Italian flat leaf parsley, basil, more green beans, and spaghetti squash that will all be planted by Thursday. Then I've got all the fall crop seeds just waiting for it to get cool. So I don't guess I'm doing to bad considering. But still have a looooooong way to go! Thanks so much for sharing what all your doing....it's very inspiring!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

You've made the start, blhmabbott, that's the important part! AND you've already proven to yourself (unfortunately) that prepping is a handy thing to do.


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

I vacuum sealed 25# Quick Oats and 25# Cracked Wheat today. I purchased it from Alison's Pantry (before the prices went up) and received last week. 
I haven't done much unfortunately because of being so tired with this pregnancy.
I am going to try and get a little bit of inventory and organizing done tonight after the kiddo goes to bed. I have no idea how much water I have and want to be sure I have my goal of a week's supply.
My goal this next month is to work towards purchasing and vacuum sealing 25# of corn meal and 25# of popcorn.


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

Was wondering what ya'll are using to vacuum seal all your grains. I have one of those vacuum sealing machines, but I'm not happy with the way the seals always come undone or the vacuum seal gets ruined in the freezer. I quit using it several years ago. Are you using the expensive containers for the newer machines or putting everything up in the bags?


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

Thanks for the encouragement Falcon. It's hard replacing all that stuff though. Live and learn, hopefully.


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## sparkysarah (Dec 4, 2007)

I do mine in gallon & quart bags from www.thesweetattack.com 
I know some people have had problems. I've never had anything unseal.


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## Junkman (Dec 17, 2005)

Ladies... how do you put up your dried beans? Do you seal them tightly in jars, put in the freezer, etc?? I have had good results with Bay Leaves to keep out bugs in flour, jello, etc. AND... this sounds stupid, but my canned potatos always smell bad! Do you all cook your some before putting in the jars? Also, we make little round balls of seasoned sausage and pressure can in pint and 1/2 pint jars. You can just pop the sausage balls out of the grease with a spoon, throw in the skillet with some eggs and breakfast is done. We did this on the grill when our Electric was out for 4 days. Jklady


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

I've had dried split peas that weren't stored in anything but a flimsy produce- type bag (found it in the bottom of the cabinet last year, about 25# - thought I'd finally used them all up a long time ago  ). 

Small quantities go into glass jars, larger into buckets or popcorn tins. Nothing fancy. If they're truly dry, not much can hurt them unless you allow moisture somehow.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Went thru all my storage cup boards and listed everything we really needed to buy when Uncle Sam sends us our shopping money...... Salt, pepper, Wocherstire sauce, hot sauce, baking soda and powder. More gals. vinegar although I do have several still. Glad to see we still have 32 qts. canned tomatoes-one icky can to remove. We should make it to the new crop as have lg. green 'maters on my Early Girls. One lone qt. grape juice but grapes looking good...zero crop last year. Wormy raisens; they never keep here(or we don't eat them fast enough). All canning supplies ready to go. Got the huge chest freezer defrosted; had to climb in to do it! I said large... Daily picking strawberries and actually getting them in the freezer with no kids around! Our acre of wheat looking good. So much to do outside this time of year; can't keep up. DEE


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## cheryl-tx (Jan 3, 2005)

I had a fun 'stocking up' day, not really what I consider preps. But a bargain is a bargain! My Brookshire Bros has boneless pork loins on sale for $1.99 lb, limit two, so found my two and had the meat guy slice them up 3/4". Just got done vacuum packing them 5 to a bag. 
I hit the jackpot with the reduced produce cart, pkgs of 6 bell peppers, .99 and the 1.00 big bag of bananas. Enough to keep my dehydrater busy for awhile!
There was also a cart up front with 8 ct hamburger and hot dog buns, 3 /1.00.
Got those stashed in the freezer.
The reduced meat section had several pkgs of ground beef, I bought all at a average of 1.25 a lb (10 lb) Browning all and dividing it up into 1 lb pkgs to freeze.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Junkman said:


