# April 2013 Prep Journal and To-Do List



## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

April showers bring May flowers...and a prep job done in April will be one less job to be done in May! Of course, if your to-do list is like mine, there will be plenty of NEW jobs coming along in May, lol. So, what's on your To-Do List for April? Share your lists with us, and share with us what you are doing to improve your preps throughout the coming month! This is the fun thread where we support each others' efforts and learn from one another as well.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

My April To-Do List:
1. Clean out and fill 6 five gallon hydraulic oil buckets and have filled with farm diesel for the generator.
2. Build a small shed for the genny.
3. Weed the raised beds and plant cold weather crops.
4. Start warm weather crops in house.
5. Get the HughesNet dish off the house so I can frame the sunroom.
6. Finish the shelves in the pantry.
7. Rebuild some savings now that the house is paid off.
8. Check with the community college to see which projects the auto shop and auto body shops are working on, take my vehicles in for any work that can be done there this quarter.
9. Sell the rest of the goats and the alpaca.
10. Get the rest of the paperwork monster tamed.
11. Go visit my Aunt M and talk family history with her.
12. Fence in my vacant lot and run new water line to it, talk to new neighbors there.
13. Work on my wake/sleep schedule to be more productive.
14. Start working on my water system and plumbing needs here...I know I can have much better water than what is flowing through my pipes now, and I'd like to be able to use every fixture in my house!

I'm sure there is much more I'm forgetting, but it's a hefty list to work on as it is. It will be a challenge to finish even a portion of it.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Well let's see here:
1. Build 3 more garden beds
2. Plant cool season crops
3. Start warm weather crops in the house
4. Order and plant mini-orchard (from raintree of course )
5. Get Drip system set up for the above!
6. clear out the rocks and weeds from the front yard bed and establish a wildflower bed there.
7. Continue to plant up the herbal medicine pots

Whew! Where is the wiping the brow smilie?


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I don't even want to think about my April to-do list. With a March that looked more like January, I'm no where done with March's! We had a nice burst of snow for 30 min this morning to emphasize this is April Fools day 

Making minestrone soup for supper. My recipes calls for a cup of beans.....so I made 4#, LOL! The rest are now in the dehydrator drying....giving us instant beans. I plan to make up a few jar meals Wednesday, so I'll need them then. So much cheaper to use 2-"$.50 for 2# bags" and make you own then to buy them in a #10 can. We have a "food re-sale shop" not too far away, (it a close out store....but my mom keeps calling it a re-sale shop, lol) so I can stock up on some things there cheap. Found the beans once.....they have lots of Mexican food there in the summer, for when the migrants are in town....good time to stock up!

Making up a HUGE batch of corn salad and sweet rolls today. One of our home school friends' child is in the hospital. Long story short she had a global stroke during open heart surgery. She is now paralyzed and on a feeding tube.....45 miles from home. So we are taking turns making meals, watching kids, etc. Tomorrow's my night.....pulled venison sandwiches and cold corn salad. They have "food issues", too....I never realized how hard it is to work around a milk allergy and a tomato intolerance! I never realized how much I use milk and some sort of tomato in my cooking! Anyways, going to make up a big batch of sweet rolls and cut up melon. That can either be breakfast or snacks, I know no one at home has time to bake so some goodies are needed. Dad goes back to work today (he works for the schools), mom needs to be at the hospital with the baby (well she's almost 3 or just 3), grandma is trying to take care of the 4 older kids AND her husband with Parkinson's Disease. Please add the family to your prayers - the parents are exhausted!! On the up said, they did catch video of Haven smiling this weekend, also last week when she was having to total melt down she did move her legs, arms and fingers....so there is a chance for some recovery once the swelling in her brain goes down.


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

That poor baby - and her family. Thoughts and prayers are with them. So good of you to see to their nourishment.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Jen - Sending my prayers.

Cnichols- Please tell me everthing is good with your DH! How are you holding up?


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## cnichols (Jan 5, 2010)

TDD - Triple Bypass surgery is in the near future. 1 - 100% blockage, 1 - 86% blockage and 1 - 60% blockage which is "below" the 100% blockage. He goes into the hospital Wednesday for his pre-op testing and they still have yet to schedule the surgery itself.

So, needless to say, so far we haven't made any plans on what needs to be done this month other than some tentative plans to create another strawberry bed. 

We "walked the property" this evening looking at some areas where we have punky trees that can be utilized for humus, as well as some areas where we can collect leaf mold and soil instead of paying for soil. 

Our "dirt work" plans may have to be put on hold, but we're not sure yet. Need to figure out what we're going to do in regards to me going back out on the road in order for us to have some income during his recovery period. He's not too keen on me going out "alone" but I've done it before and can do it again.

Right at this moment, I'm exhausted. Long day yesterday because of making a nice spread for Easter Dinner for DH & his mom, and another long day today at the hospital. I'm going to go to bed early and give all of this time to sink in. So much depends on what happens when/after he has his surgery.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Cnichols, oh, it's a good thing your dh had the cardiac cath. Now he can get those arteries repaired and live a long and healthy life! (((hugs))) I know you're still worried, and rightly so, as CABG (bypass) is a serious surgery. Make sure the surgeon you choose has tons of experience and really good outcome ratings. Chances are excellent that things will go smoothly and after some rehab and healing time, he'll be better than new. I hope it won't be necessary for you to be on the road when I know you'd rather be home, caring for him and for your place.

Jen, that's so awful about your friends' little one. I hope (and pray) she'll be able to recover. Thank you for being the friend to them that you are - they are gonna need all the support they can get. So you're not ready to work on April's list...why not just repost March's list for the new month?  I've, ahem, been known to do that a time or three myself. :ashamed:

Okay, for the 1st day of the month, I researched whether or not it's okay to put diesel in hydraulic oil buckets (it is, and it actually is good for cleaning the injectors if you have them), and I e-mailed the listing agent for the property that surrounds my vacant lot on 3 sides to make sure she and the buyers were aware that it was a shared well. I told her I would be reconnecting my lot to the water at the pumphouse, and would be fencing off my 70'x100' area, but would put gates on the east and west sides for their convenience in reaching their barn behind my lot. I took a pleasant tone, but stated what I would be doing in preparation to clearing the lot and building a house on it. Wish me luck!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

farmersonja said:


> Well let's see here:
> 1. Build 3 more garden beds
> 2. Plant cool season crops
> 3. Start warm weather crops in the house
> ...


Whew is right! That's quite a list.  I forgot to add planting 3 more fruit trees on my list.

Terri asked on the March To-Do List about canning the chocolate sauce. I'd like to know, too. Directions?


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## kycountry (Jan 26, 2012)

well, here goes my first posted list....
1. plant barley and hulless oats
2. sow the tobacco beds
3. clean out cellar and while I'm at it. see if any of the left over potatoes are good enough to plant.
4. disc garden and plow tobacco patch
5. get the cold frame ready for tomatoes and other plants
6. plant potatoes
7. start looking for sealable buckets to store grain in.
8. plant herbs scattered about in the surrounding area
9. get more ammo
10. make a longer list lol


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## pamda (Oct 14, 2004)

manygoatsnmore said:


> Whew is right! That's quite a list.  I forgot to add planting 3 more fruit trees on my list.
> 
> Terri asked on the March To-Do List about canning the chocolate sauce. I'd like to know, too. Directions?


 

http://www.sbcanning.com/2012/04/jane-shares-homemade-chocolate-sauce.html


It was in the canning forum,,,I make this and it rocks!!!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Thanks Pamda, I totally missed Terri's question!:teehee: I have not had any yet, but i can hardly wait for some chocolate milk! I am going to make some this evening, as we have auditors coming in today at work. I am gonna need some chocolate tonight!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Thanks for the link, Pamda! This looks like the recipe my mom used to make chocolate sauce when I was a kid. I never thought about canning it. It would be great to have a supply on the shelf. 

I received a couple replies from the realtor that sold the property next door. First one was that there would be no problem with the shared well, 2nd one that there was supposedly a new well on the property....no access to it. Bullhockey. I asked for her proof that the well was changed, as I had access to the well when I first bought the lot 20 years ago and it was not an issue for several years after that. The well hasn't changed since I bought the property and the folks I bought from stated there was no well drilled while they owned the property. I need to do some research of my own, as well. I should be sleeping, but instead, I'm dealing with this issue.

I stopped at Walgreen's and bought Easter candy for 50% off. I'll have to check back in a few days to see if it's gone to 75% off. They had tons and were talking about how badly they wanted it gone. I consider chocolate an essential prep! 

I have buckets in the back of the truck to take to town for diesel tonight. That will be another thing I can check off my list. I need to take the goats and alpaca to the auction Friday. That will take care of another item on the list.

eta: I also got my escrow account check today, so my emergency fund is gonna get a bit of a boost, at least until I have to pay the taxes this month.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

:sing:Found primers this morning. Kids had dentist appts over in the shopping district (I need to fix that and move to a more local dentist) which made me drive past our favorite outdoor store. Can't not stop :ashamed:. Anyways 1 per person - totally reasonable. So after the dentist I stopped again - sold out. There was only 4 or so left on the shelf when I bought mine, so I wasn't surprised.....but I had to check.

Picked up some "to do's" for DD to use during the home school conference this week. She's too young for the teen stuff and too old for the kid stuff....so she'll tag along with me. She has paper dolls to color, puzzle books, some kit that lets you do make overs on "paper people", geometric designs to color, etc. Essentially anything I could find that's "crafty" but not messy.

Didn't stop at BJ's. I realized that with leaving on Thursday I wasn't up to buying anything (nor do I want to spend the money this close to a trip). I have a 90 day free membership coupon. I was going to "cash" it in and do some price checking. Then realized it could be a month till I could get back over there....a waste. So, maybe a bit later in the month.

I need to get into the grocery store and start looking for buckets. With graduations, Mother's Day, etc coming up soon....they should be going through icing buckets a bit faster so it should be easy to pick some up. Then I'll be ready for a BJ's run......and Spindler's (out local bakery supply store)

Need to go warm up some coffee and sit down with my notebook and make up my April to-do list. I so need to start a few seeds....but the weather has unmotivated me. I did get the kids signed up for camp this morning (first thing off my to-do list). Our church has a VERY generous camp scholarship fund. Camp is $340 - all kids at our church can go for $40 - fund picks up the other $300!! You better believe my kids go! DS is moving up to the Sr High CYF - an awsome program. DD will go to the one DS just graduated from (for 5th -8th grade) also an awsome program that the kids LOVE. It based on a game show type feel all focused on the Bible. Of course they have traditional camp stuff too...crafts, swimming, mud pit, etc. They are adding horse back riding this year. She's SO excited.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I take it all a day at a time...so, I don't try to post a list!:ashamed:
We replaced our stolen Lawnmower :flame:. We also added some more camera's.
Things are looking good in the orchard.....if the weather cooperates.
Still trying to get the tiller out of the shop. Really need to get the garden in. Auto is repaired.
Taxes have to be filed this week.... major expenses this month, therefore, I'll be doing more labor and less spending this month. Surprise in the mailbox.....Already have tax assessment for 2013...Geeez!!
Try to find more ammo.
Get my last Amazon order put away.
Plant last 3 Pear Trees.

cnichols - We are with you thru your troubled time....you know that, right?

MGM - Dang! We get all happy that you we able to pay your place off.....and now the buzzards are swooping. Hold your ground, Missy!!:catfight:
BTW - We have BIG trouble down here in Texas....Ya'll have seen it play out on the national news....we could use some prayers. Scarey times, for sure.

WELCOME to all the new posters!! Glad you are a part of our family!! Great place to be!!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

TDD - this isn't my home that I'm having trouble with, it's a small vacant lot I've owned for probably 20 years and haven't been able to develop. Originally, there had been a 2 bedroom house there, and there is still a septic system there, although the house had been torn down. The lot had overhead power for the old house, but power lines have to go underground now. There is a shared well on the neighboring property, with deeded access.

My trouble started with an old couple that I truly think were the spawn of Satan! They owned the property with the well. They didn't want to buy my lot, but they didn't want anyone else to buy and use it either. After I had owned the lot for several years, they decided to dig up the water line and disconnect it from my property. They also wouldn't allow the PUD to assess my lot through their property, as I have ingress and egress easement rights, not rights to put underground electric in. I saw a lawyer, but didn't have the $$ to pursue anything at that time. 

Eventually, they died and their property, which circles 3 sides of my property, was sold. I should have done something then, but ended up just letting it slide, putting my $$ into paying off my home place. Now that property has sold again, and I'm in a position to do whatever I have to do to either use or sell my lot. 

The old couple were the ones that claimed there was a new well put in. There wasn't, and if they had drilled a new well, it would go into the same aquifer as the "old" well - there is a huge one out in that area with great water, so why would there have needed to be a new well? So, this "new" well story has been passed down to the new owner's agent. I asked for proof, she wouldn't (couldn't) provide it. 

