# September 2009 Prep Journal



## Guest (Sep 2, 2009)

Well, here it is September already. The new school year has started and we are still adjusting to it at the house. It's also the height of the hurricane season, but thus far it has largely been a non-event though there is still time for a storm or two to get into our hair. The drought here in Florida has broken so we've been getting plenty of rainfall for the first time in years. The pond outback hasn't come back, but short of another hurricane or two like we had in '04 I'm not really expecting it to. It'll take several years of the sort of rainfall like we used to get upon a time to do that.

Economically there are signs that our current recession may be bottoming out, but many of us aren't ready to celebrate just yet. For our part we're not ready to go on any spending sprees. Except for home repairs. Those we are spending on and I suspect many others are as well. A good friend of mine just got laid off after twenty eight years at the university; another seems in danger of experiencing the same; my brother can't find a job after not being able to return to school due to expenses even though he had a 3.8 GPA; and most everyone else are still feeling anxious and uncertain about their employment so no one I know is feeling like going on a long vacation right now. There's also the matter of the literal trillions of dollars of 'liquidity' the government pumped into the economy that has yet to fully make itself felt.

Prep wise we have been slowly stocking up on groceries and are hoping to make another cannery run in a month or so. Also rotating the fuel storage which I typically like to do more of in the hot months which also happens to be when the grass needs mowing. No major prep expenses planned though except for the new grain mill that we ordered a month or so ago. Our old Whisper Mill is still chugging along, but I don't know how long that will last. It won't feed corn at all no matter what I try. I've been experimenting with a sourdough starter lately too. It wasn't on my 'to-do' list, but a start was offered to me so I took it. Once nice batch of loaf bread so far and one batch of burger rolls that did not meet my standards but did make good dog treats. No one gets them all right all the time I suppose.

So, how is the prep month looking for you folks?

.....Alan.


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

Got a cool snap going, last couple of nights in the low 40's. This is sparking my "get things done fall is coming genes".I have 10 BBW turks in a new grow-out pen, 3 months till d-day for them and need to put at least 6lb a month on them, shooting for a low 20's carcass weight.

Been harvesting all the mature winter squash before they would get nipped by frost..we could have dropped that low last night. 23lb in 14 squash of differing sizes; several more could make it in the next 2 weeks before our first frost date. I will post totals updates from my 2 fenced experimental plots.
My wood is here plan to split and stack this month.


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## Browncoat (Jun 8, 2009)

Started back to school, so the preps have slowed, even though I feel a greater urgency to prepare as time goes by. I've begun to wonder if my need to prep isn't some sort of sickness, but then I read about the gloom and doom from around the world, and what it's possibly pointing to, and I can't bring myself to stop. I'm still hitting the sales for flu meds and such, and every now and then local stores have good sales on stuff I'll actually use. 

I need to come up with a new plan for next year's garden, and how to keep the evil bunnies out of it. I'd also like to expand my plot this fall and winter. I'm compiling more information for my "book of doom" as we call it, with lots of good ideas, and I've shared it with family. I've already learned a lot and put some of it into practice. I'm still practicing and trying to make bread that's edible. There are lots of things I need and want to do, and we'll see what I actually get around to doing in between school work.


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## jehoshaphat (Feb 13, 2004)

I have been canning pears & tomato juice. I have more pears to pick. We are having a garage sale over Labor Day weekend. That will go to brakes for truck & hopefully asome for propane. Have been assessing our possessions. It seems we have items that we really don't want or can find a use for around here. I hate to just get rid of some of it. Barter material maybe? I just want to have everything in some order. Learning what is growing in my yard that is good to eat & how to prepare it.


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

I scored big yesterday: two 25 lb bags of plain salt on clearance at the local Bi-Lo grocery store for $1.99 a bag. I bought what they had. Since the temps have cooled down in the evenings, I have been able to organize more of the food and health/beauty preps. I think we have about 2 year's worth of shampoo, toothpaste, OTC meds, tp, condiments and most spices and at least a year's worth of grains, beans, and canned fruits and veggies. 

We set 5 eggs under the little Silkie hen that keeps going broody. She and her sister have already hatched 20 biddies this year. I put the RIR and Arachauna (sp) eggs that look like hen eggs under them, so we have hens for next year. I have come to realize that Barred-Rock eggs do not follow my chicken sexing guide by eggs. Their's have produced an extra rooster this year. I am usually at 100%. So I am still studying this.

DH still has not finished the root cellar as it has been so hot here over the last month, and he just has not felt like getting outside after working in the heat all day. I can understand this and have not pushed the issue, but I am going to gently press the issue to get it finished in the next month. We then want to start the shelter added onto the big barn so that he can put the tractors under it and have a feed room and stalls for the horses and hopefully a stall for a jersey milk cow and a milking sanction. I still have my fingers crossed for this addition.

We are working on the fall garden now. We are starting cabbage, broccoli, and collard plants, potatoes, and will plant some mustard greens soon.


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## RedTartan (May 2, 2006)

I'm a brand new prepper 

I've been devouring Dehydrate2Store.com and beprepared.com. I plan on putting in an order at beprepared.com for oxygen absorbers, candles, and these cool little cans they have for heating a room for 10 hours.

I dehydrated my first veggies yesterday. I did 3 lbs of peas and 4 lbs of green beans. I have found a new hobby 

I've been putting away cold and flu meds and buying extra beans, rice, split peas, etc. I defrosted my freezer and now I'll work on filling it up.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I continued to work on the shed and the hearth projects today. I still have a few more pieces of plywood to hang on the sides of the shed - it's slow going as my hands and arms wear out quickly pounding nails. I also started leveling the ground in the shed area so I can get the pallets even. I'll fill the shed with hay, throw some sheets of plywood on top of it, and stand on top to get the rafters up.

Tiled the hearth back tonight, now it all has to dry before I can do more. Used adhesive rather than mortar on the back - it seems to work better on the vertical stuff.

Spent some time weeding and harvesting in the garden.


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## no hurry (Mar 16, 2008)

Finally caught up on the vet bills so I am trying to fill in the dent I made in my preps when the bills hit. I restocked my TP and drink mix supply(ran through them both-connected? LOL) , got a few more pounds of beans and cornmeal and bread flour. I stocked up on a few items for the medicine cabinet and am making a list of other items to add. I also ordered 6 books (mostly used) that are how to/ self sufficiency to start building my homesteading library. I figure a few books a month and by the time I buy my land, I will have a respectable library built up. I am also going to start browsing a couple of used book stores for any gems that would make great additions to the library. 

Thats all I will be able to do this month since the derned fridge has been slowly dying and must be replace on 1 October. Propane/electric refrigerators don't come cheap and since my RV is set up that way, I figure it makes sense to buy another that way so when I get my solar panels, I wont have to power the fridge with them so it will come out even then.


