# October 2012 Prep Journal and To-do list



## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

October....This is going to be a good month, I don't know why it will be, but I'm declaring that way! Been running around too much the last few months, going to slow down and accomplish something.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Made a run to town today. Stopped at the Hostess store and picked up some mark down bread (.99 a loaf) it's the 100% wheat bread and buns, double fiber bread and the multi-grain bread. I left the white on the shelf, :teehee:. Picked up 3-10# bags of potatoes for $1.50 each at Aldi's. Plan is to can them up this week. We can't keep potatoes, with our boiler heat and pipes our basement is too warm in the winter.....so we'll chop and can (well the boy and I will....the girl is sick  ) Might try getting a load through the caner tonight while it's nice and cool out with no breeze.....better check radar first (I can outside....it's faster).

See....Oct 1 and things are getting done


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

There you go, Jen!

Our weather is cooler & we got a great slooooow soaking rain over the weekend...so..WOOHOO!

After running around in the rain Saturday, I came home and started to get busy on my vac paking.......it was a disaster.....Both bags of Oatmeal had meal worm larve.....so out they went! 

I sifted 50lbs of Flour, luckly, it was unaffected. I was so aggrivated! 25lbs of Potato flakes were also spared.

I clean when I get mad.....so, my sewing room is spanking. 

Shopped for usual EOM stock up reward point items......ammo, Fels Naptha Soap, Borax, Washing Soda, Lamp oil, wicks. Ordered a couple of clearance long john sets for myself from Sportsman's Guide. 

I am looking hard for good fruit trees to add to the orchard and ordering Strawberry plants.

I still have the kink on my back.....shoulder...so, I couldn't go to the shooting gallery.  

Our feed order will deliver tomorrow and we will be busy stowing that away. We are tryng our best to lay in as much feed as we can.

I have a case of Honeycrisp Apples on order...can't wait! Love those things!


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

Pressure canned turkey and broth yesterday early in the day and while I was watching the canner I got a bunch of paperwork done, bills paid and balanced out the checking accounts. Finally finished all that and got out of the house and did a bunch of mowing in the afternoon. We're due for freezing night time temps here in the next couple of days, so need to finish getting the garden cleared off. Basically just beans, a few peppers and pumpkins left to pick now. We've got a huge amount of extra blue hubbard and spaghetti squash that will have to be hauled in and donated to the church pantry. 

Need to finish changing out the goat, dog and poultry water buckets to the heated ones for winter use. We've got two more plastic calf hutches due to be delivered today, so will need to get those set up and move a couple pens of goats. Hopefully we can get some pen cleaning done and trim hooves at the same time.

The house is a mess from canning, but we've got venison coming on next week for butchering and another round of canning, so don't intend to clean just yet. I'm really looking forward to cold weather when everything slows down.


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## farmermom4 (Feb 17, 2007)

Really feeling the need to put up as much as I can this fall. Always do some, but this year we have been blessed with abundance so must not waste! Got a double batch of plum jam made yesterday and a bucket of apples into applesauce. Dried another 6 trays of cherry tomatoes also, they will taste great on my pizza this winter. All I think about is rising prices and what else I can get canned up!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Glad we got the garden cleared and rye planted ....up in a nice carpet of green past all the rain we got last week. Now to clear off the smaller garden area so Pa can till. Has too many big rocks still to just till willy-nilly. Dug one up as big as a bushel basket when planting sweet 'taters! Not to mention the coffee can full of nails and wire from old buildings and fencelines.

Off to pick up the pastured chicken order today. Have Mennonite friends who make their living selling chickens,turkeys and some beef. Grow their own organic feed,too. Glad to help support them. We buy a share in the spring to prepay our chicken purchase at a discount. 

It was so nice to finally get rain. Things are green and have actually seen some anxious farmers making a late cutting hay. Most only got one cutting this summer. My late green beans hae 3" beans on 'em. Got them covered with remay. Supposed to be in high 30's end of this week but we are on a hill and don't generally get the frosts as early as some around here.

Put 5lbs onions in the dehydrator. Will make onion powder...amazing how one pint lasted me all last year. Dehydrated 3 qts leeks and have a patch still going in the garden. Plus spinach and chard. Only lost one fruit tree over the summer of drought. A Montmorency cherry which Starks had already replaced once. I'm not buying any more trees from them or Millers. Maybe their root stock isn't right for us. We get excellent trees from Vernon Barnes in TN.

Local Mennonite store getting in their cases of apples now. $14. Plan on geting 3 cases and making applesauce and butter with DIL. Plus another 25# bag of carrots. And some more cabbage to make the canned coleslaw as it is going off the shelf way too fast! Busy time of year.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

One step forward, two steps back. I have been weeding the garden and throwing the weeds out onto the grass. Didn't want the weeds seeding in the garden. Came home and found dh had mowed, bagged and put it on the garden. New year is going to be a weed fest. We're still in severe drought so if that continues there will not be a garden next year. 

All I have left to harvest are two small cantaloupes and dried pinto beans. I usually get a gallon to gallon and half of pinto beans off two cattle panels but this year I have half a pint!!!!! I'm still harvesting but there's not much out there. Enough seed to plant next year which is certainly better than nothing. Would hate to lose my seed.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Went for follow up with the Dr. Things are healing well. The dissoluble "plug" is still in....no kidding, I can't hear so I assumed so, LOL. He started by asking if I was feeling better, with a sly look in his eye. He knew how hard I got hit with the anesthesia....I vaguely remember getting jostled around a bunch, wonder if I woke up during surgery and got knock back down hard???? I now wonder if there is a back story.... Maybe I'll remember to ask next month. OH, I am cleared to go back to the range to shoot.....as long as I wear ear muff and not the cheap in the ear things (which he says is never enough). I told him that was fine, I only used my electronic ear muffs that are 25 db or higher. Too bad now that I'm up to it, I don't have the time :grumble:

Since I was in "that" part of the county for the Dr's I did some shopping. GFS had 10# fresh - no hormone chicken (boneless skinless breasts) for $16 and frozen veg on sale. Target had clear plastic tubs. Always need those, got a few for the re-loading room, too. Nieces had B-day's last month and we will get to see them this weekend....so I picked up presents (so hard to find something when they turn 11 - those "between" ages). Have 35# of potatoes looking at me saying they want to go to caner camp.....I don't have the umph to do it today. Need to can up the 10# of chicken I picked up, too.....guess I know what I'm doing in my spare time this week. DD's fever has broken....may just go sit and read with her for a bit and call the day done.

OH...I did get 20 quilt blocks done. I think if I use 2 for each place mat that will leave me 8 to make into 2 hot pads. They were fast, log cabin....now to figure out how to make them into place mats......


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Got my Flu Shot!.........Who's next????

Sent DH & MIL to get theirs, too!


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

We are still washing with our wringer washer. I can't remember if I mentioned it before but our new washer that we bought in April died early last week and we couldn't wait until this week to do laundry. My grandfather had a wringer washer in his basement so I asked him if we could use it while waiting for the repair man. He said we were welcome to try it but he didn't know if it would work. Dh had to re-mount the motor and work with the agitator to unfreeze it from sitting so long but it works like a charm now. I had always wanted to try one out and it really gets clothes clean! The repair man will be here today to fix our modern washer. I kind of hope he says it's beyond repair and will let us exchange it for a model without sensors.

I'm getting some buckets ready to store some flour. I'm finally done using these 4 & 5 lb. bags of staples and am going to buy the larger bags. The buckets we have actually have lids that don't rip the ends of your fingers off trying to open so I look forward to saving money that way and keeping my fingernails. 

My dog decided to kill three of my chickens this past week. I am not amused and he will be chained when he has to be outside for extended periods now. He is an indoor dog but we did let him out into our fenced yard when we left the house. Our chickens, who have free range of our property and our family's property are too dumb :runforhills::hohum:to avoid the one section of yard/field where the big predators are so I'll have to keep him restrained. The other two dogs leave the chickens alone.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Another 14 qts of potatoes put up (well 7 are done and 7 are starting to come up to pressure). Next I'm going to can up the potato water for bread making. I never have potato water ready on bread baking days....so why not.