In the meantime, over the years, the hay field that was on the south side of my lot has been developed and there is a driveway with PUD running down it on the south property line. I believe the PUD can now run my electric from there onto my lot. With power and water, I can build a small house or make an RV parking spot and sell it as a vacation lot. At the very least, I can put in a garden if I have water.

I just want to be able to make use of my own land in some way. It's been a long, twisted saga, and I'm ready for it to be resolved once and for all.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Prayin for ya TDD! That is scary stuff! MGM you give that real estate lady the what for!:catfight: Still praying for that poor baby and cnichols hubby!


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

We're back with the land of the living after the family going down with the stomach bug. Dd has a weakened immune system which meant a stay in the hospital for the two of us but now we're back and warmer weather seems to be on the way. Dh is has been taking care of the homeplace and has done a good job. Our calves are still fighting scour issues so the vet is coming out to take a look. I read Jackie Clay's bottle calf article again and told dh what she said and it seems to be helping but we've been fighting this going on two weeks. Our cows are a huge part of our future food supplies so we need to get them better and make sure they don't get our large steers sick.

The dual mama hens managed to hatch 6 chicks and they are mothering together out in the back goat field. Seems to be working for them and dh said they double team flogged him when he went in their shed to try and clean up while I was gone. I'll have to sell a few chickens if these make it as we are at maximum chicken capacity for our coop and pen. I like to get fresh hens going every year and we've been blessed so it'll be nice to pass some along.

I need to make a list of the staples we are running low on. I rearranged the pantry last week and realized I was almost out of tuna and a few other things I like to keep stocked up on.

My dog totally decimated my greenhouse's cover so I'll be making a temporary leanto with a large window to try and start a few plants but I'll have to buy some plants this year. We need to get our greenhouse moved out of the backyard so that particular dog can't get to it. He's lucky we're attached to him. Our other two dogs never touched and the only problem I had with them is that the little one figured out that was a nice warm place to sleep and would sneak in through the little lettuce patch in there.

Dh is hoping to get the garden worked up well enough to plant potatoes next week in between rainy spells. We'll also put out a couple of rows of onions.

cnichols: hope all goes well. We'll be thinking of you all!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

MGM - Sounds like an exhausting saga! So Sorry .....Pixie Dust sent to you...put it to good use!:viking:

Place an order at HONEYVILLE. 20% off SPRING13 is the Coupon Code.

I noticed Jen (OD) had posted it also. :goodjob:

I am ordering a smallish order from them....that 20% really helps!!

We are receiving a bit of much, much, needed rain.....but, it has cooled off about 40F, also.

Made Feed Store order.....That's about it for today!

Hillbilly gal - Check on Amazon for Tuna. Every so often I get really good prices in bulk.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Hi all! Went to Lowes and got the stuff needed for my planting jig. The idea comes from here: modernvictorygarden.com. Can't wait to try it this weekend as I will be sowing my cold season stuff.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Still waiting on warm weather and rain here. My tomatoes have their second leaves so need to be transplanted from flats to containers. Hate to do that as I've run out of sunny room for plants. I have too many house plants. Currently have 20 African violets most of which are blooming plus some new started. Lots of plants that need to go outside if it ever warms up.

Processed leftover Easter ham (purchased at after Christmas sales) and 3#'s of beans into 6Â½ quarts of ham & beans. One quart makes two meals for dh and me so that is a good prep. 

Had problems with the canner seal and had to switch canner lids. I have a new seal that I will install and then will order a replacement. If I were rich I'd buy an American canner without seals, but since I'm not I try to keep one or two replacement seals on-hand at all times.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Ann- You don't have to be rich to afford an All American Canner...they appear in -ebay, craigs list all the time. Keep a lazy eye out for one!! I LOVE my All Americans.

I have a couple of Ham's and Turkey's, I need to get to canning, myself! And, ooooooh, I want to can that Chocolate Sauce!!! 

I think the weather is supposed to moderate here this weekend......hopefully, I can get a bit of both indoor and outdoor/planting stuff accomplished. We got about 2" of rain in the last week and we needed every last drop!

Got all bills paid.... still need to finish Taxes this weekend...(ummmmph).:boring:

Ordered some gamma lids. Still looking my head off for ammo.
Happy Prepping!!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Thanks, TDD and fsonja! Still working on gathering the info on my lot vs the next door property. The realtor has been less than forthcoming with info on the buyers or where she came by her info on the well(s), etc. I'd like to meet with the buyers, make sure they really ARE aware of the issues and if the sale is finalized or just pending.

I filled 4 five gallon buckets with off-road diesel for the genny after work yesterday. A nice gentleman insisted on filling 3 of them for me before I was able to take over and fill the last one. 

I also took my F-150 to the dealership and finally got the recalled cruise control unit replaced. I was hoping it would help with the electronic speedometer issue, but it didn't. I think something is loose, because the more bumps I go over, the more the speedometer needle bounces around. Makes it interesting, trying to figure out how fast I'm going! 

I stopped at Wal-Mart for post-Easter candy sales - picked up the grandkids candy for next year and lots of chocolate for the pantry. They had the spring bulbs half off so I picked up a bunch more to plant after I work up the flower beds and sell the goats. I might finally have pretty landscaping again. Oh, and I stopped at their bakery and asked about buckets. They give them away, and will save them for me if I call the day before and stop by first thing in the morning to pick them up. :sing:

Lastly, I stopped at my kids to visit. My ex was tilling up a garden spot for my dd. We visited for a while - he said he'd have some windows for me later this Spring. My grands asked if they could come home with me, but I had to turn them down, since I hadn't slept more than about 3.5 hrs since Monday morning. Wish I could have taken them, though. I also asked my dd if she'd be willing to pick up buckets for me (that's the WM where she works). She said she would. 

Came home and tied the goats out to graze, then worked on moving firewood to the wood shed until I was just too tired and sore to take another step. Came in, ate a quick dinner and went to bed. Wish I could have worked longer, as it was the last day we were forecast to have dry weather for a while.

Sure 'nuff, it was raining by this morning. I got outside long enough to do the animal chores and cut another garden wagon load of firewood on the table saw. Was starting to get a migraine, complete with feeling like I was about to hurl, so I came inside to take my migraine med and try to wait out the nausea. I survived! Spent the next few hours cleaning house, filling gallon water jugs with filtered water, mending my working outside jeans, doing dishes and laundry, and sorting paperwork. I still have a pile of papers to go through, but I needed a break. I'm also tired from the migraine med, so I may just cut myself some slack and take a nap, as soon as I put the battery charger on my Nissan p/u. I need it to take the goats to the auction tomorrow or Saturday. If it wasn't raining, I could have just used the F-150.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

If the access to the well is deeded then it would come up in the title search. And the realtor will have some 'splaining to do. Gonna plant cool weather stuff Sat.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

We're heading to town today. Need to pick up our seed taters and onion sets. The library is having a book sale today and I'm usually there waiting in line when it opens but I'll have to wait and go this afternoon when dh can sit in the car with the kiddos while I run in. The selection won't be as good but it won't be crowded and I can peruse what's left. Always find at least one thing to pick up for just a little pocket change. 

The vet came out yesterday and said she thinks our calves will be okay. Our little Jersey mix is doing much, much better and the holstein seems to be pulling out of it. She gave them both a high powered shot and took a stool sample from the sicker one. It cost a bit to have her come out but at least they got a good shot and dh got some peace of mind. Paying her was still cheaper than having to replace our calf and starting over. Dh says next year he's going with weaned calves for the extra bit of money. We'll see as it always seems better once they get out and start grazing.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Yesterday was gorgeous. Sunny and 60's. Got almost everything I wanted to start in the greenhouse planted. Tomatoes and peppers up like crazy. Almost a month later than my last years' records show but that bug we got knocked me flat and just getting my energy back now. After years of gardening I know that a garden planted late will catch up fast so not worried. Son and I planted lb. of peas and three rows early potatoes. Pa got out the tractor and tilled up both gardens while Jesse and I picked rocks...our best crop! Soil looking really great with lots of worms. The heavy straw mulch we used plus rye over the winter will add alot of needed organic matter.

Then we did some more quick pruning in the orchard. Plums and peaches showing pink and with 70's predicted will be blooming in a couple of days. Bees flying; good to see. Lilacs and forsythia blooming now,too. Today I will patrol the yard and pick up sticks and dog bones before Pa mows. 

Eggs in incubator are supposed to hatch by this Wed...removed one obviously rotten one but my hopes are high for at least a few chicks. Did order 10 from the feed store as wanted brown eggs to go with all the blue and green ones. No reason. Just cause!

Nice to finally get a stretch of decent weather. My list is several pgs. long. Did accomplish alot of the inside stuff in past couple of months but once gardening season starts we are mostly outdoors.
Pasture growing fast. Neighbor and Pa will trail our Jersey cow home tonight.She'll follow you anywhere if you've got a bucket of grain. True cupboard love. Time for her to be eating grass.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Dh and his brother fixed the greenhouse so I'll be starting seeds this weekend. I was waiting to see if it was going to be fixed so I'd know how many to plant. They reinforced the sides with wood up two feet and then ran electric wire around it.  Hopefully, it will keep the dog off of it.

Made it to the book sale but only found one homesteady type book and it was How to Raise Game Birds. Picked it up to add to the bookshelf. While there, an older gentleman I know told me about a rummage sale just up the road so I ran in there just a minute. Bought two board games to add to the game closet and a vegetable cutting contraption called a Kitchen Magician. I'd never seen one before but it looked like something I would own so I picked it up for $2. It's a pretty clever design and I'll give it a try to see how it compares to my King Kutter.

I'll be picking up seed taters today while I'm out since we didn't make it to town yesterday. Dh said for me to pick kennebecs or reds he didn't care. I think I'll go with the reds as I just like them better. I may pick up a few cabbage and broccoli plants while there just to have something to set out.

Yard sales are pretty plentiful this weekend so I'm going out to see what I can find. We have a beautiful weekend forecasted and I can't wait!


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Thought I'd update real quick on what I found preparedness wise while out at the sales. Two brand new stainless steel water bottles that have the carabiner and holster attached, some camo pants for dh, extra measuring spoons, and a few other odds and ends. I swung by Fred's while out and bought the last 28 boxes of Golden Harvest canning lids they had. They get deliveries on Tuesday but have been selling out quickly. I thought I'd just check and grabbed the box they were in and checked out. They've gone up to $1.25/box. Not too bad considering that the Ball lids were $2.25 for the same quantity. I've been using the GH lids for several years now and have not had any issues with them. I'll keep stopping in through the summer and picking up more from time to time. Also found a set of nail clippers on clearance for $.63 so I bought those to set aside. 

Finally made it to the farm supply store to buy seed taters. Bought a 50 lb. sack of reds for $17.50. I called both shops in town and the price was the same at both. I went to this particular one because the greenhouse that is attached has reasonably priced cabbage and broccoli plants and I wanted to get just a few to set out.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

farmersonja said:


> If the access to the well is deeded then it would come up in the title search. And the realtor will have some 'splaining to do. Gonna plant cool weather stuff Sat.


Yeah, exactly! What is being claimed is that the well I have deeded access to isn't in use any more. I don't think that is true, especially since no one seems able to provide proof. Even if, for some reason, it turns out to be true, I should still be able to access the original well, should I not? Or, if they took the well out of service and replaced it, shouldn't my deeded access transfer to the new well? All good questions for my attorney, I guess, and I guess it is time to make an appointment. The realtor won't answer my questions, including a request to meet with her and the buyers.

I didn't get a ton done on my days off - slept off my headache, mainly. Now I'm back at work for the next 3 nights...will need to run the rest of my errands on Tuesday as far as tracking down well records, etc.

Didn't make it to the auction with the goats, either. Grr.


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## cnichols (Jan 5, 2010)

Well, just a quick update. Hubby had triple bypass surgery on Thursday and came through it with flying colors. He's doing so good, that they actually released him from the hospital today. 

We'll see how things go for the next few days and as long as everything is going smoothly here at home, I'm going to attempt to dispatch a few chickens this weekend. I'll have to do it myself, since DH is on extremely limited activities, but I can do it. Even if I have to "skin" them instead of plucking. I also still have 2 rabbits that need to be dispatched soon as well.

Not to mention the compost needs to be turned, the garden needs to be tended, my seedlings need up-potted soon and the other myriad things that need to be done, lol. 

I'll be extremely busy over the next couple of months!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Oh, that IS good news! :happy:


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

cnichols said:


> Well, just a quick update. Hubby had triple bypass surgery on Thursday and came through it with flying colors. He's doing so good, that they actually released him from the hospital today!


Hooraaaayyyyy!!!!!!!!:banana:


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Home again, home again jiggity jog....