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## cowboy joe (Sep 14, 2003)

Finished the solar dehydrator & hoping the sun stays out so I can test it this weekend. Quail hatching in the incubator. Hopefully the weather will hold long enough for them to grow out...coturnix don't fair well in the cold. Wood needs to be split with the left over from last year rotated to the top. Figure I'll take down the dead fall while I'm at it. Should be a busy weekend. Always lots to do around here...


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## NJ Rich (Dec 14, 2005)

Next month we are having a fireplace insert installed complete with all the cleaning and chimney top rain protection(?). I am not sure yet if we are having a flu liner installed since we haven't priced the insert yet. But we do know we are going to have the inset installed regardless. Next will be cords of the proper length wood purchased.

I need to do a complete inventory of our food stocks. Meds and first aid stocks are in good shape but I do know the food stocks have some needed refills and items added.

As always: Preps are a work in progress.

Alan's posts always move me to get up and do something to prep. :bow:

NJ Rich


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## Trixters_muse (Jan 29, 2008)

My squash and beans did very well, especially the yellow squash which ran crazy down the fence line and hasn't stopped producing yet! The pole beans and scarlet runners did very well too, and the tomatoes did good in the beginning but started dying by July. Still, ended up with plenty of fresh tomatoes over the spring and summer and now have 10 quarts of tomatoes and sauce. I found black eyed peas fresh picked from a local source for $10 a bushel so I dried half and froze half. An elderly lady advertised in craigs list that she had an overburdened pear tree so I called and she said she had few responses and the ones who did show up just picked a small bag full off the lower branches and left. My kids and I wiped that tree out, lol. I have pears everywhere in all forms.... dried, frozen, fresh and canned. That sweet lady even gave me 3 dozen canning jars she no longer needs and a nice deep metal pan.

As mentioned on another thread I have been concentrating on stocking up on OTC meds and items needed in case the flu outbreak is bad and I have been picking up free firewood I find on craigslist. Even though we don't need it as our main source of heat, there has been some good cured hardwood offered often lately so I have been collecting it just in case and burning the fireplace does help keep my electric bill down when it gets really cold.


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## CottageLife (Jul 20, 2009)

I've been busy with life the past few weeks, so now making a list on where I'm lacking in our prepping and what to do next. I need to hit the store and get some things to dehydrate for this weekend. It will be just my second attempt and I want to keep at it! I need to get a tackle box to put the first aid supplies in - I read the thread on the husband who had a dirt bike accident and realized while I have a lot of supplies they are in 2 closets and no one but me could probably find them! So, we need to put them together.

Time to start getting food organized for winter - I barely cook in the summer......... bad! So winter I try to do better and cook to freeze meals, etc.

Cat just had surgery, and 2 dogs need it next month (cat - thyroid with tumor, dogs need dentals, lumps removed, and one has a stye. Hitting it all at once!)

This thread always gets me motivated - thank you!


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

Here's my Martha Stewart dehydrator tray. I wanted an airy cover for it, so I knitted one. It is a mesh letter tray and then used paper clips to make a chain to hang it with, on a plant/bird feeder hanger. I'm drying all my romas, and it's going great. For now I'm just putting them in a bag in the freezer when they are dry, I'll jar them up in oil when I see how much I've got.










been making chutney, and I'll start making dilly beans from the pole beans starting to produce. Planted some peas for fall, and I'll keep making chutney with the tomatoes, jalapenos, etc, also picked my grapes(they are small, just starting to produce this year, they are green and yummy) and I'll make some chutney with them.

Also doing some deep cleaning around the house, making it all nice and fresh. 

I will also see if I can get my hub to drive around and we can start snagging some feral apples. There is a pear tree we know of that we raid.

We'll also be doing the wood this month. the colors are deeping in the woods and I can feel the land rehydrating even tho we haven't got rain yet(we get moist air off the ocean). Last night the wind was blowing again, it was so good to hear it. 

I also quit watering my tomatos, and I'll be covering them with plastic to keep them dry when it rains. That way the stuff can ripen. If I don't keep the rain off stuff rots.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

PS, I'm also working on taking a "deep inventory" and making a thorough list. I can only get things a bit at a time when I go the the store each week(kind of have to be sneaky about it)


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

wyld thang, that is the cutest dehydrator cover, lol!

Finished getting the ground in the shed leveled, the pallets down and the OSB (what I had in the scrap pile) laid on top of that for a nice level floor. Wall to wall flooring.  Laid out big pallets on either side of the shed and started stacking up my lumber on them. I need to get it all out of the weather, and organized, and out of sight, BEFORE my appraisal next week.  I'm planning to put up lean-tos on either side of the shed for lumber and equipment storage. Next up, building the trusses for the gambrel shed roof.

With clear skies and a full moon, I was worried that we could potentially have an early frost tonight, so I scurried around and covered the more tender plants - just jerry-rigged for the night. I really need to take time in the morning to build 2 greenhouse frames and staple some clear plastic over them. One over the tomatoes and one over the tomatoes/cukes/beans. Like WT, who is in a similar zone (and not too far from me), I need the extra time to get the tomatoes ripe without being rained on. If I can get through a few frosty nights and some rain, I can get tomatoes, etc, until November.

Not too thrilled with my tiling project last night. A couple spacers popped loose and a few tiles slid down a bit and had to be reset - maybe the adhesive isn't better than mortar after all? Had to delay the grouting until at least tomorrow. I am still determined to get the wood stove installed before the weather turns. I keep plugging away at it, anyway. 

Spent quite a bit of time just picking up outside and making a list of the things I need to finish before the appraisal. Need to touch up the paint on the house, especially the trim, and get the rust stains off the house (from the sprinkler and our nasty water), and put up a piece of trim, and install the stove, and......it's a long list. Nothing like a little extra incentive to get my house and grounds in order (and prepped for winter).


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Got a log truck of hollow oak logs delivered; neighbor saves them out for us thru the year. We can take the big ones as you can burn anything you're strong enough to heave thru the door of the outdoor wood boiler! 

Picked over 50# tomatoes the other day so got them juiced up. Still alot of garden truck plus have tons of different flowers to save seeds from. The peppers are really prolific and the fall beets,chard,mustard,cabbages coming along nicely and even have zucchini blossoms...squash bugs have made growing any kind of squash nigh onto impossible in this area lately. Real bummer as we love winter squash. Luckily nothing seems to faze the sweet potatoes and looking for a bumper crop. If we get some of this predicted rain will plant spinach.

