# SEPT 2010 Prep Journal



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Hi all - would you believe it's September? I'm having trouble believing it.

Seems that a lot of focus is on the Hurricane Earl path and then Fiona.

I've still been working with my parents getting their boxes unpacked, doing their grocery shopping (and helping them eat it)

Hope this is a good month for all of you.

Angie


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Hi, Angie, thanks for getting the new thread started! September is a huge month for prepping around here - finishing up the summer stuff, getting ready for the return of the rainy season, fruit is getting ripe, hunting season is nearly here, etc....

Today I did a little target shooting with my revolver and pistol - so far I like my revolver better, but after shooting 15 rounds through it, I couldn't get it to open up and let me reload it. Any thoughts, anyone? 

I also laid more cardboard and spread more wood chips around the newest raised beds and started boxing in the raspberry patch. After getting an inch of rain over the last couple days, the garden is looking much happier. Everything that was dusty and droopy is standing up again and looking clean and fresh. Harvested more broccoli, so that's dinner and a bit in the freezer.


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## cowboy joe (Sep 14, 2003)

The new grain mill arrived last week, along with a bag of grain. Made a few loaves of bread to try it out. The first loaf wasn't bad as bread goes. A bit 'heavy' but palatable. The second loaf was to die for and barely made it through the day. 

90s all week. Got the wheat field turned over and ready for planting. Hope to disk tonight & plant tomorrow when the rain starts. Cooler weather (60s) this weekend so getting ready to can pears, make sauce & jam. Better hide the grain mill or I'll be tempted to try each batch of jam on a piece of fresh bread. 

Hope the cooler weather hangs out for a bit so I can split more wood. Not that I'm wishing for an early fall...just not my idea of fun hauling logs & splitting wood when it's 90F with 70% humidity.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Looking for a new generator this month.
got 3 tanks of propane filled.


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## FrontPorch (Mar 27, 2008)

Still putting up produce from the garden. Hitting the clearance sales for canning jars and lids, charcoal and fluid, a small gas grill for $6 to keep in the camper, flyswatters, and other odds and ends. Bought more blacksmithing equipment for the kid, tongs and an apron. Getting quotes for replacing the metal roof on the barn. Taking advantage of the low interest rates and refinancing the mortgage. Cutting the interest rate and loan length in half. Lots to do yet before fall hits.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Hit the meat sale at the store and canned up a bunch of pork and beef. Started the fall stock up. Picked up more cans as DH will be building my next can rotater this weekend....so I'll have room for them. Rotated the food in my car BOB, need to do DH's next pay period. Still have lots to get out of the garden, but I just don't want to in this heat! Next week looks promising for catching up out there.


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

We're moving back to Michigan's Upper Peninsula..... back home for us. 
We'll be putting a LOT of distance between us and the masses, I guess I can count that as a serious prep!  
(we currently live near the IN border between Chicago and Detroit)


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Yikes, it IS September, isn't it.

Any word on how Alan is doing. Miss his sage advice and posts.

The pears are getting ripe on the tree, need to prep for freezing them. Maybe I will can them from the freezer this winter when it is cold in the house and we want the extra heat.

Listed a couple items on the barter board that I won't be using, hope to raise some cash for daily expenses.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I miss Alan, too. 

Got the revolver oiled and it solved the problem. Didn't shoot today because I needed to save my hands for hammering nails, but did get everything loaded, including both magazines for the 9mm. I didn't expect them to be hi-cap magazines, but they each hold 16 shots. I only loaded about a dozen in each - after that it was just too hard to push down to load them. I think I need to use them some and get them broken in. Need to order more ammo - at the rate I'm burning it practicing, I am going to run out!

Framed the front half wall for the second story of the shed, put up another joist off the back of the shed so I can extend the loft back over the feed bunk, giving me more storage room, and measured everything for the side walls. Moved a lot of the pre-cut pieces up onto the loft floor - easier to move them up in pieces than to lift up the finished walls and rafters. Wore out my hands - I'm sure my carpal tunnel is going to be a problem tomorrow, but I have to get that shed finished!


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

thanks for the propane reminder. I have a few empty tanks I need to get filled.
I got my honeyville grain order...just a case of six of the potato cubes, a hot chocolate and a 9 grain cereal mix. I cleaned out and rotated out long term storage, so I have room for this there.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I need to take one of my propane tanks to the feed store to be filled, too. I have a couple bigger tanks that don't have the new valves on them - need to talk to my big brother and ask if he can fill them from his big tank, paying the going rate, of course. I have another tank I'd like to get exchanged, but it isn't quite empty yet, so I'll probably see if I can fill it with the big ones.

Got my Honeyville Grain order today, too, beaglebiz. I just ordered the case of potato dices - I can get a better price on the hot chocolate mix locally, and am pretty well stocked up on it for now.

I'm working on the pastures this month, getting ready to seed them, and picking up more sticks and roots in the process. Gathered an oversized wheelbarrow load of wood, nice dry stuff, and have lots more to get picked up before the rainy season starts. Also cut a lot of blackberry brambles out of the pasture and raked up a small area. Not doing so well on the shed, though. I bought some of those metal thingies you pound into the rafter parts to fasten them together, but I don't like them, too flimsy. I'm going back to my original idea of gussets. Need to get out and work before it gets too hot and muggy - I just lose my steam when it's muggy.

On a personal prep note, I am down over 15# from the start of the year, and a lot stronger than I was a year ago! Still have a little way to go to my goal, but I'm nearly there. Being strong and healthy, in good condition and not packing around too much extra weight, is a good prep for just about anything.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

I am really working hard to downsize and organize. The stuff I have wont do us any good in an emergency if I cant find it 
I emptied out the utensil drawers, and found three potato mashers and SEVEN swing away can openers. No wonder I cant find the pizza cutter. Im going to keep one in the utensil drawer, one in a storage tub with other extras I plan to keep for emergency, and one in the bottom, less used kitchen drawer. I gave a friend with a two year old a huge box of plastic wilton cookie cutters for her and her daughter to do playdough with, I only use my grandma's, so why keep these silly things??
I "quit" yardsale ing unless I absolutely NEED something, because the amount of stuff unorganized is driving me crazy. If I can do a bit every day, I can hopefully be done by the end of the month (in between work and family duties and normal chores and canning etc  )
I think just being able to downsize enough to find things will help me prepare better using what we have, and knowing what we need.


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## FrontPorch (Mar 27, 2008)

We now have a barn full of lumber to work on phase two of the barn renovation project. Had to go to the city for some errands today and stopped at Gander Mountain. Ended up bring home a Remington 870 and some ammo. Still working on paperwork for the refinance.