Went to the homeschool convention in Cincinnati last week. Had a great time, never went to one before. Both kids want to go back next year! Picked up some of the curriculum we need for next year at convention discount prices!! The "expensive" one I needed was 25% off....same as I can buy it for used....DS will have a nice new book for science next year 

While we were gone DH stopped at Aldi's and picked up one of the raised bed kits they have this week. My mom bought 6 and was thrilled with them. Since we wanted to add a few beds he picked up one to "see". Looks good and sturdy so we went back and got one more. By combining the two we can have a nice size bed. DH decided he really wants to put a path in where he walks off the deck to the gate to get to his truck. It's tuning into a beaten path that can get muddy....not to mention the "doogy land-mines" he steps in on his way to work, lol. So he put the rasied bed in the middle of that path, so when the pavers go down it will go around it.....making "visual interest". Reminds me (and the kids) of the old cartoons when the skier is heading for a tree.....next shot there is one ski path mark on each side of the tree, lol. In fact that's exactly what DS said when I explained what we were doing. So our 3' wide path with break into 2-18" wide paths....one on each side of the bed. I SO pray he actaully puts the path in this year.....he's been talking about doing it for 3 yrs. The bed looks kind of goofy right now in the middle of the backyard.

Since out spring break last week ended up rather busy, we are taking today off too. Kids went through the software drawer in my desk this morning and weeded out what was interesting and what wasn't. Then the starting loading it on DD's computer. Of what they wanted on about 1/2 will run on our current OS (most of this software was bout 5-10 yrs ago). So needless to say that drawer has MUCH more space now  

Transplanted 3 cabbages outside into my cold frame. Since the weather seems to have broken (although I know cold days are still likely) I'm taking the gamble. I think the warmer days will become the norm, with just some sprinkles of cold days. So the cabbage should be fine. Tomatoes and peppers are outside breathing some "fresh air" right now. I'll bring them in later. It's mostly clouding today, so it's a good day for them to go out and start getting acclimated to wind and such. I have 2 tomatoes that are over 2' tall!! Need to find something to stick in the pot to stake them up till the weather breaks for good. Need to separate and re-pot some peppers, too. Will be a good thing to work on after lunch, while kids do chores.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

My seed potatoes got shipped yesterday. Hoping to get them in ground by this weekend. I got no planting done this weekend because of the wind that came though. No sense in planting the neighbors yard with lettuce and spinach. Gonna do that this afternoon after I get home from work. Going to leave a Honey-do list for DH to have him start putting up the fence to keep the deer out.:kiss: Other than that going to finish deep cleaning my kitchen and reorganizing it.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Just a quick update. Thank you for keeping my friends baby in prayers...it's working!! Haven can now eat Stage 3 baby food and thickens liquids. She does not have balance, yet, but she is able to take a few baby steps. Here is a link to their blog, so you can see where they came from and where they are now http://blessingsandfingerprints.blogspot.com/ 

Sarah has an amazing perspective on all this. Since Haven was adopted they missed all her "firsts".....but now they are with her as she learns these skills all over again.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

So glad to hear she's making progress, Jen!

I have been working on sorting receipts and locating paperwork this morning, as well as getting out in the woods, working on making trails through the brush to my wood piles. I came in to try and take a nap, since I've only had about 9 hrs of sleep in the last 3 days, but I'm STILL having trouble sleeping. Too many aches and pains, combined with too much on my mind. Sometimes I just can't get my brain to shut off...I start thinking on one project or another and the next thing I know, I'm back up and working instead of getting the sleep I really need. :stars:


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

That's tough MGM. Try some chamomile tea with some Valarian and hops. It really helps to "shut off"!


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## 3ravens (Mar 16, 2006)

farmersonja said:


> That's tough MGM. Try some chamomile tea with some Valarian and hops. It really helps to "shut off"!


Good stuff, If you can get past the smell! :yuck:


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

3ravens said:


> Good stuff, If you can get past the smell! :yuck:


I have to put catnip on top of mine to disguise the taste!:yuck: Works though!:gaptooth:


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

SCORE! We have a store in town that buys closeouts. Learned from a friend who was at the Dr's for a painful wrist that they store just bought out a bunch of braces and supports. (Dr's sent her there for a $3 wrist braces, verses "giving" her one that her insurance company would turn and charge her $90 for. Yep, love our small town Dr's!!) ALL braces and supports are $3....even the ones that the "original store" had marked for $50+. Needless to say I picked up wrist braces (in all sizes from DD to DH), ankle braces/splints - which DH has gone through 3 of in less then 2 yrs (each originally priced at $44), and a big knee braces - if the wrist and ankles are bad how far behind are our knees??? I sent DH an e-mail saying we need to run up there together and look them over....they have LOTS more types I didn't buy. Since he was an EMT in the service, he'll have a better idea of what we should have. I'm thinking we should pick up a few collars, but having never used one I'm not sure what to look for (I think they only had the soft kind). Came to $22 including tax - should have been $200+ at full retail


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Good medical preps at a great price. We have lots of medical supplies collected over the years by dh for various problems most paid for with our dollars at full price.

We are finally getting moisture. We've had over 2" of rain and enough hail to turn the ground white. Forecast for next two days includes sleet, hail, freezing rain, rain and snow. Don't you love Spring.

I did a lot of price comparing on-line and finally ordered a KitchenAid. Special right now is for a free food grinder attachment rebate which I will certainly appreciate. I've been saving for this in a "special" envelope for over 2 years. Used my old K-Tek this a.m. to mix a batch of bread. The knead cycle no longer works but I can set the time for 10 minutes and speed at "9" and it works okay. I used to bake all our bread and rolls but stopped when I had to start working full time. Now I need to get back to baking and save on grocery money.


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## NBC3Mom (May 14, 2005)

We have a plumber coming tonight to check our pump and well. This morning the pump started running in short spurts and the pressure was not steady. DH checked what he could but he is an engineer not a plumber! I told him that if we have to get a new well pump we are getting a handpump, too. I have wanted one forever and this would be an ideal time to get this taken care of. Everytime there is a rain, ice or snow storm I worry that the power will go out and we will be without water. 
Transplanted tomatoes, cabbage, and broccoli from the starter pots in the greenhouse and planted more pepper seeds, only got 4 plants from the first batch I planted. We also put in 3 blueberry bushes plus 3 apple trees and 2 blueberry bushes at my son's place. Dug out my breadmaker, used the dough cycle, then baked the bread in the oven. What an improvement over the bread baked in the machine. I have to make some jam from the strawberries in the freezer before this year's are ready to pick. Strawberry jam and homemade bread...yum!


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## 78Parrothead (Apr 6, 2013)

We have a massive spring cleaning/due cluttering project planned for next week. 
I'm thinking the time between and the time after will be time for list making. 

I need a list for:
Garden
Preserving the haul from the garden
Planting a small orchard ideas
Food preps
Medical preps
Water storage and prep
Tools list


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Well I have one bed planted so far. My potatoes should be in sometime today and i will get them in probably tomorrow or Saturday.I bought most of the stuff for my grow light setup and for starting seeds. That will also be done this weekend. I have to go out to our other place tomorrow and do some yard work as we are trying to have it rented out May 1.Busy, busy, busy!:rock:


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

Our spring garden has been planted and we're working on cleaning goat pens and getting the mulch moved to the garden. Planted a couple more fruit trees, cherry and peach. Still need to purchase some table grapes and get those started. 

Our new solar fence charger came in and we're charging it up and will see how well it works around the goat pens in the next couple of days. We're hoping to purchase some solar flood lights and try those out in the near future.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

I moved my seeds I started a few days ago out to the greenhouse yesterday. It kind of worries me that none of them have germinated yet but maybe I'll get a surprise when I go out this morning. Dd and I started some more tomato seeds yesterday along with a few melons. I plan to direct sow most of my melons and she wanted to plant some so I agreed.

Dh almost got our chicken run completed yesterday. Now we just have to kick out the guineas and move in the chickens that are living in the goat barn.

We sold three of our goats this week. We are going to be bringing our jersey heifer calf over here to raise closer to the family and the three does we had needed to move on. We kept our wether in hopes that he'll be good company for the cow. He's disbudded so no worries about her getting accidentally gorged. Our other dd had a fit when she found out we were selling the goats but a few hours later, she decided that the wether could be her favorite goat and was okay. 

Hope to get the chickens wrangled this weekend and the onions and cold-weather plants put out early next week.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Had a rough night last night. Tired but too much to do today. My taters need to be planted, and seeds started, and rock hauled at the old place. Well better get started! Have a great day all!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

All the rain is messing up the internet! I am up at home, now....but two of the store I shopped at were cash only.....can't get their machines online. Just a reminder that more then just a power outage or SHTF can take down the "system". Cash is king!

Payday so I did the monthly shopping (yes, I take cash....so I was not bothered by the outage). I was conservative in what I picked up. Wasn't much we needed, so I just picked up some long storage items, like barley, rice and beans. Few pounds of each. 

DD has had a belly ache for a few weeks, so we broke down and took her to the Stat care last night. They have no idea what's going on. Not enough symptoms to point them in any direction. But that also means not enough symptoms to send up to the ER. They put her on a clear liquids diet for today to give her digestive track "a day off" in case that's the issue. They said to give her Tylenol, not something I normally do for a belly ache. But it's helping, she slept like a log last night. Poor kid's hungry. Took DS out to get lunch to keep the cooking smells down. I told her we'd bring her back a slushy....the slushy machine was down!! So we got a soda in the flavor she wanted and made it a slushy at home. She said it's really helping....fooling her brain that she is eating. I'll make her some jello water later, and make up a big batch of jello for tomorrow. Soft foods for tomorrow....jello, pudding (think I'll do some homemade custard for the nutrition value), dry toast, mash potatoes, meal replacement drink, etc. I'm thinking a tuna noddle casserole might be a good supper for getting her "back on food"....not too harsh or spicy.

Another round of layoffs are happening as I type at DH's work (another reason I went conservative when shopping). They are taking their time and going slow, so the tension is thick enough to cut with a knife. Started yesterday, so I flat out to DH to go out to lunch today (not words the come out of my mouth often, lol). He'd need to get out of the building for a bit to decompress so it could make it through the afternoon. Of course his day could get cut short at any time.....won't know till much later.


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## WV Farm girl (Nov 26, 2011)

Gardening on the balcony this year. Wish I was on the farm full time but I have to make the best of it. 
My mini-greenhouse is up and I have lettuce and parsley sprouted. I have a couple raspberry vines in buckets but I think 1 died this week. The strawberries are doing well so far. I cooked down stock from a couple large t-bone steak bones from a farm raised beef. Almost 2qrts of stock to freeze. 
My compost pile on the farm seems to be doing well. I brought up some buckets of chicken manure and coop cleanings to add to my potting soil. Hope to grow squash and cukes on the balcony in addition to already mentioned. 
Picked up toothpaste and toothbrushes at Krogers 10-$10 sale. Up to 20lbs of sugar stocked up now too.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

The month is nearly half over and it's time to update my list and start working harder to get a few more things knocked off the list before the month is over. The weather has been nasty most of the month, so some of the outside stuff is not getting done as fast as I'd like.

My April To-Do List:
1. Clean out and fill 6 five gallon hydraulic oil buckets and have filled with farm diesel for the generator. *Filled 4 buckets so far, plan to take 4 or 5 more with me to work in a couple days and get them filled, too, exceeding my goal for the month.*
2. Build a small shed for the genny.
3. Weed the raised beds and plant cold weather crops. *Have weeded a bit, but not nearly enough, and haven't planted anything.*
4. Start warm weather crops in house. *Have a couple tomato plants...does that count?*
5. Get the HughesNet dish off the house so I can frame the sunroom. *On my list to do today.*
6. Finish the shelves in the pantry.
7. Rebuild some savings now that the house is paid off. *Getting there, but not to my comfort level yet.*
8. Check with the community college to see which projects the auto shop and auto body shops are working on, take my vehicles in for any work that can be done there this quarter.
9. Sell the rest of the goats and the alpaca.
10. Get the rest of the paperwork monster tamed. *Working on it, have to finish this coming week.*
11. Go visit my Aunt M and talk family history with her.
12. Fence in my vacant lot and run new water line to it, talk to new neighbors there.
13. Work on my wake/sleep schedule to be more productive. *This has been an epic fail so far.*
14. Start working on my water system and plumbing needs here...I know I can have much better water than what is flowing through my pipes now, and I'd like to be able to use every fixture in my house!

Looks like I have a lot more to work on over the next few weeks. I have been able to add to my firewood supply - not on my list, but an essential prep.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

We are finally up and about after really being knocked down by some horrible bug. When my DH gets sick it is a noteworthy event; he is never sick. Now allergy season has hit full force. 

Greenhouse three weeks behind but will be able to transplant tomatoes and peppers this week. Planted lots of perennial flowers to replace the hostas I lost in last summers' drough. DIL got permission to put in a little garden at their rental house so she is all excited. We'll go today and till up a patch for her. Need to go thru my seeds and fix up a little gift for her. She loves everything about the farm. Her family were homesteaders/homeschoolers. Also a talented soap maker. Medic in the Guard,too. The whole family got lucky when my son married her.

Beets,carrots,lettuce,spinach up and thriving in all this rain/cool weather. Had to cut the grass twice now. Our neighbor finally trailered bad cow home. She found herself a herd and couldn't be enticed to leave her new buddies. Buster, our beef project was glad to welcome her back. Not happy about the late late fall duedate but happy to get her bred.Won't be Jersey but milk is milk!