Our new Jersey Esther is filling the pail and enjoying making butter, cheese,ice cream after a number of years without a milk cow. Her heifer growing fast...definitely not happy to be seperated during the day so we get the evening milking! She is eating grain/hay/grass well. They had both been roaming free so finally have mom coming up and walking into her stanchion to be milked--baby still a tad timid but they don't call my DH the cow whispherer for nothing! He used to milk our Herefords! DEE


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

yup, like manygoats I'm working har to keep the rain off my tomatos. We only get sprinkles, but even that moisture wil make them rot. I saved a bunch of cat food bags, cut them open to use for rain hats. The plastic is "tarpy" feeling and the weight of it seems to work well because it's a little stiff, and it doesn't fly around. I attach it with clothespins, and tommorrow I'm going to go find some sticks to make old fashioned clothespins--hub put a hunk of rib eye in the cart at the store last minute, so...rib eye...clothespins...yup, put the clothespins back(and a bunch of other preppy stuff).

So anyways, those dumb cat food bags are really handy turns out (again, not the paper ones, but the woven plastic tarpy ones). I also lay them down in the winter to kill weeds. We have 6 cats so....

boy, in the PNW, it's such a fight to the finish to get tomatos!


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## organicfarmer (May 11, 2002)

Just got the kitchen floor done so the cookstove can be installed. We have been five years without one and I miss it. DS says he misses splitting wood, so guess what he will be doing when he comes home.

The garden was a total bust this year (too much rain here in Ontario, cool temps and too much cloud). Fortunately, our meat animals did well and we have lots for the coming year.

Canning peaches now (DH picked up 5 bushels this week) and will order cans of organic tomatoes to make up for no garden produce.

Realizing how much we still have to do before winter. Off to bed as market is tomorrow and we are loaded up with our neighbour's corn and our wool products.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

Well we are gearing up for a woodsplitting party, up here this weekend. I have moved over 60 rounds of 36' diameter or so in size Doug Fir to the lower landing, have set up the hydraulic splitter, and I am waiting to hear from the neighbors when we will all get togeather to make lots of firewood. Plus my wood shed is already full, so this newly split firewood will go into the racks on the lower landing.

I have been using the pressure canner to can some strawberries, blackberries in half pint and pint jars, and I am getting ready for apples and plums soon. I have plenty of everything ready to start cranking out applesauce, and my friend wants to make some apple wine this year..

I am trying to find room in the chest freezer for some venison. I am getting tired of the deer decimating my attempts at gardening. That and there is a Coastal Blacktail buck (5 point western count/ 10 point eastern count) that is gonna get it, if he sticks around much longer. I have my bone saw, wrapping paper, and the knives are sharpened in anticipation of putting up some deer meat for this winter!

Next week I have to pick up some more candle wax/ supplies from Freecycle, and I will be making more candles later in the month. I prefer using parafin wax over soy wax, in my candle making efforts when using metal molds, and glass/ tin containers.... Plus I use the pure/ clean parafin wax, for sealing my jams and jellies..


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

psst, a fence around the garden, radio! and if you want to bag a deer, you leave the gate open and it's like shooting fish in a barrel  

Your woodsplitting party sounds fun! have a great time!


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

We've worked this month on putting in an asparagus patch. Planted 40 year-old root balls so hopefully this coming Spring we'll get a few stalks and the year after we'll have lots. 

Pickled 1/2 bushel of okra, and believe me that's a lot of chopping slimy stuff!

Have been doing small canner loads of tomatoes and pickles as the veggies ripen, but the garden is winding down. 

I'm getting ready to place an order with BePrepared for their bucket lids with gaskets. I can't find them anywhere locally, and I like the gasket for a better seal. They're $1.50-$1.75 depending on how many you buy.

We're going to butcher a couple of the rabbits this weekend, and take all the cages out one at a time and clean them up. The spider webs and shed hair are getting out of hand. I'm also going to help our son work on the hides we scraped and salted a few weeks ago. He's excited to learn how to do it all.

I also plan to reorganize in the garage again. I got a big shipment from Meijer.com and didn't have room to put it all on the shelves.


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

Whooo HOOO!! I just reclaimed my tiny bathroom from the bags of canned goods waiting for shelf space. I am so excited that I hate to break off the organizing to go to my Local Southern States to get my winter propane fills on my 20lb tanks. I use the propane on my cook stove only and a 20lb tank lasts me about a month. I fill my tanks twice a year when they are 9.99 a tank; usually Memorial Day and Labor Day,(beginning and ending of the grilling season). BTW great time to get outdoor cooking supplies at sales if you need brickets and such. Also pre-season sale time on birdseed and clean-up on canning supplies.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

I picked the last of my Vermont cranberry beans, and shucked and put them in th sun to dry out. I also have been working on my celery. Seems as though we are going to have quite a bit, but thats ok, I am grateful for the bumper tomato crop I got last year.
Restocking my seeds, curing my squash, onions and garlic, inventory-ing and preparing for the cold weather. We haev about eleven cords of wood, which is enough for 2 to 3 years. Chickens are producing, quail are thriving, turkey are getting fat. Tomorrow we smoke our NYS salmon in cherry wood.
Still no grain grinder (using the oster blender and fine seive technique) but 50 lbs local wheat to be picked up tomorrow, for 7 bucks.
I never worry about water, as a spring fed creek runs through our land, and we hit springs digging our foundation. 
Forgot to mention, there are three mutt chicks in our brooder, eggs courtesy of a fellow HT'er.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Added 10 more pounds of sugar, 24 rolls of toilet paper, 10 packs of hot dogs, 6 bottles of barbecue sauce, several canisters of spices, 3 tubes of toothpaste, 4 boxes of oatmeal, 2 boxes of cereal, 1 jar of mayo, 2 bottles of 81 mg aspirin, 8 packages of ziploc-type freezer bags, a bushel of peppers, 10 pounds of onions, 4 cans of juice, 2 dozen ears of sweet corn, 3 pints of blueberries, a box of Benadryl and a bottle of Excedrine Migraine. Oh... We also got a couple of 50lb bags of feed for the critters, too.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

Note to self for next year- nobody here buys firewood until Labour Day weekend. Delivered two loads (4 cords) yesterday, stopped twice on the way by people wanting 12 cords more. Three more phone messages when I got home, another 15 cords ordered.

I've been advertising for a month, only had the one sale before yesterday.


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## vegascowgirl (Sep 19, 2004)

Went over to my Dad's yesterday and helped him go through his pantry. Dad doesn't plan to prep, he just does by nature. In other words he just buys without checking what he has or needs. He doesn't do it in the spirit of prepping, but just has done it all his life. I went through the pantry with him moving new stuff back and older stuff forward so it could be used first. Rearanged much of his pantry so that he could easily reach the things he uses the most. As a result he insisted on sending me home with two large bags full of canned goods that he felt he had too much of. Thankfully though, I think I have the pantry situated where he doesn't have to stand on his head to find something anymore. 
My next mission is his freezers.