I've decided to blog, again. I blogged when we live in Hungary and I love the creative outlet it gave me....so....I'm going to do it again. Since life have changed so much in the past few years, I'm going to start a new one. You can find a link in my siggy to the old one....I'll add the new link soon.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

You guys are making me feel guilty.

I tried to clear off my desk at work.

Does that count? :teehee:


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I got 2 quilt blocks done.......(she hangs her head).......These are hand stitched and are taking me a lifetime!

We have a "cold" (in the 40's) front on it's way tomorrow...I will be hanging my winter window covering this weekend. Sounds like a Chicken & Dumplings/Soup/Stew/ fresh baked bread to me!!
OH.... and...... Apple Cobbler !!!!!

I am shopping for Pie Pumpkins to roast and freeze,.....hope to find Peas to can, also.....after I can soup mix.... that will be my last caning hurrah for the year.

Also, checked to see when early voting starts.......


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## CCCC (Nov 21, 2011)

farmermom4 said:


> Dried another 6 trays of cherry tomatoes also, they will taste great on my pizza this winter


Great Idea! Will Have to implement this next year.

Buttoning everything down for winter here and really about done with that. One more load of wood and I will be full for now, did spot a few trees that could be cut as needed close to house that I had not seen before.

I am in the same boat as Ann-NWIowa if we don't start getting some moisture I will not be planting anything this year.

With that in mind my biggest prep is going to get more debt paid down and I won't be buying much in the way of supplies unless they are needed. So that is a big prep for now.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Two cords wood cut/split/stacked yesterday when son was here. Hopefully do two more today. That huge pile of logs will finally quit being an eyesore. Been sitting by the driveway for two years. Son also got new sliding barn door ready to hang. Strong young back most helpful!


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## farmermom4 (Feb 17, 2007)

Another bucket of apples into sauce, and 6 trays of dried cherry tomatoes jarred up with another 6 on the dehydrator. My son asked if we were having pizza everyday this winter with all that I am putting up, lol! Getting my half a hog tomorrow from the processor I hope. Have a soccer game in a neighboring town, going to the sporting goods store, that might be dangerous!


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## ai731 (Sep 11, 2007)

Got the last of our firewood ordered today - being delivered Saturday morning by a local fellow. I'll be at the farmer's market buying a bushel of apples for procesing, but DH will be home to pay the guy when he drops off the wood. It's late in the year, and I was getting really stressed about it, even though we have about 4 cords left from last year that we didn't burn - it was a warm winter. They guy we used to buy from quit doing wood at the end of last season, so we had to find someone new. Anyway, having the wood ordered is a real load off my mind.

Apart from that I've been knocked down by a bad cold. It's one of those times when I'm so glad I'm a prepper! I don't have to go out at all - my basement is stocked full of canned soups for me, the freezer is full of frozen leftovers for DH's lunches, we've got plenty of TP, cold medicine, kleenex and whiskey  

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving, and we're not doing a big family thing this year (I'm hosting the family Christmas instead) but DH asked me last month if he could invite a friend of his over. This friend is in his 50s, and has no family (he's an only child, his father left when he was 6, and his mother has alzheimers and is in a nursing home) and only a couple of friends. I don't get along with him great, but I couldn't find it in my heart to say no. So I've got to get the house ready for a house guest and a holiday - and again I'm very thankfull I'm a prepper. I already have everything I need on hand to make a nice holiday dinner, and I just have to tidy my sewing things out of the guest room for him to stay with us for the holiday weekend. 

I've warned DH that he's going to have to do all the "entertaining" for his friend because I need to catch up on the canning! I still have all my applesauce to make!


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

OML I am so ashamed LOL. All I did was clean out a bunch of soda pop liter type bottles and water all the trees. I am a failure- allergies are making me miserable and it is windy and hot outside...I want fall.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Hey Sisterpine....good to see you over here on S&P! You are NOT a failure!! Any effort counts!

ai731 - Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I picked up a few rounds of ammo that was on sale.

Realized with our chilly weekend forcast,I better cover my Citrus Trees with frost blankets.

There is a bit of a loss leader sale at a local store.....I will be cruising the aisles.

Dh is getting all of our Propane Tanks fillled today.

Feed and Hay was delivered and has been stowed away.

I think I will throw something into the smoker this weekend for next week.

Thankfully, we were given 16 cords of fire wood last year....so, we are golden there! I just need to tighten things up inside!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

TDD, we've been getting freezing nights nearly every night. Even under a throw, my tomato plants are getting nipped around the edges, and these are the ones right up against the house foundation.  I can't complain too much, though, as the clear, cold nights mean the rainy season is holding off a little longer. I can nearly guarantee rain starting by the 24th (my BD, and it always seems to rain then, lol). 

I need a little more dry weather to finish up a few more outdoor projects. I built a lean-to on the side of my barn style shed, so I have some place dry to store the lumber I've been hauling home, and so I have some place to stand to nail up the plywood on the barn roof (at last). Of course, the shed hasn't had a roof for several years, so I had to straighten the framing in prep for actually finishing the roof and upper walls.  I know I've said it before (way too many times), but I really *AM* going to get that shed weather-tight before the rainy season this year!!!! Y'all have permission to spank me if I don't....

My to-do list for October:

1. Finish the shed! That includes finishing the roof, additional lean-tos on the other side and off the back into the pasture, a hayrack, 2 windows and stairs of some sort to the 2nd story.

2. Get my flu shot and pertussis booster, renew my CPR card and get confirmation of my RN renewal (these are all work related, as well as preps).

3. Finish the water collection system and hopefully add a few more 275 gallon water totes.

4. Build the sunroom off the back porch and keep my tomatoes from freezing.

5. Continue to collect firewood and build more woodsheds to store them all.

6. Get the seed train organized and the box sent off on its rounds.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Got propane tank filled...went down .30/gal from last year!!! When do things ever go down anymore? We only use propane for cooking but that extra dollars meant another 25# bag of rice which was pleasing. 

Got up to 52 degrees and has dropped to 40 already and a cold rain falling. Glad we got alot of stuff done last two days with son here. First actual frost prediction for all this weekend. Looks like the two big fall festivals here will be rained out. Went to an Alpaca fair last weekend. Of course I had to buy some yarn. Pr. of socks on the needles now. Blend of alpaca/wool/nylon and bamboo! Soft as can be. Way behind on the Christmas knitting.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Finished caning up the potatoes. DH came home last night and we worked on building the new wood deck so I could order a load of wood. With last year being so warm we didn't use much, so the 3 decks we have are close to full, I just need to go out there and straighten them so they fit tighter. Of course, the spot we had to put the 4th deck hasn't been used before for a reason...un-level, rocky, weeds, full of vines, etc. But in about 45 min last night we got it cleaned up, railroad ties dug out and close enough to level. We are supposed to have rain off and on the next three days, so hopefully the soil will settle quickly and we can check again for level-ish. We had to do allot of deep digging and back filling to get this one in.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Jen, I am right there with you on needing to stack wood. I have all this firewood/lumber scattered around in stacks here and there. I'm slowly putting it to rights...I have all of the "new" lumber stacked under the lean-to, and am getting the nails pulled out of the used stuff so I can stack it up in some sort of order. Hard to know what I've got until it's organized. Then all the odds and ends that aren't good for anything but burning need to be cut into firewood lengths and stacked. That also means finishing up a few more pallet firewood sheds and getting a water-tight roof on each one before the rain hits. Then there's also all the "junk" firewood out in the pasture and woods that needs to be gathered and stored while it's bone dry, not to mention about a dozen good sized downed trees that need the chain saw taken to them. I'm feeling the pinch of time, wanting to get it all done NOW! Unfortunately, paying work is getting in the way, lol!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Don't be jealous,folks, but we have several sawmills around here and we can get an 8' 2x10" oak board for $1. Yes, $1. And they let us paw thru the piles for perfect boards. Son and Pa just built a new sliding door for barn for $5. Reused the track,handles,stops. Should last anothe 25 years. The last one was only plywood but this baby is stout. Our cow is hard on the barn so a few more repairs needed before winter. Barn over 100 years old and,basically, petrified oak. Have to drill everything. One side was set up for dairy with stanchions/cement floor so very handy. 