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## FrontPorch (Mar 27, 2008)

manygoatsnmore said:


> On a personal prep note, I am down over 15# from the start of the year, and a lot stronger than I was a year ago! Still have a little way to go to my goal, but I'm nearly there. Being strong and healthy, in good condition and not packing around too much extra weight, is a good prep for just about anything.


Good for you! Getting those pounds off is never easy.


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## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

Have to go and pick more of the free veggies from the neighbor tomorrow or Monday and get them all fixed for the freezer or canned. Put up 12 1/2 pints, 3 pints and 2 quarts of green tomato relish yesterday and 8 bags of tomatoes for the freezer today. I know we will appreciate them a lot this winter but I am getting tired of the smell of cooking tomatoes, old age I guess.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

DH just finished up the next can rotator. Once the glue is dry we will bring it in and fill it up. Then I can sort out and clean up the pantry room and start emptying the boxes and bags all over the floor.

Stopped at a local sport/hunting stores tent sale. Picked up 3 nice emergency blankets. Marked down to $6 from $17. Put one in the back of each car and one into the BOB/72 Hr kit. So much nicer then the "tin foil" ones we have. Kept the in foils ones, too, the are too light to get rid of. Also bought them out of fuel tabs for our emergency stove. Market down to $1.50 from $3 for 24. SO 6 more boxes into our BOB.

Running to the Farm Market to get potatoes and carrots as they are on sale, apples, too. Now that all the "events" of late Aug early Sept are almost over for us it's time to get the caners and dehydrator going again.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

FrontPorch said:


> Good for you! Getting those pounds off is never easy.


Isn't that the truth! And the older I get, the harder it is. I finally stopped dieting, and just started working harder, sitting less, and watching portions a bit more. It's working, slowly. I have all these friends at work that are doing Medifast, and eating this awful looking stuff...they lose weight, but I have to wonder if they keep the weight off when they go off the diet. Congrats on the shotgun, too, BTW. That's pretty much the gun I'm looking at, too.

Dug potatoes yesterday and figured out why the plants died prematurely. It wasn't lack of water, but rather, a mole(? other critter?) tunneled underneath the plants and killed them. It would have been a bumper crop, too -tons of potatoes, but all small. :grumble: I still have a small patch that haven't died back yet, and I hope to have some bigger taters from them. All the taters I dug yesterday fit into a 5 gallon bucket with room to spare. 

Cleaned 5 gallon buckets for storing wheat - they'd been under the drip line at the barn to catch rain water, so they needed some work. Filling them is on the list for today. I also scrubbed both dehydrators and the screens (sticky with peach juice), and I plan to do broccoli next. That's the one thing that has produced really well this year.

Today is my pounding nails day - I am going to finish the walls on the shed if it kills me, and maybe I'll even get the gussets cut for the rafters, assemble a few? Wish me luck!


ETA: I didn't quite get as far as I'd hoped, bashed my finger and it hurts! But I did get the last joist hammered into place out over the back of the shed, the rest of the loft floor laid, and that end wall nailed in place. The front end wall is also framed (but not nailed into place yet), and I have all of the pieces cut, but 4 for the side walls. I ran out of long enough nails, nearly out of daylight, and totally out of oomph for tonight. I'm pooped, plain and simple. Sure feels good to have made good progress on the project today.


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## SLD Farm (Dec 19, 2007)

The month is early yet, but I've added and completed a couple things. My MIL had an entire box of Nutra System meals that she was getting rid of. So I took them and they are actually pretty good! I've added more veg. oil, some cleaning supplies and a sack of cat food to the stock. (Family Dollar has 1/2gal of Ajax dish liquid for $3!) I also dug the potatoes and came up with a 10gal bucket full. I'm pretty happy with that.

We have been very busy the last 2 months and didn't get the orchard mowed timely. I have been cutting it with a scyle and cut and dried about 50# of hay. My husband weedeated the rest of it and today I "made" bales of hay using a tote and hay strings. I did up 5 of them weighing 'bout 10# each. I can probably do about 5 more. So there is 150# of "hay" that otherwise would have been mowed up and wasted. I also cut and shocked my indian corn Saturday. When it dries I will husk it out. Not a lot but every little bit helps feed the critters during the winter.

Also a person we know has a small apple orchard and the apple trees are loaded. They told us to come pick all we wanted. We got 2 big bags for us and 2 for the animals. I plan on canning some and we are going back to get more and hope to make some cider and vinegar too.

Now that I think of it, not too bad for the 6th day of September!


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## BoldViolet (Feb 5, 2009)

Well, we cleared and organized my pantry this weekend.

Also, my husband got us some BOBs and he got me a GHB.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I worked all weekend at assembling a new shelving unit and filling it up with home canned goods I had stuck here and there in other shelves. I actually bought two units so I could install the extra shelves at canning jar height. I'm really happy with it, and go out every so often just to admire all the nice home canned goodies. I also organized all the freeze dried and dehydrated stuff I've made at home or bought. I had more than I thought, which is good news!

Next is to reorganize the small closet where I have bulk spices and other stuff. Then re-organize the store canned foods and rotate - it's been 6 months since I've had time to do it.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Pumped rain barrels into holding tanks. We are expecting rain from Hermine......not gonna pass up some heavy tropical rain. Walked and talked (planned) more garden and fruit tree area.


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Yep, the rain is coming down.

Yesterday wife a7 I were out shopping, and we stopped at the Dollar Tree. FOund milk in qt, shelf stable. There were only 3, so I bought all 3 for my preps. Yes, $1/qt = $4/gal, but this milk lasts, and can be caarried and kept for emergencies, like when you have to evacuate.

The DT also had qt soymilk available, which is a really great price for soy. Usually it is $1.78 or something, if not more.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

GoldenCityMuse said:


> Yep, the rain is coming down.
> 
> Yesterday wife a7 I were out shopping, and we stopped at the Dollar Tree. FOund milk in qt, shelf stable. There were only 3, so I bought all 3 for my preps. Yes, $1/qt = $4/gal, but this milk lasts, and can be caarried and kept for emergencies, like when you have to evacuate.
> 
> The DT also had qt soymilk available, which is a really great price for soy. Usually it is $1.78 or something, if not more.


fresh milk here in PA is 3.50 to 4 bucks a gallon , so thats not a bad deal from my standpoint


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## FrontPorch (Mar 27, 2008)

Worked on firewood all day Sunday and got the firepit ready to go. Of course, now that it hasn't rained here in over a month, it's too dry to have a fire. I was all fired up to make lamb stew in the dutch oven.