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## cowboy joe (Sep 14, 2003)

Tested the dehydrator this weekend. Works well but the operator (that would be me) needs training unless he plans to supply the family with rubbery bananas. Turned over a few of the garden beds. Added compost to most and planted garlic & onions in two. Cut down deadfall to dry for next year & did a mental inventory of what firewood there is for this year. More to cut & split before the weather rolls in.

Worked on the PV system during the long weekend. Most of the wiring is in place. Hoping the charger arrives today so the batteries can be installed & charged.

Quail were a bust. The temp on the incubator spiked to 110F the night after the hatch started. Lots of fully developed chicks dead in the shell. Not the first time this has happened. Made an entry on the 'to do' list for to design an alarm / over temp limiter to keep this from happening again. Saved four...collecting eggs for another set.

Still harvesting & eating zucchini...


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

My Mother and I were invited to the home of a friend of mine that is a prepper.We made the mistake of showing Mom my friends store room; yup a whole used-to-be bedroom filled with shelves and boxes all loaded with her stored foods. I had to pry my wide-eyed mom out of there!! LOL!! She finally turned to me and said" I don't ever want to hear about how much I have in my basement again!!" My reply to that was that my friend knows where everything is and rotates constantly, unlike my mom. Had a swap with my friend while there. She got winter squash from my garden, canned grapefruit juice ,tomato juice and a 1 lb canned ham(new brand to try.) I got canned salmon and turnip greens that her husband refuses to eat; both goodies my mom and I enjoy. Thought I'd mention the swap because most of us end up with "deals and specials" that we may find we don't care for and a prepping buddy may like this stuff fine!


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2009)

NJ Rich said:


> Alan's posts always move me to get up and do something to prep. :bow:





CottageLife said:


> This thread always gets me motivated - thank you!


 That's the idea. It helps to keep me motivated too as well as encouraing our newcomers to get started.

For my part I spent the weekend trying to get caught up with the mowing and separating birds. Enlarged the rooster pen and now have about twenty in there. As soon as the weather cools we're going to start thinning them out!

While I was busy with all that the wife went off to a u-pick grape place and brought home over twenty pounds of muscadines which now gives us more than thirty pounds of fruit to make jam with. They're all in the freezer until I can get to them.

Got a cannery run coming up at the end of the month so I need to pull an inventory to see what we need. Other than wheat which we always load up on.

.....Alan.


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## CottageLife (Jul 20, 2009)

I have to say - school starts today and while I'm sad summer went away so fast - I am SO glad our routine will be back in play and we'll have more time to work on some projects.
I have the exterminator coming again for the bees in the wall of the house. Yuck! They still aren't gone. Hubby has to find the time to start winterizing some items to close up our cottage later this month. I dehydrated more celery, and some spinach is going now. I have escalore to try next and potatoes. Can't wait! We also found shelving units at home depot for $20 each on clearance - grabbed 2. So far one is up and fits great in an otherwise unused area of the basement.


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## ihedrick (May 15, 2005)

Ds (15yr) got his first squirrel. Now if he could get a few more to make a meal. Money has been short so we have been trying to find/learn about free food around us.


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## 36376 (Jan 24, 2009)

I've never contributed to the Prep Journals before but it's so nice to read like minded people's lists. This month so far: got my first ever order of butter powder and whole egg powder. Bought 4 - 24 packs of TP (on sale), other toiletries, baby aspirin, canned 32 pints of green tomato salsa and working on a list of food we love/eat as to plan better for storage. Thank you to everyone for the great information. It really does help with the anxiety factor when you know you are doing SOMETHING for the welfare of your family and the added ability to help others if you can.


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## NBC3Mom (May 14, 2005)

I guess the cool summer made my rhubarb think it was springtime--beautiful stalks of new growth which I picked and froze. Also froze green peppers and have hot peppers drying to string up for winter use. Any ideas on how to preserve basil? It is too big to repot as a house plant as I have done in the past. Stalking up this week with Walgreen's Register Rewards - toothpaste and batteries.


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## CottageLife (Jul 20, 2009)

Got a brand new jar attachment for my Food Saver so tonight I sealed up the 4 jars of dehydrated food that I have so far :clap: I also have corn going in the dehydrator now. DH ordered some medical supplies off of a website last night.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Basil can be dried. When dry you can store a huge amount in a single jar. I've been drying chard and have two quarts of crunched up chard which is a huge amount pre-drying.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I think I need a lock on my dehydrator! Filled it full with peach slices and went off to work - came home to find the dried slices all devoured by dd. :badmood: I try to impress on her that we eat the fresh fruit when we have it and save the dried, canned and frozen food for when the fresh isn't available. Sometimes I think prepping would be much easier if I was the only one at home! Well, I've set her to work peeling and slicing more peaches to refill both dehydrators. Maybe if she is doing the work, she'll treasure the results enough to make them last a bit longer. :shrug:

In a way, I can't blame her - those really ripe peaches make dried peaches that are more like candy than fruit! Yum. I woud like to have a good supply in the bobs.

I'm postponing the appraisal for another week, at least. I'm not done with the major jobs I need to finish prior to the appraisal and need this next week off to finish them up. The weather has turned back to hot, so I can get the rest of the house painting and shed building done over the next 4-5 days. Starting on the painting this morning. 

Still getting lots of cucumbers and beans, raspberries and a few ripe tomatoes. My rhubarb is producing, too. I took extra cucumbers to work and traded them with a fellow gardener who has a glut of yellow pear tomatoes and no cukes. Yellow pears are not my favorite tomato - I find them bland - but dd loves them.

Wyldthang, how did your tomatoes do through the rainy spell? Mine survived nicely, and I actually have yellow fruit - this sun may just get me to red tomatoes yet!


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## CottageLife (Jul 20, 2009)

Ann-NWIowa said:


> Basil can be dried. When dry you can store a huge amount in a single jar. I've been drying chard and have two quarts of crunched up chard which is a huge amount pre-drying.


Do you dry your basil in a dehydrator or are you hanging it or ?? Thanks!


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Ann-NWIowa said:


> Basil can be dried. When dry you can store a huge amount in a single jar. I've been drying chard and have two quarts of crunched up chard which is a huge amount pre-drying.


I thought Basil lost its flavor when dried. I've been wondering what to do with it all. We eat it fresh almost daily, and I was thinking of making some pesto and freezing it.