As we split firewood I collect all the wood scraps...not bark...in grain bags for use in the forge. Apple, plum,cherry trimmings get carefully stored for sons' knife projects. Branches got the chipped/shredder for tree mulch. Gradually getting the place tidied up after years of not enough time while working fulltime. This retirement gig is the best I've ever had!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I can't help it, Mutti...I AM SOOOO JEALOUS!


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I got 7 qts of sweet potatoes done this week......probably 21 more to go and then the red potatoes....
We split a cord of wood yesterday and planned on getting it stacked today (the kids stacked it but its going every which way).....it poured rain this morning though. 
Dh brought home 4 small bags of apples from the mountains this week. We've had apple muffins several times and eaten almost a whole bag. I'll be going back to the mountains in 2 weeks (he'll be working up there) and will do my yearly "apple run" then. Remember the old saying "An apple day keeps the doctor away"? Well we should need a doc for awhile! 
I've got the pantry looking pretty full. Now I need to start filling some gaps. Paper products and first aid things are next on my list. 
Oh and I need to get to Lowes and get the half off canning supplies!


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

Well been crazy busy here... I helped hubby cut up a huge tree out back last weekend ( got ate alive first time ever by chiggars!! ERRG) He split it all up and then gave to a needy neighbor.
We also got to buttoning up the goat pen (been open wall since we got them in Feb, been too nice to close it in) Same "needy" neighbor had some clearish/white plastic sheets we hung one up high (to keep a lil light in room) and then used some of the metal we have to cover bottom and then the other wall got a long sheet as well ( this was an OLD HOG house so it had some drafty areas). So besides some light and a "watering " sysem for winter.. goats are set.
We also go the chicken coop light set up.. went from having 25 ish eggs to 5-6 a day... Lack of light.. so put the light back in.
I found Pork Loins on sale for $1.58# So got two and got a ton of chops, and some marinating for Canadian bacon (YUM)... also trimmed all the fat off and hubby grinds it to add to deer meat, which he's been watching since we got that tree out.. the deer are EXTREAMLY skittish this year and VERY THIN from the drought.. and apparently dropped fawns late, cuz they all still have spots!

Our temps are FINALLY in our "favorite" range... 40-70's!! Ive made some good deer chili, and yesterday made a pot of homemade chicken n dumplins... (and had a pumpkin pie in freezer (gifted to us) and had to have some... NOT as good as mine but got that hankerin down a notch!! LOL 

We are on "fall break" here so were off School/work for 9 days, so lots of cleaning and buttoning up going on around here... DD2 (will be 13 in 3 weeks YIKES) was given a HUGE Dresser ( the kind made of REAL WOOD, and has a mirror with side shelves and light that stands on top of dresser and reaches ALMOST the celing) So we cleaned and "de babied" her room as she called it.. its bitter sweet... all her kiddie things shes starting to get rid of ( but wont get rid of some of her dolls lol :bouncy: )

Welp, off to sew some projects up...while DH goes and gets an elbow for the wood burner ( has a hole) Trying to rest up my elbow (been dx'd with tennis elbow.. fun) but isnt going so well.. lol I work more at home then at work ( then you add in my clumsyness and i end up with a wooden box falling from top of stairs down on me and landing CORNER square on my bad elbow... OF course!! LOL) 

OH also we got 2 big boxes ( i think 100 rounds) for each of our 12 and 20 gage ... So we got a lil stockage there too!!

OK I RAMBLED.. wow havent been on in a while,, sorry!! LOL


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Not much got done this weekend. BIL had a 40th birthday, so we drove the 3 hrs to celebrate and spend time with his family. 

Weather turned, but I can't get DH to get the big a/c unit out of the window! I've been asking to 2 weeks, he just doesn't want to do it. SO, we haven't turned the heat on yet. 56 in the house this morning  I'm going to run to the orchard to get more apples in a few minutes, then when we get home we'll get the wood burner running and get some heat in here (only going to the low 50's today, so heat is a must).

ETA: Got to thinking about processing our own deer this year. Looks like cooling it could be a problem....fridge is full of fresh food and the days aren't cool enough to let one hang (some years it's never that cool all season). Since Cabin Fever mentioned the free shipping today at Sportsman Guide I got to poking around. Found a 100 qt Coleman cooler for $100....looked like a nice deal, but I wanted to verify. Found a 120 QT extreme cold cooler for $52 at Wal-Mart Online (with great reviews) about 10 min before DH walked in the door :clap:. I told him and he asked if I bought it.....um...no, but I have a plate of food here for you. So after supper we ordered it....it's in stock at our local wal-mart (they weren't that price in the store when I look a few weeks ago....$95+, lol). So we are off to pick it up in a little bit. Now, to debate if we should buy the grinder at Sportsman Guide tonight (while shipping is free). If we do, may see if the neighbor wants to split a case of 7.62x54r with us, and toss one of those in since shipping is free...


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Maybe I should have put this in Tightwad Tips. Where I live, often on CL, there's wood to be had free. Some in the form of trees, logs, or already cut wood. If you're near someplace that has CL, might be worth watching, under Free section.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Octoberrrrrrrrrrr! Chilly 35F.

HUGE big Pot of Chicken and Dumplings and a mega apple cobbler took most of my time this weekend,

Really didn't find much in the loss leader dept.

Ginnie - I need to work on paper products, also.

Not much else, besides everyday chores and paid work going on here. I may tweek-out a few minutes to quilt today.

Mutti.......Whine....I want $1 wood!! No such thing around here!


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

Today its BRRRR 45 this am.. So Ive sat in my robe at the pc going to all my "freebie" sites and getting coupons and free samples (alot are full size) sent to me  I always try to use these for gifts/bob's and the like!! ( one good site ive found and keeps it updated is FreebieShark.com | Free Samples &#8211; Daily Freebies | Free Stuff Updated Daily!) Later this am going to the local clothing drive and look for winterish clothes... then DD1 has her optical appt~ FUN FUN!


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

We finally made it to the restaurant supply store yesterday. The flour prices weren't too bad. Not as good as the big warehouse club but we don't have a membership so it worked out well enough to buy 25 lbs. of AP flour and 50 lbs. of sugar. We brought it home and repackaged into buckets to use. The prices were good on 5 lb. bags of shredded cheese so we got one of those to try too. 

Hope to go back next month for more. Still need to pick our field corn. Hoping that this week stays pretty dry so we can get that chore done.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

We had a thin sheet of ice on the birdbath this week.

Wood...need more wood.....We have everything we have harvested cut into slabs and piled in the barn. We would like to get more 'small' 3-5 inch limbs into cut but they are calling for rain this weekend. Looks like we will be splitting the slabs instead unless we can get the tractor into the woods.

I'm still working on food storage. Like the wood, there never seems to be enough even though the pantry is full. 

It's like the old joke that you only worry about having too many bullets if your house catches on fire.:sob:


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Mom called this morning, they were transporting my dad to the hospital. Long story short he didn't have a heart attack, but they are keeping him to do some more testing (he has a history of heart problems). Mom went home and finished canning her applesauce. 

Well, that call put a fire under my backside... Canned up the applesauce I made yesterday, this morning. Then I grabbed the bags of apples and started making the pie filling. 14 qts of filling in 2 hours....that's a speed record for me! Taking a short break then heading back to the kitchen to load of the dehydrator with apples. If I have the energy I'll scrub the kitchen floor tonight.

Tomorrow kids and I will head the hour and a half to the BIG city and see my dad and spend time with mom (she was fine and didn't need me tonight, so kids can still go to church tonight for bells and choir). Plan is to be home tomorrow night.....but we will take a few days clothes, just in case.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Jen, glad to hear your dad's okay.

Tomorrow will be our last day of sunny weather...the rain is supposed to arrive Friday. Of course, I have to spend all day in cpr class tomorrow. What a waste. Looks like I'll be throwing a lot of tarps over stuff and putting buckets under the driplines. I'm not ready for the return of the rainy season, but it'll sure help the wildfire risk.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Only 44 chilly degrees this am and rain predicted next five days. Plus 40-50 MPH wind gusts. What's that about? Lots to do but rain is most welcome. Pa finally fired up the outdoor boiler. Just too chilly in here for my arthritic bones. 