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## MaveRick* (Jun 21, 2010)

I'm starting off the month with a handheld GPS (Garmin 60CSx) and a fletching tool for my arrows. I was going to get a 550lb. capacity game cart but after I saw the size of it, I decided to give it some more thought.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

I love September/October. Im picking berries, and i'll have a good haul this year. we started working on putting up the wood. For the garden i started some fall crops in big tubs/catfood bags--lettuce, spinach, beets. I'm putting them in containers so they can be moveable out of the rain later. The cat food bags worked really well for my potato experiment, the tarpy plastic type. It keeps the soil just the right moisture. I'm digging up dirt goo from the dried up pond area to amend my garden(basically thats like done compost). I'm going to build a few more trellises in my garden, and spiff up my chicken coop and run for getting chickens next year.

canning plans--
raspberry jam
strawberry rhubarb jam
blackberry jam
blackberry pancake syrup
dilly beans
pickled carrots
salsa


also going to see if i can pick up some work at the cannery, my sis is good friends with the owner, network, network!!!!!

i get my cast off in two days, hub will use the dremel--we'll see if i still have a usable arm..


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## missysid (Feb 21, 2006)

Took down a barn for the neighbor. Got all the tin and kept some of the lumber out of it. Building was only 7 years old but they got out of horses so he wanted it down. We now have a 18X40 shed to put up next spring. Have to save up for those post and extra wood. Can't wait for the extra storage! We were also given 2 rolls of wire horse fence that had been in the barn which will come in handy.

Ordered 100 new chickens. 50 meat and 50 layers. We are going to put the 50 meat and about 40 of our old layers in the freezer at the end of October. 

Have DH and DS working on a small chicken coop to house the meat birds while they are here. They are using some of the lumber from the building above. Nothing pretty just a holding area for them inside the fenced lot.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

GoldenCityMuse said:


> Yep, the rain is coming down.
> 
> FOund milk in qt, shelf stable. There were only 3, so I bought all 3 for my preps. Yes, $1/qt = $4/gal, but this milk lasts, and can be caarried and kept for emergencies, like when you have to evacuate.


I'd love to get my hands on some of that! That's all we drank for 2 1/2 years in Europe. We've gotten use to fresh milk again, but I sure would like to have a few gallons worth sitting in my pantry...ice storms do happen.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

OK, I'll admit it. 10.3 inches of Tropical Rain in 24 hrs, *IS* toooo much, to catch in Rain barrels. We are FULL UP!!
Will be replanting Fall garden washed out... just planted it last weekend!
On the positive side.... Added 50 lbs of Honey to preps.


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## Trixters_muse (Jan 29, 2008)

We finally finished cutting and stacking wood, we have enough for more than approx. a year!

Now planting fall and winter veggies and doing some landscaping in the back yard to hold a bigger veggie garden next year.

I have been hitting sales as many of you have on canning lids, charcoal etc. and have been canning bargains I found at the farmers market. One store had whole chickens for 59 cents a pound, good deal around here so I bout 6. One deep freezer is full, the other is 1/2 full, I am saving some room for when the turkey and hams go on sale.

A friend is working on making me a bigger chicken coop which means I can get more chickens and we are thinking about getting a couple of rabbits in the spring so we have been looking up blue prints for a hutch. We found lots of free scrap lumber on Craigslist and I had plenty of hardware and wire so cost of this project FREE!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Wow, that's a lot of rain! I got an inch in the last 24hrs and thought that was plenty.

Got the propane tank filled at the feed store the other day when I was getting hay and alfalfa pellets. Still need to fill the rest of them, but every one I fill is a good thing.

Between work and rain, I haven't done much else in the last few days.


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## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

I got a big box of zucchini tonight. I think I am just going to grate it with the food processor and freeze it in 2 cup (what my bread recipe calls for) bags. Have to go and pick a few tomatoes to make soup with. Seems like the apples around here didn't do very well this year so I may have to hit the farmer's market.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Cleaned the ashes out of the woodstove in prep for fall wood burning - I've been burning papers in it all summer, and it needed a cleaning. Also cleaned the oil lamps and trimmed wicks, getting ready for winter. Transplanted raspberries to 2 new raised beds and worked on boxing in the original raspberry patch. Pulled nails out of scrap lumber and straightened them for use nailing the shed together. Tomorrow, it's back to work on the shed, I promise!


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

I haven't contributed to these threads very much, since it always seems like most of you are way ahead of where I am.

Gardening this year was the pits compared to last year. Still, some things did okay despite the many weeks of cool, cloudy, rainy weather. I have everything into the freezers or canned, except the dill which I will put in the dehydrator tonight.

Over the summer I picked up another 20 plus cases of jars, and made a good dent in those when we processed all the salmon-about 100 pounds into jars-lightly smoked or plain. Now it's hunting season (moose) and even this old broad is out with a rifle, looking for that elusive 50 plus inch bull. Skunked so far, but I am trying. Made a newby mistake this morning, in fact.

Next month is fall stock up, now that the pantry is cleaned out (somewhat) and a bit more organized. I found some Jasmine rice, $10 for 20 pounds so I picked up a few more bags. A good friend is reading One Second After and it has her thinking (which is a good thing of course) and now she thinks we ought to go ahead and can up another 100 pounds of potatoes too. Naturally I have quite a bit left in jars, but still, I certainly understand the compulsion  

There are no bargains on meats at all, or canned veggies or anything else this fall. Flour is about $20 for 50 pounds, sugar is $16 for 25. I can see a trip into Anchorage, for sure. 

I am also trying to stock up a bit on chicken feed, and horse hay. Down to one horse, but we have had a terrible hay year here, it's going to be lean times for a lot of critters I think, the prices are running ten to twelve bucks for a local bale-45 to 60 pounds. Ouch.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

As promised, I got busy on the shed building today - have a side wall framed and installed, all pieces cut for the other side wall and taken up the ladder to the loft where I will assemble it tomorrow. Still need to take the front wall up to the loft, too so I can nail it into place - that's the tricky one as there is a 2 1/2' gap between the front wall and the loft floor, and it's going to be hard to get it into place and nailed down from either the loft or the ground. I got the first gambrel rafter assembled with the gussets - much better than trying to use the metal nail strips to do it. Very sturdy and it's up on the loft floor waiting to be put up. I cut gussets for several more rafters from scrap lumber, and gathered another 3 feed sacks full of scrap lumber for the stove. Pulled more nails and straightened them for tomorrow. I can see light at the end of the tunnel - and the shed is already giving me dry storage for lumber and firewood, even before I have it properly roofed - the loft floor is a temporary roof at this point, even if it doesn't cover the entire lower floor.

*Pouncer*, PLEASE post - I love hearing about your preps in Alaska. What was your "newby mistake"? I'm hoping to get my first elk this year, myself.


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## missysid (Feb 21, 2006)

DS and I picked up eared field corn from the neighbors field. With permission of course. We filled a gravity wagon about half full. When we get it full we will shell and crack the corn to use as chicken feed supplement. Anything we can feed that is free will sure help cut down on cost of feed in the winter. 