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## NBC3Mom (May 14, 2005)

Pesto would be great with the extra basil. Do you have a good recipe you could share? 
A co-worker brought in a bag full of seed packets for anyone to take. I picked one of each vegetable and am waiting to see if any are left by the end of the day. Since he and I are the only gardeners here, I think I might get the rest! Shredded and froze the last of our zucchini yesterday. Cleaned out the drawers in my sewing machine cabinet and found 4 flashlights! Have to go back to Walgreens for batteries today.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Basil is well worth drying. Problem is most people put a puny one tsp. or so in their cooking and say it doesn't add much flavor. Add enough! Recipes are just hints...if it doesn't taste like you want add more herbs. Thyme,oreagano,basil,sage,parsley are so simple to grow and dry and worth the effort --those little bottles at the store are way over-priced. Or go to Penzeys.com where you can get a lb. of something for what a tiny tin costs and way fresher,too. Herbs/spices well worth stocking up to add variety to your cooking. DEE


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## NBC3Mom (May 14, 2005)

Do you hang the basil to dry? I don't have a dehydrator *yet.*


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

You can hang the basil to dry, yes. You can lay it out on window screens or paper in your car on a warm day, crack a window open, and use the car as a solar dryer. Doesn't even have to be a hot day, as the glass in the car acts as a solar collector.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I hang it on plastic clothes hangers then hang the hanger on the light swag chain over the sink. If I have the dehydrator going with other stuff & an extra tray available I'll use it. Either way works fine. I do parsley, oregano and sage using the same process which is pick, wash, hang or pick, wash, put into dehydrator.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Pinto beans have matured and pods started drying. When they start drying we pick and put in dehydrator to finish so the dehydrator is full of pinto beans tonight. I have more tomatoes and green beans to can tomorrow.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I made my pattern for the barn style shed roof yesterday and set about sorting 2x4s into the right sizes for cutting into each rafter part (making the most efficient use of my scrap and recycled lumber). That led to more lumber sorting and stacking and more straightening up of the ground around the barn. I am happy to say that even if the roof isn't done yet, the place is looking a lot more ready for an appraisal.

Today I tackled the house again - lots of minor repairs and finishing little jobs I've put off way too long. Should be ready for that appraisal after this week, and have the house about ready for winter to hit. Did a lot of straightening in the storage/pantry room, too, making it easier to find what I have. Put a lot of stuff in the Goodwill bag, too. I also started a gallon jar of dill pickles and I have another batch of green beans to snap so I can get them canned in the morning.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

I strung up some new clotheslines so that I can hang more than one load at a time. We bought 4 gallons of white vinegar for cleaning and added a little cash and a free(after coupon) lip balm to the bug out bag. We also purchased enough feed and scratch to last the winter for my roosters (who live at a friend's farm). We also bought 10 cans of frozen juice, 2 lbs of Tilapia filets, 2 lbs of salmon filets and 4 frozen pizzas to keep the college students out of my grocery preps!


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

manygoatsnmore said:


> Wyldthang, how did your tomatoes do through the rainy spell? Mine survived nicely, and I actually have yellow fruit - this sun may just get me to red tomatoes yet!


I kinda kept them covered, and picked all the just barely ripe tomatos and everything ripe before it rained, as well as all the pink stuff--my kitchen table was covered in tomatos! So that left green stuff on the vine. That helped the splitting issues, the only ones that split later were the Brandywines(prone to it anyways), but it's just around the stem so no biggie.

I've been working hard, since I actually have so many tomatos for once(!) to keep up with preserving them. It helps to do green tomato things(chutney and pickles) to kind of pace the ripening, and I saved up stuff in the freezer for some sauce I made today. Been eating lots of tomatos of course, but I've "had enough" for now , tomato overload! But doing pretty good, only have to throw out 4-5 mutant beefsteaks that get all buggy around the stem anyways and got too ripe on the counter.

My rhubarb is getting a second wind too.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

PS< starting to harvest seeds too, don't forget about that!


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## zito (Dec 21, 2006)

TheMartianChick said:


> We also bought 10 cans of frozen juice, 2 lbs of Tilapia filets, 2 lbs of salmon filets and 4 frozen pizzas to keep the college students out of my grocery preps!


College students? Well that should last at least a day or two! :buds:

Did a bunch of prep work to expand next year's garden, as this year was my first so I only used a small area to try it out. Put another 40lb. of rice into pails w/ mylar bags and 02 absorbers.


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

I got 12 more pkgs of regular jar lids at Fred's for $1 each. Our store keeps getting cases in as soon as I buy them out.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

NBC3Mom said:


> Pesto would be great with the extra basil. Do you have a good recipe you could share?


I just go by the "eye" method. 

2-3 cups of basil leaves ( use some stems too since it will be ground up)
2-4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of olive oil
salt and pepper (1/2 Tsp each?)

Some people use pine nuts with it, but we don't like them. I use more garlic than most.

Pulse in the blender or food processor until it's a nice paste. Scrape out into ice trays or in a zip lock bag. Freeze, and then break off what you need from the zip lock bag or dump out the ice cubes.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I canned 19 quarts of tomato juice yesterday and 18 pints of green beans today. We now have over 100 quarts of tomato juice and more than that of pints of green beans. We figure a 2 year supply of each. I'll have more green beans as the second crop is still producing. I need to find more quarts as I'm out. I love having 2 years stored but it does tie up a lot of jars.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Glad to hear your tomatoes made it, WT. We had our first light frost the night of the 10th, but it missed the garden. Made me even more determined to get the greenhouses built.

Missed out on working on the preps today (yesterday now? Sunday) due to a migraine. Makes me thankful I keep a good supply of Maxalt, etc on hand. At least I woke up tonight feeling better. Since I'm not sleepy now, I guess I'll go work on a few projects. I need to can those green beans, grout the hearth, etc.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

manygoats, that rain tanked the blackberries. I was so looking forward to canning up a bunch this year, making syrup and jelly, but the rain just makes them gross. I"ll have enough for a just few jars of jelly (boo). My raspberries are okay tho, they've really put out a lot on a few canes and this year i'll have enough for jam  (yay!) also noticed the razs are spreading too(this is their third year in my ground)


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Yeah, my blackberries are less than ideal, too, although the Evergreens are better than the Himalayans. I did get a few for the freezer. The yellowjackets are eating my raspberries right on the vine, so they look a little raggedly, but will be fine for jam. Makes picking them a challenge - I got stung by some kind of bee yesterday (not a yellowjacket, thankfully). 

Last night, I installed more of the edge tiles on the hearth. I had to remove all the tiles, chip the mortar off them and reinstall them - still have 4 tiles on the front to do, plus more edge trim. Somehow I ended up 3 trim strips short, plus some seem to have been cut from lighter tile than the rest.