Plan to spend day in "garage" (think 32x48' pole building) de-junking. Every few weeks we trade my car for son's truck and we do truck stuff. Can take pickup truck full to our local recycling center for $15 a load. Never let Pa burn the old grain bags since perfect for this job. Our kids think it is their storage facility. But Mom "it'll get stolen in the city". Like we don't live in meth head country where anything not locked up is fair game. Trying to get a wall clear to set up honey bottling line. Alot of stuff to go on FreeCycle,too. 

Traded 5 doz. eggs for 50# feed wheat. I make spouts for the chickens as we can't give them free access to outdoors here. Too many racoons/possums/foxes/hawks and bad roaming dogs. I see Bald Eagles on the side of our road and son trapped a bobcat right down our woods trail. Then we have the bear who has hopefully moved on after destroying our apiary. Coyotes have been howling the last two nights driving our Pyrenees crazy. 

Wanting to get applesauce made but local Mennonite store won't have cases in until next week. $15 a case; dollar more than last year. One Gala was a handful last year. We like to have 3-4 varieties in our sauce/apple butter. Looks like we'll get a bushel or so off our Ark. Black tree. Those are really good keepers.

Sounds like everyone is in buttoning up for winter mode. I get the house cleaning bug in fall....see the clutter when stuck inside more. Nice to have time for sewing and knitting though. Finished my very first pr. of socks and muddled thru that toe kitchener stitch thing. Hopefully I'll improve on that!!


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## mommathea (May 27, 2009)

We finally have our wood stove installed!!! We have enough wood hopefully for this winter, and dh just got off the phone with my uncle who just bought property and is doing a lot of clean up - he said he has 4-5loads of wood ready for us - by loads he means bed of truck full and trailer loaded to capacity! We'll be going up there as soon as both of our schedules match up.

We stripped the neighbour's tree of apples. I think they are golden delicious. Most of them are tiny because of the drought but they are so yummy. I've canned up 23pts of apple sauce, and hand squeezed 2 1/2gallons of apple cider. Oh My Word, that is a lot of work.  I canned up 7 quarts of the juice, because I don't have the stuff to let it age. One quart broke in the canner. I was so disappointed. And we all enjoyed a 1/2 cup of the juice this morning. It is so rich and flavorful that you can't drink a lot of it. 

The dehydrator is full of herbs ready to be put in jars. I need to cut some more and I want to try my hand at propagating some of the herbs to over winter in the house.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Home from the big city. Dad's doing fine, they released him this morning. They will stress test him tomorrow....but they are starting to think it wasn't his heart. More likely he needs his meds adjusted. But when your BP's is 220/120.....you call 911.

Dad was doing so fine, that they took us to Costco for jumbo hot dogs (and a shopping trip). Picked up 50# of rice cheaper then I can get locally, 6 jars of spaghetti sauce that comes in canning jars - cheap!, and a few other things we use and are cheaper at a warehouse store. I did splurge and buy myself a 3 pack of woman's (IE won't fit DH or DS) Merino wool socks - $10! Yes, I looked...they are 84% wool 16% "other" - my feet sweat just looking at them, lol. After 3 hours of driving in traffic....I'm spent. 

Now, to get another load of apples in the dryer and label all the jars on the counter.


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## mommathea (May 27, 2009)

Just got back from the grocery. 9 cases of ground sausage for $1lb! and 30packs of back label hormel bacon at $2.99lb! 
The young boys running the cash register and bagging were quite impressed with the savings. I saved over $315 over regular price! Right now everything is in the freezer, but I want to try my hand at canning up some of the sausage. I've never canned meat before so I'm a little nervous. 

Also hit the thrift store in town and bought a replacement globe for a oil lamp base I got for $1.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Jen - Glad Dad's doing well.

Just busy, busy here, like all of you guys.

Temps are more moderate for the next week, and we may get some rain this weekend.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Hello everyone,

I have been visiting for a while but have not posted, so I am jumping in 
We live in a mobile and rent the land, for years we have wanted to purchase a new home but I am afraid with the economy and my husband is dealing with back issues now so I'm not sure what will happen there. So, we have held off doing a lot of things that we would like to in hopes of a new home. Our landlord is wonderful and lets us plant or build whatever we want, we can have animals etc. Last year when we mentioned selling and moving he was disappointed and made it know that he doesn't want us to move. We have it made here really, and the rent is very cheap. So this year we decided let's just do what we have always planned on for growing, etc and be content. It is such a load off my mind and we can enjoy where we are at.

In addition to pastoring my husband owns a lawn maintenance business (seasonal) so I have to be prepared for winter. Throughout the year I mark bottles, pkgs, etc. with a sharpie and the date I opened the product. This gives me an idea of how long that item will last us and how many I need. Come summer when we have income I plan ahead and stock up. I also keep a running inventory of what we have in the freezer, pantry and for toiletries. I can't stand thinking I have something, get ready to cook only to find out I don't have it.

It's rainy here today. I'm a little disappointed because I wanted to work outside but it's good because I have much to do inside 

We are still working on the wood shed. We are able to get free pallets so that is what we are using for the frame. We are set for wood this winter and have already lit a fire. I found a listing on craigslist for dry, seasoned firewood, a full cord (so many people out here think that if it fills a pick up bed it is a full cord, well if that's the case I want a longbed full ) The price was $100 a cord so we ordered 2. The gal actually brought us 2 1/2 cords and refused more money because she had not delivered it right away 

Today I will be drying some more apples and making plum butter with the last of the plums. I have carrots I want to grate and freeze and some green beans to blanch and freeze too.

Hopefully I can get some pumpkins and winter squash and some more apples. I dried some apples last week and got a half gallon jar and now it is gone. My honey likes them I guess 

We also need to get our grape arbor built and plant some grapevines we got at 50% off from the nursery.

We are planning ahead for next year too by tilling the garden and making a new garden plot just for pumpkins. This year we didn't plant and I'm glad because it was an awful year with the heat. We have such a short growing season as it is and it would have been discouraging.

We are hoping to get a couple of pigs to raise for meat but that might not be for a couple of months depending on how things go.

Thank you for this thread and everyone's contributions! I enjoy reading what is going on with everyone, the motivation and productivity.

Jen, I am glad to hear that your Dad is well. That must have been so scary with his bp up so high.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Tirzah...welcome. You aren't too longwinded....it is always interesting to me to see folks plans and dreams. Glad to see you are blooming where you are planted. So many will just bemoan their circumstances and not move on. So much you can do without that dream piece of property. For instance, my son makes gorgeous knifes on a homemade forge in his rental houses' garage. Comes home to get his garden fix. When in college he had a garden all around his rental house and people passing by were amazed at his tomatoes and cukes hanging from the porch. Being raised on a farm he couldn't abide the college food so grew/cooked is own. Sure,he'd love to live here full-time but has to support his family and wages here are pitiful.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Welcome Tirzah!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I just have a tidbit....snicker....giggle to share....

Last Friday, A semi truck loaded with 50lb bags of Pinto Beans overturned, down South Texas way........ A gal pal and I were taking bets on how many preppers made it to the wreckage before the hiway dept machines did.!!


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Thank you for the warm welcome Mutti and Texas Dirt Digger  

TDD, that is funny! A few years ago the same thing happened and a friend of my husband was there to 'clean up'. We scored with 2 cases of Golden Delicious Apples. But Pintos, that would be perfect.

Well, the plums are done (ended up stewing them with some sugar, cinnamon and coriander - came out great). The last of the apples are in the dehydrator and the green beans are done. Need to make relish with some cucumbers a friend blessed us with and put up some Pickled Beets too. Then I need to drag some Loganberry Puree out of the freezer to can syrup and make room for a lamb we are getting.

It's a brisk day today but looks like it will be sunny so I really want to work on the yard and shed. My mom moved in with us a few months ago and I NEED to clean out our shed and reorganize while getting rid of boxes we just threw in our bedroom. It stresses me to see that and I'm sure doesn't help in the sleep department.

We have a milling company here so I need to pick up some more flour. We can purchase 20# sacks (fabric sacks, which are cute btw) for about $8-9.00. I know I could probably buy flour cheaper but this flour is really nice.