Incubator experiment not that sucessful. Borrowed the incubator from friends and had hard time getting heat regulated.Did hatch 7 peeps. From Americauna rooster/hens got 6 generic yellow fuzz balls and one black runty one.Isn't this odd? 5 days old and already loving their chickweed treat! Glad I ordered 10 replacement pullets for delivery on the 25th. In the past have had much better luck hatching eggs.

My sweet potato plantation is absurd. Started too early....looking for green I guess. Probably a hundred plants rooting on my woodstove.. Did get 2-50 foot rows of early taters in and both gardens worked up.Wanted to get the rye breaking down. All the orchard has bloomed except apples. Only minor deer/bunny damage noted while pruning.

I would be too daunted to get out of bed if I actually wrote out an April To-Do list!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

1. Build 3 more garden beds
2. Plant cool season crops. *Done*
3. Start warm weather crops in the house. *done, still have melons to start but that's it*
4. Order and plant mini-orchard (from raintree of course )
5. Get Drip system set up for the above!
6. clear out the rocks and weeds from the front yard bed and establish a wildflower bed there.
7. Continue to plant up the herbal medicine pots. *in progress*

Slowly but surely it is getting done! still need to get my grow light shelves built for when my seeds sprout. I tried to borrow MTM's suggestion from the frugal forum about bottom watering using kitty litter pans from the dollar store. Well they didn't have any, but they did have small baking pans. Deep enough for my use. I cleared out the shelves. Should take the guesswork out of watering my starts, which is something I have always had an issue with. I brushed up against something a week and a half ago and now I have a nasty rash on the back of my hand, looks like little blisters. Makes putting my gloves on an ouchie experience. So I have not gotten to the flower bed or the new garden beds yet.:grumble: Will be getting there soon I hope.:bored:


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Beautiful sunny day. I have a long list of things I need to do...but I did stuff I wanted to do instead. Started off with Camp Sunday at church. Our church has an amazing scholarship fund to send kids to camp. We add to it every year with a lunch after service. The meal is free but we ask for a good will donation for the camp fund. Every year any kid in the church that wants to go to church camp can. Cost is $40 from parents....church picks up the rest (camps $340-350 depending on if it's for 5th-8th or 9th-12th). It's a great deal and the kids have a blast! Yes this is a prep....I didn't have to make lunch and we get to keep more $ in our pocket while our kids still get to go to camp. Most of us donate the amount it would cost if we ran our families thru a drive thru for a meal. Yeah....and that's enough to keep the scholarship fund going every year!! It usually sends 20-30 kids a year to camp.

Came home and got dirty. DH turned the compost pile by digging out 3 wheel barrels of compost for our new bed. It's not full yet, but we have the first few inches down and weed block put down. I wanted to get that done soon, before the grass in the frame was long enough to need mowed. Now it can just die under there.

DH and kids ran the yard waste to the yard waste dump (stuff we can't compost). I planned to come in and scrub floors while the house was empty and such....but I couldn't do it. Instead I turned soil and planted seeds. OH....my back is tired, but it feels good, LOL. I sowed carrots, beets, lettuce, cabbage, bok choi, and radishes. Going to be warm the next day or so....hope it stays so, so things can get going in the garden.


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## cnichols (Jan 5, 2010)

Well, DH is feeling much better every day. 

Today while I turned the compost pile DH went in search of humus with a small bucket. He's still on a weight restriction as far as lifting so he made multiple trips with his small bucket digging up humus from rotted trees. I'd say he got almost a wheel barrow load total. That got dumped by bits into one of our established beds that the dogs dug out.

We picked up some starter plants & seeds today. We're going to finish getting two of the three 4x4 beds back in shape and get the plants planted as soon as possible.

We've moved (with the help of my youngest son) the two wooden grow beds and put them up on saw horses so DH can work in them easier. We will start getting soil moved into them tomorrow. I'm wanting to make one of them a dedicated herb/flower garden.

We still need to get the fruit trees planted. Since our plans of dirt work were nixed due to the medical issues, we're not really sure where to put them now. I'm wondering if we can plant them into really large pots until this next winter.

I wasn't able to get any of the chickens or rabbits processed this weekend. We were just too busy doing other things. It's going to need to be done soon though! Can't really put it off much longer as the older they get the tougher they get!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Went to son's to dig up a small new garden patch for DIL. She is so excited. Only one rock stopped the Mantis. Best thing about this darling baby tiller is the pin you can pull and take off one or both tines easily to remove rocks....in Missouri you need this ability! The other thing we like to do with the Mantis is till up in compacted stalls or chicken houses. Makes cleaning out the manure so much easier on this 65 year old back.

While there I watched my son reload some 30.06 rounds for my DH. Amazing to watch him measure accurately,etc. Didn't realize what a neat setup he has. All I ever do is pick up his brass when he is out here target shooting.They are meeting with their landlord this week about buying the house they are renting. It is a super nice house with full basement apartment,too. Cas uses kitchen down there for her soapmaking business. Eligable for VA loan. Hard to believe they've both been in military over 10 years now with 2 tours Iraq each.

Suppose to have storms here all week again. Instant replay from last week. Have to shuffle stuff around in barn to be able to pull car inside. This has been a really wet and windy spring.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Frugal Prep tip, don't let small health issues turn into big ones. Remember that rash I told you about yesterday? Yeah I went to urgent care last night, it is shingles. Good health is an important prep.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

So far, today.

I jarred up the instant beans and instant rice for the pantry (I finished making them yesterday). Laundry's out in the line for the first time in 2013!!! Store have roasts BOGO, which bring the cost down to $3 a pound......they have ground beef 85% lean for $4 a pound???? I bought roast and ran them through the grinder. Now I made ground beef (90-95% lean) for $3 a pound!! I know have 2 pans of burgers in the freezer freezing for summer. Kids and I are about to walk up to the store for 2 more roasts......hope to get 2 more "sets" after this set. Sale ends on Wednesday. Need to find ones of similar cost....the cheapest one is the free one. If I get 4, then the cheapest 2 will be free (not good if I can only find $12 pairs and $14 pairs...that's why I buy 2 at a time)


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## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

Congrats, Cnichols! Glad your hubby is doing so well. I don't post on here much, but I certainly do lurk! Been thinking about your dh and wondering how he was.

Working on putting canned goods on the new to us shelves, getting ready for furnace installation in the basement and main floor of the house. That will make it easier to use all of the house. Hubby had a 'wet leg' installed on one of the propane tanks so we can fill small tanks from the larger one in case we can't get more. He replaced the seal in our tank and stopped a leak in it, too.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

FarmerSonja.....we call shingles the "S" word...not spoiken outloud here after a bout with them 3 yrs. ago. Unfortunately I was left with nerve pain on my back. Hope you recover quickly.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

As part of our medical preps dh and I both got the shingles shot. They were expensive -- I think mine was $90+ and dh's was slightly over $100. Still if the shots work they are well worth it. I also make sure we get tetnus booster every 10 years. Doctor told me I was only patient that kept track and asked for a booster! SHTF I don't want to deal with any more medical issues than absolutely necessary and dh already has a boatload of problems.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Got rid of a personal mill stone around my neck. After whining about it on CF, reading responses, etc I'm feeling better about it. BUT a bit of comfort food was in need....so I made a big batch of bread dough. Made most into rolls filled with cherry pie filling (from cherries I canned in 2011). We'll have some yummy breakfast's for the next few days!!! Yeah, I did make one loaf of bread out of it too....for dinner.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Happened to see a CL ad for free cinder blocks. That's one of the things on our permanent list of things to watch CL for. I sent a text asking if they were still available and after they replied they were, dh called and set up for him to go get them this afternoon. 

Had hoped to get the onions planted today but I've got a dentist appointment :S that I've put off for two months. Trying to get this mess of a mouth fixed up while I can. 

Still having some germination issues. I must not be holding my mouth right or something this year. It's kind of frustrating.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

YAY!! I'm back in!! Had computer issues!

So, What have I gotten done...... Wound up making a much bigger order than I expected to at Honeyville... an it came in and is put away. Took advantage of the 20% off sale. 
Ordered a 5gal bucket storage rack from Shelf Reliance. A few things from EE.
Ordered some billboard vinyl to put down under all the new raised beds.....really excited about that discovery...should last a number of years. 
Bought a new tiller. Strawberries are blooming. Orchard doing well.....so far.
Taxes are done.
Bought a second pallet of cinder blocks at Lowes......Keep using their 10% discount for Military
Got a few things planted........many more to get into the ground.
Just have been crazy busy!!

cnichols - I am so happy about your dh!!

78PH..... Welcome to the forum. I have to ask......Parrothead as in Jimmy Buffett? (See my tag line)


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

cnichols, I am so glad your hubby is doing well:happy: Yeah Mutti, this is my second go round with the "s" last time was 15 years ago. About the best thing I can say is at least it is on my hand this time around. I wonder if the shingles vaccine is any good for someone who has already gotten it? Anyway, the neighborhood deer herd found my backyard today. Time to fence off the garden area. I am not putting out a salad bar for these pregnant does!:hand:


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

farmersonja...my friend who is RN for health dept. says the vaccine isn't recommended if you've already gotten shingles. Expensive,too. After having horrible case across shoulder and back I sure would try to prevent a repeat if there was anyway I could!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Hi, all! 

TDD, welcome back, sweetie.  Your post is inspiring me to get going in my garden...where do you get billboard vinyl? If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, that would be great to put on my garden paths under the wood chips. I use feed bags, cardboard, newspaper, etc, but it rots away so fast that I'm having to rake off the chips this year and replace the paper - lots of weeds growing both in the beds and paths. I'm thinking about just digging out all the perennial herbs and plants I want to keep, raking off all the mulch and then totally rebuilding the raised beds into a more uniform pattern where I have my strawberry, raspberry, and herb beds now. I used random lengths of scrap lumber to build in that area and it's hard to get a wheelbarrow around the angles. On the other hand, it's a big job and I have a long list of big jobs I still haven't finished...I should just weed, fill with more composted goat bedding (thoroughly tilled, turned and finished for me by the pigs), and get the soaker hoses and mulch down so I can plant.

fsonja, ouch and gentle hugs for your shingles...hope this episode passes quickly with no leftover pain. I've had many patients with shingles and know how miserable some of them were. I keep meaning to talk to my MD about getting the vaccine. It's recommended for older patients than me, but I know that the bodies response to vaccines DECREASES as we age, so why do they not vaccinate younger (okay, 50's isn't that much younger, lol) folks BEFORE we get shingles and BEFORE that response decreases. :shrug: Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for eventual shingles...the virus hides on the nerves and for some reason activates again in the form of shingles as we age, probably tied to that same decreased immune system response. I'd happily pay out of pocket for the chance to NOT get the shingles.

CNichols, I'm so happy to hear your dh is doing well. What a relief, eh? Also shows us that even someone with limits can accomplish a task a bit at a time, something to think about were one of us to be injured or unable to work at full strength post SHTF, or just as we age. 

Mutti, whether you actually make a list or just keep working on, you inspire me...you get a LOT done.  My hat is off to you! I've been thinking about getting my incubator out, separating my Cuckoo Marans chickens from my Speckled Sussex, and trying to hatch some "purebreds", along with some mutt crosses with the RIR and Golden Sex Link hens. Maybe next month...too much to do on my April list still. I was also eying the grandkids swingsets and thinking strongly about turning one of them into a quick greenhouse - have lots of plastic sheeting dragged home from work that I could put to use over it and all I'd have to do is take off the swings and slide and drag it to the garden. I don't think I'd even till that spot, just knock together more raised bed frames and fill with cardboard and goat bedding. Might put that on my list for today.

Hillbillygal, I also have some tooth issues to get taken care of while I still can...putting it off for a few months now, but I really need to get a couple fillings done. Great score on the cinder blocks!

Let's see, what have I been up to on the prep front? Got the tabs for my Nissan p/u and have the charger on the battery...I am taking the goats to auction Friday if it kills me - some of them got into my garden and nearly girdled some of my young fruit trees...I'm afraid some of them won"t make it. :grumble:

While I was at the courthouse, I talked to several different departments, from Auditor and Assessor to Building and Planning and Environmental Services. As I suspected, there is absolutely NO record of any "second" well on the neighboring lot, and plenty of documentation that the well has always been exactly where is is presently located, in the form of plans on permit applications they'd filed over the years. :happy: Now I can go talk to the new neighbors, get acquainted, show them the printouts and get my water line hooked up. Still need to call PUD and make sure they can run my power from the driveway line on the south side. I'm pretty sure once the line runs past a property, there is access, but until I actually talk to someone in the know, I can't be ABSOLUTELY sure.

Took 5 more 5 gallon buckets to town and filled them with off-road diesel yesterday morning after work...that gives me 45 gallons of fuel for the genny now. I have 5 more buckets tied in the back of the truck for my next trip. I'm aiming for 100 gallons on hand at this point. Once the genny is wired properly, that should be enough fuel that used conservatively and paired with a battery bank, I should be able to run the well pump and freezers for a very long time.