We purchased about 30 bottles of laundry soap this week. At $0.15 per bottle after my coupon I just could not pass it up. Not my favorite soap but cleans well and the price was great. I was down to 2 jugs in the pantry so the timing was perfect. 

Still working on digging potatoes and that is slow going. Tomatoes are slowing down but putting up all we can for the winter months.


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## jehoshaphat (Feb 13, 2004)

We had a wonderful week this past week. Dh had week off(one day vaca pay for Labor day so he used his remaining reg vaca days to cover the week.) We stripped wallpaper from dining room & painted it & also painted living room & small hall area by bathroom. Then we redecorated using stuff we have. Amazing how using what you have looks so new when rearranged. What does this have to do with preps? By rearranging even furniture we created areas for storage! Woohoo! Behind couch & chairs & under beds. Plus the home feels better so if tougher times hit, we have a cleaner prettier place to be in! Also, drying more hot peppers, eggplant & green peppers,canning chicken & am going to try the canned beans that were mentioned on other thread. Love having precooked beans on hand. We had a garage sale over Labor Day & earned some cash to stock up on some stuff & also to pay on debt. Found propane & charcoal grills & briquettes 90% off. Bought 3 of propane & 1 of charcoal. Need to find out how to connect larger propane tanks to small one.Seems someone had a thread on that some time ago. At same store bought more laundry soap & vitamins. Clean & healthy!!lol!


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

We started canning tomatoes finally! up to 25Q.. another 25 Q ripening..dehydrating the "good" skins for tomato flakes...that was Saturday

Picked about 100 pounds of critter apples and 20# of acorns for our critters Sunday. I have some very happy critters! I've been getting garden surplus for the animals from 3 other people so kept the feed bill down...

Bought 10# of carrots to can...our are delicious from the garden but not real big and the kids are quick to eat them raw...

The guy I get my apples from is redoing his cedar shake roof and offered me all the old ones for kindling...at least 3 years worth!


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

I got 16 bags of kingsford charcoal for free with a $2 off coupon (the charcoal was clearanced) Its handy to have for camping and for our river cabin (and it can be used in the smokehouse) Curing lots of winter squash for storage, and eating some acorn squash tonight for a treat. Got at least 70 lbs of wild grapes, we have been going crazy juicing them. Im canning juice and jelly (the kids love the jelly, and for gifts). 
Had to reteach my mom how to can her tomatoes, I kind of look at that as a prep (she was doing open kettle)
Also "found" a huge box of sorely needed pint jars just by getting more organized. Little by little I'm organizing the preps (not just food, but tools and equipment) so they actually will do us some good.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Wow, you've all found some great prep bargains. 

A friend from work has offered to let me come pick all the pears I want - she has Bartlett and 2 kinds of Asian pears. I see lots of dehydrating in my future.

MPillow - I never thought about dehydrating tomato skins and making tomato flakes from them. If I put them in my Vita-Mix, I can probably make tomato powder. Do they have as much flavor as the rest of the tomato?

Today I finished framing in the long row of raspberries, making a raised bed out of them, transplanted the rest of the raspberries to other raised beds and built one more raised bed. I'm amazed at how much neater the garden is starting to look. I've turned over half of the original garden into raised beds, plus part of the newly enlarged (this year) garden space. I have a lot more to do before I am "done" - like that ever happens in the garden - but I've really made good progress on it this year.

Tomorrow, I hope to get back to work on the shed again.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

The tomato flakes are very flavorful and I hope vitamin c packed! My girls were eating the skins dry before I whizzed them in the food processor...they love anything tomato!

Only takes 6-8 hrs in the dehydrator....

Doing tomatoes again today....not because I want to...my teenagers brought a nasty cold home from school so we are all tired and cranky and chasing our noses.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

cc said:


> I got a big box of zucchini tonight. I think I am just going to grate it with the food processor and freeze it in 2 cup (what my bread recipe calls for) bags. Have to go and pick a few tomatoes to make soup with. Seems like the apples around here didn't do very well this year so I may have to hit the farmer's market.


I ground up all my "old" (last year) venison, and made meatballs. I added grated zucchini for "moistness" I ate a couple for lunch, and no difference in taste. I have about eighteen lbs of meatballs to go with the 60 quarts of spaghetti sauce I put up (we use the sauce for stromboli too, and sometimes more than a quart for dinner, not to mention the fact last years crop was not good) Thats the best kind of fast food IMO. I still have more zucchini, and am reluctant to freeze it, as it seems to turn to water, so I add it to everything. I like to have some fast things in the 4th quarter because my job really gets busy now..


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I dehydrate the zuch before I freeze it...about half way dry to use in soups and stews and to grate for bread...my mom makes up her zuch bread and freezes the loaves for Christmas.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I never thought about dehydrating the zukes before freezing them. Does it change the moisture content of the bread? I love that moist zucchini bread - drier would seem stale to me, I think. :shrug: Just sayin'...


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

adding water is easy enough! I just eyeball it to what fresh grated zuch looks like texture wise...I add bananas and craisins and maple flavored pecans and apple pie spice too (use half the oil and sugar) bananas are sweet and mushy by the time I add them.

I make it and its gone in half a day! 2 loaves! oink! oink!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Started DD a new floor length flannel nightgown.


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

This may not sound like a "prep" to most of you but it sure was for me! Just got back from a 6 day vacation where my Mother,a married couple and I drove to Maine and back. 2 days up and 2 days back plus 2 days "there". Saw a lot of the country in between and that really re-inforced my choice of where I live. Saw lots of bumper to bumper traffic and every single time all I could think of was "what if right now....".  Saw wild fluctuations in prices for basic needs from gas to the cost of a hamburger. Best part was that other than my constant awareness I de-stressed. First actual vacation I have taken in over 10 years. LOL! First thing I did when I got back was check out the poultry and saw what was left in the gardens. Poultry was in great shape and the gardens were(as before we left) totally finished. Drought conditions here for most of the summer. The morning after I got back I harvested the seed for beans and corn for next years crop. Skimpy but enough. Then I started in on splitting up the firewood; got a quarter cord done first day; going out now to continue.


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## missysid (Feb 21, 2006)

Well the tomato plants are starting to die off for the season here. Just to cool at nights for them I guess. Processed 6 pints juice and picked more romas. My goal is to get all the romas made into spaghetti sauce on Sunday. 

Got the new chicks in the garage brooder and waiting for them to get a bit bigger before moving them to the barn. We lost 2 in shipping so we are down to 99 but the hatchery made it right on the 2 with a simple call. 

Reading a few books from the library on veggie gardens for next year and canning different items. Now is the time to start looking for new knowledge to try out.