Charlie's Soap laundry detergent. We really like this soap powder. It works great for cleaning and for our sensitive skin. I ordered some in September of 2010 and still have 1/3 of a bucket left and that is doing about 4 loads a week. I purchased it through Amazon and got free shipping to my door. It was $100.00 but look at how long it has lasted us, since Fall 2010!

Have a great day everyone!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Welcome Tirzah! Great to have new blood on this thread 

Been a bit slow around here, but things are getting done. DH and I got some wood split that he got from a co-worker a few months ago.....he lost a tree. It was only 2 months old but split very easy....maple. Moved it to the new wood deck. That gives us one completely clear deck, the new one about 1/4 full with the new split wood on it to season and 2 decks with "old" wood that we could add a bit more to. Called the new to us wood place today. A cord of wood is $170 or a full truck load is $275....which is just shy of 2 cords. I ordered a truck load . Should be here next week......they thought they had enough split for this year, but word of mouth is getting them a lot of new business. 

Pay day....so bills are paid and the kids and I will head out to do the winter stock up shopping. Have a few new things on the list thanks to reading here. Adding more gauze and tape, adult diapers, maybe a pack of dog/puppy training pads. Last two are for unforeseen illnesses, not planing to have any  but the point behind the "unforeseen" is you don't know it's coming, lol. I'd rather have a bag of things to move out of the way 100 times, then to have someone so sick they need them and not be able to drive the car to get them! 

Did a bit of inventory over the weekend. What we though,t a few years ago, was a lot of wheat.....doesn't seem like much now, lol. Our perspective has changed as our preps have built up. When you have very little of everything, having 100# of wheat seems like tons but now that we are in better shape, 100# seems like a drop in the bucket. I'm about out of buckets, so I'll only pick up one or two bags today. 

I think one more purchase each and we will be done shopping for both kids for Christmas (thinking Lego kits....as DS is crazy for Lego's and DD is catching the bug). Need to do extended family, still....they can be hard some years. Need to sit and think a bit on that one.


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

OK Im sure this has been posted before.. but BOY does a house full of 3 girls/women need a HUGE stock of femine hygiene... I have only one DD who is in need of products but ... Had some issues and went thru a 6 MONTH supply in 20 days!!! ( problem has been resolved now) but now I have to start at ground zero and soon need to double up!!! LOL!!!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

DH ran me out last night when I told him about the Lowe's clearance on canning. Internet said our Lowe's had 10 boxes of lids...I could buy them online then go pick them up. I skipped buying them online and we just went. :umno: They were sold out for weeks now. Glad I didn't buy online and then go and get none! At least I had printed out the ad, so we drove across the street and did price matching at Wal-Mart....got jars and a case of lids :dance:

My deck chair died...the metal broke, we don't weld nor does anyone we know so it's trash. Once DS gets up I will borrow his hex keys and take it apart for the trash men (someone borrowed my hex keys and never put them back! DS or DH are guilty, I'm sure). Anyways, I pulled the 5 casters off and will keep those....they could be useful. Maybe I'll surprise DH with them and toss them in the garage. Then when he asks where they came from I'll give him puppy dog eyes and say I'm jealous....my tools keep disappearing, but his mate and create useful stuff. Maybe he'll clean off his workbench and re-fill my tool box in the house....doubt it.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Thank you for the welcome Ohio Dreamer 

I wish we had a Lowes! The closest one to us is an hour and a half away and looking online they were out of canning jars. However, if we do make a trip out there I may just make a trip to Wal-Mart. Jen, did you have an actual sale flyer or did you print up Lowes website page? This may be worth a trip and hit Sam's Club too.

The wood shed is coming along nicely, we need more pallets though! At least the walls are up so I can start loading firewood while my husband works on the other side of the shed for storing equipment. He was able to barter his lawncare services for a shopsmith wood lathe so he is excited about having a 'shop' 

Oh and another customer who happens to own orchards offered as many apples as we want and tell our friends. She said they had a bumper crop this year. I'm excited about that and wish we had a cider press.

Have a great day everyone!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Tirzah said:


> I wish we had a Lowes! The closest one to us is an hour and a half away and looking online they were out of canning jars. However, if we do make a trip out there I may just make a trip to Wal-Mart. Jen, did you have an actual sale flyer or did you print up Lowes website page? This may be worth a trip and hit Sam's Club too.


I used the search engine on the Lowe's site. Printed out the "canning" section (3 pages). Was told at Wal-Mart I didn't need to have the ad, just tell them the price. I wouldn't consider doing it without the ad in my hand. Just a hint, I look for a young guy to check out through when I have a price match (I tell them up front I'm price matching before tehy start ringing me out....then they don't have to go back and "re-do" stuff....which some don't like to do). They are usually much more open to it then some of the "older ladies". I like to get through the check out without bringing up my blood pressure.....so I strategize.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Ordered some seeds from MPS. My BIL & SIL just bought a larger house with a yard. I double checked with her a few weeks back, she's planning to do a garden next year!! Last spring I bought some seed starting cells on clearance, now some seeds, I just need a pamphlet on seed saving and I have a nice Christmas gift for her! Might look for a cute pair of gardening gloves to add....although, she's more like me so maybe a good practical pair instead.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

My to-do list for October:

1. Finish the shed! That includes finishing the roof, additional lean-tos on the other side and off the back into the pasture, a hayrack, 2 windows and stairs of some sort to the 2nd story.

2. Get my flu shot and pertussis booster, renew my CPR card and get confirmation of my RN renewal (these are all work related, as well as preps).*all done!*

3. Finish the water collection system and hopefully add a few more 275 gallon water totes.

4. Build the sunroom off the back porch and keep my tomatoes from freezing.

5. Continue to collect firewood and build more woodsheds to store them all.

6. Get the seed train organized and the box sent off on its rounds. *nearly done, anyone here want in?*

Plugging away at the to-do list in between rain showers. I passed another free sliding glass door on my way home Monday...you'd better believe I hurried home to get the truck and prayed all the way back that it would still be there. IT WAS!!! :sing: That's 10' more of glass (2 5'x6'something" panels) for my sunroom/greenhouse. With 2 sets of sliders and all the other windows I got behind the glass shop, I think I can finish the sides and part of the roof in glass now. Just need a few more to finish it all in glass.

Also picked up feed and got my flu and t-dap shots on Monday. My arms were sore for a couple days after that! They were feeling fine in time to do my BLS/CPR training yesterday, though. The class I was originally signed up for was cancelled, so I was glad to get it done.

I have the list about finished and the box ready to send out for the seed train, so that should go out early in the coming week. I'll be glad to get it on its way! Hopefully, we'll get a couple rounds done, at least.

Welcome, Tirzah, love to read about what you're doing. I do a lot of building w/pallets, too. So useful, and the ones that aren't good can be used to fix others or for firewood. I've only had to build a fire a few times so far this year (I like my house on the cooler side), and those pallet pieces burn HOT!

GB, have you considered the Diva Cup or the Keeper for fem hygeine? Takes a little practice to position correctly and remove easily, but the one time expense up front to purchase will really pay off quickly.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

We did our flu shots last week. I had an odd reaction to mine as in it itched like crazy right after I got it and then I had a raised, red, bruised-feeling area around the injection site for a couple days after. I didn't feel strange but found it odd since I had never had a reaction like that to any vaccine before. Dh had one right after me but didn't react to his.

I've been feeling the prep itch for a few weeks now but funds are not available for prepping at the moment. We are really hoping for some neighbors and family to start bringing in deer soon. Dh already installed a hoist in the barn so they can just pull into the barn, hook up the deer, and go along their merry ways. 

Big rummage sale tomorrow. Need to scrounge up a couple of bucks for that. I always find a great piece of cast iron at this particular sale so I want to make sure and go if I can at all.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

MGM - You KNOW you can count me in on the Seed Train!!

Nothing very exciting going on here.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Went to the rummage sale looking for prep type items. Found a good sized camping type backpack, bag of buttons for the sewing kit, emergency candles, and a set of 1999 Countryside magazines. Had a great time but dressed way too warmly. Felt good while in line waiting for the doors to open but liked to burn me up when they let us in!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

We are moving slow today; it's cool, wet and windy. Got up super early to start grading my kids' school work. Got the important ones graded at least. Working on my Christmas list today. I think I have narrowed down what we are doing for everyone except my FIL (kind a sketchy on BIL, too....but can fake that better). 

