SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We still have a few raised beds, but they need a lot of work to get them ready to be planted. He may get the urge, and he may not. We'll see.
Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: January 16 - 22, 2022
- Thread starter nomifyle
- Start date
We still have a few raised beds, but they need a lot of work to get them ready to be planted. He may get the urge, and he may not. We'll see.
If we didn't have a pond that we could irrigate with, ours would have died 2 years ago. We too have an orchard with LOTS of muscadines and grapes. But the blueberries are my favorite!
Barry Natchitoches
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Sunday, I planted an assortment of lettuce, cabbage and broccoli seeds in one of those special seed starting trays that Park Seed company sells. I think that it is a propriatory seed starting system, as they say they developed it, and anyway, I have never seen the components of that system selling anywhere else.
Well, the little green leaves began to appear two days ago, and at this point, every one of the 40 little pods in the tray have tiny seedlings emerging in them. They are now sitting under grow lights on a table in the same living room that is currently housing my little baby chicks.
I mention the seed starting system that I am using here because I have been gardening for 20 years now, and I have never had the degree of success with any other seed starting system that I seem to have using Park Seed’s system.
Everything seems to germinate quicker, and I seem to net higher germination rates on older seeds when I start the plants with the unique Park Seed system. (I have no ties - finantial or otherwise - to this company, FYI…)
So now, I have both newly hatched baby chicks AND newly emerging seedlings inside my house right now.
I’m not waiting for spring to arrive…
Well, the little green leaves began to appear two days ago, and at this point, every one of the 40 little pods in the tray have tiny seedlings emerging in them. They are now sitting under grow lights on a table in the same living room that is currently housing my little baby chicks.
I mention the seed starting system that I am using here because I have been gardening for 20 years now, and I have never had the degree of success with any other seed starting system that I seem to have using Park Seed’s system.
Everything seems to germinate quicker, and I seem to net higher germination rates on older seeds when I start the plants with the unique Park Seed system. (I have no ties - finantial or otherwise - to this company, FYI…)
So now, I have both newly hatched baby chicks AND newly emerging seedlings inside my house right now.
I’m not waiting for spring to arrive…
Last edited:
Barry Natchitoches
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I have a HF ham radio transceiver which - with the right antennas - can pick up alot of shortwave transmissions. But honestly, it has been many years since I used it.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We only have our fig trees, one peach and one apple tree left. We still have our muscadines, too. We lost all of our plum trees and blackberries. Over the years, we've lost our pear tree and all our grapes. We tried growing elderberries, but they didn't make it. I forgot to mention that we have a huge pecan tree, too.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I'll let Cary explain what we have and why.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I am by no means an expert on this, but can give what I understand.
Yes we have a Geiger counter it is the GMC 500+ (be sure to include the + if you get it) from Walmart for about 120.00. I choose that one mainly cuz a friend of mine is a Physicist, and recommended it.
He recommends it because it has 2 tubes in it to measure radiation. One tube measures low radiation amounts those under <50 CPM (counts per minute), and another for high amounts. Background radiation in my area runs mostly between 17 and 24 CPM.
If you are near a blast zone, or fallout, a geiger counter with only one tube to measure low radiation will be overwhelmed, and cease to function. With the GMC 500+ you get both so no need to buy two Geiger counters to measure the CPM. And of course the reverse is also true in that if you have a Geiger counter that measures high radiation, and you are in a low radiation level, which can still do a lot of damage, depending on exposure, you won't get a reading at all.
I would eventually like to get the key fob nuke alert, which to my understanding measure high radiation doses, just to have on my key chain.
For more information on what is ok and not ok on radiation, and how much you can absorb and live, eat etc. The book Nuclear Survival Skills will give you all that, plus more. About 15.00 online purchase.
For the Short Wave radio (receiver):
Like AM, or FM radio freq's, so is SW (Short Wave), All you have to do is run the dial to pick up and listen to a broadcast. So long as the radio you are using has the SW band. The thing with SW is that they can circumvent the earth. So someone broadcasting in say Ukraine, can be picked up here.
The good thing with SW is that if major networks either loose their ability, or are taken over by the government you can still get news via SW. I don't know if this is true but SW may operate on HAM freq's. So the SW broadcast may have to use repeaters or something, but that is not something a person with a receiver has to worry about, just like your old AM, FM transistor radio.
The radio we have with SW, while being able to run on batteries, it also has a hand crank to power it. Which I thought would be handy if you're listening for news on SW you might not have electricity.
We've had ours for years and don't remember where we got them, but you might check at Sportsman Guide, not to mention amazon or some place like that.
Like I said usage of SW band is just like what you did as a teen to listen to AM, or FM radio.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
Grundig, bought at Radio Shack in the mall when it was a mall. Used to listen to it but its been sitting a long time.
Hand crank one SIL got me for Christmas a couple years ago. Needs longer antenna but takes batteries and I can run it off my solar too.
Hand crank one SIL got me for Christmas a couple years ago. Needs longer antenna but takes batteries and I can run it off my solar too.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
Finally gt a peach tree in last spring. One apple tree died, still have one by mailbox that needs pruned badly.
Many elderberry, huge. Mulberry too. Hope to get another apple and a pear this spring. Shagbark Hickory but no patience to shell, though it really puts out. Might get going on that this year.
Many elderberry, huge. Mulberry too. Hope to get another apple and a pear this spring. Shagbark Hickory but no patience to shell, though it really puts out. Might get going on that this year.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
You reminded me that we also have a huge mulberry tree and a wild cherry tree in our backyard.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
Made couple loaves of fresh bread everyone is munching on. NEED to get more flour. Am done to about 25lbs. Ug.
