Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: April 26 ~ May 2, 2020

ReneeT

Veteran Member
Just getting the thread started before I head to bed - working Sat/Sun/Mon nights so may not be back to the thread for a few days. Y'all take care; stay safe out there!
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Got my walmart pick up yesterday, they substituted three packages of Black Label bacon for the bacon ends and pieces I had on the order and one thing was out of stock with nothing to substitute was a particular brand of mineral water. Go my big $30 spiral cut ham with the bone in form the pickup.

Before we went to walmart we stopped at savealot, they had the 12# boxes of bacon for $19.99, there were four boxes and one was marked last one, I got one. I also got a 10# box of smithfield pork riblets. I have to dehydrate all of my frozen veggies to have room in the freezers for those two boxes of food after I get it separated into portions. I've only used my vacuum sealer for sealing jars, I may give the bag thing a shot on the bacon and riblets.

I talked to three different black ladies about processing plants closing down and they really didn't know about it. Two were at the check out and thanked me for letting them know but didn't go back in the store to buy meat. One lady was at the case where they had the riblets and I asked her if she had used them before, I had not. She said no but after I talked to her she did get a box, they were $14.98. Savealots shelves were pretty well stocked and they had a huge amount of water. I got two cases, Walmart was out of water again. Speaking of water, DH said he wants to get two more of the 275 gallon tanks (we have four) to take advantage of all of the water from the rain we keep getting.

So while DH got the pick up from walmart, the line was very short so I went in the store. I bought about $100 worth of non food items and another $182 on food. From the pick up and the instore I got 8 bottles of Sam's cola for DH. I even got a couple of loaves of bread, one for him and one for me, he only eats white and I only eat multigrain, that is when we ever eat bread.

DH replaced his utility batter at Tractor Supply (which he keeps calling it Farm and Fleet) and I bought a couple of cans of freon for the truck, it was 4.88 a can at walmart, seemed reasonable.

I can't think of another thing we need or might need in the near future. We are blessed.

Judy
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
From what I'm hearing from friends and family is that all of the grocery stores and even our local Walmart is back to business as usual. Most everything is back in stock. I've been ordering online, and have got great results every time. Some items took longer to ship than others, though.

When CaryC gets paid on the 1st. we plan to resume our into town shopping trips as we normally do twice a month. I can hardly wait! I also have a doctor's appt May 18th, and I've already canceled it once. I plan to keep the appt. this time. Can't put it off any longer.
 

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
From what I'm hearing from friends and family is that all of the grocery stores and even our local Walmart is back to business as usual. Most everything is back in stock. I've been ordering online, and have got great results every time. Some items took longer to ship than others, though.

When CaryC gets paid on the 1st. we plan to resume our into town shopping trips as we normally do twice a month. I can hardly wait! I also have a doctor's appt May 18th, and I've already canceled it once. I plan to keep the appt. this time. Can't put it off any longer.


the problem that is now coming up is people - the sheeple - getting the correct mindset to allow some normalcy back into their lives - they got a shock to their complacency and are now afraid ..

there's no real problem - NEVER WAS - a supply problem that resulted in shortages - it was hoarding and in some cases over usage due to the lockdown >>> everything in the stores should be coming back to normal ...
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
We are in week 7 of isolation. Still doing fine but I have been trying to order in supplies for the bad times that I think are coming. Walmart has very little that you can order and have shipped. Once in a while they get something in stock but if you do not order that item immediately, it is usually gone the next time you look. Online at least things are far from being normal, very far.
 

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
the problem that is now coming up is people - the sheeple - getting the correct mindset to allow some normalcy back into their lives - they got a shock to their complacency and are now afraid ..

there's no real problem - NEVER WAS - a supply problem that resulted in shortages - it was hoarding and in some cases over usage due to the lockdown >>> everything in the stores should be coming back to normal ...
It was not hoarding. Hoarding is simply a way to make evil the desire to have preps. It allows for the government to put forth the narrative of evil people out there hurting the populace. This allows for further evil to be put upon those who have used their resources to prepare for the bad things that happen in life.