Today I need to can more green beans - teaching dd to can.  She picked another half a grocery bag full off the bush beans last night. I'm amazed at how many pickings we've had off the bush beans this year - usually I get about 3 pickings and they start to peter out. Glad they are producing well, as I didn't get my pole beans planted this year. We still have a couple cases of pints canned from a couple years ago, so with these, we should be set for another year. Tried freezing them last year, but I don't like them at all - watery and mushy when cooked up. I like peas and corn better frozen, but green beans better canned. I should have blanched the frozen peas from the garden this year - tried just freezing them as is, and they have gone starchy. 

I also need to have you all hold me accountable today - I need to get the rafters built and installed on the shed, as well as finishing up the nailing on the of the siding - it's on, but needs more nails hammered in. I also need to get the rest of the hearth back done, all but the tiles I need to have re-cut (for the 3rd time...design changes and not taking into account the added width from backer board in a couple cases, plus those MIA pieces), the grouting on the installed tile grouted, and the stove levered up onto the hearth - ALL TODAY!!! I tend to start and stop, waffle and think, rather than just getting in and DOING, so I'm asking for your help. If I don't report in tonight that I got it done, please ask me if I did. Just that simple thing should be enough to get me moving. Thanks in advance. 

eta: 1pm and I'm done knocking mortar off the front of the hearth, measured for all the remaining tiles and backer board, and grouted all the tile that is mortared. It's slarting to look like a real hearth! Tried levering the stove up, but need to use a series of blocks under it to get it high enough to get it on the hearth - but it does mean i should be able to get the stove up on the hearth without any major muscle help. I'm taking a quick lunch break and then it's mortar removal for the last couple tiles and out to cut the board for the top of the back and to start cutting rafters. I just might get done with these jobs yet.


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

Today I had a doctor's appointment, so I went to Wal-mart and rode around in their motorized wheelchair and picked up some sure-jel and 50 lbs of sugar. By the way, 25 lb bags of sugar went up $2.22 a bag since last month when I bought the large quantity. I also went to Save-a-lot and got 8 cans of pink salmon (exp. date of 06/14), 12 jars each of pizza sauce and taco sauce and 24 cans each of mushrooms and vienna sausages. DH and DS eat these up, so I needed to stock back up and we like the sauces until I can plant more tomatoes next year and learn to make taco and pizza sauces. Tomorrow, our Harvey's store has Angel Soft 24 pks of TP on sale for 2/$10, so I will get 2 pkgs of that (limit 2). This has the holes in our preps filled back in.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I was going to post my progress and the site was down.  I didn't finish all of my jobs I set for myself, but I did get all but one of the tiles stuck onto the front (ran out of adhesive and couldn't find the other bucket at that point  ) Could have used mortar, but that was where I got into trouble in the first place, lol. I have the board cut and installed on the top of the back, and I'm ready to go to Lowe's Friday morning to have the rest of the tile cuts done. I also canned 18 pints of green beans and had 3 pints left over - planned to can them today, but dd ate 2 of the pints, so I guess we'll just eat that last pint. We should get a few more pickings off the bean patch if it doesn't frost, so that should give us enough for the winter. I didn't get the rafters up on the shed, but I did get the tarp up over the top as a temporary roof, right before it started to pour rain. I did get a couple more lumber piles picked up and moved to the sides of the shed where the lean-tos are going up. It's looking much neater, and I'm finding plenty of lumber for my next few projects, including repairs to the back porch and the greenhouse/sunroom addition I'd love to build on the south side of the house. The appraisal is set for next Wed at 10am, so I'm in the home stretch for getting all these little and big jobs done.

eta:
I also defrosted the smaller of our upright freezers and inventoried the contents of both upright freezers, tried out my Pump and Seal, which worked great on Ziplocks, and sorted out the pantry shelves in preparation for inventorying them as well. Found a lot of odds and ends in the fridge freezer, so I will be making some "interesting" meals to use them up. Friday is payday, so I'm making my grocery list from the loss leaders in the paper. One thing I learned from the inventory is that we are really quite well stocked up on meat, but still need more pasta, whole grains, and cheeses - cheese wax is on my list so I can try waxing cheese like Mo4 did. Cheese is on sale this week, luckily.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Okay, I know it is all stuff that would be considered "china junk" being as it is a chinese website and you are buying directly from China but dealextreme.com has quite a few things that would do nicely in a BOB or pack for the car. I have bought a few things from them and while the shipping is a bit slow since it is coming from Hong Kong, everything has worked and I've been pleased. Everything is free shipping too. 

I bought the Steel Reuseable Matchstick Wilderness Survival Keychain and I keep it in my pocket. I put just a splash of lighter fluid in it and it works well.

Thought you all might enjoy clicking around the site. For some reason, I have less of a problem buying directly from China than I do going to a department store and buying it there. Weird I know but true.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Hit Shetlers over in Cabool, MO and bought 100# Prarie Gold wheat--it makes wonderful ww bread-- and 50# carrotts. Hoping they get in their 50# bags of 'taters soon as our crop got rained out this year and couldn't find enough more seed potatoes to grow all we need. 

DH ready to take off last supers of honey. We have been surprized at the demand for our larger size jars of honey this year. Told my sweetie he best not sell MY 5 gal. pail!! DEE


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

I was searching through the markdown buggies at a local grocer and found some bleach tabs at .50 for 10 tabs. I bought the only pack of those they had. They also had some kids allergy/cold medicines marked down to .50 so I bought a couple of those too.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I had a great day of prepping Friday. Started at WM, picking up bob rations and anti-diarrheal meds. Then to Lowe's for more tile cutting for my hearth (will I EVER finish?  ). I returned the extra tiles and other supplies for store credit and used it, plus a $10 off coupon to buy perennials for the landscape (that appraisal is this Wed), and 10 more T-posts to finish up fencing another pasture. Next was Dollar Tree, where I added to our bob rations and cleaning supplies, bought a good supply of lightweight kitchen towels/floursack towels, great for hanging to dry, and other preps. Then I stopped at 2 garage sales, buying a brand new set of tire chains for $15 at one (they'll fit the SUV and/or the trucks), and a Coleman metal cooler for $1 at the other. At the 2nd sale, I also got a free leather gun belt/holster and a free pair of patio doors (sliders, but not the door frame) for my future greenhouse. They saved them for me while I ran home to get the truck to haul them. While I was out picking them up, I also picked up some things at a friend's - playhouse for the grands, 5 bales of mulch hay, and her wood chipper. I may buy the chipper, but for now I'm borrowing it to chip up all the trash trees and underbrush in the woods - needed for fire suppression and to clear things out enough to grow some grass in the woods pasture. So, a great day all around.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Isn't anyone else working on prepping this week? Or are you all too busy working on them to post, lol!