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## jehoshaphat (Feb 13, 2004)

Success with canning dry beans! 7 qts black bean soup & 7 qts black beans! So awesome esp since purchased beans on sale for .79 #! Canned 8 pts chicken & then cause bought the bone & skin chicken breast, simmered those to make dinner that same night! It was a wonderful soup & fed dh, me, dd & 4 grands one meal & then dh took leftover for 2 days for work. Dried more peppers & now to do eggplant & more peppers! 11 plants full of peppers! Oops not counting the bell peppers plants of which there are 6 green & 1 ivory bell. Going to can some navy beans & maybe some kidney beans today. 
MGM- you have gotten a lot done! as usual, very impressed with your drive & ability to get the job done! 
Bee- sorry bout your dry season! glad you enjoyed a lovely trip! neat to hear how it gave you renewed & better perspective to being prepared.
mpillow- that bread sounds yummy! may have to try similiar version with what i have on hand!
have a wonderful journey all! the destination is great but the trip there is to be enjoyed as well!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Jehoshaphat - thank you! It doesn't feel like I get nearly enough done around here...it's been raining so the shed building is kind of on hold. I'm going to try to get more done on it this afternoon as it looks like we might get a little break in the weather. I need to pick the broccoli again, too. Went out Wed evening and picked as many tomatoes as I could find with a blush on them - figured having them ripen in the house was better than having them split in the rain. 

I did some stocking up shopping Wed after work - picked up some paper plates, bowls, plastic forks, spoons, knives, paper napkins at Dollar Tree to put in the "power's out and I'd rather not waste water on doing dishes" supply. Bought more nails, some spikes and LED battery powered lights at Lowe's, and found some tools and other supplies at Big Lots. 

I did take most of Wed off from any other prepping - went to visit Abby at her dad's and helped her clean her room, visited with her while she did the dishes and wiped down the kitchen there, and then took her to dinner and helped her buy cards, candles, cake and ice cream for her dad - it was his BD and I thought it would be nice if they could celebrate together for the first time in 18 years. I left her there waiting for him to come home from work - I hope it went well.

Slept through a lot of yesterday - just did basic chores and put away some of the new preps, updated the pantry list, etc. It rained most of the day. I'm so not ready for the weather to turn...we usually get another month of dry weather this time of year. Nothing this year has gone as "normal", so who knows what the winter will bring? I know I want to have even more wood cut and stacked just in case it does turn out to be cold and snowy this year.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

I miss the men posting with the guns and such..My boys were both hunter certified by the commonwealth recently. Im interested in some bows they can use now (for deer) that they can grow into...if anyone has any for sale, please pm me


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Got outside this afternoon and worked on my shed - assembled and installed the other side wall on the second story, got the front wall lifted up to the loft and maneuvered into place out over the gap between the loft and the front, nailed into place. It needs more nails added, but at least it's in place and won't fall off. Put up the first truss and braced it in place. At that point it started pouring rain again and the shed building ended for the day. If I could get a few days of dry weather, I might be able to finish up the trusses and get a roof on. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be happening.

Forgot to mention that I was at Goodwill a few days ago, I found a nice Presto pressure cooker for 7.99 and a good quality rain poncho for 3.99. I didn't really need another pressure cooker, but it has the parts I need to convert one of my pressure CANNERS to weight rather than dial regulated, at less than half the price Presto wants for them.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Well, our root cellar has been put on hold. So to hold us over dh buried an old freezer to make us a spot to keep some taters over winter. We will put some of our potatoes there and then some more in my parent's basement. We need to keep some near the house so we didn't want to put them all in their basement. Today we have to fill in around it and install a small vent pipe. Hopefully, we'll be digging taters soon. I'm getting antsy to see how they did. We have dug a couple of buckets full just for daily use and they look nice so far.


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## SLD Farm (Dec 19, 2007)

Stocked up at the dollar store on medical stuff. (bandaides, ointment, alcohol, etc)

We made 14gal of cider and have another 200# of apples to process. I am freezing it in any jugs and containers I can get my hands on! I am going to can some apples and try my hand at making vinegar too. I've been drying herbs all month and have more to go.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Made a good score garage saling today - found a Springfield 20g pump shotgun for $110.  Bought a couple boxes of shells for it and a couple more boxes of ammo for my .38. Picked up a pallet while I was in town, too, and found a grease gun and a few pieces of PVC pipe in a free box at a garage sale. And I got a splitting wedge and a quart & half gallon of bar and chain oil, all for $9 at another sale.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Picked up another dozen cases of canning jars.
Filled 2 more 55 gal drums with feed.


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## debbiekatiesmom (Feb 24, 2009)

at a garage sale last weekend i got a bucket of glass globes for oil lamps for free! bucket and all! it's amazing what people get rid of.
couple months ago i got 2 1/2 bottles of the oil and a scuffle hoe for $5 total.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Restocking the pantry slowly is not a very newsworthy event, but that is what I have been doing.

This week I bought a dozen packets of ramen noodles and about a dozen little cans of tomato paste for 33 cents each at Aldi's. 

Next week I think I will start buying cans of stew: I think the test can I bought a couple of weeks ago at HyVee tasted a lot like Dinty Moore's, but not at Dinty Moore's prices. One good thing about getting your preps at the super market is that you can taste them before you invest in them!

I spent a little less than I had budgeted for for preps the last couple of weeks, so I think I will buy 4 family sized cans of stew which should average out (with the weeks I spent less) to what I intended to spend on preps for the month.

Oh, yes.

I finished the pickles in a jar, so I put a lot of sliced cucumbers into the brine. I suspect that in a week I will have a lot of refridgerator pickles.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Took another look at the bar oil and found that it was a GALLON jug, not a half gallon, so I got a better deal than I first thought. 

I cut more gussets for the shed trusses today in between rain showers, made more trusses (up to 4 of 13 done now) and got the 2nd truss installed and braced. Still have to cut more gussets and rafter pieces, if I ever get some dry weather again.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Spent an hour trying to clean up, sort, re-organize, or at least make a walking path in our storage room. After an hour I realized to do it right I need DH to go on a business trip so I can take over the basement and spend 2 day pulling it all off and re-sorting. I thought I "did it right" as we moved in and started all over from scratch. But we have been here a year now and I'm finding stuff is all over. Baking in 2 different rooms, a can of yams here and another can on a different shelf and 3 more in a different room!!


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## missysid (Feb 21, 2006)

Well it was a busy weekend but felt as though I did not get enough done. Dried a bunch of apple slices, put up more 6qt spaghetti sauce, made apple pie jam (oh and it was SO yummy), and froze some more apples. 

We shelled the corn we picked up last week and shelled it came to about 1/2 a gravity wagon. I was happy with that. We are still picking up more and I hope to fill it before the end of the year. We use it for feed to the chickens after it is cracked. 

We also made 6 pints of tomato sauce for the pantry. It looks like it is going to be about my last juice this year.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Sounds like you got a lot done to me!