Yesterday was beautiful, so I was able to get out and work in the fresh air while I aired out the house. I did a bit of weeding in the garden, tied out all the goats and gave them houses to crawl into at night or if it rains, organized the fuel buckets (Pri-D going in today), and worked in the woods, gathering brush into piles, cleaning up the ground under the trees, and separating firewood from future kindling. Very little will be burned outside. Most will be composted or burned as winter heat in the woodstove. It's not fancy firewood, but even half rotted logs burn well (and hot) when dried. I snapped branches off dry saplings and dragged the saplings to the barn, ran some of them through the table saw into firewood lengths (dry wood is hard on chainsaws, but goes through the table saw like a dream and I don't use saw gas that way), and took the firewood in to the hearth. The days are getting warmer, but the nights are still near or below freezing, so I need a fire at night. 

Cleaned the ashes out of the stove while the fire was out - got another couple handfuls of nails out of them. Swept all my floors - where DOES all the dirt come from? Sorted laundry to wash today and did more housework here and there as needed. Took the clippers to my hair and neatened up the cut I did a few weeks ago. Still need to get the last of the hairline in the back, though. Should have had my dd do it while i was visiting with her, my ddil and grandbaby yesterday.

I treated some anthills in the woods with Terro and pulled some hills apart with a pitchfork. I was pleasantly surprised to see that some of the anthills were actually abandoned...the ant problem isn't as severe as I had feared. I still have probably a dozen big mounds to kill. I'm experimenting with cornmeal, corn flour, Terro, Terro and pulling them apart, etc. I want to know what works best and am hoping the corn products win!

I was able to place a Bountiful Baskets order this week! Last week I missed out, but this week they still had plenty of spaces left. Ordered the standard basket, 25# of carrots and a 40# box of organic(?) Fuji apples. Came to $53, and the apples alone would cost that much in the stores this time of year. I want to make dried apple slices with most of the box. My friend that told me BB was in our town now is going to pick up my order for me and I'll pick it up from her when I come in to town Saturday night for work. Can't wait to see what is in the basket!

I'm sure there's more, lol, but I'm getting tired all over again just reading this, so I'm gonna get off this computer and get outside to play again! Have a great day, all!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

MGM, thanks sweetie! I will take all the hugs I can get, and my hand is starting to get better already! You tucker me out just reading about all you are doing. You too TDD! And welcome back! Mutti, thanks for the info! Recently found out that the town I work in has a BB drop point. Still debating on whether or not to go in for it. 8 is really early for a Saturday morning right now!:grin:


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## cnichols (Jan 5, 2010)

Well, we now have 48 sq ft planted with toms, peppers, cabbage, broc, cukes, straight neck & zukes as well as 16 sq ft planted with herbs and flowers. DH still wants to add more raised beds as soon as he's able to begin operating our chainsaw mill again. 

We are also looking at building (using our own materials except for the plastic) a greenhouse/fish house so we can start raising fish & veggies in aquaponics. About the only fish that we've found that would even be moderately self-sustaining is tilapia. And those, in our environment, would require heat during the winter since they are tropical fish, hence the "fish house". If we build a "fish house" (aka insulated shed) at the end of the greenhouse, we can heat it during the winter with a rocket mass heater to keep the temp up for the fish as well as the greenhouse plants (to a certain degree).

Yesterday we stocked up on enough animal feed to last at least a month (we hope) and DH hoed around the grape vines this morning.

We've been thinking hard about the goats and are thinking that maybe it's just best for us to get a couple of wethers for brush clearing instead of does for dairy. I'm just not sure I want to make that kind of commitment right now. Plus right up the street someone has a sign out that they have dairy goats. We also noticed an advertisement on the billboard at the local convenience store for fresh goats milk for sale. So it might be something we can barter for. Just have to ask. 

Our way of thinking is between the rabbits, dogs, chickens & various fruits and veggies (plus our aquaponics plans) we think we've got enough going on at the moment. 

I'm very glad to see everyone is so productive this month! I believe with dedication and lots of effort we can all accomplish our dreams! :goodjob:


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Welcome back TDD :nanner: Glad your silence was simple computer problems and not "real" problems.

Planted some herb seeds today. I'm hoping they are a few inches high by the time May comes along.....we'll see. I was supposed to start them a few weeks back, I procrastinated. 

Not much prepping happening around here these days. Too many "other" things to do, lol. DS is getting ready to cut the grass as I type. Curriculum pieces have been ordered for next year. My paperwork is done so I can take over DD's Girl Scout troop. We home schooler are pulling out of the troop to make one for us.....daytime meetings!! Her current leader is also a home schooler and coming with us, she just doesn't have the time to do the "paperwork" side of it anymore. I don't have any toddlers (or unstable family members) in my house, so I can make the time.

I'm sitting here drooling....I made garlic bread for dinner and it's out of the oven. Yes, cloves of garlic minced and added to the bread dough....heavenly!! Need to pick up a few fresh veg for supper while I'm out at the Post Office. I'm so un-motivated, but if I don't get going, I'll never get to eat that bread, lol.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I read somewhere that the shingles vaccine could be given to someone who had had the singles if it had been over a certain time since you'd had them. Ask your doctor.

I finally got my tomatoes and cabbage transplanted from the flats to pots. I decided the peppers were still too small so left them in the flats for now. 

We've had over 5" of rain/hail/sleet/snow in the last week to 10 days so it will be awhile before I can get back into the garden. More of the same is still in the forecast. Unfortunately even with all the rain (and flash flooding in the Southern part of the state) we're being told this does not end the drought.

I worked on my amended tax returns yesterday and have decided I'm going to have to hire someone to do them. I think I have the federal okay but I'm struggling with the state so I will have preparation fees as well as paying back a portion of my refunds.

I'm working at the office today, but tomorrow I plan to work on my sewing room projects. I have two small sewing projects to finish and then I need to dig thru and sort out and donate fabric that I've had way too long and still have no idea what to use it for.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

MGM - I ordered them from billboardvinyl.com. They are new...in many sizes and weights. I intend to look for some that have been used, but I have not located a source here...just yet. BTW - They came today... weighs about 100lbs each! I think they are going to work out great! 
You know me... I am a cardboard/ leaf/ grassclipping/ woodchip/feed bag scrounger.

If I were you...I'd check for the used ones..If there is a billboard manufacturer in your neck of the woods!!
I know several people that have used them as pond liners...I don't know what took so long for the light bulb to go off in my littlepunkin head! DOAH!

Thanks Jen. Good to be back! 

farmersonja - Thanks! MGM was my inspiration to join this forum!! She keeps me on my toes!!!

I had three more boxes from Honeyville to come in. And a dishsoap order from Amazon.
Woke to a big thunderstorm this a.m. glad to get the rain...but it brought in low 30F's for tonight. I pay the fruit trees won't be nipped. It's too muddy to get to them to wrap them in frost blankets. I have the tomatoes, cukes, squash and peppers covered.

Quick dinner tonight of cubed steak and gravy, peas& carrots/mac and cheese. 
Bought 2 more 375 gallon caged water tanks and made feed order.

Trimmed Blackberry brambles.

Dh has cut a bunch of low hanging limbs, we will shred some for walkways and the other will become firewood. 

Plan to can up strawberries this weekend.. and garden, garden, garden.
DH is picking up yet another pallet of cinder blocks tomorrow.

That's about it for today...... happy prepping!!


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

Most of this week's to do's are now ta done's! Yay!!

Coop got moved (FINALLY) on Monday and some new EE's hatched out.

Tuesday was a wash due to a trip to the VA.

Yesterday saw the arrival of 100 strawberry plants, kiwi, thornless blackberries, more blueberry bushes and grapes. A few of the strawberries went into the ground along with everything else that came in.

Today I mulched around the new plantings in hopes of trapping some warmth in there for the next few days of wet and cold. Hoping that this snap doesn't do too much damage to the just starting to bud orchard, but they aren't very high hopes.

Tomorrow the plan is convince DH that we need to run and pick up a 300 gal. water tank or two. And maybe some guttering to put up on the laundry room addition so we can get the rain barrels up and going while we're actually getting rain!

Saturday...spending the morning selling chicks and layers at the local Small Animal Swap then going to get a start on the foot bridge that is going to be required for the wet weather creek out back!

Sunday...would love to say REST! But the rest of the strawberries will be needing to go in and the outside brooder cleaned for the new chicks to get transferred into. And IF the bridge gets started on Saturday, finishing it up.

It's been a slow week. :heh:


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

OH, my hips are aching tonight. I've spent the last couple days working on firewood and clearing brush. All that bending over and straightening back up took its toll on my body. I got a lot of firewood cut and some of it taken to the woodshed. I also sorted out some brush piles, stripped the branches off the saplings, snapped twigs into tinder and kindling, and stacked a whole lot of poles to take to the tablesaw and cut into small firewood. The area I'm working on is starting to look really pretty, like a little park.

Worked on paperwork inside after it started to rain too hard to even work in the woods. I really wanted to till up some raised beds and get ready to add compost and plant them, but it was too wet. I have an electric Mantis that I use, and I just don't think hard rain and electric tillers are a good combo!  I think I have all the paperwork I need to file for my flex spend account reimbursement - need to file by month's end or lose $1500. If that isn't incentive, I don't know what is. I also found the property tax bills and got the check written for the first half taxes - that has to be paid by month's end, too.

Right now, though, I need to go to sleep. I think my pain pills are kicking in...my aches were keeping me awake. Gotta get up in the morning and drive the goats to the auction, so I'd better get some sleep now.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

We've been taking care of some home improvements this week. These are things that we have been putting off for ages but now that we have an appraiser coming out, we're getting on the ball to get them done. 

My seeds in the greenhouse have finally decided to pop up. I'm still awaiting a pepper to germinate but if they don't I'll pick some up at a local greenhouse.

Had to run to Fred's the other day for dh and picked up another box of canning lids. Dh was laughing at me only buying one box but I told him that money's tight but I wanted to add something to the lid drawer.

I'm looking into the billboard vinyl now, lol! Hope to find a local company with some to let go at a low, low price.


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## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

Very quick break and not enough time to read all the posts, but will do so this afternoon while Mom naps.

For Shingles, I know many, many people who have had wonderful results by taking over the counter L-Lysine. You take four the first day, at once, then one every four hours. It's a form of B vitamins, so not harmful and amazing in how it works. Especially when you are first suffering an attack. When my parents were staying in Arizona for the winters, almost half the people in the mobile home park came down with them. The ones who took the L-Lysine recovered quickly. Those who poo-pooed the idea, suffered, and suffered. Just FWIW.

Back to work.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Busy at work today.......Only managed to get a few things accomplished. Filled 55 gal drums with feed. 
Unwrapped everything I had to cover last night.... yes, we got frost...grrrrrrrr! It was 90F just the day before!
Another super quick dinner tonight.....good thing DH does not mind.

Dog food order came in, that is put away.
Little bit of laundry done early.
Bathrooms scrubbed and scoured.

I have so much I need to get done garden wise. I am going to get up XXearly and get that 25lbs of Strawberries canned.
Also, I did pick up 25lbs of Organic Fuji apples 99 cents per pound! I have to get going on those, too!

I have a consultation for a wedding cake....I had stepped back this year on those things... they take so much of my free time...but, she was referred....so, I guess I'll be back up at the commercial kitchen soon.

Everyone have a marvelous night!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Aargh - I overslept this morning and missed taking the goats to auction. Guess I'm stuck with them another week. I thought I had the alarm set...either I didn't, or I was so tired I turned it off in my sleep. I've been known to do that before.

I've been concentrating on paperwork clutter sorting and cleaning house today, as it's still pretty wet outside. I'm down to the last small crate and am working on it. 

While I'm working on the new pantry shelves, I've moved some of my bookcases that I've used for food storage into my bedroom and have case lots of LTS items and post-Easter candy, among other preps stacked on them. Looks a little odd, but it gets them out of the way for now.

Still hoping that if the rain lets up, I can get outside and work on stacking that firewood under cover so it can dry out. I was hoping to be done burning wood until fall, but have a slow fire going today as it's only about 50* outside. I suppose I could just go do it and get wet, but I'm not all that fond of being both rain wet and sweaty at the same time. I'd do it if I didn't have a choice, but with plenty of inside jobs calling my name, I'm gonna be a "diva" today, lol!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Well I went and got the last of this months bills paid, went to Lowes and picked up 8 -5gallon paint buckets, went to my bosses place and filled said buckets with composted horse manure for the garden. Free is a wonderful word! Canned 3 half pints of bilberry jam, 4 half pints of bilberry jelly, and 2 half pints of chocolate sauce. been going since 6 this morning. Stick a fork in me, I am done.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Went over to the next county and picked up our apple trees, blueberry bushes, and strawberry plants from the 4-H plant sale pick up. They are bare root but look pretty darn good for the price.

