Weekly Prep Thread, April 23-29, 2006

[A.T.Hagan]

It's been a busy weekend trying to get caught up in the garden. Spent a fair part of both days raking and spreading mulch around what I've already got planted. Planted ten sweet potato slips as well and have that many more left to go. Probably lose a couple of the ones I planted today as I should have waited till closer to evening.

The rabbit book I ordered came in so I'll be reading that this week so I can start giving some thought to how best go about this. I want to be able to hit the ground running with this when my daughter joins 4H.

Spring has pretty well run away here in Florida. It was just doggone hot working outside. Pretty soon now we're going to have to button up and turn on the a/c.

How's it going with you folks?

.....Alan.

 

[Dinghy]

I got some oregano, basil, and parsley plants, but it's still too cold to plant them. This will be my first attempt at an herb garden. My daughter bought me an elderberry bush for Mother's Day and gave it to me this weekend. It already has buds on it and it's only about a foot tall!
I found three boxes of instant potatoes in a clearance cart for .50 each, and I grabbed them all! The boxes were a little crushed, but I'll just put them in jars.
I dehydrated 3 cans of peaches yesterday, and I have a load of cinnamon-sugar apple slices in there now.
I found out that my 10 year old grandaugter is starting a bug-out-bag!!! How proud am I??? I bought her some toothpaste and wet wipes to put in it and gave her a couple of bottles of water. I also gave her an old pill bottle with some change in it. She told me she has some elderberry lozenges in there already. I was shocked at the thought she's put into it! She'll do what I can't get her father to do!
I'm slowly building up a supply of baby food and necessities for my daughter's baby-to-be. I got a couple more jars of food today.
There haven't been any good sales for a long time, so I'm just watching for clearance items, and filling in some gaps.

 

[JohnGaltfla]

Checked my plywood for the hurricane season to make sure it was still good. Added another months supply to my batteries, rechargeable and alkies. Also added to my freeze dried foods since our local Sports Authority just restocked. Cost a pretty penny, but what the heck.

Hope everyone else is doing well also....

 

[CopperTopMom]

I am sooooo jealous! You have your hens half grown and your garden well on it's way and I'm just getting my tomatoes etc started inside and we haven't even ORDERED our chicks yet, when we do they won't come till the beginning of June. Cgtech started cleaning up the yard from winter this weekend. We barely kept the fire going today since it was nice and warm out, that trend should continue now but Alan what you're getting now (late spring for you I guess) is the height of summer for us

Actually everything is early this year. Normally we would be just drying out from the mud and mud has been done for nearly a month now I don't know if that means we can risk planting out before Victoria Day weekend though, don't want to lose anything to frost and besides if we plant untreated seed we need to wait another week or two after that.

 

[Green Co.]

All the garden has been planted, except the okra, hopefully sometime this week. Did the first spray for fungus on the yellow & zucchini squash.

For SE Texans, Brookshires is running their chicken leg quarters for .19# in the 10# bags thru Tue. The DW canned 20# today.

 

[blueberry]

Getting over a bad cold that lasted a week, so I didn't get much garden work done. But today, I did buy a lot of over the counter medicines - you just never know when you may need them.

 

[Fuzzychick]

Getting over a bad cold that lasted a week, so I didn't get much garden work done. But today, I did buy a lot of over the counter medicines - you just never know when you may need them.

Sista Blue, hope you're feeling better soon!

 

[wasabell]

Filled 4 5-gal propane tanks. Got the fuel for 1.99/gal...Ouch! but I dont see the prices coming down. Should last us for most of the summer.
I'm calling the propane company today to have 100 gals delivered to the house. We turned the water down yet another notch to save fuel.

 

[A.T.Hagan]

CopperTopMom,

You just have to move out of that freezer you live in and you'll be able to garden earlier!

I have a far longer growing season than you do, but on the flip side food storage is ever so much easier for you than it is for me.

Speaking of which, I have just got to do an inventory of the storage cabinets soon.

My Vidalia onions are ready to cure so I'll probably start pulling them this week.

.....Alan.

 

[WalknTrot]

Arrrgh! The seed catalog company won't even be mailing my onion starts for another week or two. I do have spinach and romaine coming up nicely, and the tomato and pepper plants are almost ready to transplant to bigger pots. Miracle Grow potting soil here I come!

Yesterday my Dad and I hauled R.R. ties from my place to repair their large (50x30) raised bed. Also a couple dump trailers-full of rotted horse manure with the tractor loader.

