# Monthly Prep Thread, June 2008



## Guest (Jun 2, 2008)

It's a new month and it _appears_ thus far like the grain markets might be starting to settle somewhat as the southern half of the United States approaches harvest. I sure hope so anyway! Diana and I have decided that at least for the most storable grains we're going to a two year supply so that we can sit out future short-term market follies. We may have to get rid of our box springs to sleep with the mattress on top of boxes of cans, but we're going to do it! 

This last week or so I haven't gotten much prep related stuff done excluding agricultural pursuits which has kept me busy when I can steal the time. I've got two big stacks of boxes of cans waiting for me to put them away which I hope I'll be able to get to soon now that my daughter's soccer season is over (yay!) Speaking of soccer I've got some unusual (for me) storage foods to vac-seal and put away. I was the team dad for two teams this time around which means I was responsible for water and after-practice and during-the-tourney snacks so I started buying stuff in the big containers at Sam's. Now I have most of a #10 can of honey-roasted peanuts to put away and a couple of pounds of Cheezits. I reckon once they're vac-sealed in jars they ought to keep well. A huge box of granola bars as well. We'll use them up in lunches probably.

How is June looking for you folks?

.....Alan.


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

With the economy like it is, and finances what they are, I can't do much at the moment! I've got a large area of bush beans and squash coming up, thank goodness. I've also been buying extra garden seed every time I see it. I figure that's going to be an important part of preps, too. I'll have to have a way to replace what we use, and if we don't have access to items, or don't have the money to buy them, then we'll have to depend on what we can grow, hunt or fish for ourselves.

As soon as possible I want to start on other items, simple things like matches and over the counter meds.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Alan, a while back I read some where here on HT of some gal who used a latter of some sort to get into bed . . . .
Storing a bunch of goodies under the bed . . . .
Boy, just thinking of getting in and out of a bunk bed makes me shiver.

Ya gotta watch that first step.

Pickin tent caterpillars off the apple and plum trees . . .not fun.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

Well I've gotten off to a good start for the month. I got a good deal of the preps that I mentioned in my last post to the May thread processed today. A few more buckets and jars and I'll be done. I may have to order a few more buckets.

I hope to get my freezer and pantry cleaned out and sqeeze a little more room out of them. I need to freeze some grains and such but have no room to spare because of poor arrangements...you know the kind that evolve over time when folks are in a hurry and just stick stuff in any available spot. There is some deer and elk meat that needs to be ate or canned. 

Hopefully I can find the funds to buy a pressure cooker soon. After reading the old bean posts, I think it would be a nice addition to the preps and an item that would make meal preps easier now.


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## Jo (May 11, 2002)

My husband started a fire pit last year but we never got to use it. Well last Fri and Sat we did marshmellows and hot dogs. Now to try it with a grill over it and cook something. 
Any way we have a BBq and propane BBq and cook stove. So we different ways to cook. 
Hunting up recipes to cook over a wood fire. I have a cast iron fry pan, but would like something lighter. What are others using instead of cast iron to cook in over fire?


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## virtualco (Feb 3, 2006)

Bought my first can of Spam in years to add to preps. When I shop I buy an extra can of veggies or meat here and an extra can there, and pretty soon you are talking lots of canned goods. Will be pressure canning spaghetti sauce with surplus tomato. Can't eat all the tomatoes I am growing. This will be my first attempt at pressure canning. Going to do pint jars first.

Green beans have come up and am experiencing about a 33% plant die off. I read somewhere that is common with beans. Could be the heat.


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## ailsaek (Feb 7, 2007)

I have a bed nearly finished digging for bush beans and melons, and my chicks are three weeks old now. Tonight I go up before the board of health and whichever of our neighbors who want to show up (at least one set is guaranteed to show up against, but I do have one in the "For" column as well this time) to get permission to keep said chicks, not that anyone local knows they are here. DH is still annoyed that I got them early, but I wanted at least a _chance_ of getting eggs before next spring.

I feel strange saying that I'm still digging beds when so many of you are harvesting, but I'm in New England. My peas are three or so feet tall and only just starting to flower, and we still get the occasional night in the 40s.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

virtualco said:


> Will be pressure canning spaghetti sauce with surplus tomato. Can't eat all the tomatoes I am growing. This will be my first attempt at pressure canning. Going to do pint jars first.



You should can your tomato products in a water bath canner. Pressure canning them can change the taste and texture according to what I have read. You will need the pressure canner for your beans.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

We are still digging beds here in MN, too. Just finished planting tomatoes yesterday. It is raining today, will probably rain again tomorrow, and I am working away from home tomorrow and Wed, but hope that it will be dry again on Thursday so that I can plant onion sets and pepper plants.

We have been harvesting asparagus and we canned 9 pints of it yesterday. This is the first year we have had more than we could eat fresh, not sure if we will like the canned version or not. May pickle a batch, and if we still have some extra after that we will try freezing it.

Bottled a few dozen jars of honey yesterday and have another 150 pounds or so to go. We will probably sell most of this batch, but should have more to extract in the fall.

Have rhubarb to pick this week- only one plant but the thing is HUGE! We don't eat a lot of rhubarb, so one plant will provide more than enough.


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## MountAiry (May 30, 2007)

I've been really busy lately and have read more on the board than posted. (waves to Angie) But I am around, just lingering about in the shadows.

One thing I am concentrating on right now is stocking up medical supplies. I have some stored, of course, but needed to get some supplies I am either low on or don't have. It feels a bit like a scavenger hunt as I can never find all that I want in one place.


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## NoClue (Jan 22, 2007)

This is the time of year when I replenish my supplies for Hurricane Preparedness, and in recent years just generally evaluate my overall prep status, replacing batteries in flashlights, radios, replacing bottled water, rotating food stocks.

In the past couple weeks, I've made a couple of equipment purchases: A new weather radio; a grain mill, a solar battery charger, and a hand crank drill press. Buying stuff is the easy part, followed by the hard part which is learning to incorporate new gear into the big picture, which is never as straight forward as you think its going to be.

The garden is doing fairly well. About half the stuff I'm growing is stuff I haven't grown before or haven't grown in a long time. It's also my first year of growing without 'anything that comes in a bag'. The weather has been odd this spring, so it's hard to really tell what's the cause for what so far. Finally it's starting to warm up for real and the garden is responding well.

We went on a quest for buckets this weekend and ended up with 5 five-gallon buckets with lids and 4 3 1/2 gallon buckets without lids, but all food grade.