Dh has been going to Lowe's to pick up paint for the house so I've tagged along and picked up a couple of quarts of oopsie paint on the markdown rack. First store the cashier just scanned it and didn't discount it. I was watching so I let her know it was a markdown and laughed about the fact that there was no way I would spend $12 on that ugly-as-sin color. (It was only $2 and I figure it'll be good enough for my mobile coop I plan to build.) The Lowe's ad had an offer for free tomato seeds but when I asked the customer service lady, she said they were gone in the first 3 hours they set them out two days ago. Oh well, not like I don't have enough tomato seeds but I figured as long as I was there, I'd check, lol!

Today is the big rummage sale. I'll be leaving in a little bit to get my spot in line. I always enjoy the crazy people like myself that are in line an hour before the door opens!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Started canning Strawberries and Jelly at 2:00 am........64 pints later.... I am already worn out and .....the day hasn't even started yet!

Hillbillygal - I see your early am post time...You keep hours like I do!! LOL!

I placed a quick order for more gamma lids.

DH slept in.... he's not feeling 100%...... I'm am off to fix his breakfast.... 'cause we have got to get outside and get BUSY!

One more cup of Coffee and I am good to go......I hope

Everyone have the best day!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Wow you ladies keep really early hours! I admire you, mornings are not my best time.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Lordy, am I ever pooped! 
Dh & I built 6 raised beds. I shoveled & hauled 25 DEEP wheelbarrow loads of compost and I don't even know how much manure and soil.

We both had to stop for a while , during the middle of the day...Dh is still not feeling well. I on the other hand...was simply exhausted.

Went back out by myself, after resting, and planted another 300 Strawberry plants.

We have so many more beds to build and fill.... then plant....I hope I can keep my mojo!
For the record... When you handle 300 Cinder Blocks...They weigh more and more with every block!

I am headed to the shower....and bed.

Hope you all had a good one!


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Made it to the sale and was 3rd in line at 7, lol. It was cold but I had a couple of hand warmers that made it a lot nicer! I bought two hiking packs and one was even a framed one for $3. Got a mess kit that included 3 pots and service for 4 with plates and cups all for $5. One of the workers saw me carrying camping gear and pointed me to the mess kit so I was tickled. Someone who gardened and foraged must have cleared off their bookshelf cause I found some great books: No-Work Garden Book, Free for the Eating, Stalking the Healthful Herbs, Stalking the Blue Eyed Scallop, Stalking the Wild Asparagus, and Make Compost in 14 Days. 

Went to one of the farm supply shops and picked up some bagged compost and potting mix. The worker man that helped me gave me his suggestions for what to get and I went with his opinion as their greenhouse plants always look really good. 

Dh and BIL planted four of our apple trees we picked up yesterday. They also finished a new flower/herb bed around the house.

I tried to help with the improvements whenever they had a job they needed me to do. Mainly, I made supper for them and then did the afternoon animal chores.

TDD: I actually get to sleep in in the morning! I might snooze til 7! It's very nice to get an early start and the first cup of coffee out of the way before the family is up and running, lol!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Good Morning All!
So far this morning....Filled both Excalibers with Apple Slices. 
Canned 16 quarts of Apple Pie Filling.
Saved peels and cores to cook down for Apple Jelly.
Did morning feeding, while Apple's were processing.
Going back out to see if I can make some gardening happen...Dh is still feeling punkie...so....I probably won't have his help today.

I ordered 30 Treegators for the Orchard and some mulch mats.

HBG - Awsome score!! No-Work Garden???? Right....They're all work! lol!

Onward:bandwagon:


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

We keep trying to stop using the heat but Mother Nature is not co-operating. Supposed to be chilly most of this coming week. Frost yesterday morning. Pa had to go and cut a load of firewood Doesn't take long with the mountains of tops we have after logging part of the woods last year. He did get all the mowing/string trimming done yesterday,too and the place looks great. No wonder is is complainging about his knees today. 

You all are so energetic it makes me tired reading your posts. I finally got all the tomatoes and peppers transplanted in g-house. Planted many new-to me kinds of flowers this year with perenials,too as thought my hosta bed was done for past last years drought but no....happily most came back and look really well. Some I can divide to fill in a couple of holes. 

Finished another pr. socks watching all the Boston news and wondering why they didn't have more coverage of the explosion in Tx. Working on a quilt for our bed. Star blocks that each measure 24"...wanted something that would be done for next winter! Hoping spring arrives soon and STAYS.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Made it down to FIL this morning. We finally got the deer stand down, lol. 

As we pulled back in we saw "the pile" the neighbor was pulling together for the church garage sale. We unloaded the deer stand then pulled the trailer between the houses and told him to load it up. Looked like it would be 3-4 loads for him to get there in his car. Between the two of us, we have a trailer full! It did inspire me to go out to the shed and rummage around. There are still 2 boxes out there that haven't been fully unpacked since our move back to the US (um....we've been home 3-1/2 yrs :teehee I found our missing lawn chairs and my missing laundry basket. 2 small size super soakers and the rest....out grown "play things" and kid chairs. Box is now empty...most went to the trailer, and few sand toys set aside for taking out the the campground this summer (and will never make it back home again  ) I really need to bring that last box in and dump it out on the floor. I literally can't reach what is in the bottom of it....I think it's mostly kids toys.

ETA: Did the last box. Found a few missing things, like the drawer knob on our coffee table! We are now officially un-packed!!!!

I'll be in the long line at 9 am to get into the church. Our sales pull in people from all over the area......I think it's the un-official start to Garage Sale Season around here. As always, I'll be looking for canning things, fabric, a backpacking pack for DS, and a few other things.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Yay! we have seeds sprouting! And we knocked out the grow lights super quick between DH and I! That was on my must do right away list. And he turned on the sprinkler system. That was necessary to set up the drip system for the garden. That to do list is going to do some more shrinking this week!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Y'all are makin' me feel like a major slacker! I ended up calling off of work last night...I hadn't been able to sleep more than an hour, and was getting a migraine...I knew I would never make it through the night working. Wouldn't be safe for my patients, for sure. I did finally get some sleep last night and am getting ready to go work in the garden today before working one night tonight. I think I'm gonna drive the Nissan p/u in tonight, get the tires changed out and go get more buckets filled with off-road diesel while I'm in town.

So nice to see the sunshine today! I'm gonna try to knock a few things off my to-do list - farmersonja is inspiring me.  TDD, I would die, literally DIE, if I worked as hard as you did!!!! I'm with Mutti (who also inspires me to work harder), y'all tire me out just reading your posts. Keep up the great work, ladies!

Radiofish, where ARE you?!!! Please check in and let us know you';re okay? Don't make me e-mail you, lol!

eta: Picked up my Bountiful Baskets order, and have a co-worker that loves all the produce I don't, so she is buying half of the basket from me. The apples are great and the carrots...wow! Huge carrots that are SOOOOO sweet and crunchy, all the way through. I'm sold!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Ran to my parents (50 miles away in the BIG city). Today's mom's 70th birthday. She is going to some plant exchanges in the next month, so I "weeded" out my growing area yesterday and took her lilac, daffodils and cedum to exchange. Of course digging those plants snowballed and I ended up "fixing" one of my beds. Now to do the same thing on the smaller one that houses my mint. Mom mentioned she needs mint, so I now have a reason to tackle that bed this week....as they will be down here this weekend  She had iris' that needed thinned....guess what I brought home, lol. I really prefer perennial flowers.....as much as I enjoy gardening, I don't like messing with flowers.

Girl Scout was cancelled for tonight.....so I may just into those beds tonight and get them "fixed". But not until and fix the gnawing sensation in my belly.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Good evening, All!
So, yesterday,I mowed a couple of acres bagged it all and sent it to live in the compost pile. Preened under the trees in the orchard, watered them, started laying rock edging.....ran out of steam.:ashamed:

I was right, Dh was a no show in help dept.
Planted some Basil, Thyme, Oragano, Dill and Sage and some mexican petunias in a front yard bed. Mulched them in.

Tried to unfurl the Billboard Vinyl by myself... not happening....too flippin heavy and the wind was wicked. If I had held on... I'd been in Kansas with Dorothy and Todo!!

Raked some leaves and twigs and introduced them to the compost pile, as well.

Processed 16 pints of Apple Jelly! I FELL into the bed in a heap!

Dh and I went to Lowes again tonight.... using that 10% Military Discount. Picked up 10 large (2 gallon) pots of Gerber Daisies for $2 each before disc. Also picked up some more herbs & another flat of the mexican petunias. My total discount came to $67.63 WOOT!!!
Came home and started putting thr Frost Blankets back on all the new trees, Tomato's, Peppers, Cukes, etc! Yep...another cold front......I am so tired of this crazy weather. 84F today 38F tomorrow..YUCK!

MGM - I am going to try to check in to BB around here. I have found Zaycon Foods close.:thumb:

Yes, Radiofish, please come back to us here:kissLEASE. WE MISS YOU!

Onward


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Well after work today I framed out the last 3 main veggie beds. The drip system is getting put in on Friday. Still haven't ordered trees for the mini orchard yet. Going to have DH till in the compost in the beds tomorrow before he goes to work. I will pot up some more medicinal herbs seeds after work tomorrow. Going to dump more vinegar on some of the weeds in the front yard in the morning. Bumped up my run another 1/4 mile. Almost to 1 mile now! Tore the ligiment in my left knee last year, I seem to be doing o.k. now as long as I warm up really well.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

We finally got our onions, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, blueberry bushes, and apple trees in the ground. Hopefully, everything will take and we'll be on our way to fresh eating, lol!

Found one of the large water tanks in a metal cage thing that I really wanted but we just can't get over to where they are this week so I'll miss out on that. The guy did say to contact him when I knew we were headed that way and he may have more. 

Dh finished the new flower/herb bed around the house so I need to get things set out there soon. I'm going to try and get my strawberries in the ground today if possible. It's supposed to rain here again Wednesday.

Y'all work so hard! Makes me want to keep at it!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Well, I really, really meant to work in my garden yesterday...but I got sucked into my brush clearing and firewood hauling again.  I did get quite a bit more wood moved to the wood shed, snapped off a lot of dead undergrowth in the woods, stuff like that. I'm at work now for just one night and then I'm hoping to get more time outside in the sunshine.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Only a bit of stuff accomplished today after work. Picked up 25 lbs of Asparagus....guess what I will be canning.

I have a cheesecake in the oven that was custom ordered. A coconut cake is ordered for Monday..... and I have all this gardening to do!
Roasted a couple of chickens, now have the bones simmering for chicken broth.
Weather is cool again.
That's all here.:boring:


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

We're making headway on a long line of overgrown willow trees down the side of our main garden area. Think we about two thirds finished, cutting off the lower limbs and cleaning up underneath. Then hopefully we can burn the entire area and clear off the leaves before summer. New trellises are up for grapes and also for an increase in raspberry and blackberry bushes in the future. It was 16 degrees this morning, so our new grape vines are still in the house for now! 

After changing out all the heated water buckets for goats, chickens and dogs and putting in regular buckets for the summer, replacing the fence charger with a solar fence charger and being able to turn off the heater during the days, our electricity bill went down over 100.00 this month. We're on a roll, so ordered replacement LED bulbs for the entire house, garage and shop and also outside motion sensor lights. They should be in this week and we'll see if that helps the bill some too. Also bought a solar powered motion sensor light for over the parking area and we were so surprised at how much light it put out! Put a couple more of those on our 'want' list.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Planted my strawberry plants yesterday. Hope they take well. They were a bargain at 25/$6.50 but look pretty nice. Also managed to plant 2/3 row of peas. We always plant peas but don't eat very many of them so we only did a few this year. Dh likes a couple of meals of taters & pea dumplings but then he's over it, lol! We have our potatoes, onions, and peas planted in succession so it'll be easy to put that meal together!

Rec'd some seeds yesterday. My peppers are not coming up at all so looks like I'll be visiting the greenhouse soon. Told dd she and I would make the trek up there next week. Love going up there though 

Appraiser is arriving this afternoon so I must clean all day. Have to find a way to contain all my wonderful items that dh refers to as clutter, lol. Praying hard that this goes well!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

I got nothing done yesterday as I was so very tired. Had a rough nights sleep. Today I am raring to go and it is my short day at work. Going to put the compost in the new beds, going to lowes to get more chain for the shop lights, potting up every seed I can get my hands on, will take a load of big honkin tumbleweeds to the dump. If I have time, I will also go out to a local farm and pick up some boxes of free garlic to dehydrate!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

It often takes 3-4 weeks for pepper seeds to germinate; especially if it isn't really warm. I bring those flats in to set on a cheapo hot pad as we don't keep our ghouse 80 unless Mother Nature is solar heating it to that! Peppers love heat and will sulk if planted out too early so no rush to get them in the ground.Even here in so. Mo I wait until June to plant them out. I note in my notes from this year that mine took almost 3 weeks to emerge. I wouldn't count them lost! Just my observations.

Sunny but crazy windy here. Wish spring would come to stay. ...and this rain every week pattern could stay,too! Call me wishy-washy! They claim our drought is broken in MO. We'll see.

We pick up the pullets we ordered tomorrow. The 7 we hatched are all doing fine. Even little black peep who is half the size of the others. He hatched two full days before the others... a preemie? 