The appraisal is done, even without all my projects being finished - now I'm just waiting to hear how much the appraiser thinks my place is worth. I expect the value to have dropped, but I'm not looking to refi for much more than my current HEL, so it shouldn't be a problem. It'll be nice to be back to only owing on the mortgage and HEL, with the goal still to be out of debt by New Year's Day 2015.

Today was spent putting up a pole shelter greenhouse over the tomato patch and tying up the tomatoes that have managed to sprawl on the mulch. It had become such a jungle that I couldn't wade in to pick the ripe tomatoes - or even find them! Got it covered with 6ml clear plastic - not a permanent solution, but enough protection to keep the frost off until probably November, barring any windstorms. The plants are loaded with fruit - I have hope I can get them ripe now.  I still have a second tomato/green bean/cucumber patch to cover, and a few individual tomatoes that will need covers - a good project for tomorrow. I also brought in more ripe tomatoes that will be frozen until I have the time to make sauce and can it. I've canned enough green beans to let us eat a pint a week for the next year. Combined with the peas, corn, and fresh greens, that should do for the two of us. There are still more beans coming on, so I hope to increase that amount in storage. I also have cabbage and cauliflower growing - the seeds that didn't sprout in the spring, are doing so now, so I'll have more fall cole crops. I also have a treeful of apples to pick at my friend, M's, house as soon as they are ripe. Not as many as last year, but larger and nicer.

I'm still working on the wood stove project - located the trusses I need to cut between and used a plumb bob to center the cut over the hearth. I still need to take a few more tiles back to Lowe's (for the fourth time  ) for cutting, with just a few small areas left to mortar and grout. Slow progress, but moving the right direction. 

Also worked on financial preps last night by working an extra 12 hr charge shift - that's like getting an additional 18 hrs on this coming check. I'm working to not only pay off the mortgage quickly, but to build our emergency savings. As an RN, my job is fairly secure, but serious injury or illness would put a real crimp in our finances.

So, what are the rest of you up to?


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2009)

I haven't been keeping up with the monthly journal so let's see if I can remember everything.

We've had another Sam's Club run since my last post - mostly stuff to repack and vac-seal, but some canned goods as well. Got a cannery run coming up in a couple of days. This is prompting us to try some food storage furniture building to get it out from under our feet to under our behinds!

My collection of fuel storage cans is aging with some needing to be replaced. I've been wanting to go to a better system so a few months ago I went by my local fuel distributor and bought a 55 gallon fuel drum. Bought a dolly to keep it on the next weekend then didn't do anything with them for a while. Weekend before last I put the dolly together and started filling the drum. As I rotate and use the old fuel I'm refilling the cans then transferring the fresh fuel into the drum.

I didn't buy the pump for the drum until last weekend as I wanted an American made one and I couldn't find one for under a hundred dollars which meant having to wait until we could afford it. Bought one on Saturday, put it together, went to mount it on the drum and broke my dang bung wrench! No problem, I figured I'd stop by Northern Tool and get another one. Except they don't carry them. Nor does the nearest Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, or the farm supply in town. The fuel distributor probably does but he's not open on the weekend. Was finally able to get the bung out using one of the claws of my framing hammer. Everything is now installed and I have about thirty gallons in there with fuel preservative. Come next payday I'll finish filling it. I'll save the best of the old plastic fuel cans and pitch the rest.

If the drum storage works out I'll start thinking about adding a second one. I haven't forgotten the lessons of '04 and '05 so have been wanting to grow the storage to at least twice or more of what I had back then.

.....Alan.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2009)

rose2005 said:


> Alan, is this gasolene you are storing? I would love to store more than we do already, but am concerned about it's 'life' even with the preservative. What is your take on how long it can be stored?
> Rose


 I know some folks who have stored gasoline for as long as five years when kept in a cool place with good preservative.

I don't let mine get that old. I don't let any of mine go over one year and preferably less. The fuel in the drum will be in constant refreshment. Use some, pour more in. Add preservative as necessary.

Especially with something as volatile as gasoline I don't favor allowing it to age any longer than necessary. Fresher is better. Stuff like LPG and lamp oil on the other hand is different.

.....Alan.


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## laughaha (Mar 4, 2008)

This month:
25 lbs sugar
approx 80 rolls of tp
lots of canning and garden stuff preserved
installing and organizing pantry in our new home
moving into new home
gonna butcher about 10 chickens and 4 rabbits in a few days.


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## NBC3Mom (May 14, 2005)

Bartered garden veggies for 3 pounds of Starbucks ground coffee from a co-worker who bartered the coffee from a friend for working on his boat. Picked a bushel of apples at a U-pick orchard and got a gallon of delicious cider. (can you freeze cider? gallon was so much cheaper than 1/2 gallon) Stocked up on shampoo (will need this one day soon, my post-chemo hair is starting to grow back in-Hurrah!), razors, toilet paper and heat patches at Walgreens with Bonus Bucks. 
Bought salsa and tomato sauce mix and jar lids for next year&#8217;s canning. Went through my gift closet and made a list of the Christmas presents I have been buying throughout the year. Found somethings I had forgotten about!


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

Yesterday, I scored 7 more 5-gallon buckets from the bakery, 4 of them had lids. I also picked up some more powdered milk, bakery mix (similar to bisquick, but in large bags for bakeries for $2 a bag), 10 envelopes of taco seasoning for B1G1F, 24 envelopes of yellow rice mix for B1G1F, and 10 envelopes of brown gravy mix. Today I went to the thrift store 1/2 price day sale and got 2 more quart jars and 5 pint jars, a dressy church sweater, a dressy coat with hood, and a pair of sweat pants. One of my seniors also brought me 6 quart jars and 1 wide-mouth pint jar this week and a gallon pickle jar.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

I have been busy getting the firewood into the woodshed which is now overflowing. Then I stacked the excess into the racks on the lower landing, and covered them with tarps since I expect rain anyday now....

Safeway had a large sale with many 1 dollar items, so I stocked on on meats, canned goods, and hygene products. My freezers and pantry are ready for this coming winter, in case I get snowed in up here for several days (as have happened in the past).

I have finally recycled the last of the old gasolene in the metal jerry cans and the heavy duty plastic 5 gallon containers. I refilled them along with adding sta-bil additive and I now have 30 gallons in storage, along with the full tanks of fuel in each of the four vehicles. The only reason that I would use a generator during a power outage, would be to keep the fridge and freezer operating to save the food stored there. Otherwise I have 12 VDC solar charged battery power (240 amp hours worth) for my ham radios, and other electronic items needed in an emergency. A while back I scored an older 12 VDC VCR and small LCD screen combo, from before the kiddies got the drop down DVD players in the vehicles. So I can always watch a movie, but on a 5" screen and using headphones for stereo sound...