I'm off work this week, and on the list is extending the back yard fence to include an area I want to use as orchard. Am hoping a tall fence and free dog access will cut down on deer damage. Also need to get a start with framing in the new chicken shed. Plan to make the building big enough to have a seperate area for growing out meat birds without the need for outside access.

Have another pot of cooked chicken meat in the fridge to can. And I see the local ad has more $.29/lb quarters this week. I may be approaching chicken burnout.

 

[Burbsteader]

DH retilled the garden. I marked it with stakes and string to keep my youngest from trampling seed beds.

Kale, spinach, english and lemon thyme, garden sage (good bee attractant BTW) and 2 types of peas-planted seedlings

Cress, corn salad, and chicory- planted seeds

In my kids' garden bed, under a cloche, planted carrots, lettuce and pansies-seeds

Weeded my other garden and flower beds. Blooms on my strawberry plants and lots of little figs developing. Hope to get an early crop, but its been frosting, so I'm not holding my breath on that one. At least we finally got our first crop last year(late crop).

Had to restake our baby apple tree that we planted last year. We staked it north and south, so of course it leaned to the east.

My chicks are doing well. Need to move them to a larger brooder this week.
4 Barred Rocks and 4 Silver Laced Wyandottes.

Our mason bees are really busy. They filled 6 of their tubes just yesterday with eggs, so I know a lot of flowers are getting pollinated. The bumblebees that moved into our 2nd compost bin are really going gangbusters as well. BTW, if you want to attract bumblebees, plant purple flowers. They will always choose purple flowering varieties first over other colors in my yard.

Cleaned out my kitchen cabinets of junk I rarely use. Cleaned up my pantry. Planning on dejunking more and doing a better inventory so I can restock.

Finally followed through on my plan to stop using so much plastic wrap. Stopped by a cash and carry store and bought non waxed butcher paper and paper sandwich wrap sheets. I'm trying to reduce my dependence on petroleum based products and looking for recyclable products to repace them with if possible.

Kicking myself for not thinking about going to the Cash and Carry store for prepping. They've got all sorts of useful dishes, food items, etc. But I hadn't shopped there for years so I had forgotten all about its potential. Big mistake on my part.

 

[teadrinker]

Been busy planting potatoes....yukon gold and red ones. Also planted Mr. Big peas, beets, carrots, onions, swiss chard, and turnips. The rest of the garden will have to wait until the middle of May when all the rest of veg's. will be going in.

I had a shock of my life this weekend when my DD called and asked me if she could plant a small garden here, she only buys canned or frozen foods from stores and she hates to cook,.....of course I say'd, YOU BET YOU CAN! Wonders never cease to amaze me.

Oh and then my DS....who never, never thinks about teotwawki and who usually only eats at restaurant's, and who also thinks that I am a little nuts for prepping, told me that he was reading an article online about bf and the article got him a little shook up. Now I think he is somewhat ready to listen to dear old mom about prepping.....I think.....maybe.....!

Sorry for the thread drift, just wanted to share a little about my kids who may just be coming around.

 

[PilotFighter]

Stopped in the Dollar General here and picked up a case of the canned roast beef and gravy, and 2 cases of corned beef. Also grabbed 6 more rat traps for catching squirrles this past weekend. Then went to the Hudsons Salvage and found 2 more of the Jensen crank radio and flashlight sets. Got them for $6 each.

 

[A.T.Hagan]

What sort of rat traps are you catching squirrels with? Are these the big old fashioned board traps? I haven't seen one of those in a while.

.....Alan.

 

[bluetick]

Despite the threat of bird flu, I ordered my first ever chicks today! My only experience with poultry to date has been with waterfowl, and I love my ducks and geese, but wanted to try something new. The buff orpington chicks will be arriving next week.

I moved most of the smaller pieces of downed maple branch to my woodpile, and broke up even smaller pieces for kindling. The rest of that huge limb that came down in a windstorm last fall needs to be split.

Peas are in the ground, but the rest of the garden can't be planted until mid to late May. The rhubarb is up, and the peach trees are almost ready to blossom.

 

[Anne in TN]

Planted two tomato plants a week ago and they look terrible: leaves turning yellow and full of holes. The plants aren't growing either. We plant tomato plants every year and have never had trouble before.

 

[CopperTopMom]

CopperTopMom,

You just have to move out of that freezer you live in and you'll be able to garden earlier!

I may live in a freezer in winter but I'm not sure that I'd like living in an oven in the summer. Then there is the hurricaine situation we only get one every couple of decades or three, and it's just a baby compared to yours Hmmmmm maybe I'm not so jealous after all

I have a far longer growing season than you do, but on the flip side food storage is ever so much easier for you than it is for me.