DH got an oil change in his Jeep, picked up some Mod Podge and clear sealer for me to use for gift making. He, then, reloaded 50 more rounds. He's almost ready to stop measuring each and everything part of each and every step. So, soon 50 rounds will take less then 2+ hours to load!!

Went about 15 min north and got 2 more 55 gal barrels (food grade - $10 each). We like to keep 2 on hand, we used the last 2 to make more rain barrels and we just haven't gone to get more. No idea what they will become, but they are in the attic waiting for a bright idea....or a reason we think something is about to break loose and we should have another 100 gal of drinking water ready.

Finally got my behind in gear and made up another batch of fire starters. Still have a bucket in the basement full of pine shaving from when we had our trees taken out (3 yrs ago). Melted some wax from candle ends and canning wax (left over from mom or grandma), poured it over cardboard egg cartons full of shavings. I love making useful stuff from trash. Need to start watching Goodwill and such for more old candles. 

DS is finishing up his hunter safety homework - under 18 has to answer and turn in all the questions before class which is next week. I told him he had to better on the test them I did when I took it last year.....I got 100%, LOL. Surprised the Wild Life guy, guess women don't usually score that high (never more then 1-2 per class of 50, either).


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

TDD, I was hoping you'd be hopping on the seed train again.  You'll be after Grandmotherbear and before farmerstac, only a few stops before me, so I'll need to get you my wish list! You're such an enabler, lol. 

Jen, I hope you find better prices at your Goodwill than at mine. For some reason, mine seems to think candles are made of gold...priced higher there than at the retail stores! :grumble:

It was a rainy, blustery day with thunder boomers yesterday while I was trying to sleep. I got soaked loading up a 4' x 12' long pallet behind the glass shop after work. 4x4 stringers and 2x6 boards, looks like a fence section. I have a couple more of them in my pile that are 10' long, but made the same way, so potentially 32' of fencing there.  Not sure where I'll use them yet, maybe down the side of the driveway.

This is my Friday at work, so I'll plan to stay in town this morning and run some errands. On the list? Lowe's to check for markdown lumber, shingles, and pallets behind the store (pallets are free and they'll load them for me with the forklift...sweet!), grocery store and gas station, and then off to see my kids and grands. Due to illnesses and schedule conflicts, I haven't seen them for 3 weeks and I'm hungry for a fix!

I'm hopeful that at least one of my days off will be dry so I can work on the shed and firewood...but I'm not holding my breath. At least I'm well supplied with rain water again so I can do laundry more easily.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

MGM - Have sooooo much fun with the grands!!

Send me your wishlist......I'll try to make your wishes come true!!

I have been off the mark this month......I just can't seem to find my usual prepping mojo..... I must be in a bit of a burnout phase. Even sewing and knitting seem to have turned into a chore.

I went to the range for practice and then stopped by a small antique street fair. I found a large OLD sausage stuffer.....it has no rust and little wear. Right now, it is an ornament in my kitchen....but, I may have to try to use it.....just once!!

Jen - I love making those fire starters. I hit a bonanza, last fall with a wedding I was hired to cater. They had canning jars with candles in them for decoration....500 of them.......They were going to throw them away. Of course, I freaked!! I "begged" for them. Some how, I got them all into my vehicle and clinked .... clanked my way home. 

Yeah, they thought I was nuts!

I spent the next day getting the wax out of the jars..... wound up with a 5 gallon bucket full.....Moral to the story......just about eveyone on my Christmas list was gifted fire starters!!

I have been collecting extra bacon grease for suet cakes...... A perfect reason to eat extra bacon......don't ya think!!

We are in the mid 80's here....big front coming out of Cali with big storms approaching. I hope we don't get the hail, the weather guru's are predicting.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Supposed to have a string of 70 degree days this week so will slave on the wood pile. Son and Pa got rest of the logs peavey'd from the pile and safely on the ground. About 1/2 cut up and ready to split. My job. Love my 22 ton splitter. Best money old folks can spend! Told Pa I was splitting them smaller this year as he makes 'em so big I can't heave them in the boiler.

Did some fall pruning on fruit trees,rose bushes, and some shrubs. Finally got in the greenhouse and gave it a good tidying up. Rye on the garden is beautiful green carpet. Decided to plant bottom half in buckwheat next spring and try and build up the fertility. Really a gravel pit down there. Dug the sweet 'tater crop. Bigger crop that I expected considering the drought but the generous fall rains must have helped. 

Had a problem with wild bees robbing our orchard hive so closed that down to a defensible opening. Lots of honey to take them thru the winter. Hoping to make a split in spring. Bringing in lots of fall pollen,too. 

Guess I should catch up and start thinking Christmas. Kids each have their favorite cookies but I can do them ahead. My oven is so wonky I can't expect any batch to turn out the same. 

Those darn ladybugs invading. So annoying. Too many cracks in this old farm house. Mama and her 4 kittens are doing a fine job on mouse and chipmunk patrol...she has those babies out in the weeds hunting when they can barely toddle. By now we should have had a bunch in the house.

No spare money for preps at present with house insurance and taxes due this next month. Plus wheel bearing going out on car and have appt. for that. Have money set aside for 3 cases apples though. Mennonite store supposed to get them in next week. 
DIL wants to learn how to make sauce and we'll do some pie filling,too. 

Did get over to park nearby where I've discovered a beech tree and collected a number of nuts which I'm gonna plant thru our woods. More variety. Interesting how different trees come in when you do some logging. We had the conservation dept. help with marking trees. Helpful for that even if they thought rubber bullets were good enough protection against a bear!!!!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Mutti - We have a trillion-jillion of the "twice stabbed" ladybugs this year....I've never seen those before this year....I had to Google them! One bit me on the back of my neck...I wasn't sure what had a hold of me!!

I did buy a case of Honeycrisp Apples today....Gosh, I wish we could grow those successfully here....just too hot & dry. I so enjoy them cold n' crisp. Yummy!

I had to give in and turn on the AC today.... warm, windy and waaaay muggy!

Our taxes and Insurance is due now, also.....UGGGH! Although, I know it is coming due... it is always such a big outlay.

We can start early voting tomorrow....I am going to be there with bells on!!


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

Gosh I have been so lazy compared to you all! I am prepping the exterior of my house to paint (2 hours per day) so that will take awhile. The days are still quite warm here and my garden is still making green beans and stuff. Went to the local dollar store with the green sign and got a bunch of first aid supplies for my preps, ice packs, icycool gels, ace type wraps and gauze pads etc. Also got liquid and bar soaps and toothpaste again. Money is a bit tighter this month by my own choice so I am trying to do things that do not cost money. So far so good...so much to do.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

Wife's been making noise about having too many blankets in the house, tonight I sorted through and put the baby blankets and threadbare ones away in storage, only kept out the ones that are big enough to still be useful.










That's air mattresses, extra pillows and some overflow comforters on the bottom, adult-sized towels and face cloths next (kids are all in their bathroom), blankets on the next two shelves and sleeping bags and ground sheets on the top.

Including the ones on the beds I only counted 77 useful sized blankets for the 6 of us so hopefully this puts all the scurrilous accusations to rest.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

Hello everyone - I haven't been around much in the digital world since real-life has been keeping me busy!!

Well I have several cords of firewood cut, split, and stacked in my woodshed and I'm ready for a wet/ cold - snowy winter here. My two neighbors helped cut and split wood here on the hilltop, so everyone is gonna stay snug and warm this year!

Then I have passed the 300+ jars mark on home canning. This last weekend my front neighbor brought over 3 lugs of tomatoes, and I spent from noon working on making tomato sauce till after 1 am canning up quarts of tomatoes. The neighbor came over after his grand daughters Birthday pizza party, and I kept him busy from around 5 pm till after 11 pm when he went home. I had enough lids, rings, and jars - so our only additional expense was for 2 bottles of lemon juice to raise the pH (acid) level of the tomato products, for home canning in a boiling water bath canner.

