Weekly Prep Thread, April 9-15, 2006

[A.T.Hagan]

I'm taking the family off for Spring Break tomorrow so I'm going to get this week's thread posted tonight.

FINALLY got a much needed rain tonight. The centipede grass was so dry this morning that it crunched when I walked on it. Spent the day working on the henyard with a chunk out of the middle of it lost to babysitting so I didn't get anything other than rebuilding and hanging the gate done.

How is everyone else doing this week?

.....Alan.

 

[Walrus Whisperer]

I hit the jackpot today. I put an ad in our local thrifty nickel last week that read something like-WANTED: Standard canning jars, you want them gone, I'll pick them up in XXXX area.

I got one call on mar. 30, the first day the paper was out and he brought them by since he was pretty far away. And I got one more call this last thurs and went and got them this morning.

Paid 11$ for the ad, and the gasoline to get them and the hot water/soap I'm using to clean the jars I estimate at maybe 5$.
I made out like a bandit.

I estimate I got something like 10- 15 dozen jars-mostly quarts, a bunch of rings and two of the boiling water bath jar lifter units that fit into the pan-never had one before. What JOY!

Pics: The first one is the batch I got first-even had two of those lovely old blue jars in there and the next pic is the second batch I got today from the farm lady-

 

[Freeholder]

I added a few cans of salmon to the preps yesterday. Spent a couple of hours price checking materials for new or rebuilt goat shelters (the Costco carport shelter tarps don't hold up well). Bought some more stuff to plant -- grapes, raspberries, asparagus, roses (all right, food for the soul!). And got myself a hat I've been wanting for quite a while. It's oiled canvas, has a narrow brim and ear flaps (and a chin strap to keep it from flying off in high winds -- the goats like to chew on it). We get a lot of cold rain and wind here, and this hat is the best thing I've found -- it was on sale at Bi-Mart.

Kathleen

 

[atropa]

I added a can of formula, 3 cans of carrots from a case I bought, and bought 25 lbs of flour and 50 lbs of rice. I also found 6 1 lb. bags of navy beans on the clearance rack at the grocery store for really cheap.

 

[Spot]

We went to town yesterday and got more vitamins , 2 containers of Lambs Ear , and some dry soup mix.
Spot

 

[wasabell]

DH got the garage cleaned, it was a disaster area. We're headed out to Tractor supply for another gas shut-off valve (this one for the portable generator). When we want to stop running the genny, we will turn off the shut off valve and let it run out of gas. Keeps the carburator from shellacing up. So I'm told, anyway

I added a large canister of instant mashed potatos to the pantry stores. The Idahoan brand is very good, IMHO. I'm also making another batch of beef jerky today.

My chore this week is to re-org the closet. Put all the winter stuff away, etc...

 

[Barb]

Alan, you mean grass isn't supposed to crunch? If you can find them, potato pearls that come in a waxed gallon carton are hands down the best instant potatoes. Restaurant supply places should have them, or maybe bulk grocers. Barb

 

[gillmanNSF]

Been cleaning up the garage, as per the landlord's request, trying to find places for everything in my apartment and at my space at a storage facility, all as the weather permits. But that hasn't stopped me from prepping! I can't fit anymore food items until I get my new cabinets installed in my second bedroom, but I bought this item at gearforcamping.com. It's the Zodi X-40 hot tap water maker. I'm planning on using it for camping this coming September, but it will also be useful in getting hot water in an emergency situation and it has good fuel use efficiency. It's got a 16 foot hose with a spray nozzle to fill a pot or dishpan, or shower with hot water. A garden hose adapter makes it even more useful. It has it's own carrycase and hooks right up to a 20 lb. propane tank. The ad said it is used at base camps in the antarctic. What can I say, I'm a sucker for "base camp" gear. It was on sale for $347 and you get an extra 10% off my entering the promo code. Shipping was $42 but no tax!. I'd rather pay shipping than pay tax. This week I plan on playing with all the gadgets I've been buying so I don't have to try to figure it all out at once...in the dark.

 

[blueberry]

Great score on the canning jars, Walrus Whisperer!

I bought more garden tools, and have been doing a lot of work in the garden. Found a good deal on peanut butter, and added more to my stash.

 

[pkchicken]

Bought some more powdered milk and chocolat powder to go with it.
I AM PLANNING ON BUYING SOME OF THAT "MORNING MOO'S mix" this week and that hand powered log splitter that they have been talking about over in the homesteading forum.

pk

 

[Splicer205]

We added more olive leaf extract, elderberries, sambucol, and got organic iodine, and bird flu nosode. Canned 20 pints chicken, 15 butter, and dehydrated some lemon zest and mangoes. Got some fresh and canned pineapple to dehydrate. Stacked a couple more cords of firewood for next year. Transplanted some little seedings growing inside to a bigger container waiting for outside.

You sure got a gold mine there, Walrus Whisperer!

 

[Lurking LRRP]

I am trying my hand at butter making today, hope it tastes good, the potato/5gallon bucket experiment is going great, going to add some more soil/mix this week. Bought a thanksgiving dinner with canned turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing. Hopefully we never have to cook that one.

Lurking LRRP