Now for was there a supply problem? An argument can be made for both sides.

A) There was no supply problem, but rather people began to store reasonable levels of product to allow them to meet the government recommended levels of supply. IE: 2 week -30 day supply of food, etc. This caused the "shortages"

B) There was a supply problem. As China shut it self down, critical items that we had low levels of in the USA began to run out. Thus forcing a panic combined with the virus, caused the supply chain to break or at least stumble.

Neither is a good answer for me. As a nation we store only 3 days of food normally. This causes us to shop far too often and not be prepared for radical changes. This is why we run out of things for every major storm. In this case the storm was nation wide. Is it a supply chain issue or not? You decide. I believe it has caused us become a nation of pus**es who no longer can take care of ourselves if needed.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
There is a difference between prepping and hoarding. I'm a prepper, and have been for a long time. When everyone else was panicking, I was content. I've done my due diligence and stored food for years just for times such as these. Worked hard at it even. Lots of time and money invested to become as self-sufficient as possible. It built up over time. I did go out when this thing first hit, and topped off a few items. Been in self imposed lockdown, and have only gone out once, since then, mainly to get my dog more treats, and a few other items. After almost 6 weeks of eating solely out of my pantry, we're still in good shape.

If I'm a prepper, what is a hoarder?
 

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
There is a difference between prepping and hoarding. I'm a prepper, and have been for a long time. When everyone else was panicking, I was content. I've done my due diligence and stored food for years just for times such as these. Worked hard at it even. Lots of time and money invested to become as self-sufficient as possible. It built up over time. I did go out when this thing first hit, and topped off a few items. Been in self imposed lockdown, and have only gone out once, since then, mainly to get my dog more treats, and a few other items. After almost 6 weeks of eating solely out of my pantry, we're still in good shape.

If I'm a prepper, what is a hoarder?
To me you are a prepper.

To the masses you are a evil bas**d hoarder who is depriving their children of food and comfort.

Same coin different perspectives.

I believe this is why everyone who has any experience in prepping says "keep your mouth shut".

My problem is the word "hoarder" has such evil consequences. As a prepper you have done what the government has asked you to do. Make sure you can take care of yourself and others in a time of emergency. Then they come right back and call you a hoarder. It is almost like they are using us as a resource in times of need.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
To me you are a prepper.

To the masses you are a evil bas**d hoarder who is depriving their children of food and comfort.

Same coin different perspectives.

I believe this is why everyone who has any experience in prepping says "keep your mouth shut".

My problem is the word "hoarder" has such evil consequences. As a prepper you have done what the government has asked you to do. Make sure you can take care of yourself and others in a time of emergency. Then they come right back and call you a hoarder. It is almost like they are using us as a resource in times of need.

Yeah, it's crazy isn't it? People call me a hoarder because of what I have. Not my problem that they failed to do the same. Now, they want what I have, and get mad, because I won't share with them. They want "redistribution of MY wealth", which is classic Socialism. I don't care if it's an individual person or the government.
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yeah, it's crazy isn't it? People call me a hoarder because of what I have. Not my problem that they failed to do the same. Now, they want what I have, and get mad, because I won't share with them. They want "redistribution of MY wealth", which is classic Socialism. I don't care if it's an individual person or the government.
And that is why guns, knives, bows, anti-aircraft batteries, tanks, howitzers, cannons, etc are part of prepping too besides food. :)
 

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
Yeah, it's crazy isn't it? People call me a hoarder because of what I have. Not my problem that they failed to do the same. Now, they want what I have, and get mad, because I won't share with them. They want "redistribution of MY wealth", which is classic Socialism. I don't care if it's an individual person or the government.
It used to be called rape and pillage. Now it is called socialism.
 