Here is a photo of some of the most recent canning results, with only 1 jar that didn't have a good seal.










TDD - I wanted to say thanks, for when you had posted around last Labor Day about Ace Hardware having canning jars on sale. On Labor Day my neighbor and myself were on the way to an organized labor picnic and we stopped in to get some new jars. They were out of pints, but instead I had bought several cases of the pint and a half wide mouth jars (at 9 jars to a case). They are the perfect size for tomato/ spaghetti sauce for 1 to 2 persons.

With all of the canning that we have done, I now have bins and boxes of full mason jars in my living room! Along with many rubbermaid totes full of sealed dry goods. At least I know that I wont go hungry if I get snowed in, have a major Earthquake, or if grocery prices go thru the roof! I have gotten my money's worth out of my canning supplies and the Foodsaver vacuum sealer this year, by processing lots of produce and the grocery store bargains that I have found. The garden sharecropping project with my neighbors has worked out quite well, and we have plans for an even larger garden for next year! I still have to find a place for the couple of cases of MRE's and the couple of dozen freeze dried meals, that I recently purchased at a great price off of Ebay.

I do have my plane tickets for my upcoming trip to visit my family and Dad in Detroit. I'll be gone for 3+ weeks, and my neighbor's daughter will be house sitting for me. She is looking forward to it, since I have satellite TV with all of the Bay Area local stations down here at my place. My guard cat will enjoy the company with her dad being gone for a while. In Detroit - my dad is having a contractor coming in to rip up the floors and replacing beams, joists, and sub floors in the old part of the house that was built in 1955. So I have to be there to baby-sit the contractor and make sure that they don't cut any corners on the job!

Today the world's dumbest deer were gathered near the house, and I had to honk my horn at them to get them to move out of my driveway as I was heading to town. All of them survived another deer season - on part to my not having time to go hunting/ my not buying a hunting license, and having a full chest freezer!

So I hope that everyone is almost ready for winter to arrive! 
The weather today was dark gray from wet rain clouds and cold with heavy hail at times. It feels sort of like December outside and snow levels are coming down to below 3,000 feet tonight - I am at 1,800 feet in elevation here on the hilltop.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

DaleK - Oh my!! - Only 77 useful blankets??? LOL!! Good job!


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## Nancy (May 14, 2002)

You all are inspiring me to get busy. I got a bag of dry beans out of the pantry to put to soak overnight so tomorrow I can can them up. When I went out to our cellar to get some beans to use with chili I was down to 6 quarts. Time to get a few more put up.


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## I_don't_know (Sep 28, 2012)

i am still stuck in S, FL. We have football season, baseball season, terrorist season, but what is winter? Is that when it drops into the upper 60's over night?


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

I always check the discount bin at the local C&R. Last week I found three bags of lentils and two bags of black eyed peas marked down to 70 cents a bag! Needless to say, I grabbed them. I scout around for bags of beans on sale, bring them home, mix them all together in a blend and then store them in two liter pop bottles. Right now I think I have about 8 two liter bottles full of mixed beans and a number of different sized storage jars and jugs full. We prefer the mixed beans to the traditional navy when it comes to making up a pot of ham and beans.. They also make great soup. So far I haven't had any problems with insects in them.

DH bought me a gift this week. My own splitting maul! We have an 8 pounder. It's just a little too much for me to swing accurately and I have to admit that I love to split wood. We picked up the new 6 pounder on Tuesday amid a lot of good natured ribbing concerning what I was going to do with it and left the store with somebody yelling at me not to hit DH too hard with it. I guess the idea of a red head with a splitting maul in her hands was a little overwhelming for them. Actually I was thrilled to get it and can hardly wait to get out in the barn this weekend and see if it makes a difference.;


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Cleaning, sorting, rearranging and tossing out today. It's nervous energy release....DH's work is laying off a bunch of people today. Even if DH isn't laid off, he not sure he wants to stay....they were understaffed to start with. He's not sure he can take another load of stress the new normal will bring. He's already have a good extra 70# on him....I'm not sure he could take the extra stress either.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Jen, hoping the news on the work front is good.

RF - that is a fine bunch of canning you've got there. Very pretty jars. Do you have any local fairs you can enter some of your canning in? Have a good trip to Detroit...I don't know how you can know who to root for in the World Series, obviously The Giants, but as a Detroit boy, seems like you'd have to root quietly around your relatives. 

I ran into some good deals at Lowe's last week - not only did I get a bunch of free pallets, but 2 bundles of cull lumber including all the 2x4's I need for the lean-to into the woods pasture off the shed, 4x4 posts and much more, all for $75. Stopped at Goodwill, too, and found a skeet target thrower along with a few other goodies. I may hang around town long enough today to do a little more bargain hunting. If nothing else, I need to go to Wal-Mart and pick up a few more big cans of Nido milk. At a bit under $14 a jumbo size can, it's about the same as a 50# bag of goat chow, and I can buy a lot of cans of Nido for the cost of supporting my remaining goats! I've decided to start buying a couple cans each payday.

My pigs have reached butcher weight - time to call the shop and find out whether I should bring them in or have them do farm butchering. I don't think I'll have them do any of the curing, though. I want to try my hand at it myself. Also, I need to see if I can find a buyer for one hog so I can cover my costs on the one I put in my freezer.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

DH still has a job. In fact the seem to only have cut from the marketing/sale department. That will NOT effect him. He's engineering....seems like that was untouched - so they won't be any more short handed.

The boys off at Hunter Safety Class, girl is off to church for practice....DH and I pulled out our BOB and went through them. Haven't had them open in 2+ yrs. Good news...all the home dried food in my pack was as fresh as the day it was done. They are only packed in ziploc bags with the air squeezed out and then in a plastic shoe box with snap down lid. Not bad for sitting in a damp basement for 2+ yrs. We replaced some of the canned food and the dog kibble. Added a few things we have since purchased. Packs weight 20# (DD) 25# (DS) 35# (mine) 45# (DH). That's a bit heavy for DD, but since the plan is to carry them out and put them in the car and go....she will be fine. Walking in them is a last resort option.....even then she will be fine.

Found my missing tub of candle ends.....they were in my BOB!?


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Jen, sorry for the late reply back. Thanks for the info on Lowes. I especially liked the tip about finding an inexperienced cashier  I think I may have to wait on Lowes but plan on placing an ad on Freecycle now that canning season is done for most folks out here. BTW I am glad to see that your honey still has work, awesome!

MGM, thanks for the welcome!

DaleK, love the blankets! You can never have too many!

Radiofish, wow! I have never ever canned that much, good for you! 

~We just got a trailer load of pallets from IFA out here so the shed is coming along nicely. My honey did have to pick up some more wood for trusses on the shed but not a whole lot which is good for the wallet  So, we need to put windows in (free), finish the roof and work on the outside too.
~The firewood is almost stacked.
~Need to build Grape Arbor and plant grape vines before it is too cold. It was only 26 this morning around 9:00am.
~I still need to pick up more apples and dehydrate them.
~Flu shot this week, we have all been sick for the past 3 weeks so it hasn't happened yet.
~We are also hoping to get a couple of pigs soon but the shed needs to be finished first then a shelter for them. We do have a freezer full of meat and produce so we are good for food (we would just like to have some pork, bacon, etc)
~We are still waiting on our butcher about lamb. This year we want to try and make bacon from the lamb belly, saw it here on HT last year I think? 

Have a great day everyone and stay warm!


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

** Sigh*** what did you do Saturday morning at 7 am!?

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...i-knew-yall-would-understand.html#post6223301


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## farmermom4 (Feb 17, 2007)

Got 9qts of apple pie filling made today, did 6 pts. of zucchini relish on Thurs. Weighed the Yukon Gold potatoes we harvested last week, we have 175# to add to our 245# of Red Norland we harvested the beg. of Oct. Got our new food room started, used to be our wood room in the basement, moved all the wood to the new wood shed. The room is approx. 8x20 we should be able to store quite a few preps in there. Hope we can afford to fill it with prices the way they are. I have been canning like crazy this year, is that a sign?? Salsa canning tomorrow...