> Ladies... how do you put up your dried beans? Do you seal them tightly in jars, put in the freezer, etc?? I have had good results with Bay Leaves to keep out bugs in flour, jello, etc. AND... this sounds stupid, but my canned potatos always smell bad! Do you all cook your some before putting in the jars? Also, we make little round balls of seasoned sausage and pressure can in pint and 1/2 pint jars. You can just pop the sausage balls out of the grease with a spoon, throw in the skillet with some eggs and breakfast is done. We did this on the grill when our Electric was out for 4 days. Jklady


That's a great idea, JKLady! I have bacon and those pinkie-finger-sized sausages canned, but never thought of doing sausage balls. Actually I've never canned meat before I found this forum. But I'm finding out it's not as hard as it sounds, and the meat doesn't come back out of the jar like grey rubber.

I cube potatoes (skins on) and cook them about halfway before putting them in jars. A teaspoon of salt in each one, and then fill with the water they cooked in, and pressure can them. Sometimes the cubes on the top turn a little brownish from not being covered in liquid, but I just pick those out and the rest is tasty.

I've been vac sealing my dry beans. I don't want to open a whole big bucket for 3-4 cups of beans for a meal. Even with gamma lids I'd like to keep things as sealed as possible. So I put a couple of pounds of beans in a gallon vac bag, seal it, and then put those bags in a bucket. I did that with rice too. And I've sealed sugar in the original bag, inside a vacuum bag and then packed in a bucket.

I got a couple of heavy duty storage tubs with wheels, and put some of my vac sealed food in them. They stack nicely, roll easily, and are an added layer of protection.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Was finally able to track down the bakery gal at Wal-Mart yesterday to inquire after buckets. Apparently they are available to the public free with lids IF you're there about 2pm before they get taken to wherever-they-recycle. After 2ish, you're out of luck for the day. I was able to get two 2 gallon and one 5 gallon. Unfortunately I don't go into town a lot (once a week although cutting back on that with the price of gas!) so my bucket procurement will be somewhat limited . 

The bigger bucket is now full of dehydrated potato slices and one of the smaller ones of crackers.


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## Guest (May 30, 2008)

I must say it is very nice to see the monthly prep thread go to 100+ posts for two months running. I hope we can keep up the momentum!

.....Alan.


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## ovendoctor (Jun 28, 2006)

A.T. Hagan said:


> I must say it is very nice to see the monthly prep thread go to 100+ posts for two months running. I hope we can keep up the momentum!
> 
> .....Alan.


just a lot easer to do it this way and keep up with wat's going on


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

The other 2 gallon bucket is now _full_ of loose (but packeted) tea to be squirreled away .

Prepping by little concentrated bits at a time is SO much easier!


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

The Walton order I placed for a coworker came in this week. I had a few items in it but it was mostly his long term preps. His grains from Bob's Red Mill have been in for a while so I went to his house and helped him make his own super pails. He doesn't plan to rotate and is only interested in stuff that can store long term. His wife goes along with it but is not really into it so this works out best for him. He has a great area to store his preps and he feels much better having something to fall back on just in case. I'm glad I was able to at least inspire one person to prep. 

I've decided not to bring anymore preps into the house til I can get what I've got processed. I have a few more super pails to put together for myself and some cases of half gallon jars I need to run through the dishwasher, fill and vac seal. After that, I'm going to concentrate on getting some meat canned. That is the big gap in my preps plus it makes my life so much easier when I come home from work tired and have supper to fix. My preps have to be something I can rotate and use every day, even my long term stuff. My practical side just won't let me do it any other way but everyone has to do what works for them and their budget...there is no right or wrong way as long a we put back a little extra when we can.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I have been working on getting acquainted with my new grinder, and putting out a decent loaf of truly whole wheat sandwich bread. (almost there with that)

Getting lots of cheddar cheese made up while the milk supply is in full tilt, plus canning up some surplus milk for 'just in case'

Looking for my Walton order to come in soon.
Getting things cleaned up and geared up for 500# of putting stuff away...