Oh, I did get through the Sportsmans Guide a large 48" X 12" X12" waterproof with 6 lever latches thick metal walled military surplus container (originally for shipping 'Computer Control Group - Guided Bomb') weighing 55 pounds empty - suitable for storing several several rifles in soft cases while in the field or traveling.. That and I picked up some more weapon cleaning supplies, such as powder solvent and cleaning patches.

Now to see what I can do during the month of October, as far as what I have forgotten (if anything) to stock up on that is on sale... I have a couple more weeks before the apples are ripe enough, to start processing them into applesauce and pie filling..


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## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

bee said:


> Been harvesting all the *mature winter squash *before they would get nipped by frost..we could have dropped that low last night. 23lb in 14 squash of differing sizes; several more could make it in the next 2 weeks before our first frost date. I will post totals updates from my 2 fenced experimental plots.
> My wood is here plan to split and stack this month.



OM gosh I need new glasses I thought that said been harvesting MANURE 
HAHAHHAHA 

Been a busy month for me 
garden here did pretty well actually got green beans this year and have been watching the frost patterns in my yard and under the trees dont get frost planted merrigolds there and they are still yellow but in the garden the squash and beans are brown. 
It's snowing today here and sposed be 28 tonight. YIKES!

Hubby and i finished up our firewood all 8 cords or 24 ricks for those who dont kow what a cord is. Im tired........ 

Sold a 1/2 load firewood to the neighbor for some extra $ to which i finally ordered my first aid kit and first aid supplies scalpels sutures and such. 

Stocked up on some more wheat oats and 3 cases of peaches which were on sale for .79 a can. 

case of tuna for .53 a can 

and 50 lbs of cabbage to which i have NO idea how to use lol


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## Nottingham (Dec 5, 2008)

Ok, I've been meaning to post on the Prep Journal for some time now but never seem to get around to it. So this is my first ever monthly prep post! This past month we have canned a bushel of peaches (less what my wife ate fresh which could have been a half bushel...she loves peaches ), and one canner load of pears. I also put up another 1/2 gallon of lactic fermented beets. I just got my first dozen gamma lids this week. I think I really like gamma lids. I repackaged 4 buckets of wheat berries with the new lids. (We grind our own flour and bake all of our bread). There was a great sale on pasta last week so I stocked up on it. I also need to get a vacuum sealer because it doesn't take many boxes of pasta to fill up a 5 gallon bucket. I also got another cord of wood cut and about half of it split (by hand) this month too. I started getting the cold frames lids repaired this past weekend but just run out of time. Opps...I almost forgot that I am dehydrating the remaining peppers that were in our garden. I'm sure I am forgetting something else....

Mike

Also, I started reading the new edition of Small-Scale Grain Raising by Gene Logsdon this week. I hope to plant some test plots next year of wheat, corn, oats, and maybe something else for us to grind.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

The appraisal is in, and it was very good, surprisingly. Only $15K below the last appraisal. Even the loan officer was surprised, as she said many appraisals have come in very low lately. Maybe my nearly completed hearth and shed did add a bit after all? Anyway, the loan process should be done by end of week, and the credit cards paid in full, a bit left in savings for emergencies, and probably the high end polyacrylic (I think that's what it's called?) sheets bought for the sunroom off the back porch. Between that and picking up more extra shifts at work, our financial preps look to be in much better shape.

After trying out some of the Dollar Tree foods as potential bob items, I went back and bought more of the ones we liked. These are packed away, and maybe dd will forget they are there and will leave them alone. 

The garden got a little nip of cold - I didn't see frost, but the tops of the cucumbers on the tomato cages were definitely nipped back as were a few of the more exposed tomatoes. I pulled the pickling cukes as they were done - I had let a few of them mature on the vines for seed. I rigged up a tarp over the rest of the tomatoes (most of them anyway), the slicing cukes, and the bush beans. I picked another bucket of green beans, a couple more heads of cauliflower, another bucket of tomatoes, some raspberries and cucumbers. Made a big pot of cream of cauliflower cheese soup - I'll put part of it in the freezer for meals later. I'm working on snapping beans this evening so I can run another canner load. I'm hoping to get another picking or 2 before they peter out - still have blooms on them, so if it doesn't get too cold, it could happen. I goofed, though - I meant to mark off several plants to let mature for seed, and when I picked today, I totally forgot and picked the whole patch. I doubt I'll get enough time to ripen seed this year now. I have enough to plant a patch next year, but I like to keep a good reserve. The first planting of corn is ripe, and delicious. I will have a little bit to freeze or can, along with fresh eating for dinner. The late planting is trying to ripen - still hoping for it to make good ears before it gets frosted.

Still working on the rest of the usual projects - maybe in October?


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I finally got the interior wall up in the "new" (10 years working on it so far!) barn. It took 18 sheets of plywood to cover it. Thankfully I have a air compressor and staple gun so it wasn't as much work as it would have been with a hammer and nails. The plywood has been laying flat on a trailer out in the barn, but it still warped a bit. Thankfully it pulled down pretty good and made a nice wall that'll keep the north wind out. Have some sheets left over so I'm trying to figure out a project for them. 

A stray goat showed up a couple weeks ago. I can't find the owner, so I'm trading him to a neighbor for some vet work. The neighbor is going to castrate a couple of donkeys for me.  

DS presented me with a set of 60 watt solar panels. I hope to get them up on the roof this week. That will go a long way towards providing lighting when the power is out. He hauls a lot of junk for his boss. He's keeping an eye out for more of them. He said they haul them every now and then. He's hauled a couple of windmills too and is going to bring the next one here for me. 

A friend gave me 3 dozen quail eggs. They are going into the 'bator tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have a lot of them hatch. I have 2 weeks to get a pen built for them (maybe that's where some of the plywood will go.)

DS is making me a set of T posts so I can finally put up a clothes line. I've had the plastic covered wire for 10 years. It'll be so great to finally be able to hang out blankets to air, and clothes to dry.

One of the Saanens is starting to bag up so I'll start getting fresh milk again soon. I'm really looking forward to trying out the cream separator/butter churn. 

I finally broke down and gave up some of my dogs, I kept 2 of them. It was like giving away my kids, but I had to do it as I can't feed them all anymore. They are great pyr's, some of the most wonderful dogs in the world. They went to good homes where they'll have flocks to guard so I hope they'll be happy there. 

I need to go pick up 100 bales of hay this week. That's what I traded for the dogs. I guess it was a win/win situation cause they needed the dogs real bad. They were loosing a lot of sheep to coyotes.


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