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## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

Even though I had shoulder surgery and couldn't till a garden, all isn't lost. We started making container gardens in buckets of different sizes. The big ones, like what trees come in I have coming up - Spinach-Mustard greens, Radishes and Spinach. The 5 gallon buckets we are going to plant tomatoes and peppers. My first tomato plant came up today, and I expect more. I also started some zucchini and I'll plant those behind the house in holes. Zucchini grows like weeds anyway. I also started a container of Marjorum herb. They are up no also. Container gardening is alot like square foot gardening, except the vegetables are semi-portable. If a bad storm or hail storm comes, I can pull them into the garage to protect them, and pull them back out after the storm passes. No other preps as I can't get out and I'm now just setting on the finances for bills since I'll be off work another six weeks .........
Ohio Rusty ><>


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

We added a 3point chipper to our tractor for mulch, and bought a 6 foot tiller for it as well. We'll be planting an orchard and lots of berries this fall, I brought up 30 blackberry starts from our old farm for the new place.

Today I picked 3 gallons of blueberries and have the dehydrator full of them, plus some in the freezer. I'll go back and pick more next week.

I have 50lbs of oats and 50lbs of popcorn waiting to be vac sealed into jars this week.

I also splurged and ordered the motor kit for our grain mill... I'm going to enjoy that. LOL


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

I've been meaning to ask: How to ya'll vac seal in jars? The jars I've seen are really plastic canisters that come with one of those newer vac sealing machines (can't remember the name right now) and they're expensive! So was wondering if that's what ya'll are using, or is there something else out there?

As far as my preps so far, I added 1/2 cases of canned carrots, mixed veggies, corn, and chili beans. Also added dried baby limas and a couple #'s of split peas. To that, 15 pounds of flour and 6 more boxes mac n chz. Then the day after I put all this in the freezer, the freezer conked out. Tried repairing it, short of adding freon, and no help. DH's gonna look at it when he gets home this weekend and see if that's all it needs. If not, then we're out a chest freezer. Totally sucks! But at least there's progress to go with the back falls  I know I added more, but I can't remember what all else.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Major prepping is the garden. Broccoli,cabbage heading up, beans blossoming, onions getting picking size. Peas done but still picking sugar peas and will plant more or them and beans tomorrow. Tomatoes turning yellow on the Early Girls...first one last year was June 19. Strawberries coming on like crazy and this hot weather will real get things going....work on weekends and came back to a garden with things three times the size they were Friday. Really need to get going on dehydrating the herbs-noticed the sage trying to blossom. Waiting on our Uncle Sam check to do a bit of shopping. Really are getting pretty well stocked. The wheat field is looking really green...hoping on a good harvest but have no clue what I'll do with it if we do have one!!! Maybe sell organic red wheat. Lots of honey sales lately with many buying 5# jugs. Seems everyone I talk to is MUCH more interested in what we do on the farm and how we grow our own. DEE


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## sgl42 (Jan 20, 2004)

blhmabbott said:


> I've been meaning to ask: How to ya'll vac seal in jars? The jars I've seen are really plastic canisters that come with one of those newer vac sealing machines (can't remember the name right now) and they're expensive! So was wondering if that's what ya'll are using, or is there something else out there?


use regular glass mason jars, with the normal canning lid. (you can reuse the canning lids)

use these accessories attached to your vac sealer (one for wide-mouth, and one for regular):
http://www.foodsaver.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productid=2496
http://www.foodsaver.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productid=1664









put it over the jar (without the ring, just the lid), turn on the vac sealer. voila!

--sgl


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

Thanks for the info....makes sense now! But I'm afraid my machine is to old because it doesn't have a place to put a hose to use the thingys (I'm tired and the name escaped me lol) But I guess that would be a good reason to buy a new one when money allows huh???


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## ovendoctor (Jun 28, 2006)

Mulch,Mulch.Mulch the taters are growing faster than I can mulch them

BOV is 95% ready
tested the battery's,3.5 weeks without charging:dance:
still putting out 12.52 volts:bouncy:

going to see Dr Beck in the am for an extraction :Bawling:
let a tooth go too long and well ya know.


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## ailsaek (Feb 7, 2007)

In what I consider a big step forward for my preps, the Board of Health OKed my request to keep chickens. I have permission for four while I have eleven chicks in my brooder, but such is life. They're three weeks old, so I don't know which ones are cockerels yet anyway, so I'll worry about which seven to get rid of and how to get rid of them when the time comes.


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## whitewolf (Nov 9, 2003)

Cindy in NY: Not starting an argument here, but everything I have read on canning spaghetti sauce, says to pressure can. I don't pressure can my tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, or tomato juice...but...my spaghetti sauce has green pepper, onions, mushrooms and such and they require pressure canning. Also if you put meat in it, you will need to pressure can. If that is what we are talking about and not just tomato sauce??? Just don't want anybody getting sick.


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## JGex (Dec 27, 2005)

blhmabbott said:


> Thanks for the info....makes sense now! But I'm afraid my machine is to old because it doesn't have a place to put a hose to use the thingys (I'm tired and the name escaped me lol) But I guess that would be a good reason to buy a new one when money allows huh???


Let me add a vote for a new vacuum sealer with hiose attachments by saying that I can't believe I never vacuum sealed my jars before. It makes so much sense. It keeps bugs out and freshness in.... I've been transferring everything I can out of the original packaging into mason jars. It's been a lot of work to retroactively go back and repackage stuff, but after bouts with pantry moths and mice, repackaging beats the ever lovin' daylights out of cleaning and throwing stuff out.


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## baldylocks (Aug 15, 2007)

We're watching the garden grow and that feels good. We picked about 18 lbs of strawberries and made lots of syrup and jam. I also added some more raspberry and strawberry plants to our collection. I have also installed 5 rainbarrels at the house. I intend to get a good filter so that I could use that stored water in a pinch. 

Food wise we continue to add small numbers of canned goods in addition to replacing what we have eaten so we have slow but steady growth in stored items.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

This is our first Spring/Summer on this farm, so we were delighted to find many wild raspberry bushes in the woods. Plus our blueberries are going gangbusters and I have two quarts in the freezer in ziplocks already. The garden is finally taking off, and we've got radishes and Spring onions, and peas will be ready soon. We've been eating radish leaves in our salads, along with dandelion and the little bit of spinach that came up. The potatoes were (we thought) duds, but they finally came up and we planted more last weekend. Our tomatoes seemed to be dying but they rallied and all of them are blooming now. We have rows of corn, several types of beans, sunflowers, and more. I'm still sad that the cukes, watermelon and cantelope didn't come up. We might still replant since we have such a long season here.