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
Yeah, it's crazy isn't it? People call me a hoarder because of what I have. Not my problem that they failed to do the same. Now, they want what I have, and get mad, because I won't share with them. They want "redistribution of MY wealth", which is classic Socialism. I don't care if it's an individual person or the government.
None of them understand the time and effort it took you to get to the point you are at. They simply see someone whom is better off and then begins the envy.

In many aspects we are better off if we force people to live apart, (outside of family units). The more you cram into tight spaces, the crazier the ideas get.
 

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
Back to what we did this week.

We are now at 865 peppers this week. I'll try and get a picture for next week.

So we have hit 8.65% of our goal with an expectation of 10% by the end of April. We have a good chance of making record numbers this year.

The new planter is getting the beer treatment to cut down the bugs as we have already had to replant some plants that were eaten to the ground. The mild winter is showing its effects by larger than normal quantities of bugs.

The chili experiment went south. It worked and was half the cost of buying chili in the can. The problem is that we ate it all before we had a chance to can it. We really didn't make all that much in honesty. Tasted better and had no effects that regular chili seems to have.

We are now looking at methods to drive down the costs per canned 8oz jar of chili so it may take a couple of weeks before we try this again.
 
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tech

Veteran Member
Trying something new for corn this year. Picked up a couple 100 gallon water troughs and am using those as containers...at least mole, voles and fire ants can't infest there.
Clearing an area for some meat rabbit hutches. Just have to find some NZ whites...
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Broke the 50-year old handle on our spading fork today. So I made a new one from a piece of oak I found in the garage. Quite a job but kept me busy for a while and it was free.
 

school marm

Senior Member
We set out some tomato plants and transplanted a bunch of raspberry canes.

I made some (good!) brownies from scratch plus some hot fudge sauce from longterm food storage items for hot fudge brownie sundaes. I didn't think the hot fudge sauce would be very good since there isn't any cream in it, but it actually tasted pretty good. Actually, it tasted a lot like chocolate pudding, but it worked really well in the sundaes.
 

ReneeT

Veteran Member
Hiwall, I remember my great uncle asking us to save logs when we'd cut down a hedge tree - and then watching him use a draw knife to shape down the handles after he'd rough cut blanks.

I picked up a double roll 12 pk of tp when I hit Aldi Tuesday morning when I got off work; they had a reasonable amount of stock so I didn't feel like I was taking something someone else would need to purchase. I think it was $5.49. Did I need it? No, I've got a decent stock for our two families, plus plenty of old sheets that I could cut into squares for wet work if the stock looks like it's starting to get low. What I have on hand is the brands I prefer to use (and all purchased on sale). The 12 pk was purchased as an option to have on hand for donating - and if I do donate it, it likely won't be the entire pack, but 2-4 rolls at a time.

I grew up on whispered stories of a Great Aunt who 'hoarded' sugar during WWII - it was all purchased before the war in a time of plenty but Mama's older relatives still considered it to be hoarding - most likely because she wouldn't give them any of it.

Our local Rural King had a few ducklings, but no chicks; they've not had chicks the last several times I've gone in - I like to walk by and look at them. One of the people working said that the people are buying them in a panic... If I bought chicks, I'd more than likely be buying them to feed to the foxes, possums, coyotes, bobcats, weasels, etc... so I'll bide my time and see how it goes. The egg supply does not seem to be weak at the current time, although Aldi is limiting them to two cartons per visit.

We've been getting rain, rain, and more rain - 2.5" last night; I have a nice pond in one end of the garden closest to the house :lol: I was second guessing my decision to wait to plan; wondering if I should have gone ahead and planted my strawberries and raspberries Friday before I headed back in for 3 days at work at the end of last week. The front garden where they are going really does need the ground turned a few more times, and a bit deeper to dislodge some of the deeper rooted weeds. I guess I'd rather plant later in well prepared ground than fight those weeds all summer. I did get the plants heeled in to tubs so they aren't hurting too much as yet. It will likely be mid to late May before most of the garden gets in, looking at the forecast.