But with a longer growing season you don't need to store as much you get it fresh and in season!

Speaking of which, I have just got to do an inventory of the storage cabinets soon.

We've been doing the same here. Trying to figure out where to put stuff so it isn't obvious when you walk in the door that we have lots (relatively speaking) stored. We have neighbours that tend to use us as the store sometimes, don't want to encourage that.

My Vidalia onions are ready to cure so I'll probably start pulling them this week.

Ok I'm, pouting now

.....Alan.

PS I've got some kids for sale.......................CHEAP!! Ok I'll pay you to take them The girls today so they could watch your dd. DD13 can baby sit and dd9 will just think she's a big doll to play with.......come on now you could use a couple more kids.......right right????


c'mon pleeeaaaase

 

[prudentwatcher]

Got the tomato bed covered with netting so the birds won't ruin it this year.

With coupons in the last week or so I've gotten 20 lbs of free cat food and 40 lbs of free dog food, and I still have coupons to go. I also keep buying something for the medicine cabinet in every store I go into and am rapidly knocking out the list of things to get for it. I bought some more yarn today to make 2 more lap blankets and had SO buy enough underwear and socks for the next year--I already had mine put away. Some more laundry detergent on sale, bringing my stash to about 3 years worth. I'm broke, but I feel good about where we are prep-wise. Might be depending more on those preps with gas prices going up.

 

[Pearl]

Didn't do much this weekend, but I did get some potatoes planted. By accident. Sort of. The area the cats dug up that used to be corn is now planted to marble-sized potatoes, from a plant I forgot about last year. I'm leaving the tomato cages in place on top, and they do seem to work against cats. (who are all giving me reproachful looks - tough)

Pearl

 

[Shooting Star]

We planted our garden last weekend, and we got so much rain I am afraid we will have to replant a lot of it.....I also bought another case of canning jars yesterday...

 

[idelphic]

Well, not sure if a real prep or not..

Had picked up a 8125 PDA cell phone around the first of the month. Was led to beleive that my employer was going to pick me back up again. So I picked up the phone to stay in better contact.

Welp - I returned it today and had the purchase price credited back to me. I'll use that to purchase preps or tools.

 

[PilotFighter]

What sort of rat traps are you catching squirrels with? Are these the big old fashioned board traps? I haven't seen one of those in a while.

.....Alan.

Yes they are the old board type traps. Can get them at the feed stores still. I drill 2 holes in them for nailing to a tree, then I'm able to pull them back off if I want. Makes for very quite hunting.

 

[A.T.Hagan]

Yes they are the old board type traps. Can get them at the feed stores still. I drill 2 holes in them for nailing to a tree, then I'm able to pull them back off if I want. Makes for very quite hunting.

That's an interesting idea. Hadn't thought of using them that way before. My local squirrels and I are in a state of war so this may be a new means of attack.

.....Alan.

 

[Taz]

Well, my garden isn't very big this year. Its all in pots. I have about 6 tomatoe plants, one egg plant and 6 cukes with trellis. But one has to know they are going to be here to really have a garden. However, my neighbor that is just moving in behind us has a wonderful garden plot on that piece of land. She knows nada. But she and I hope to have a big fall garden. She has the land and water, I have the seed, knowledge and the tractor with the rototiller on the back. So think we will just plan on sharing the garden rather than me starting a new one.

 

[florida panhandle]

My Vidalia onions are ready to cure so I'll probably start pulling them this week.

.....Alan.

How do you cure your Vidalia's? Leave the tops on?

Thanks

 

[ka5gtc]

I have put back a few things in the last week. I bought 2 more 5 gal containers and filled them. I bought several extra packs of cornbread mix , 6 more cans of tuna, two 18 packs of vienna sausages , another 24 roll of TP,and some more medical supplies. I found a coleman 1850 watt generator in a trashpile and all it needed was a new sparkplug. Now I have a spare for my spare. Hope I dont need 3 generators but you never know. Oh put a new Springfield armoury XD 9 on layaway for the DW. I stopped by the local gun shop and grabbed another 80 rnds for the sks. I is sure not cheap like it was. Well that puts me over a thousand on that gun . Just dont seem to have enough time or money to do what I want to but every little bit helps. Time is short.....................

 

[A.T.Hagan]

How do you cure your Vidalia's? Leave the tops on?

Thanks

I'm going to leave the tops on this time. Green Co gave me the idea to try braiding them. In the past I've always cut the tops off.

.....Alan.