I've got 8 pounds of bacon waiting for me to have time to can it, and a bunch of store strawberries ready to jam too. I'm focusing on household cleaners this month - Dawn liquid, bleach, Fantastic, sponges. Plus I'm restocking our TP, which as gotten depleted without my noticing.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

Mom_of_Four how do you prepare your blueberries for freezing? I've only ever canned them but discovered how much we enjoy the frozen blueberries I picked up at the grocery this past winter so I'm thinking about freezing some. The bought ones appeared to just be frozen fresh.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I just toss them in a ziplock! I don't even rinse them, unless they have visible dirt on them, but we don't use pesticides. I pick off stems, put them in the bag and freeze them. They thaw out in good shape, not soggy, although you have to cook with them in muffins or pancakes. We've also picked gallons at pick-your-own places, and always just froze them in quart ziplocks. They last at least a year that way, with no other treatment.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

Ack! Two of the mylar liners I put in the buckets over the weekend did not form a vacuum....pintos and sugar. The seals are airtight but the absorbers did not absorb apparently. I think I will cut the corners of each bag at an angle and slip extra absorbers in and reseal the corners and see how that works. If I have to cut the bags across the top, I will have to take out a few pounds or use a new bag to reseal. By cutting the corners that are just folded down anyway, I hope to avoid that. I'm tempted to order fresh absorbers before I attempt the fix.

The sugar I'm not that worried about since it is air tight but the beans I wanted all the air out of in hopes that they wouldn't get as hard.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

Mom_of_Four said:


> I just toss them in a ziplock! I don't even rinse them, unless they have visible dirt on them, but we don't use pesticides. I pick off stems, put them in the bag and freeze them. They thaw out in good shape, not soggy, although you have to cook with them in muffins or pancakes. We've also picked gallons at pick-your-own places, and always just froze them in quart ziplocks. They last at least a year that way, with no other treatment.


Thanks! That's very helpful.


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## avandris (Jun 8, 2007)

If I don't have too many berries at once I put them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for a few hours and then into bags. That way they don't all stick together. 

I managed to cut up and freeze 12lbs of rhubarb and planted part of the garden. It has been raining hard every day so I planted between showers and had to hose off the mud to come back inside. Blessedly my dh tilled during the two dry days last week.
I made bread for the first time since our baby girl was born. I took the prettiest loaf over to our neighbor who is a bachelor. He has a snow plow and after last winter's 8ft of snow at one time I need to start the thank you gifts early for next winter. I consider that good prepping.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Most of my preps so far this month are based in the garden. Planted more of the garden over the last few days - tomatoes, bush beans, carrots, romaine lettuce, radishes - transplanted raspberries and strawberries - doubled the size of both patches this year, and it looks like it might be a bumper crop this year. Pulled rhubarb for the freezer and made rhubarb sauce, yum! Still tilling up the rest of the enlarged garden plot - fairly slow going with my little Mantis electric tiller in rocky ground, but I'm making progress, day by day. Planning to plant both wheat and oats this year along with sweet corn. The tater patch is growing gangbusters - nearly all were volunteers in my "perennial" tater patch.  

I have 21 more eggs in the incubator, due to hatch mostly on the 16th, with 3 that I added a few days later, so it'll be a drawn-out hatch. Have more chicks in a cardboard brooder, and 3 batches outside. By fall, I should be getting more eggs both for myself and my egg customers at work. The old hens I have now are laying at about a 50% rate daily, so more layers will be welcome (probably have a few "boarder biddies" in the coop dragging down the rate of lay stats - should send them to stewpot spa and freezer camp).

Have an extra milking doe now that I wasn't expecting! Grandma and Momma were (are) both nursing this year's LaMancha doeling, so Grandma came back into milk after being totally dry for over a year and is now giving us about a half gallon of milk a day - now that's a will to milk! Doeling is fat and sassy, too, I might add.  Should be ready to breed this fall without a problem. Oh, and my Nubian doe now has milk back on one half, thanks to her yearling doeling, whom I THOUGHT was weaned, lol.

My water filter system is finally getting fixed, so hopefully I can start using all the water jugs that I've been hauling drinking water in can be bleach treated for storage preps.

That's it so far.


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## virtualco (Feb 3, 2006)

Cindy in NY said:


> You should can your tomato products in a water bath canner. Pressure canning them can change the taste and texture according to what I have read. You will need the pressure canner for your beans.


Thanks...


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## connie in nm (May 11, 2002)

Trying to keep the garden alive in the brutal heat wave we are experiencing.
105-106-107,plus today we are to have winds up to 45 mph.

Rain? What's that? I can't even remember the last time it rained and it probably won't anytime soon. Maybe, we will get some with the August monsoons, but even that is iffy these last few years.

Thinking of getting rid of old refrigerator in garage and getting a small freezer instead. Will do some looking.

Stocking up on sale items and may get out dehydrator and dry some bell pepper and celery I have in freezer.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Don't forget, cindy that you can use your pressure canner as a hot water bath...just leave the lid off.... one less big canning item to store. I admit to open kettle canning my tomatoes but I know the varieties I raise/grow and they are high acid on purpose. Yes, I know what the Ball Blue Book says! DEE


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## NoClue (Jan 22, 2007)

I was out in the garden yesterday getting ready for an approaching storm and discovered that I have green beans already


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Had a hell of a storm last night which turned the north strip of the lower garden into a rice paddy agian the day before the seeds were to go in .

5 gallon bucket of sugar tucked away. Honey has gone down a bit to $30/gal. Introduced son's partner to our Amish store yesterday (they're visiting from CA). Talk about flaberghasted by our prices --- stocked up on a _bunch_ of spices and herbs and dried beans we just took to the post ofc to ship to their home! I'm fully expecting a couple lists a year of preps to get and ship - even with shipping, they're saving oodles over what they're able to find.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Mutti said:


> Don't forget, cindy that you can use your pressure canner as a hot water bath...just leave the lid off.... one less big canning item to store. I admit to open kettle canning my tomatoes but I know the varieties I raise/grow and they are high acid on purpose. Yes, I know what the Ball Blue Book says! DEE


My mother and all of hubby's farming family canned tomatoes with a water bath. They didn't even own a pressure canner. Hubby's grandmother canned chicken and pork with just a water bath!


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## Sharon (May 11, 2002)

Virtualco: If you can spaghetti sauce and it has ANY ingredients that would require pressure canning, then you will need to pressure can it for the amount of time listed in your pressure canning book for the ingredient that requires the longest time.


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## fireliteca (Jun 7, 2004)

Ailsaek-I am also much later than most ,I live in Saskatchewan,Canada. This year our weather is all over the map in temps. so I got the large containers from the ice cream store 4 gal. aprox. I planted my tomatoes and pepers in them,if the frost thug is theatening I bring in my plants.The greenhouse is here but I can't assemble it myself.It's not perfect but it might help when the gardening bug bites and the weather isn't co operating-fireliteca


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## Trixters_muse (Jan 29, 2008)

Hurricane season has officially began and even through I always have my preps ready, I still check my stocks. We go through alot of batteries year around so when they go on sale I buy as many as I can afford at the time and they were on sale this week. I also have crank flashlights, candles,oil lamps, lanterns etc... and check them every so often to make sure they are in working order, also did that this past week.