Nomifyle, Smithfield is one of the brands of pork products that are shipped to China for processing. Our local small grocery store is having a difficult time locating options to all of the brands that are processed in China (there is a list somewhere on main), but they do make their own specialty sausages so I am not missing too much. Haven't gotten back a reply from Aldi regarding where their shelf stable bacon is processed, so I am not buying it at this time.

Stay safe, Everyone!
 

prudentwatcher

Veteran Member
I did my "little" outing for the week. Managed to get some baking mixes--pound cake, blueberry muffin mixes. I have a lot of regular cake mixes, but these are nice for "special". In fact I made a pound cake today so we could have it with some fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Kind of hard to keep ahead on some of those mixes, though I keep trying!

Also hit the Walgreens and got some laundry detergent, body wash, some roll on absorbine, 8 packages of the little paper plates we use to feed the cats, some Oreos, and 4 boxes of granola bars that were marked down to $1.50. I got 2 at the first store and when the computer spit out a free $3 off coupon, I hit another Walgreens and got 2 more boxes, making them free. Everything I bought was on sale and most I had coupons for, so I am still stocking up, but being as frugal as possible. Found out my job should be secure for a couple more months (we got the small business loan), and things look good, but you never know what will happen. Stack it deep!
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
I'm not surprised about Smithfield, I won't buy any more from them in the future and I never buy Tyson. The walmart ham I bought probably came from china too.

Judy
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
We have been stocking up but only online and having everything shipped. Today I transferred the flour, cornmeal, and sugar into sealed containers. I also ordered some plastic totes in three different sizes to aid in consolidating and making more room in our storage room.
I saw the brand toilet paper we use was available at Walmart so I ordered two packages. We did not need it but I was so surprised it was in stock I got a couple.
Our neighbor had a beef cow break a leg so they took it to the butcher. I think we will buy some of the beef when they pick it up (I happen to know their freezers are about full anyway). They do always ask if we want any and this time we will say yes.
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I'm not surprised about Smithfield, I won't buy any more from them in the future and I never buy Tyson. The walmart ham I bought probably came from china too.

Judy
The meat likely does not come from China but they do own the companies. Sometimes I buy from companies I don't like because occasionally there is little choice.
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Got a dozen eggs and 11 lbs of lean ground beef from the neighbors today. I wanted to give them $50 but they refused to take more than $20. We are good friends so money changing hands between us don't mean much one way or the other.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
We are finally getting a break in our weather pattern. Next 3 days, lots of sunshine with temps in the mid to upper 80's. I took advantage of it this morning. I've been cleaning up the back deck. Cary still has to power wash all the furniture out there, but I did a lot of sweeping and cleaning myself...…….. I also got my summer yellow squash planted! Tomatoes will be next. Cary didn't start tomato seed this year, so we're going to buy the plants when we go into town Monday. Our local nursery has lots of them with different varieties. I'd like to grow one single tomato plant in a garden tub on the deck to see how it does this year. Maybe, growing them in partial shade will work better for us, since the hot sun and heat seems to scald them every year even with shade cloths...…...Since I'm on a roll, I washed two loads of laundry, and now have them on the outdoor clothesline to dry.

Anyway, I'm finally having "fun in the sun"! :eleph:
 
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nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Have to go to town today to make a bank deposit. I will make a stop at walmart, although we don't need anything and I can't think of anything I might want either, except a few bottles of soda for DH. Will stop at mcdonalds and get DH a 4 for 4.

Judy
 

ginnie6

Veteran Member
Did our weekly run yesterday and today I'm canning potatoes. Got about a 60lb box of Idaho potatoes and a 15 lb box of mushrooms at a local produce wholesaler. They'll sell to the public as long as you buy a case. Also picked up some fresh produce and a few odds and ends. We are as prepared as I can get us to stay home the next two weeks if we end up quarantined because of dh and ds' work.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Did our weekly run yesterday and today I'm canning potatoes. Got about a 60lb box of Idaho potatoes and a 15 lb box of mushrooms at a local produce wholesaler. They'll sell to the public as long as you buy a case. Also picked up some fresh produce and a few odds and ends. We are as prepared as I can get us to stay home the next two weeks if we end up quarantined because of dh and ds' work.