Still raining here, so didn't get to work on my shed. I did get enough of a break in the weather to go to the feedstore - picked up 20 bales of hay, which will get the crew through another 3 weeks - and the last 5 bags of whole wheat I bought. I'm up to about 900# of whole wheat now, so I think I'm done buying for a while. 

Next trip to town, I need to take the rest of my propane tanks with me and get them filled. That will give me 4 5-gallon and 1 20-gallon tank, which should give me enough propane to can up all the freezer contents should the power go out for an extended period of time. I'm still looking for a turkey fryer base, though. I don't know that my camp stove is up to a canning session. If I don't come up with one soon, I'll shop the hunting season sales or the pre Thankspiving sales. Still hoping to find one at a garage sale, though.

I wish we could get a good break in the weather, not just for finishing the shed, but so I can go pick pears at my friend's house.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Picked up 6 more cases of canned veggies--- Green Giant 49 cents.


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## bradc (Aug 14, 2010)

Canned 15 jars of green beans last night. Have three bushels of apples sitting on kitchen floor to make apple sauce and butter, after I defrost the freezer. Almost out of bread and need to bake some. Might wait till tomorrow for that though. Went with my dad yesterday to get the apples. Total between the family was 17 bushel and 20 gallons of cider.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Apple processing has been the theme of the week. I only bought 2 bushels, but I got most of them done this week. 27 qts canned and 4 gallons dried. Need to finish the last 1/2 bushel by the weekend. I think I'll do some pints of cinnamon apples and dry the rest. Hope to hit the orchard again on Monday and get another bushel or two.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Made a small batch of Kimchi to test a new recipe...actually grew Dainkon radishes that were giants this year...too bad the rest of the garden was so bad between drought/90 degrees temps for days. A neat crop...nary a pest....wonder if I plant them all around my winter squash if they will ward off the bugs?? Did 7 qts. of saurkraut,too and a couple pints for me with caraway seed...DH doesn't like this. 

Several fall festivals around this weekend so got more honey ready for the stores along the parade route...usually sell a bunch these weekends. DH lusting over a new extractor; his is ancient. Even with higher prices this year d/t limited supply(drought again) we have no problem selling all we want. A few customers we call every year this will always buy 10 or 20 pounds--swear it cures their allergies.

Got an email that my garlic was shipped so need to dig out some finished compost. Took a leap and planted g.beans and see they are blossoming so may get a few pickings before the frost. Late beets and spinach doing great....of course, now we are getting all the rain we should have gotten during the summer! The gardeners' lament. Perking up the newly planted fruit trees so shouldn't complain.

Pa picked the Arkansas Black apples so baking a Paula Dean recipe for apple cake that is divine. Kids coming for dinner and to help put the pool cover on. DEE


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

DEE---diakon radish....is amazing but don't let it go to seed or you'll have it everywhere! My goats actually like it! My sister made the mistake...once!

Just finished cleaning/organizing a bit in the storage room so the crawlspace can be accessed...we need a new phone line and some insulation under there (hopefully this weekend) I hit 101 quarts of tomatoes last night and had 4 cases in the kitchen that I had to make room for...I still have tomatoes in boxes and on the vine needing to be picked and no frost yet...my sister is making V-9 today with her tomato surplus.
Lingering cough in the house from the cold we all got...a nasty bug but not bad enough to miss school or work in my book!
I need to clean up the wood stove area and get some photos for the new ins. co.(my savings were $850 minus adding another(4th) vehicle) We bought a 2005 GMC 2500 HD with a plow with under 40k miles so we need to sell 2 other trucks to make back some $$
Hoping to get some meals prepped for the moose hunt Columbus Day week soon.
My to do list seems to get longer instead of shorter these days!


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

My excalibur dehydrator came today! Heck, I only ordered it 3 days ago!!!!!!!!!!!

I still have some apples on the tree so tomorrow I pick and dry!!!!!!!!!!!


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

I have apples on the dehydrator now too 

I mentioned to my grandfather about an electric churn I had seen at a yard sale and he told me he had one I could have in his basement. He also let me have my grandmother's pickle crock which is what she used for her churn container too. We plugged up the churn when I got home and it worked fine. Now I just need to find some cream!


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Filled up 2 20 lb LPG bottles for $10.50 each. Pretty good price.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Finally had a few minutes of daylight and dry weather that coincided! Had to sit in a "retreat" for work all afternoon, but still had time to get a few more trusses installed on my shed before dark tonight. Supposed to be really nice tomorrow, so I have great hopes for getting the rest of the trusses up and some plywood on the roof. Fingers crossed.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I managed to get all but one truss up today. It's starting to actually look like a barn! I need to add the braces for the back of the barn so I can install the last truss there, and I have a few nails to pound in the "eave" truss in the front (ran out of daylight again). Now I need to figure out how to hoist up the plywood sheathing for the roof and get it nailed in place. Since I made the loft a true second story, it's a long way up.  I think I can do some of the nailing from the loft itself, but I'll have to rig a harness for the plywood for lifting it and holding it in place until I put a few nails in. This is one time where I could use a work partner.


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## DIM TIM (Aug 9, 2010)

Glad to see that everyone is keeping up on what is important to themselves at this time, but I was just wondering.......does anyone keep a journal of what they have going on in their lives while doing all this work ?

I started one back in 2008. I had started it on Labor day weekend, just a short time before the remnanats of Hurricane Ike blew through The Ohio River Valley Region, and into the lower Great lakes Region of the country.

We had an interesting time then with the power being out around this area for a little over a week.We did ok, even though we didn't have an emergency generator like some folks. We were prepared for things like this, except for this one thing, and because we knew a few things about survival and general preparedness, not to mention a few other things that are not considered this sort of knowledge, we did fare better than a lot of our neighbors. Some did wake up, but some didn't.

We still keep busy doing things to be prepared for hard times, and always things for our day to day living. Just recently I got some coupons for a dollar off canning jars, and for canning supplies as well, so I'll be adding to our stock soon there. Just started to wrap a few things up outside for the winter while the weather is still nice. Hope to start a last minute project this week, of bulding a shed for storing our extra mowers and some other large garden tools and equipment on the back of my workshop. This will free up a good deal of space in the shop and the storage area of the shop where we keep these things right now.

In just a bit, I plan to go outside and clean up a large cooler that I found in the bi-directional turn lane on the state highway just a few blocks over. I was going to do some bill paying, and had my son with me at the time we spotted it. I had plenty of time to do what I needed, so I did a quick turn around , and got back to it before someone else stopped and got it. I just pulled into the turn lane to make a left turn, stopped, grabbed it and threw it into the truck bed, pulled up a few feet and made the turn at the next street, and we were on our way with a slightly scuffed and dirty, but very nice shape, Coleman Cooler.