I have been drying herbs for days, and so far have a nice assortment that I have packed away in gallon plastic buckets along with four quarts of honey a neighbor gave me because she was worried it was going bad since it was really dark colored. I also managed to find some masa harina for only $1.50 per five pound bag so I bought 40 pounds and cartons of kosher salt for half price, got 10 pounds of that. It has all been put in buckets and added to the rest of the inventory.

My lil garden is doing well, I have cucumbers, zukes, yellow squash, beans and tomatoes all growing and doing well. I was like a lil kid when I saw my first tiny squash, this is my first veggie garden and it seems silly to be so excited but I am, it's a really nice feeling now that the paranoia has passed and the veggies are actually producing. 

I spent a day at my 79 y/o grandfather's place helping him with chores on his property. We had a full day of work and it was hot, but grandpa supplied us with plenty of cool well water and I made refreshing mint lemonade. Grandpa's fruit trees, berry patch and grapes are doing well, we will have a load of citrus by November which means fresh squeezed OJ again mmm..... I purchased several plastic freezer containers with that in mind along with a large box of freezer bags to accomodate some of the berries I know he will have soon as well. I have been sharing what I buy with grandpa and he has a little storage cupboard which is filling up very nicely and I added more to it this week. He also has a big deep freezer which he lets me use and I keep it pretty full with enough meat and veggies for us both and someone gave him 30 pounds of venison which he is sharing with me.

Before I left grandpa's we had fish my son caught, beans and salad from my garden and homemade icecream with strawberries from his patch. What a great way to spend the day and end the evening 

It has been a busy and productive few days for me


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

TRIXTERS
how do you make your mint lemonade. I have quite a bit of mint that we dried last yr. Ours is a spermint. Thanks,
Tyusclan momma


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## rickd203 (Sep 11, 2005)

My preps are coming along at a good pace. I just ordered the last three gamma seal lids for my food storage buckets. This will make 10 buckets of assorted food Items that will be easy for me to grab and load into the truck. I am also starting to stock up on gas so that I have a better chance of getting far enough away from the Northeast to be out of reach of the zombies.

The two major purchases on my buy list for June-July are an All American Pressure canner and a Remington 870 shotgun.

I have a good assortment of hand tools for clearing space for a small garden. Shovel, spade, rake, hoe, cultivator, pick-axe should be enough to do the job. I am also keeping up with my garden seed preps. My outdoor garden this year is mostly in 5 gal buckets so I can get a feel for the types of fruits and vegetables that grow best in containers. 

I will be looking into soy milk this month to see if it's something I might want to use if it's too hard to find regular milk.


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

Trixters_muse said:


> I spent a day at my 79 y/o grandfather's place helping him with chores on his property. We had a full day of work and it was hot, but grandpa supplied us with plenty of cool well water and I made refreshing mint lemonade. Grandpa's fruit trees, berry patch and grapes are doing well, we will have a load of citrus by November which means fresh squeezed OJ again mmm..... I purchased several plastic freezer containers with that in mind along with a large box of freezer bags to accomodate some of the berries I know he will have soon as well. I have been sharing what I buy with grandpa and he has a little storage cupboard which is filling up very nicely and I added more to it this week. He also has a big deep freezer which he lets me use and I keep it pretty full with enough meat and veggies for us both and someone gave him 30 pounds of venison which he is sharing with me.
> 
> Before I left grandpa's we had fish my son caught, beans and salad from my garden and homemade icecream with strawberries from his patch. What a great way to spend the day and end the evening
> 
> It has been a busy and productive few days for me


How I envy you! Store up the moments and memories that you have with him, just like you are storing your preps. I was 37 years old, and I was the only Grandkid still spending the weekend at my Mamaw's house. My daughter and I would go and help her with anything she needed, we canned beans, tomatoes and salsa. Those wonderful days in the kitchen, with coffee while we talked at the table, help me get through the lonely times. I would do it all over in a hearbeat, I learned a lot, and was loved even more. You are very lucky, and it's obvious how much you appreciate him!! Bless You.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Trixter, that was a great story....you're so lucky to have your grandfather still able to garden and tinker around.


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## nandmsmom (Mar 3, 2006)

I spent the day in the basement with my 3 yo DD. We put 250 lbs of beans, 175lbs of wheat and 40 lbs of rice in mylar bags with o2 absorbers. I still have lots more to go, but ran out of energy and space.


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## shellycoley (Mar 6, 2003)

We got the shelves up in the extra bedroom closet for the "storage pantry". It's easier to get to than climbing the step ladder to the high cabinets in the kitchen.
I've been picking up the same things every week as part of the grocery shopping. Always buy 4 cans of collards, 2 boxes of tea bags, hot tea bags and canned milk. 
Still picking up mason jars too. The garden is comming along nice, already had new potatos the other day...yum. Still working on knocking out cc debt and if that stupid rebate check would ever get here, we could get the fence put up.
Found a free 10x10x4 dog kennel for a chicken tractor and right now have chicks living in an aquarium in the living room. 
Shelly


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

shellycoley said:


> Found a free 10x10x4 dog kennel for a chicken tractor and right now have chicks living in an aquarium in the living room.
> Shelly


You know you're a homesteader when you have chicks (or any farm animal) in the house! Great find on that dog kennel Shelly!

I'm jealous of all you homesteaders that have helpers. I could really use an extra pair of hands!


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

Rickd203, if you decide that soy milk is a good backup or alternative to regular milk, you might want to look at a soy-milk maker. Making your own will dramatically reduce the cost. (See http://www.soymilkquick.com/ & http://www.soymilkmaker.com/soyapower.html )


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## shellrow (Feb 8, 2007)

I have been stocking up for a bit but we go through alot (3 teenage boys and a full course meal man)! Last week I bought several items in bulk at the grocery store. They include:

sugar (2) 25lb. bags (some lady got snarky with me and said "thats alot of sugar"... I refrained from comment
flour-all purpose (1) 25 lb. bag
flour-Self rising (1) 10 lb bag
mustard huge commercial size (don't remember the oz) (1)
keptchup ditto
pancake syrup ditto
cocoa for baking ditto
pinto beans (1) 5lb bag
rice (uncle bens) (2) 5lb bags
tea bags (4) boxes
yeast packets (3) packages (the 3 attached serving bags together)
brown sugar (2) 2lb bags
eggs (1) 5 1/2 dozen box


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## AR Transplant (Mar 20, 2004)

shellrow, you might look into buying bulk yeast. It is so much cheaper than the little packets. Even if you have to throw ( or better yet give) some of it away you will still save money.

I get it at sams in a two pound container and at an Amish store if I am near one of those.

Don't let the lady get you rattled about the sugar. She probably meant no harm and who knows what she was really thinking.--is there a sugar shortage I don't know about? should I stock up?--- I have never seen someone buy so much sugar - I wonder what neat thing she is going to do with it and would I want to do that too?. Wouldn't it have been nice if she would have just asked?