Finally got shipment of rice in at our Mennonite store so bought 100# and got that in buckets. Son helping a friend clean out her grandma's house on the farm up in Il. and says he has dozens of Ball and Kerr jars plus no-name ones and even blue ones. Plus a wheel hoe and an old oxen yoke. Says he wishes he hadn't sold his truck as there is so much more farm stuff there.


i


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Dang, if I didn't get another cheesecake order today....It's in the oven. The others are done. 
I picked up a case of green beans....I'll work on snapping them while the Asparagus is processing.....whenever that is:gaptooth: 
( I am burning the midnight oil already!!)

Weather still cool...praying this is the last cool spell so I can get my plants in.....I have 150 Tomato plants, 65 Pepper plants, Squash, and all the rest to go in......Ya'll remind me.... when I start complaing about the heat.......That I wished the cool away!!! I just can't believe we are still getting frost.

Ordered some canned 9mm& 22 ammo from Ready Reserve.

Loaded the dishwasher with pint and 1/2 jars for the Asparagus.

I overheard someone in the office talking today....They said " All that Prepper stuff is nothing but stupid!"
Shaking my head, I said to myself........No, Dear,...... YOU are the Stupid one!:runforhills: 

Well, back to my stupid prepper life I go......you all have a good night!


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Everything went well with the appraisal yesterday so I can finally breathe, lol.

We had rain last night so I told dd that she and I would go out today and gather dandelions. I've never made dandelion jelly but I'm feeling the need to can something and prices on produce are not good for canning in our area at the moment!

Mutti- I've kept watering and caring for the pepper seeds so maybe they'll pop up! Thanks for the info. I was checking my journal from last year and I guess it was just warmer when I started things. It was earlier but weather is always a bit different.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Mildly bummed. I really want to be at the church garage sale right now  Plumber's are here putting in the new hot water heater....so I have to wait. Although.....having enough hot water to take a bath is not a bad thing, lol. On the up side, I sent my kids up (with money)....so they are scouting it out for me. We live only 2 block from the church.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Wilco was having a sale so I stopped after work Tuesday morning and bought 20 cattle panels and 50 T-posts, along with a couple rakes, some tomato plants and some pasture seed. I even talked them into free delivery.  Also stopped and filled 5 more buckets with diesel. Came home, split wood and worked in the woods for a while before I needed some sleep. 

Worked in the woods, split more wood, and took delivery of my cattle panels and t-posts yesterday. So far today, all I've done is paperwork...got the flex spend account forms filled out and receipts copied. I'll take them to work tonight and fax them off. Should have a nice check coming next week. 

Working on my lunch and lunch for work tonight now, and then it's outside to play in the sunshine! I only have to work one night and then I'm off until Monday night, so not too much of an interruption in my projects here at home. Still have quite a few big rounds to split, more saplings to run through the saw, need to fill gallon water jugs for storage today, too. More of that "stupid" prepper stuff!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Did a shopping trip this p.m. Topped off supplies of dish soap, vitamins, thread, several bags of dried beans and several cans of pork & beans at 39Â¢ each. I also got several bags of frozen veggies at 88Â¢ each which I may put into the dehydrator. I'll have to see exactly how many I have in the freezer before I decide. I priced canning jars and Menards had the best prices. I didn't buy any because dh was too tired to go back to Menards by the time I'd finished my round of stores. 

I noticed Menards has half gallon jars. Does anyone can in half gallons? I think the Extension Service advises against using them. 

We have city wide garage sales coming up so I've been working on my shopping list. I'm hoping to find some quart jars, but over the last several years I've had little luck finding canning jars. Maybe this year will be my lucky time.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Ah, I'm finally manygoatsNOmore! I took the last 7 goats and the alpaca to the auction this morning. I thought I might be sad, but all I feel so far is a profound sense of relief. Maybe now I can have an orchard, landscaping, and a productive vegie garden. It's so nice to go outside without any goats "baah"ing at me, for no particular reason. Kind of wish I'd signed up and got a number - a huge boar went for $15! Get him castrated, feed him for a few weeks, and make ground pork out of him. Oh, well, someone else got a bargain.

I did some tilling in the garden when I got home, raked up some brush in the woods, but finally got too hot and came in to shower, eat and rest. I worked until 0230 last night, so I got a few hours sleep before loading up goats, but I'm still short on sleep. I think I might take a nap and then go work outside when it cools off a little this evening. It's supposed to get cooler this weekend...I love the sunshine and want it to last, but I just need to get acclimated to summer temps!

Ann, I think TPTB have decided it's not safe to can in the half gallon jars, but they are so useful for other things. When I was milking goats, they were the perfect size for holding the milk. Vac packing dry pantry goods, making a batch of Kool-Aid, lots more. I wish I had many more of the half-gallons.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

O.K. the drip for the garden beds is done, Most of my herbal medicine seeds have been potted up. Still a couple that need to be started under the grow lights though. I ran out of potting soil. Had to run to the Big Town to Lens Mart to get my glasses fixed. I ordered prescription sunglasses and they came to me with clear lenses. Yeah, that isn't going to block anything. Going to work out at the other place tomorrow, trying to get it ready for renters May 1. Just some yard work is about all that is left. If we have time we are going to get the deer fencing up and electrified. I found a darn hoof print in my lettuce bed. Lordy I am tired, I am going to scrape a few layers of today off of me in the shower and go to bed. Have a great night all.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

The wide mouth half gallon jars are great for chilling milk and letting cream rise. You can get your hands in there to get them really clean, too. I also use them alot for the frozen vegetables I buy on sale and dehydrate. You can fit alot of those 1# bags in one once dried. I know the Mennonite ladies around here can in them but I wouldn't. But then, they often don't use pressure canners and will hot water bath jars for several hours.

Suppose to be in 70's-80's the next few days but after getting almost 3" rain in past two days we won't be able to work in our garden as it is a swamp....and we live at the top of a steep hill. Happy to report that the money invested in new metal roof and eavestrough paid off and no water in cellar. Before we'd be starting a siphon hose to drain it after that much rain.

Got the rest of my green,red,hot peppers transplanted. Vincas and petunias finally big enough to do and all the perennials I tried are up so pleased about that. New peeps are doing fine. Put them in brooder with the seven we hatched and no problems. BIL found one of those "horribly expensive in the chicken catalogs three level brooder setups" in a house he rented and it has served us well for past 30 years!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Wow ladies, we are all working very hard...are we not....in our "stupid" prepper lives.
I have canned 16 Pint & 1.2 Jars of Asparagus, Pickeling the rest hot and dilly & sweey and tangy.
Hope to face that 30 lbs of green beans, to snap. If I stop and go outside....it's all over........... We didm't get the rain I was hoping to come and keep in in the house this weekend.

Made the BIG feed store order...dh is away from the farm this weekend during daylight.... so I can get stuff DONE!!!

Well water is boiling, jars are hot...so off I go!

Have very poductive day!!

BTW...Cnichols...Please check in.
ManygoatsNO more.......Wow... that has been a long time coming! Congrats Sweetie!!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I have quite a few old blue glass 1/2 gallon jars but they are all regular mouth. The ones I saw at Menards were wide mouth so maybe I'll pick up a box.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Ann, just out of curiosity, what is the price for a box there? They run about $2 a jar here.

I've decided that I am old, fat and terribly out of shape!!! Working in the garden, did a little digging and was totally winded.  I kept going anyway, just slowed down a bit. Just renewed my resolve to improve my fitness and lose some weight. A few years ago, I could work all day in my garden, shoveling, moving dirt, etc and barely break a sweat. Drives me crazy to huff and puff. At least it's about 20 degrees cooler today, so I can work harder without dripping with sweat! 

I did manage to finish cleaning out the first of many raised beds, screened all the dirt in it and got it all leveled out, ready to plant. I have an invasive weed in my garden that is trying hard to take over. It spreads by underground roots and rhizomes, forms a mat of stringy roots, and has small, arrow shaped leaves. Anyone know what it is? I want to get rid of it without having to resort to Round-Up. My garden is organic, and I'd like to keep it that way, but if I can't get rid of that weed, I won't be growing much of anything!

I also spent time today working on rainwater collection, cleaning out buckets and totes in preparation for the rain forecast for this afternoon - finished just in time for the downpour to hit! Took advantage of the rain coming down to scrub all the goat poo out of the back of my pickup before coming inside. Oh, and did all my laundry in the wringer washer this morning, so all I have left to do this evening is finish the last of the dryer loads and get everything folded or hung. 

I'm hoping that the rain stops so I can do a little more work in the garden, or at least have it slow to a drizzle so I can work in the woods. Actually, I figure I can't really lose...if it keeps raining, I'll have fresh rain water, and if it stops, I can work in the garden. 

It was really nice to work outside in peace and quiet!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

O.K. spent a couple of hours at the other house and took a pickup load to the dump. Yeah the rock part of the landscaping is going to take longer than we expected so May 1 isn't going to happen. Hopefully June 1. I also potted up some flowers that I wasn't able to resist at Lowes the other day. I love Gerbera daisies. Our mortgage on the place is our only debt, so to rent it out at market prices will actually more than pay the monthly payment. That save us money for preps because we are currently covering the utilities out there. Once we rent it out that will stop. More of our paychecks will be going into savings for retirement and preps.

Congrats MG No M


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

I cleaned out the gully between the house and back field today and found a creek (likely wet weather) and a small pond! I guess 5+ years of neglect will do that (previous owner/tenant was not outdoorsy, lol). More clearing out to be done and the pond needs dug out some but it will work just fine for the ducks.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I don't recall the price or number of jars in the box but I'm thinking price was between $13 & $15 for the box of maybe six jars. I'll check next week when I'm in town.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Didn't get much done this weekend. Rained off and on yesterday just enough to keep us indoors and it's already raining this morning.

We are going to be unable to use our current wood stove any more. The place where the stove pipe attaches to the chimney broke and there is no way to fix it without tearing out the chimney are re-laying it. Dh says it wouldn't be the best idea to go tearing walls out to get to the chimney and it would also require cutting a hole in the ceiling and then cutting the metal roof. He says he has been thinking for about three years about getting an outdoor wood furnace and went to put a down payment on a layway of one in town. Our local dealer was actually the cheapest place we could find online or off. Really surprising as they are NEVER the cheapest on anything. We'll have to work pretty hard at getting it paid off and saving enough to buy the duct work. He is excited but I feel we took a step back in homesteading as I can no longer cook on the stove top (Our kitchen range is propane so all is not lost if the power goes out) and if the power is out, the fan won't run the warm air through the house. Dh mentioned that a 1000w generator would run the fan and that we also have propane heaters in the house but I'm just disappointed. I'll get over it I reckon. I don't blame him for not wanting to cut holes through the roof, ceiling, and floor. I'll miss warm soup on the stove though!

Texted the guy with the large water totes in cages and he said he may have some more mid week. I told dh if it is in our price range, I definitely want to go get one.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Hillbillygal...you will love the outdoor furnace. All the mess and smoke of firewood outdoors. Ours is a Central Boiler. It was the only way to get central heat in this two story farmhouse without major destruction of its 125 yr. old walls...sheathed inside and out in petrified oak on the diagonal. Trying drilling that. Plus you can hook your water into it and have screaming hot water; great when canning! We've had ours for about 12 yr. now. Another good thing is being able to use any size wood you can heave thru the door. Since our woods are basically oak the pieces can be right heavy. When I'm running the splitter it gets done smaller than when Pa does. 

Son supposed to return from Il. today with all the farm stuff he got helping clean out the farmhouse of his dear college friends' grandma. Says the car is full to the top.....

Ended up with over 3" of rain in past two days. I say enough is enough. Garden can't be walked in unless someone stands by to pull you out of the mud. By time it dries this week another storm system is predicted. Shouldn't complain after last year but gardeners want to garden!!! Should have spent my forced inside time on spring cleaning but working on a quilt and finished pr. of socks for son. He knitted the ribbing and chickened out on learning to turn the heel! Said he found some great blacksmithing tools at a junk shop so eager to get his forge up and runnng. He makes really nice knives.

Question....does anyone have a trick to keeping lilacs alive in the house??...always limp after a day. My white ones are especially pretty this year....if you dare brave the rowdy hummingbird who feeds there and dive bombs you! Three indigo buntings on my porch this am....so pretty. Bluebirds nesting in our frontyard house. Time to hike down the road and see if I can see any Baltimore oriole nests. Found several over the years.

Spring sure shows us what a long winter does to our muscles and stamina....I always over-do. Everywhere you turn there is something that needs weeding,pruning,cleaning,painting.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Just dug up a spot for my new asparagus roots. The garden is dry enough to till so if it doesn't rain tonight that is on the agenda for tomorrow. I hope to plant the asparagus, potatoes, peas and onions. Oh, lettuce and radishes too. We'll see how far my energy goes. Mostly these days it seems to have got up and gone somewhere else.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I canned, and I canned ,and I canned......and I am still not through!

The only time I went out side was to empty my compost scrap bucket.
DH worked out in the yard a bit...but, I was chained to the kitcken.
No rain at all here Lots of wind.)