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Cooked a bone-in ham last week. Had 5 meals from it and yesterday cut off the remaining meat (3 cups), divided it into 7 quarts of beans (soaked overnight), added the "jell" from cooking the ham and canned. All 7 quarts sealed.

We sold our wood burning cook stove for $550 (consignment so only got $460). Purchased it around 1975 and have never had a place to hook it to a chimney. Couple that bought it plan to put it in a summer kitchen. While I'm sad that I never got to use it I'm glad its going to someone who will. 

I've been watching the BBC programs about WWII farmers in Britain. Very interesting and lots of useful ideas for shtf situation. One thing that has come across very strongly to me is the important of aprons in protecting clothing and reducing laundry. I've got a couple of long cotton dresses containing yards of fabric that I'm going to deconstruct and make into aprons. I collect vintage aprons but most are half aprons and for practical usage I want full aprons.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Prepped for Sandy today. We are expecting water (4-6") and wind (60 MPH). So we headed to the basement and cleaned it up. We are on city water and sewer and live on a hill, so flooding it's a worry....but sewer back-ups are. Got all the dehydrated food off the bottom shelves, trash off the floors, the tub is pasta that was such a mess you could get a lid on it has now been emptied, sorted and is now in the living room till the storms over. I....um...don't need to buy any pasta for a while, lol.

DH borrowed the neighbors ladder and went up and cleaned out the gutter that has been leaking. Pulled a bunch of pine needle out and the backed up water went flying down the down spout. :ashamed: pine trees were taken down 3 yrs ago....we should have cleaned out that gutter long before today. But it's done now.

Went out and bought a concrete block. Both kids mentioned the ammo when I mentioned we needed to get the basement ready for water. We keep it locked up in one of those small $100 gun lockers. They are in ammo cans in the locker....so they should be dry. But for $1.50 why not lift it? So with the concrete block we had and the one we bought we lifted the ammo case 8" off the ground. We'll pull the guns out the safe tomorrow....just in case as it's only 4" off the ground. Yeah, we know it should be bolted to the floor....but if you saw where is was you'd see why we aren't too worried about it. Freezer has been up on blocks since the flood we had in 2003, so now worried there. 

Only other thing we could think to buy was 2 bottle of bleach. We had 2, but if we do flood we will need more and the store will empty out fast.

Nice that it only took 2 hours to be ready, and no real purchases needed. But then we aren't going to take a big hit like east of us.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Good luck to all that may be in the path of the east coast storms!!! Please take care.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

Amen and ditto Texasdirtdigger. Everyone in Sandy's path, be safe. I think it's safe to say that we are all wishing you the best.

As for what I got done this weekend outside of splitting more wood, Dh fired up the tractor and we went to work clearing one of our pastures for future use, either planting a garden, grazing, planting a crop or harvesting the timothy for hay, we haven't decided yet. Both of our pastures have more than a dozen diseased or dead pine trees in them. There is an abandoned Christmas tree farm next door to us and it has seeded countless trees on our property. Something has been steadily killing them off for the past three years and years prior to our taking possession of the farm. So we spent the weekend tearing out trunks/roots and piling the trees in a huge brush pile for decay and future burning.

What was curious was the huge larvae we found in the rotting wood. Not sure if they are the cause or the end result of the kill off.

Still, I kinda look at our labors as prepping simply because it is opening the land up to future use. The ground is rich and dark thanks to the animals that grazed there for years and should grow anything.

Jen hope things keep going well for you and your family as far as job security is concerned. Unfortunately in this economy any job is better than no job. Still it's hard to work where you are not happy. I did that for years until I started to work with my husband. It's the first time in my life I have looked forward to going to work.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Texasdirtdigger said:


> Good luck to all that may be in the path of the east coast storms!!! Please take care.


I am keeping everyone in prayer for safety and protection!

We ran into a friend yesterday who does roofing and sheet metal for a living. He told my husband that he had some scrap metal if we needed any for the roof of the shed. Perfect! He also has some hand cranked windows that he will give us too!

We have not yet gone to pick apples (I hope it's not too late). My husband's customer called and was wondering if he could just come, shake the trees, pick up the apples and haul off. He would get paid, even better 

Badlander, sorry about the loss of your trees.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

MGM - I was rooting for the Detroit Tigers in the World Series, and of course they lost...

As far as entering the canning projects in our local County Fair, I never thought of doing so. Usually my interaction with the County Fair is on opening day with the Veteran's Honor Guard and my being in my USMC Dress Blues Uniform while carrying a M-1 Garand rifle or a flag. 










In reading about entering an item at the fair, I guess I should use new jars and rings to make them pleasing to the eye. So far my neighbor and myself have had great reviews of our canning efforts, from everyone that has tried the items. I wonder if I should make up labels proclaiming that they are from the "2 guys up on Fickle Hill canning co-operative"?

I am on the countdown to Detroit, and I leave in just over a week from now. 










I am flying out of our small local airport. Of course I have a 5 am flight, which means I have to be there before 4 am, since I am 'flying with special items'. I have to show at the ticket counter my semi-auto pistol which will have a gun lock, inside a locked metal case, that is placed inside my secured checked baggage (seabag). Then the TSA will x-ray my luggage and approve my being able to travel with it, as I always do.



















Jen - how I do long term storage of ammo is by putting it inside several layers of freezer zip-loc baggies. Those go into .30 or .50 caliber ammo cans, and those are placed inside the larger 20mm ammo cans. I can fit 4 of the .30 caliber and 1 of the .50 caliber ammo cans inside of each of the 20mm larger ammo cans. I live in a very humid marine environment with 100% humidity, and so far I have had no problems with moisture contamination.

This is how I repackaged a spam can of 1,224 rounds of 7.62X25mm Tokarev ammo - 17 boxes of 72 cartridges each.



















They do make locks for the .50 caliber and 20mm ammo cans, as seen in the last photo - where my cat is the quality control inspector!










I would like to remind those of us that try to keep a chocolate stash, that the day after Halloween is a great chance to stock up at 50% or more (up to 75%) off of the marked retail prices. Of course the day after Christmas, the day after Valentines Day, and the day after Easter are the other best times for purchasing chocolate at a discount. I find many of my best deals at the local Walgreens drug store. Then I vacuum seal them and place the packages inside old metal popcorn tins in a cabinet. I get a storage time of over a year by doing so.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Radiofish,

Thank YOU for your service!!! My Dad was a marine in the Korean War. My prayers are always with our military and their families.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Thanks Radiofish! So far we have just been putting the boxes of ammo in .50 cal ammo cans. Then sticking them in the ammo locker. Plastic bags might be a good idea, especially on the ammo we don't shoot often (7.62x54R, .410, etc). SPAM cans we just leave un-opened (will when we aren't splitting one with the neighbor)


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## fostermomma (Feb 26, 2007)

It's been a while since I have posted anything, life just gets in the way of computer time now and then.

Dh made some repairs to the greenhouse and I got it all set up for winter, moved in all the plants that I could and organized it again.

Dh got the vehicals ready for winter and did some regular maintnance on them. So they are ready to go and hopefully dh won't need to work on them thru the winter.

Last week the kids and I picked up litter from the woods and all over the property. It's amazing how much trash blows in and how much tresspassing hunters leave behind.

Got the garden all ready for fall and winter. Trimmed the trees and bushes.

I've been working on Christmas gifts. It just don't seem to be getting anything done this year.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Fostermomma,

It sounds like you have gotten ALOT done! What are you making for Christmas gifts?

We haven't gotten too much done. My honey picked up some metal sheeting for the roof of the shed/workshop and our friend also blessed us with some insulation and roofing paper 

It was too late for the apples, they were frozen. But this works out good because of lack of time and I would much rather have a nicer dehydrator if I am going to do all that work. Hoping for an LEM for Christmas 

I did get my flu shot though and have been able to stock up on some things for winter.

Have a blessed day everyone!


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## fostermomma (Feb 26, 2007)

So far I've got bath tub crayons completed for the kids. I started working on magnetic paper dolls but haven't got very far yet. I am going to make some lip balms, lotion, and bath scrubs for the ladies. For the men I'm not sure yet but, I am leaning towards making photo tile coasters. I usually end up doing some baking to give as well but, can't do that yet anyway.


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