Way to go on those preps you are really doing some planning and that is always a good thing.

ar


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

AR Transplant said:


> shellrow, you might look into buying bulk yeast. It is so much cheaper than the little packets. Even if you have to throw ( or better yet give) some of it away you will still save money.
> 
> I get it at sams in a two pound container and at an Amish store if I am near one of those.



I buy the two pound packages at BJ's. I keep a small amount in the refrigerator in a mason jar and the rest stays in the freezer.


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## shellrow (Feb 8, 2007)

AR Transplant said:


> shellrow, you might look into buying bulk yeast. It is so much cheaper than the little packets. Even if you have to throw ( or better yet give) some of it away you will still save money.
> 
> I get it at sams in a two pound container and at an Amish store if I am near one of those.
> 
> ...


I will check into the 2lb containers at Sams. Thanks for the input and the compliment. 

(QUOTE=Cindy in NY I buy the two pound packages at BJ's. I keep a small amount in the refrigerator in a mason jar and the rest stays in the freezer.(QUOTE).

How long will it keep in the freezer? I have been using it alot more lately but I am not sure how long it would take me to go through 2lbs. Have you used yours after the expiration date?

thanks!


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

Shellrow, maybe I've just been lucky, but I've had large container of yeast in the fridge for three years. I opened it two weeks ago and it is fine.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Shellrow - like Shinsan, I've had mine in the freezer for a long time. I think the trick is to only store a small amount in the frig.


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## Guest (Jun 10, 2008)

shellrow said:


> How long will it keep in the freezer? I have been using it alot more lately but I am not sure how long it would take me to go through 2lbs. Have you used yours after the expiration date?


 The longest I have personally kept yeast in my freezer is six years. It raised dough for me to the very last grain.

.....Alan.


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## shellrow (Feb 8, 2007)

Thanks for all of the replies! Wow Alan! 6 years! Good deal then I do not have to worry.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I have 10 pounds of potatoes dehydrating as I type this. I canned 5 qts. of tomatoes from a farm stand last weekend (our tomatoes aren't ready yet), made 4 lbs. of jerky, and re-stocked up on toilet paper.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Wal-Mart had the big tubes of Colgate for $1 a piece (5/$5) . Got my five and the next time I"m in town will get more if they still have them! (Hey, every bit helps.)

Noticed that bleached flour isn't that less expensive than what I pay for whole wheat flour now ..........

10# boxes of bacon and pieces (and it's usually all really thick cut bacon that is SO yummy!) $11.99. Two now reside in the freezer.


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## MountAiry (May 30, 2007)

Placed two orders this week, one from Walton Feed and the other from Ready Made Resources, so am looking forward to getting those supplies in.


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

Mom_of_Four said:


> I have 10 pounds of potatoes dehydrating as I type this. I canned 5 qts. of tomatoes from a farm stand last weekend (our tomatoes aren't ready yet), made 4 lbs. of jerky, and re-stocked up on toilet paper.


DH picked up a 10# bag of potatoes last weekend and I want to try drying them. The Ball Blue Book says to blanch them first....yada yada yada. Do you blanch yours? I've never done potatoes before, but I've never bothered blanching the rest of my veggies before I dehydrated them and they've always come out just fine. Everyone always wants jars of my dried soup mix for Christmas presents lol. Does blanching the potatoes make a difference?


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Potatoes are nearly $4 per 10# here all the sudden!  That's what I used to pay for 20 .......... Hopefully the tater plants in the garden aren't just being pretty but are growing me some of those pricey tubers.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

blhmabbott said:


> DH picked up a 10# bag of potatoes last weekend and I want to try drying them. The Ball Blue Book says to blanch them first....yada yada yada. Do you blanch yours? I've never done potatoes before, but I've never bothered blanching the rest of my veggies before I dehydrated them and they've always come out just fine. Everyone always wants jars of my dried soup mix for Christmas presents lol. Does blanching the potatoes make a difference?


I'll have to let you know, this was my first time. I sliced them thin, blanched them, and then soaked them in lemon juice water for an hour before putting them in the dehydrator trays. I have 10 trays perking along right now...none of them are turning brown. They should be done by morning, and I'll vac seal them.

I read that blanching them changes the starch and allows them to get crispier when dehydrated, instead of rubbery like bananas.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

Got about half of the first cut off as baleage, 265 4x4 bales off 45 acres so far. About 42 acres left to go and there's more on it. Should have just about enough off the first cut to do for a year since we mostly feed corn silage so second and third cuts will be bonuses to put away.

Got the non-RR corn sprayed Friday just before the big heat and humidity stretch, good thing, it grew 6" between then and today. Maybe get the RR sprayed late this week or over the weekend.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

Power was out for 5 hours this afternoon, had to pull out the generator to milk tonight. Hmmm guess I should fix that flat tire (on the right). Otherwise it's working dandy.










Turns out my next door neighbour, who has about 1/3 mile of line on his property that he's responsible for, hasn't been keeping the trees trimmed back. He's had 3-4 calls in the last week about shorting on his lines, today was a BIG one, the short on his line caused a transformer to explode 5 miles away. So now he's officially cut off until he gets the trees trimmed to the utility's satisfaction.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Harvested my huge patch of oregano, alot of basil which is now in the dehydrator and my regular and white sage. Still have parsley and thyme to do,too. Last years' production made it thru so hope to double it and have some to give the kids for Christmas--they all love to cook from scratch. Wanted to get it before it is supposed to rain tomorrow...gets the leafs muddy and too much washing!
Been making egg cubes...break an egg in each ice cube place,give a gentle stir and freeze....then pop them in freezer bags,easy to take out what you need. They will not do well in refrigerator's freezer that self defrosts as will mush together but great in chest freezer. We feed the dogs eggs as part of their homemade diet. DEE


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Twenty pounds of rotini, two extra balls of cotton twine, another bowrake and shovel with fiberglass handles. It's a bit slow in the prep department right now BUT this summer the 'canning and dehydration department' will be going full steam .

Anybody know if sowbugs (a.k.a. roly-poly bugs, wood-lice) will eat potatoes? There's a bumper crop of the little buggers inside my tater tires. I'm hoping they're munching on the hay and not the tubers.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Mutti said:


> Been making egg cubes...break an egg in each ice cube place,give a gentle stir and freeze....then pop them in freezer bags,easy to take out what you need. They will not do well in refrigerator's freezer that self defrosts as will mush together but great in chest freezer. We feed the dogs eggs as part of their homemade diet. DEE


When my chickies start laying I think I'll do the same thing. Our dog loves eggs and I know I'll have more than I can use. Thanks for the idea!



blhmabbott said:


> DH picked up a 10# bag of potatoes last weekend and I want to try drying them. The Ball Blue Book says to blanch them first....yada yada yada. Do you blanch yours? I've never done potatoes before, but I've never bothered blanching the rest of my veggies before I dehydrated them and they've always come out just fine. Everyone always wants jars of my dried soup mix for Christmas presents lol. Does blanching the potatoes make a difference?