Our farmer's markets haven't opened yet for the year. I plan to buy a couple of bushels of southern peas to can when they do. DS bought some last year from them, and they were great peas, locally grown. If I had room is my freezers, I would put an order in for some sweet corn. Mom buys 100 ears every year to put up in her freezer, but I just don't have the room, and I don't think it cans very well. I've never tried it, though. We like it better on the cob. I do so hope our farmer's markets have an abundance this year. I would like to visit them early and often.
 

ginnie6

Veteran Member
Our farmer's markets haven't opened yet for the year. I plan to buy a couple of bushels of southern peas to can when they do. DS bought some last year from them, and they were great peas, locally grown. If I had room is my freezers, I would put an order in for some sweet corn. Mom buys 100 ears every year to put up in her freezer, but I just don't have the room, and I don't think it cans very well. I've never tried it, though. We like it better on the cob. I do so hope our farmer's markets have an abundance this year. I would like to visit them early and often.
I tried canning sweet corn one year. Did not like the way it canned at all. My understanding though is you need corn that has a lower sweet rating like dent corn. I'm trying growing corn again this year hoping for enough to put up, most likely in the freezer. If I don't grow enough I will go to a farmers market. This one here is open year round I believe, one of the only perks of living near a big city.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I tried canning sweet corn one year. Did not like the way it canned at all. My understanding though is you need corn that has a lower sweet rating like dent corn. I'm trying growing corn again this year hoping for enough to put up, most likely in the freezer. If I don't grow enough I will go to a farmers market. This one here is open year round I believe, one of the only perks of living near a big city.

Thanks for the tip about canning corn! I now know not to try it.
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
We have planted both sweet corn and dent corn, we'll see how it turns out.

Made my trip to town but had to cut it short because the a/c in the truck is on the fritz, again. So I made the bank deposit and kept some cash out for the bank of sealy. I only went to one store, Super One. They were limiting two packages of any kind of meat. I got two packages of breast tenders for the freezer although I already have two in the freezer.

Got some salad greens, I have got to drop a few pounds because the 4 new bras I got are too tight. I also got some more mineral water. Their water supply was low, no toilet paper, and a couple of packages of paper towels. I'm good on all of that. Bless my DH he is dehydrating all the frozen vegetables for me. He's the kind of person that gets right on things, me, I'm more likely to take a nap next to it.

This store has a good amount of rice, but low on beans. A lady said she was looking for butter beans and had been to two stores but could not find them. The store had plenty of fresh veggies and fruit. Bread section was shorter than usual, I think there was a limit.

To my surprise I found yeast, not a brand that I'm familiar with but I got two 3/packs. I'm not looking to bake bread but I like to have some fresh on hand. If someone around here needs some I'll share, but I don't know anyone around here that bakes bread.

There were a lot more cars in town (Natchitoches, LA). Two restaurants on front street were open and had tables set up on the walk in front of their restaurants. The tables were full. The governor of Louisiana (POS) extended the quarentine to May 15, but two parishes (counties) are opening fully today. And things looked so much busier In Natchitoches. I'm so sick of all this nonsense.

Judy
 

ginnie6

Veteran Member
there were lots of cars out yesterday. I read today that our Gov. is opening everything back up Monday. Cases here are still going up. UGH! I know businesses need to make money, heck dh needs to work, but dang this virus scares me. So I will be staying home. If I get it it'll be because dh or one of the kids bring it in. I am so incredibly fed up with all of this. If it turns out this was caused by people and not some accident of nature someone needs to be held accountable. The mood I'm in today I'd gladly slap the daylights out of them.
 
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