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

TDD...one great blog's author I read daily calls your toil "skirt work" ! Personally I think she relishes it after a day working the cattle on their Canadian ranch. Some would think skirt work is degrogatory but it is what keeps us well fed and ready for any hard times ahead. No one who doesn't canwill know the great satisfaction of a table full of cooling jars! I admire your ambition.

Was bemoaning my late grown tomatoes but with this crazy weather pattern we're stuck in think I'm lucky I didn't get them planted early as they would be grossly overgrown. About the time we dry out by Wed. more rain is scheduled. Will mud the onions in today and get the lawns mowed before we need a scythe.

Son arrived from Il. with 6 boxes of old canning jars. Mostly blue, qts and half gallons. Some brands I've never heard of. Even a full box of new zinc lids!! Can't imagine where you'd find those type lids anymore. Made over $1300 in one day! Inspiring me to clean out my garage.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Icky cold wet day today. But my garden beds keep calling me......so I think I will go out and weed a bit and plant my beans. Soils good and wet and it will get warmer starting tomorrow....so they should do fine. I'm in the mood to bake....cold and wet does that to me. I think I'll make a loaf of crusty raisin bread to toss in the oven while I'm baking meatballs for dinner.

I picked up a couple of rosemary plants this weekend. They were calling my name as I walked by, and DH is totally an enabler!! I said, "Ooh"....he said, "get two!!!" So I did....don't have to twist my arm 

Spent much of Sunday falling asleep on the couch. The shorts nights from the past few week caught up to me. I thought I had already re-covered......apparently not. Was awake way too early this morning; I stayed in bed and rested for a few hours till the morning alarms started going off.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Thanks, farmersonja! I am so enjoying the peace and quiet. Not very "homesteady" of me, I suppose, but it's cheaper to buy more #10 cans of powdered milk for storage and the occasional gallon of table milk, than to buy feed and hay, and to lose my fruit trees every stinkin' year! I do buy another big can of Nido whole powdered milk every payday or 2, and stock up on Provident Pantry non-fat powdered milk whenever there is a good sale on it. They keep practically forever, and when you mix the 2 together, you get a very good, drinkable "2%" milk. That'll be easier in a PAW than worrying about feeding and milking goats.

Jess, your creek and pond look so pretty. One thing I wish I had here is a spring and pond.

Mutti, I sure hear ya on the lack of stamina and soft muscles after sitting all winter. It's getting a bit better each day, but I still feel like a wimp! So cool that your ds brought home all those wonderful old jars, AND that he can knit! He's a step up on me. I can do a bit of crochet, but knitting kicks my tuchus. < walks away, hanging head in shame > LOL!

Ann, I'll have to check the prices on the half gallons here this year. I'm sure they've gone up - seems everything has.

TDD, you amaze me every.single.day! I work in fits and starts, but you seem to go from before sunup to after sundown!

Jen, I am right with your hubs when it comes to rosemary - buy 2! I love the smell of it and the way it makes my chicken pot pie biscuit crust taste....makes me moan with the sheer yumminess (is that a word) of it. Wish I could keep them alive here...they die every winter. 

I've concentrated on working in the woods and splitting/stacking wood the last couple days. Should have been working in my garden, but... I finally finished splitting all the wood I had cut except the last twisty, gnarly 2' across round. My wedge is stuck in that one. Grr. I was able to finish filling the biggest of my woodsheds to the roof. Still have about half a row in the 2nd biggest to go - need to haul in the rest of the cut wood from the woods pasture to fill it, but I needed to take a break, drink some water, eat some lunch. I've also cleared a ton more brush from my woods, and have cleared the way to take my wagon to the clear cut out back by several routes. There's a lot of wood going to waste out there and it's gonna end up in my woodpile soon. 

I have to work a single shift again tonight, then am off until Friday night. I've signed up for Bountiful Baskets Saturday, so that will work out well. I'm going to try the organic 9-grain bread and the coconut oil along with the basic basket this time. I'm still eating off the last basket, so I'll need to hustle up and finish it by Saturday.

Well, I suppose I should get busy and get something more done before time for work.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Since tomorrow is the last day of the month, I thought I'd update my list and see how far I've gotten during the month. Also gives me incentive to finish the month strong!

My April To-Do List:
1. Clean out and fill 6 five gallon hydraulic oil buckets and have filled with farm diesel for the generator. *Ended up filling 14 buckets for a total of 70 gallons of diesel stored so far.*
2. Build a small shed for the genny. *This one will have to be put on May's list, as I haven't done a darn thing on it.*
3. Weed the raised beds and plant cold weather crops. *Started, but this will be on May's list, too.*
4. Start warm weather crops in house. *Have 5 tomato plants growing and am starting more today, as well as starting more cole crops inside.*
5. Get the HughesNet dish off the house so I can frame the sunroom. *Really thought I'd have this done by now - having trouble finding the right socket and a brace so it doesn't hit the window when the last bolt lets go.Want it done today or tomorrow!*
6. Finish the shelves in the pantry.*Under construction.*
7. Rebuild some savings now that the house is paid off.*Done! Easier to do when the mortgage is gone, for sure.*
8. Check with the community college to see which projects the auto shop and auto body shops are working on, take my vehicles in for any work that can be done there this quarter. *Left message, haven't heard back yet.*
9. Sell the rest of the goats and the alpaca. *Done!* :sing:
10. Get the rest of the paperwork monster tamed. *Pretty well done, now keeping up on it daily, filing as it comes in.*
11. Go visit my Aunt M and talk family history with her. *Still need to do this.*
12. Fence in my vacant lot and run new water line to it, talk to new neighbors there. *Hope to talk to them tomorrow morning after I get off work. Bought the T-posts I need for fencing lot. Researched water/well rights and am satisfied that I have them, no new well ever put in next door to lot.*
13. Work on my wake/sleep schedule to be more productive. *Have done much better on this the 2nd half of the month. Working only a night at a time has helped, but that ends after tonight, so I'll have to work at it harder in May.*
14. Start working on my water system and plumbing needs here...I know I can have much better water than what is flowing through my pipes now, and I'd like to be able to use every fixture in my house! *Haven't done this one yet...will have to put on May's list.*


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Went to Dollar Tree today and bought some seasoning and was checking out what else they had I needed to add to my shopping list for this month.

Stopped on the way home at a nursery to look for plum trees. They were wanting $18 per tree but all we had on us was $30. Dh asked if they would take $30 cash for two plum trees and the owner agreed so we loaded up two trees in the back of the van and they are now planted next to the four apple trees that dh planted last week.

Heading to the greenhouse this week. Have a list of what I plan to get so I don't get too excited and over-buy. I have a plant problem when I get up there, lol!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

1. Build 3 more garden beds *Done*
2. Plant cool season crops. *Done*
3. Start warm weather crops in the house. *done, still have melons to start but that's it*
4. Order and plant mini-orchard (from raintree of course )*Going onto May*
5. Get Drip system set up for the above!*The drip is in for the Garden beds. The orchard will have to be on May's list*
6. clear out the rocks and weeds from the front yard bed and establish a wildflower bed there.*Going onto May*
7. Continue to plant up the herbal medicine pots.* in progress 95% done*
:rock:


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We tilled half the garden and planted six rows of potatoes. I also planted some lettuce and radishes and put a cover over them. Dug up some sod and planted 8 asparagus roots. The roots looked dead so I'm not anticipating much success. Weather was perfect today but the rest of the week is going to be stormy with temps dropping 40Âº between tomorrow a.m. and p.m. Could be in for a rough ride!! Also, cleaned off several flower beds. Dh wanted to finish off the tilling but after a minor accident with the tiller I made him quit. He's no longer physically able to control the tiller but is too macho to ask for help or even wait for our son to help. I know how much he loves tilling, mowing, gardening etc. but his health and strength are just not there. Getting old is no fun -- forget the "golden" years -- not going to happen.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Looked at the long range forecast (10 day). A week ago the weatherman told us to hold all planting plans....he could see a big cold front coming, but wasn't sure where it would "go". Last night he said, it's out west but will miss us!! We should stay close to seasonal. Since he only predicts 7 days out I thought I'd double check online.....yep 70's with lows in 50's (maybe a night of upper 40's)!!!! That's it....my 2'+ long tomatoes are moving OUTSIDE! They, and some of my peppers, are so big they are starting to break off due to hitting the top of my grow tent. (I can't grow short stout stuff....I only get tall leggy). Amish pastes may go in the ground today.....but more likely sit in the garden today then move under the overhang on the porch tonight.....then plant them tomorrow. My "little" stuff will get a longer acclimatizing period, they can go in over the weekend. This means I get my school room back!! My kids will each have their own table to spread out on. Verses shearing the big one (which isn't really big enough to share)!


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Went to the greenhouse yesterday morning. Had a great time! The owners are very friendly and the lady and I went all through the tomatoes and peppers picking out favorite varieties. Even got a price break on a couple of things. After I had checked out and was loading the plants in the car, her husband came over with a stevia plant for me to have. I was very excited to try it and planted it in a large planter pot so I can try to save it over winter. 

Dh fixed the chicken run so I'm hoping all of them stay in today. If the rain stays away this week, we might get our plants in the ground. I was waiting for them to stay put before trying to put plants out.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Ann...we recently sold our big Troy-Bilt as DH just unable to wrestle with it anymore. Even son has a problem with it and he is a very strong fella Love those ads where they are using one hand....try that in our rocky ground. We now have a new Mantis which allows us to just till where we need and use the the Kubota and tller for initial pass and in the fall to get ready for a cover crop. As we get older we just have to look for better safer ways to do things. For instance my 67 year old husband does not need to be climing an extension ladder with a hive body trying to catch a swarm of bees! Missed a rung,fell off hitting head --whle I was off working out of town.

Looking at that same crazy cold front coming here with temps down to 30's. Guess it's a good thing I was too sick to get stuff going early in the ghouse. Picked our first spinach and got the onions planted but these are all cold tolerant crops. Beautiful today so washed the flannel sheets and hung out...determined not to have to put them back on the bed. We had a small heater for unheated BR if needed.

Son and husband made my day...finally put up shelves in our shed for me to store the boxes and boxes of canning jars that have cluttered my kitchen all winter. Gonna be nasty next few days so now I'll be able to give the kitchen a good cleaning before I get too busy outside.

So nice yesterday we dragged out the grill and did steaks. My they were good. Getting down to the bottom of freezer but replacement getting big and fat in the pasture.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

You can find things in the shed again!! Only took about 20 min with the kid's help. It had to be cleaned in order to get far enough in to put away to seed starting stuff, lol. Now when the neighbor comes over to barrow the mower this week (his is getting fixed and asked if he could barrow ours this week) he'll actually be able to find it, lol. Since the neighbor is OCD...having the shed clean enough to walk into is a big plus for him. He knows the OCD is him, and we don't have to live by the rules in his mind, so that's NEVER been an issue.....but why stress him when I don't have to.

10 day forecast still looks good....but the weather guy says a big cool down is coming, temps in the 40's. But I'm not seeing it, yet. So I'm holding off on planting just a bit longer. I have one over grown tomato that is planted.....but he NEEDED to be. He had been laying all over my kitchen counters for 2 weeks and getting "too comfy" there.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Yesterday was one busy day! 

Finished up an extremely busy shift, went to the PUD office to find out about access to my lot for power (have to get an easement from one of the 2 neighbors, unfortunately), dropped of a prescription at Walgreens to take advantage of a $25 gift card for transferring it (prescription fluoride that only costs like $5, so $20 profit), went to Lowe's (made an offer on cull lumber, but this time got turned down for 5 more days; bought Dremel accessories and drywall patch splatter spray), shopped Wal-Mart (saw my dd - she works there - who repaid me a long-term loan, and bought 2 more big cans of Nido milk for the pantry), filled scripts at the hospital pharmacy, shopped Home Depot for a new cordless drill and circ saw (cheaper to buy the kit with battery, charger, toolbag and 2 tools than to buy replacement batteries for my current set -sad to say), shopped Winco to use a $10 off $50 purchase (final day to use it and I needed dog food anyway), filled the gas tanks on the truck, went to the bank to deposit the auction check, and best of all, spent several hours visiting with my ds and baby Guppy, then babysitting for a few minutes between him leaving for work and my ddil getting home from her job (they actually met in the driveway, but she was late off and he was as late as he dared be leaving, so it was good that I was there). 

Whew, was that really all one long sentence? I know it was one long day! I had a nice visit with my ddil, whom I LOVE, too. Felt good to see my kids and especially to play with Guppy. She's finally walking, looks so funny 'cause she walks like a little bow-legged cowboy! She still prefers to crawl, especially if someone is watching, silly girl. 

Finally got home around 4pm, exhausted. I fed the critters and laid down, intending to call it a night, but by the time all my aches and pains settled themselves, I had my second wind. I ended up working on my raised beds, transplanting my remaining strawberries to one bed and weeding out a couple more beds in prep for planting. Finally called it a night just before dark, and slept until about 11am this morning.

I'm off to start the May thread...see ya there!!!


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