All my potatoes came out great - extra crispy and still white. (a couple were dark but I kept them) I think the blanching does help with the crispiness. I ended up vacuum sealing them in jars because it seems like anything sharp punctures my vacuum bags. I've even tried putting a ziplock bag inside the vac bag (as someone suggested on here) but I still get pinholes. I have plenty of jars so that's how I did it.

I also put a bunch of blueberries in the freezer today, from our first crop. I vac sealed them raw, without washing them, and didn't let the vacuum squash them too much. Can't wait to make sourdough pancakes this weekend!


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## ovendoctor (Jun 28, 2006)

scored on a sleeve of canning jar lid's yesterday for 49.00

.09 cent's each,got home and opened the sleeve and found out they are wide mouth lids the package was missed marked


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

Well I made a big step...finally got the goats I've been wanting forever. DH has been a huge help and built a milking stand and a very nice pen for them. Today he bought electric fencing so we can let them browse and I'm getting ready to order some kind of milker so DS can handle it when we aren't around. We were going to put them in the chicken house that's being used for storage but decided to locate them closer to the barn and as soon as we have the goats settled, we are reclaiming the chicken house for it's intended purpose. That's how we've spent our stimulas check :happy:.

The milk is wonderful!!!!


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

I went to the Dollar Store yesterday, which is where I buy a lot of my preps. SavALot too. But yesterday was my Dollar Store day. I bought 74 items, and only spent $72.15! I have now started storing preps in my bedroom closet!

I also went to the IGA yesterday, and got really lucky in the meat department. I bought 20 pounds of chicken leg quarters for .39 cents a pound, and four packages of baby back ribs, 9 pounds total, for $1.99 a pound. My freezers are full, I need another one!


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## NoClue (Jan 22, 2007)

Last night I attended a Skywarn training session conducted by the National Weather Service and found it pretty informative. If you're interested, but don't want to take the class, the materials can be found here.

Today I purchased (25) P-51 can openers for $0.50 each. These are a larger version of the P-38 can opener issued to soldiers from WWII on, but a little easier to use, and rank up there among the most useful items ever created. Additionally, I bought another 300' length of para cord and a replacement antenna for my Quad-band HT radio.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Monthly city meeting was last night. Apparently the emergency siren cannot be heard at either end of town - and town is only 5 blocks by 6 blocks . More shocking yet, this has been a known problem by the city council for _years_. But they were far more concerned about whether we should hook up to rural water (and get more free $$ from the feds) rather than simply repair our current system - which we _have_ to do _anyhow_ than they were by the fact that at least half of town (ok, we're only 329 people or so) would have little to no warning if extreme weather were close! The mayor kept repeating how loud the siren was at his house as proof that it worked fine - he's literally three doors down from us, less than a block away from the cursed horn.

Other than that, hope everyone's weekend goes well.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Everybody keep their fingers crossed - tomorrow, if all goes well, I'm picking up a new-in-the-box Country Living Mill for _*$100*_ . I saw an ad on craigslist - he said only one other person had called in nearly 3 hours to inquire! Says he'll take it out of the box in front of me to make sure everything's there (he just bought a house and it was left behind; he doesn't have any use for it, but I surely do!).


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## MoGrrrl (Jan 19, 2007)

FalconDance, the digits are crossed. You prompted me to go over to craigslist. I didn't realize we might be in the same area! Well, I hope it works out for you.

Today was neighborhood garage sale day. I got a Army Survival guide, a year's worth of clothes for DD, fabric, and that was probably all that could be considered prepping. Also went to Costco and bought more tuna, salt, and olive oil.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Yep, we're about 65 miles SE of KC out in the boonies (and that 65 is as the crow flies, I'm pretty sure ). Unfortunately, a lot of really good deals on KC craigslist are just too far away to make sense for us with gas prices so high, but every now and then a gem pops up .....


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

The only thing I was able to add to my prep list this week was Band Aides. I got 4 boxes for FREE!


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## northprairiegir (Apr 11, 2008)

On Thursday I was able to pick up the 100 cornish cross chicks and 10 buff orp chicks that I had ordered. When we butcher the cornish crosses - I am going to share some with a older neighbor lady who will be helping with the butchering. I plan on ordering another batch of 50 or so chicks to get in in about a month and possibly 10 more laying hens. We eat a lot of chicken at our house and most of what we butcher this year will be canned for preps.


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2008)

Picked up some small stuff at Sam's on Friday. Mostly coffee since they had our brand of whole bean coffee in stock again. They've been rather hit and miss about it for these last some months. Seedspreader asked about local rice prices so while I was there I checked out the stuff that we buy. Riceland long grain in the fifty pound bag is up to $29.59! The Royal brand basmati rice is up to $21.52 for the twenty pound bag. Fortunately we're well stocked on both so I didn't feel the need to buy any.

Saturday was a major prep score of the just-in-case sort. It's Diana's birthday this month and she allowed as to how she'd like to have a bicycle. Not being one to allow any sort of prep opportunity to get away I jumped on it and we went looking at equipment. I wanted quality gear but we can't afford what new quality costs so we went looking for used bikes. June is a good time of year for used equipment in Gainesville what with all the students who moved out and all yet before the new year's students arrive to deplete the market. As luck would have it we found what we wanted in two shops. A pair of Schwinns and a very good quality baby seat. I pick them up Tuesday after the shop is finished with Diana's bike.

We did get a surprise though to discover that we can't mount one of those strap on bike racks to the trunk lid of Diana's car. Plastic bumper don't ya know. This means we'll have to wait a while before we can get one of the tow hitch racks. Cost wise it'll come out about what a roof rack would cost which I'd rather not use anyway.

Now I'm going to have to think about at least one bike trailer. It'll come in handy for carrying a cooler and lunches on one of those rail trails that have been put in here and there after they took old train lines out. A nice little bug-out exercise in the guise of a family outing!

.....Alan.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

:bouncy: Not only did I get the brand spankin' new Country Living Mill for $100 but it _also_ had the heavy corn/bean auger in the box!!!!! :bouncy:


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## Sharon (May 11, 2002)

shellrow said:


> Thanks for all of the replies! Wow Alan! 6 years! Good deal then I do not have to worry.