Just got to make these few entries into the journal this evening. I found that by keeping this journal, I see where I've been with things, and it also helps keep me focused and on course to some of our goals. If you don't keep one, you should seriously consider it. I started out by writing every day, but found that as time went by, it became a bit harder to remember to do it, so now I write less often, but still keep a record of our progress, and a sort of historical account at the time. :thumb:


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Oh, yeah, I am a major journal keeper from decades past. I don't always keep the journals - after a few years, I go through and decide whether I need to keep it all. Keep what is important and edit out a lot of personal stuff. I love lists and journals, as you can see if you check out the daily journal in CF, the prep journal here, the monthly to-do thread in the organization forum, and even, on occasion, the daily garden thread.

Making journal entries during a crisis isn't always easy, but it can be used to see where the preps were not adequate, as well as the successes. It is a part of my preps to journal.

Wish me luck, I'm off to try my plans for lifting the plywood into place for the shed roof! I may even manage to post a pic or 2 if I remember to bring in my camera tonight.


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## Topaz Farm (Jan 27, 2005)

manygoatsnmore said:


> Cleaned the ashes out of the woodstove in prep for fall wood burning - I've been burning papers in it all summer, and it needed a cleaning. *Also cleaned the oil lamps* and trimmed wicks, getting ready for winter. Transplanted raspberries to 2 new raised beds and worked on boxing in the original raspberry patch. Pulled nails out of scrap lumber and straightened them for use nailing the shed together. Tomorrow, it's back to work on the shed, I promise!


Manygoats, do you clean the lamp where the oil goes? If so how do you do it?
I have one that needs cleaning, it was my Grandmothers.

About the only thing we got an abundance of from the garden was yellow squash and zucchini. The DH put it in the freezer. I had a couple of toes "fixed" so I was pretty much out of commission for 8 weeks this summer.

He planted a fall garden but just after it all came up something ate it. Most likely grasshoppers.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Topaz, I didn't clean the bases this time, just the chimneys, but I have cleaned the bases in the past. The recommended to me method was to empty out the old kerosene, put in some fresh and let it sit for a bit. It will thin out the gummy stuff in the bottom. Then remove that kerosene and fill with all fresh kero. It worked so-so, but I had to repeat the treatment a couple times, and I felt like it wasted a lot of kerosen.

I have some Pri-D here that I plan to try next time I clean them. If it cleans the gummy stuff out of diesel and makes it good again, it should do the same thing with kero, which is pretty much the same thing. I do have a few that could use the bases cleaned, but not much time to work on them right now.

I tried, I really, really tried to get the plywood up on the shed today. After cutting the first piece too short, nailing the second piece onto the wrong set of rafters, and nearly falling off the shed when a gust of wind hit me and the plywood, I decided that perhaps today was not the day...sometimes when all is going wrong, it's a sign to stop! Maybe Tuesday will work better for me. :help:


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## Gottabenutz (May 11, 2010)

Manygoats; If I were closer to ya; I'd come over and help you with that barn. I know it can be hard working alone.


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

Well I took my 80 YO Mother and drove 200 miles(oneway) to a nursery and spent HOURS going thru their stock and spent more money than I planned but got some really nice plants and quality time with my very happy mother... Didn't hurt that we stopped on the way home at a Golden Corral restaurant. If you have never been, go.

Picked up elderberries(Adams and Johns),several blueberries( Legacy and Northland) , a new fig variety(Celeste), a new apple(Pristine), a hardy Kiwi (Issai) and Che. And those were just the ones I got. Mom got the same elderberries plus a Golden leafed called "Golden"(duh) and several Red Raspberries. I also picked up elderberries and concord grapes for a homesteading friend. I have never seen so many fig trees and asian persimon in fruit. They had everything from minature bananas, pinepple,kiwis, apples, peaches,pears,plums,cherry, nut trees, berries,pomegranates,che and all sort of exotics like Dragon Fruit(human head sized blossums!!) and citrus. All of this is offered potted to avoid transplant shock. They ship all year! If interested I'll post the contact information. I can say service was good and patient with us. I can't say how good this stuff will grow at this point; this is my first dealings with them.
I pre-dug the holes for mine and of course our drought has broken so who knows when I'll get all this stuff in the ground.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

manygoatsnmore said:


> Topaz, I didn't clean the bases this time, just the chimneys, but I have cleaned the bases in the past. The recommended to me method was to empty out the old kerosene, put in some fresh and let it sit for a bit. It will thin out the gummy stuff in the bottom. Then remove that kerosene and fill with all fresh kero. It worked so-so, but I had to repeat the treatment a couple times, and I felt like it wasted a lot of kerosen.
> 
> I have some Pri-D here that I plan to try next time I clean them. If it cleans the gummy stuff out of diesel and makes it good again, it should do the same thing with kero, which is pretty much the same thing. I do have a few that could use the bases cleaned, but not much time to work on them right now.
> 
> I tried, I really, really tried to get the plywood up on the shed today. After cutting the first piece too short, nailing the second piece onto the wrong set of rafters, and nearly falling off the shed when a gust of wind hit me and the plywood, I decided that perhaps today was not the day...sometimes when all is going wrong, it's a sign to stop! Maybe Tuesday will work better for me. :help:


Are there any HT'ers that would come and help u with an old fashioned 'barn raising'?

I know I would if I were closer, but it's quite a drive for me.

I hate the thought of you struggling..


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I made up a couple of the clay pot heaters that you use candles under. They really work which surprised us a lot.
http://heatstick.com/_KanHeet01.htm


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I spent a couple of hours yesterday cutting up pallets to use as firewood. Have a lovely stack of wood now waiting to be burned. Also moved some dried cordwood closer to the house for ease in the winter and re-stacked the green cordwood I got a couple of weeks ago to allow more airspace so it will dry faster. 

Food preps this month went really well. Found Wolf's brand chili on sale and purchased a case, ditto two cases of tinned vegetables, and several cans of coffee. I ordered the starter pack from LDS for extra long-term storage. With just a few more purchases in October, I'll have enough on-hand for 4 months, and about another month of long term dehydrated cans. My plan in October is to work on durable goods, especially a better first aid kit. 

Thanks all for your great examples and knowlege.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

When winter comes I look at our pantry and what we are low on. I get the need to prep more in the winter, and look at how much gas/ candles/matches/medicine/first aid and so on that we have. Maybe I think I will have the luxury to hibernate? Who knows. LOL

So right now I am doing an inventory and then will stock up where we are low. I like to keep a years supply of everything on hand.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

cutting and splitting next year's wood...my 16 yo son has mastered the chainsaw and seems to like cutting rounds (we'll take it while we can get it!) He is a really strong thin kid that works like a bull when he works....WHEN! LOL


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Spent the weekend in PA at the Mother Earth News Fair. Came home with ideas, literature and a nice book.