((not sure where it will all go yet! **sigh**))


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

Mamajohnson I wish I were at that point...making cheese that is. I still don't have anything to milk . Are you getting your milk from cows or goats..or both?


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

I guess the closest I can come today to preps is I planted more green beans, squash, tomatoes and peppers. I'm going to can salsa, tomato juice, rotel, a summer squash dish we love and dry the extra peppers. I might try making some sun dried tomatoes also. We've never had them, but I see a lot of homemade bread recipes that call for them. Figured I'd try something new. I'll make the tomato sauce to can my chili beans and pork and beans too. That's it for today.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Wildwood said:


> Mamajohnson I wish I were at that point...making cheese that is. I still don't have anything to milk . Are you getting your milk from cows or goats..or both?


I really enjoy making the cheeses. I am milking 5 goats right now. We don't have pasture, only woods and brush, so no cow. :grump: I was really set on a cow, until I realized that our land won't support a cow.
But,, the goats are working out rather well for me, since I am the main one to take care of the animals, I think a cow would be too much for me.

Cheese is really not hard. When you get your dairy animals, look at cheesemaking.com. I bought a kit from them to get started, and it really started me right.
Getting 1 1/2 to 2 gal of milk a day doesnt sound like much...until you have 5 gallons sitting in the fridge and another coming in a few hours! lol!
I think a cow would have done me in with the milk supply.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Mamma, what do you do with all the milk and then the cheese you make? How do you preserve the cheese? We almost got two goats this Spring, but I was worried about what I'd do with the milk. Next Spring I'll do it, but I need to be better prepared. We just bought the farm last fall. 

This week I've canned four pounds of bacon, and dried five pounds of cherries and four pounds of bananas. I also finished cutting the soap I made and wrapped it for storage. I have one bar out to use in the shower, and unless it's awful I'll save the rest for preps.

I also bought four more trays for my dehydrator.

Oh, Forgot to add....my doe rabbit is pregnant, so I'll have a litter in 2-3 weeks. 8 weeks after they're born I'll be able to butcher them and add them to the freezer preps!


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Went to two different auctions last weekend and got a *ton* of homesteading type stuff for dirt cheap. Also got tons of free wood scraps (two full van loads worth <with the seats removed>) for either building projects or burning. Wife and I both were/are very happy and pleased with that haul.  
Picked up several pallets the other night to make a large two or three bin composting area.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

Mom-of-four don't judge that soap just yet. It will be much better when it cures for a while. In fact it may need to cure a bit before wrapping it up.


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

Put up 61 quarts of potatoes this week and another 24 pints of green beans. We dug all the potatoes today and had a much larger than expected harvest so I will be canning and dehydrating all week. Got another 20 lbs of grits in the freezer waiting to be sealed in jars.


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

I found 3# of rice and 5# of beans in the back of one of my cabinets this morning. I had forgotten it was there! So I'm sealing them up in peanut butter plastic jars and metal coffee cans. Are those kind of containers ok to store in? They're the only things I have right now. If not, I guess I could just drop each bag in the freezer for now.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Mom_of_Four said:


> Mamma, what do you do with all the milk and then the cheese you make? How do you preserve the cheese? We almost got two goats this Spring, but I was worried about what I'd do with the milk. Next Spring I'll do it, but I need to be better prepared. We just bought the farm last fall.


So far I have 4 rounds of cheddar curing, I will let it cure for about 5 months. (or possibly longer)
The cottage cheese, regular vinegar cheese and ricotta are eaten up pretty regular.
I have canned the excess milk, and some has gone to the dogs.

Actually, I never thought about having excess, right at first the kids would consume all we could produce. Now I think they are used to having it and have slowed down on drinking it. I refuse to buy hormone laden store milk, so we had not had milk in forever. This is really almost a luxury. 


Please tell me how you canned up the bacon? I would love to know more about that.


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