I got a little carried away with instant yeast (the kind you get at Sam's club in the vac-sealed two bag packs). In 1999 in prep for Y2K I bought a bunch of them and put them into my deep freeze. I am still using them today and I make homemade bread most every week. It rises just like it did when they where first purchased. I store the open one that I'm using in a zip lock bag in my refrigerator freezer.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

FalconDance said:


> :bouncy: Not only did I get the brand spankin' new Country Living Mill for $100 but it _also_ had the heavy corn/bean auger in the box!!!!! :bouncy:





Great find! I was hoping when I read your post last night it would be what you were looking for :happy:.


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## ailsaek (Feb 7, 2007)

I just succeeded at a fairly long quest - we now have pickling lime and a tortilla press. I haven't actually nixtamalized any corn yet, but I am saving that for when my son is off at summer school. I've also convinced DH to let me list our glass-topped electric stove on craigslist and pick up a used gas stove in its place.


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2008)

Started drying squash last night. I think I like it better dehdrated than canned. The rest of the family isn't so sure.

.....Alan.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

A.T.--do you have a freezer? "Cause cooked,mashed and in freezer bags gives you a ready-to-use product that really tastes good. Actually, we peel, cut in chunks and steam--that way no stringy pieces. We generally grow butternut and buttercup squash and occasionally get lucky and the bugs leave alone a planting of Hubbarb which is a favorite. We have to cover our plants with Remay to get a crop. Never have dehydrated squash but might give it a try. We really love squash. You can freeze cooked beets,too but I like them canned. Biggest thing about the freezer is knowing what you have in there and using it-stuff gets lost without baskets to organize. The ones from our defunct freezer fit our new giant freezer so we are pretty organized plus I keep running list of contents. DEE


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2008)

I should have been more clear. This is summer squash - yellow and zucchini.

We don't have a chest freezer now and I'm not sure I want to get another one.

.....Alan.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Summer squash canned is yucky yucky yucky! Green and yellow soup.......DEE


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## Traci Ann (Jun 27, 2005)

Well we have added 10 banty hens - I'm thinking pickled eggs - 7 turkeys, and 10 fruit trees.

We have also been discussing how to cut the storage room into a storage room on one side and a pantry on the other.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

We got the wire ran for an electric fence in an area our goats will be browsing and my Maggiedan milker came. We wanted it for backup just in case we had to go out of town for any reason so somebody else can milk our goats. We are really enjoying the goats after a hectic start and the milk is great. I'm getting ready to educate myself on all the yummy things I can make with it and will also be ordering some starters for the different cheeses. 

I got some real sticker shock at the grocery this past week. I buy very few groceries on a weekly basis now (when you don't buy milk and bread at the grocery, it's amazing how seldom you go) and missed my monthly trip to the city so I thought I would pick up a few things I don't normally buy locally...yikes!!!

I have orders to fill and a show to do myself this next week along with my regular job so I won't have time for shopping for over a week...hoping things don't make another big jump til I can do my next prepping run.


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## CowgirlGloria (Jun 19, 2008)

This month is all about gardening, a new batch of chicks, and new fencing.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Well, We added drastically to our preps. 
Yesterday DH and sons picked up our newest addition, one woodstove!
woohoo!!!
Now, all we have to do is finish building the room it will go in. 
so, I thought I would throw on a few pics of it.










And inside:


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## MoGrrrl (Jan 19, 2007)

I had a relatively successful weekend. 

I organized our basement a little, free up some storage space for food stuffs. I also bought food to add to the space - canned soups and canned fruit.


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## pickapeppa (Jan 1, 2005)

Caught up on weeding the garden. Finished connecting the irrigation system and soaked all those poor wilting veggies. Got more privacy fencing installed. Bartered for some grapes this fall. Purchased some books on permaculture. Branched out looking for alternative sources of bulk grains, unsuccessfully. Made five more mushroom logs. Thinned fruits on the pear tree. Made note the cherry tree needs screened soon. Found a use for four oddball leftovers from various construction projects around here that will put some idle equipment to use when the project is finished. Set up the deck so we can RELAX once in a while. Haha.


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## Nana2boys (Mar 8, 2008)

I made jelly yesterday and today.


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2008)

Well, the weekend was somewhat annoying in that it began raining before breakfast on Saturday and did so off and on most of the day. Not much in total, but often enough that I wasn't able to get much done outside. Sunday it started raining before I could finish filling the feeders and waterers so I never did get any mowing or garden work done.

Prep wise though it was eventful. I finally got all the boxes of #10 cans put away where they belong as well as all of the packed buckets. No more tripping over the things. Since I have to uncover and move all this stuff I'm doing an inventory check as I go. We're not where I want us to be yet on the two year grain storage goal, but we're well over a year now and gaining. 

The storage is becoming so scattered now that I'm going to have to go back to inventory sheets like I used to use. I find them a nuisance but when it's tucked away hither and yon they're the best thing I've found yet to keep track of it all.

I've had the dehydrator running all weekend drying zucchini and yellow squash and have more to go. Got a nice sack of red skin taters I want to dry as well.

.....Alan.


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## joyceb (Jan 1, 2008)

This is my first time posting in the prep thread...:bouncy:

I've got the whole garden in and the potatoes are amazing. I'm going to plant a second crop of carrots and beets. Last week I came across a "start of summer sale" and found a lot of meat for the freezer at half the usual price. Added more sugar, water & canned goods to the pantry. 

I also brought home the last of our herd of milk/meat goats. A doe in milk and her twin 2 week olds. I'm getting her use to me hanging around and hope to be milking her in the mornings starting next week. Thats 6 total.

We have a hen that has decided to stand guard and eat eggs as soon as they are laid by anyone else (or even herself). So she's been marked and will be losing her head today. Also, it looks like 2 of the chicks we added this spring are roosters - which is actually a positive for us. We want to get a little self replenishing going on here.

Getting the kids and myself out into the garden for weeding, then raking up dry grass to set aside for the rabbits. 

Busy busy.

Joyceb


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

Alan,
How do you dehydrate your zuc's and yellow squash? Then how do you prepare them once they are dehydrated?
Thanks,
tyusclan momma


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## shellrow (Feb 8, 2007)

Picked lots of blackberries this weekend and froze some. I am going to can the rest for pies and such later on. The black walnut tree has started dropping walnuts, I am picking them up and laying them on the floor of the shed for them to dry out more. The garden is going slow but still there. In the next few weeks I think I will have more wild plums to pick for preserves. I added dish detergent, laundry soap and clorox to the supply closet this past week. I also got some rubbing alcohol, peroxide and more bandaids.


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2008)

tyusclan said:


> Alan,
> How do you dehydrate your zuc's and yellow squash? Then how do you prepare them once they are dehydrated?


 In the past I was blanching them first before drying but this season I'm drying them as-is. Seems to keep their color better but I haven't eaten any yet. Usually I just rehydrate by soaking in warm water for an hour or so. Once reconstituted their texture is somewhat firmer than cooked squash, but not objectionable.

I'm planning on milling some of the dried stuff for use as a filler in things like meatloafs. I used some fresh shredded zucchini in the last one and the kids loved it until we let the cat out of the bag!