Went to a friends that invited us to come over and pick raspberries. Came home with a large bucket full. Broke them down into smaller packs and put them in the freezer for later use.....may just have time tomorrow to make an apple-raspberry cobbler.


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

Had a big wind storm over the weekend, so we spent a full day just taking down trees. Likely at least another three cords' worth to get cut and moved, all in woods where it will be serious effort to remove-or course 

Cleaned the frozen ripe tomatoes out of the freezer by making them into tomato sauce, next up is all the high bush cranberries to make into that fancy ketchup. That's a two day project in itself. This week I need to go pick up some spuds to get into jars. And this afternoon I am taking off work early to go help cut up a very large moose. With luck, we will end up with some trimmings I can make into stew-the last stuff turned out marvelous.

Next month is the pantry filler....a trip into Costco, and load up on basics. Flour, sugar, more yeast, oils and shortening, that sort of thing. Sitting very good on the canned items as far as veggies go, with what is in the freezer I have probably about two, three years' worth.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Thanks for the offers of help (cyberhelp, anyway  ), gottabenutz and OLF. Really, I'll be okay with it - I just have to work smarter. I took a couple days off from working on it, and if the weather cooperates, I still hope to have it under roof by the end of the month. Some of the ideas I had for getting the plywood up and on top the trusses did work - I just need to pay attention and nail them to the right trusses on the *first* try next time, lol.

Yesterday was a stock up trip to Costco for me. My bff and I made the trip, went to Goodwill and K-Mart, too. Stocked up at Costco on another 25# or table salt, a couple cans of hot chocolate mix to replace what I've used the last few months, 2 variety packs of pastas (a little over 15# total), 2 huge bottles of lemon juice, a case of yogurt, and Polish dogs and buns. I also stocked up on various vitamins and supplements - anything that is cheaper than the price I can get through my hospital pharmacy (we get cost plus 10% on OTCs there, so I can get a lot of my stuff cheaper there). K-Mart was good for stocking up on sleep shirts, T-shirts and summer clothes (2.99 each), and I did really well at Goodwill. Found a big Coleman wheeled/handled collapsible cooler, a light therapy box (I have problems with SAD in the winter), clothes, including scrubs and a leather jacket, and my very best find, a Janome Model 108 Limited Edition sewing machine for 9.99! I need to get a presser foot and a bobbin for it, but when it's plugged in, the light comes on and the foot pedal makes the needle holder go up and down, so I have hopes that it works all the way through. I downloaded the manual for it, and it shows how to oil and adjust everything, so if I do need to work on it, I have to instructions. Needless to say, I'm a happy camper.

On the less happy front, my tomatoes have come down with late blight, and I've lost all that fruit - it was green, but there was a lot of it...now all of them have little brown patches on them and they will spoil. I pulled out plants and will have to bag them and take them to the dump. I guess I don't have to worry about frost... Oh, and the squash has powdery mildew starting. This has not been a good year in the garden. If I'd had to survive on what I grew, I'd be awfully hungry.


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## missysid (Feb 21, 2006)

Well not much to report. Made a grocery run and spent about $60 but got 2 cases veggies, 2 cases chili beans, 19 bottles free dish soap all for storage. Plus enough groceries to easily last until the next pay period (10/15) for the family plus a bit left over - I hope. 

Fighting with a hawk right now over eating my laying hens! I hate to admit he is winning. Lost 3 layers! The hens are all in their coop 24/7 now and oh so not happy about that. We are pulling greens to feed them but the layer feed is sure going faster with them indoors. DNR said to keep them in 3-5 days and hawk should move on. Fingers crossed. 

Weaning new chicks off the heat lamps in order to get them moved out to the barn. They are in the brooder boxes right now in the garage and have been without any light for 2 days with no huddles. Nights are getting down to 40's so we will turn the lamps back on when they go to the uninsulated barn this weekend. They are 2 1/2 weeks old and meat birds so they are getting big fast! 

Got one freezer defrosted and ready to hold those 50 birds above when they get big enough. Still have one freezer to go but it is the chest style and ugh I hate to even think about that experience. I love my upright freezer.


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## Txsteader (Aug 22, 2005)

missysid said:


> Fighting with a hawk right now over eating my laying hens! I hate to admit he is winning. Lost 3 layers! The hens are all in their coop 24/7 now and oh so not happy about that. We are pulling greens to feed them but the layer feed is sure going faster with them indoors. DNR said to keep them in 3-5 days and hawk should move on. Fingers crossed.


Um, I'd have to disagree about them moving on after a few days. Hawks are territorial & they patrol their territory. My hens _refused_ to come out of the hen house for days after an attack, but not long after they'd begun to venture out, the hawks would strike again. 

The only thing that has deterred them is bird netting draped across the top of the hen yard. They have a fairly large yard and that was the cheapest solution we could come up with. They still patrol the area but they don't even bother hanging around the hen yard.

Now, bobcats are another story...........


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## missysid (Feb 21, 2006)

Where did you find the bird netting?


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## margo (May 29, 2002)

Try at farm and feed stores, or gardening/landscaper's retail stores. This late in the year, you may need to shop online.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Hubby has been organizing our preps. He put wheels on some of our existing storage shelf units and bought two more wheeled shelf units. Now when I buy groceries, I can pull the shelf out and push the older stuff to the front at put the new stuff in the rear, so it automatically gets rotated!

I am using up older preps that hubby unearthed, and replacing as I go.

We work on the ranch as we can afford it, so lots of needed repairs go undone for months or years. Hubby's cousin is moving and asked if he wants wood. We brought home two pickup truck loads of nice lumber, and will be able to make some of those repairs and improvements we have been putting off.

I don't normally think of getting teeth fixed as a prep item, but it really is. Would hate to go through a SHTF scenario with aching teeth.


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## Txsteader (Aug 22, 2005)

Local independent grocer has sugar and flour on sale this week. Bought 24 lbs Imperial sugar for $10.68 and 25 lbs Gold Medal flour for $6.40! The amazing part was that these were 4 and 5 lb bags.....cheaper than I can buy the big bags @ Sam's. Just goes to show, bigger isn't always the better value.

Plan to hit 'em again tomorrow and again Monday, if there's any left. 

Also had rump roast on sale for $1.99/lb, limit 2. Bought 2 today, will buy 2 more tomorrow. One will get cooked and the rest will get canned.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Ran into a pasta sale at the store. They had their brand of pasta on sale for $.50 a box. Not just the regular, but the whole wheat pasta :banana02: which is what I buy!! Spent $10 and now have 20 boxes stashed away. We eat at least one box a week so I'm closing in on that years worth of pasta-once I add in what I already had on hand. May try to get up there tomorrow and get more (once I double check shelf space and where I'd put it).


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