.....Alan.


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## ai731 (Sep 11, 2007)

My Global Sun Oven arrived today, and I'm baking my first batch of muffins in it right now. It'll be great to be able to bake all summer without turning the oven in the house on!

Jan


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

After shopping at the local grocery store, we noticed a huge (and I mean huge) box of assorted sized plastic plant starts containers siting in the far corner of the store parking lot. I asked the lady in the plant center if we could take few...I was expecting her to say no, instead she said "take all you want they are going to the recyler anyway."

I grabbed at least a 100 different starts containers, anywhere from 2 inch up to 4 and 6 inch pots, 40-50 plastic start trays hole (4-16 hole), all kinds of flat seedling trays, drain/carry trays etc. 

In short, enough to start garden seeds for a huge garden..which I do not have room for normally. However if push comes to shove, the back lawn would be gone...

My only regret...wish I had taken more.


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## blhmabbott (Feb 4, 2003)

Things have been slow here this month as far as prepping goes, but here is what I was able to add last weekend. We are focusing mainly on health and first aid supplies right now.

6 more bars soap (can use it to make laundry soap as well)
2 more bottles of shampoo
2 kinds of Excedrin
Maalox
8 rolls paper towels
1 more tube toothpaste
2 more boxes cereal
insect repellent (with 100% Deet)
3 packages light bulbs (just in case shtf includes power....they were free!)

As far as food goes, I picked up another 1/2 case each of black-eyed peas, corn, green peas, green beans, beets, chili beans, and pork and beans. 

I'm going through the "current" stock in the bathroom today because there are things down there that have been bought and not used. So I'm going to inventory them and add them to the preps.

Container garden is doing ok. My green beans aren't doing well, and I lost 2 of my cucumbers. Will probably yank the beans up since I have time to plant something else, and I already replaced the cucumbers so we'll see how they do. Will have TONS of tomatoes and squash though for the first time in about 5 years. They're the first heirloom plant I've grown (on purpose) so I will be able to save the seed. I'm excited!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Uncle Sam's rebate check came thru so we did MAJOR Aldi run plus stocked up on soap,deodorant, TP,Kleenix and the like. Garden is doing great this year with all this rain. Missouri,in our area, is 20 Inches above average and year only half over!!!!!!! Corn past "knee high by the 4th of July"...try over my head! Onions getting huge, garlic crop looking like a bonanza, picking beans, digging 'taters,had delicious beets for supper last nite. Never had such a good garden since we moved here 20 years ago. Made 16 pints strawberry jam last week. Decided to put in another 200 plants this fall;loads of new plants from runners we can move. DH made a deal to trade 5 gal. bucket honey for 20 chickens...Mennonite friends raise pastured poultry that is organic and super delicious. Those will go in the freezer July 1st...still looking for some feeder pigs. Been freezing all the small eggs for the winter. Dehydrating herbs. Our experimental 1 acre wheat field is doing super...heading up and looks like we'll have a good crop. Son wants to use his new scything skills to harvest! Picking up winter hay supply Thursday. DH put the one way bee escapes on yesterday so guess I know what he'll be doing this weekend. DEE who has to go to work weekends to rest up!


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

We just vacuum sealed 30 pounds of rice last night. Other than that we have been buying canning jars and tending the garden. We also processed 3 roosters Sunday. I think we're finally getting the hang of raising chickens. I can't wait till they start laying.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

I just have to say that I believe the goats are one of the best prep items I've ever invested in. We are enjoying the milk soooo much. I'm researching cheese and have already made several batches of ricotta and have buttermilk going now. I'll be making a few batches of soap as soon as I dig out all my molds, etc.

I promised DH I wouldn't take on any more major investments/projects any time soon but I forgot about the chickens I've been wanting LOL. Bless his heart, he embraces all my wild projects....good man.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Just got back from our 'local' produce auction. If that's what veggies and fruits are selling for _wholesale_, we're in serious trouble food-wise!!!!!! People were paying what I consider retail and then some ........

I did, however, score 5 gallons of fresh milk for [email protected] I predict some kick-grits cheese in our near future .


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## MoGrrrl (Jan 19, 2007)

Say it ain't so, FalconDance! That's not good news.

Today, I went thrifting and found 12 Kerr canning jars. I also picked up a flat cotton knit sheet. I'm not sure if that's going to become "paper towels" or a curtain or some other project. But it was a cheap way to get a lot of fabric.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

MoGrrrl, when tomatoes sell _wholesale_ for avg $2/lb - and they're the CULLS, it's alarming. Most sold to small mom-and-pop store owners who turn around and sell to their customers for $3.50/# or more with little trouble since those who don't grow their own are used to paying ridiculous prices for food already. While most are _probably_ organically grown, there are no claims to that effect whatsoever.

I could've bought some canning jars for a decent price, but my neighbor has offered as many as I will likely ever need for the sum total of ..... cleaning them up . (Well, and maybe a few jars of goodies.)

Tonight after supper, we're going to go tie up the thirty or so slicing 'maters we have that are growing like mad. With the last couple mornings' rains, the foliage has just gone wild! At this point, rain means veggies and that means I'm a happy camper :clap:. The Romas are happily putting on lots of 'maters in their cages.


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## doodles (Sep 27, 2002)

Other than putting my garden stuff up I have been buying spices bulk. What is the best way to store herbs and spices?


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## shellycoley (Mar 6, 2003)

I store most of my herbs and spices in 1/2 pint jars.

Shelly


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Cool dark places - in glass jars, preferably of colored glass.


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## connie in nm (May 11, 2002)

If I get bulk herbs in mylar bags, I will keep them in fridge. My own, like basil, that I dry, go in quart jars.


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## Junkman (Dec 17, 2005)

Picked blueberries today. Got about 1/2 gallon and more ripening. Rhubarb is in the freezer and I am waiting for whatever we get in the garden. But, it will be awhile. So, I went to the dollar store and stocked up on paper supplies, garbage bags and jar lids. They had the small mouth fillers for $1. Yes, I always do tomatos in water bath canner. They have enough acid in them to seal well. Jklady


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

replanted my garden after the deer made a smorgus board out of it last week, also picked up 30 more pounds of free soft lead for the BP guns. went 70 miles and loaded 2 hot hives in the ford focus along with many other items, just cked and the bees seemed to have settled down and making the most out of their new location, only got stung four times.


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2008)

Last entry for the month for me. Bought the Kinder Major a new bike last night. She's gotten too tall for her old one now. Also bought two LED Mini-Mags. I've still got a box of replacement bulbs for my older lights, but we've pretty well gone entirely over to LEDs and compact fluorescents for battery lights now.

Need to pick up a couple more headband lights too. I can never seem to find mine when I want it.

.....Alan.


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