Taught little Levi age 8, the Fibonacci Sequence, Did graphs, used pinecomes, pineapple, shells, Nature, etc He really enjoyed it and got it quickly.
Taught little Levi age 8, the Fibonacci Sequence, Did graphs, used pinecomes, pineapple, shells, Nature, etc He really enjoyed it and got it quickly.
Barry Natchitoches
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Shortwave frequencies often lie right next to the HF (high frequency) frequencies on the radio frequency spectrum, thus a radio that has the proper antenna to pick up one of the shortwave bands can often times pick up the nearby ham frequencies.
Shortwave radio can often times keep you informed about what is happening in a far away place in the world - information that you would never learn about if you are confined to just main stream American media. The ability to pick up nearby ham bands is possibly even more valuable than being able to pick up shortwave broadcasts in a true emergency situation, like what is playing out right now in Tonga.
As of yesterday morning, the only direct communication with Tonga was on the ham bands.
Back in 1964, hams were the only way to know what was happening in Alaska during their massive earthquake - and ham radio operators were officially credited with saving alot of lives in Alaska.
In fact, there are a lot of disasters over the years where hams were the only communication channels open, and lives were saved because of ham radio.
That is not as much today, with widespread availability of cell phones and the internet.
But of somethings knocks cell lines and the internet offline - at least in an area hard hit by a disaster - it could still happen today.
Shortwave radio can often times keep you informed about what is happening in a far away place in the world - information that you would never learn about if you are confined to just main stream American media. The ability to pick up nearby ham bands is possibly even more valuable than being able to pick up shortwave broadcasts in a true emergency situation, like what is playing out right now in Tonga.
As of yesterday morning, the only direct communication with Tonga was on the ham bands.
Back in 1964, hams were the only way to know what was happening in Alaska during their massive earthquake - and ham radio operators were officially credited with saving alot of lives in Alaska.
In fact, there are a lot of disasters over the years where hams were the only communication channels open, and lives were saved because of ham radio.
That is not as much today, with widespread availability of cell phones and the internet.
But of somethings knocks cell lines and the internet offline - at least in an area hard hit by a disaster - it could still happen today.
Barry Natchitoches
Has No Life - Lives on TB
If you are going to buy a shortwave radio, make sure to buy one that offers Single Side Bands - USB and LSB.
That is where most of the ham action is.
That is where most of the ham action is.
Barry Natchitoches
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Another thing - with any kind of radio equipment - the antenna is the most important part of the system.
A cheap shortwave receiver with an excellent, proper wavelength antenna attached, is worth its weight in gold.
An expensive receiver with a cheap, run of the mill antenna, is not all that great. There is alot it is likely to miss.
Alot of people attach high quality outdooe antennas, via an electronic antenna tuner, to their otherwise mundane receiver units. And it is astounding how much they are able to pick up.
Also important for how much you can receive is the height of your antenna, compared to the envorinment (buildings, trees, etc) surrounding it.
Higher is better.
A cheap shortwave receiver with an excellent, proper wavelength antenna attached, is worth its weight in gold.
An expensive receiver with a cheap, run of the mill antenna, is not all that great. There is alot it is likely to miss.
Alot of people attach high quality outdooe antennas, via an electronic antenna tuner, to their otherwise mundane receiver units. And it is astounding how much they are able to pick up.
Also important for how much you can receive is the height of your antenna, compared to the envorinment (buildings, trees, etc) surrounding it.
Higher is better.
Thank you! The books we have and have read. Have put off buying the equipment hoping that we wouldn't have to but we think it is time now!
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I never read, "Alas Babylon", so I don't know of the list you speak of. Can you share? I did read, "One Second After", and that book scared me so bad, I never wanted to read, "Alas Babylon".
It is basically just a last minute list of stuff to get. When Randy hears from his brother that war is imminent he goes on a last minute shopping spree. For me it is mostly additional animal feed, filling the spare gas cans, and some nice extras like hard candy and chocolate. The animal feed because of storage issues. I dont have the space in the coop and hutch for any more which means storage in the house garage. The gas because I dont like to store gas in plastic cans. Long term stuff is in metal cans so this is bonus. The nice to haves because they are morale boosters. It is all stuff that if I dont get it it isnt the end of the world. Just extra insurance.
Alas Babylon is one of my favorites. I highly recommend it.
Yeah... One Second After is too dark and nihilistic for many... (On The Beach was worse). But Alas Babylon isn't a bad read... it doesn't leave you feeling hopeless, and it's very thought provoking.
Summerthyme
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
That was the same with us.
Bought the Geiger counter first of Jan. Like I said bought it at walmart, and took about a week to get.
None of that is the cheapest in the world but thought the GMC 500+ was the best, because you only needed the one Geiger counter. The plus means there is a means to transfer the data and track on your computer.
BTW it's battery operated, and re chargeable.
This radio here is similar to the one we got about 45.00:
HQ ISSUE Multi-Band Dynamo / Solar Powered Weather Radio - 232573, Emergency & Survival at Sportsman's Guide (sportsmansguide.com)
Barry mentioned the 2 wave lengths and it looks like this one has both.
Hope this helps
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thanks! Yeah, we have a "last minute" get list, too, if there is time, based on what the situation is. I thought maybe you had some specifics to a nuclear conflict in mind with your list. When it comes to getting prepared for a nuclear conflict, there's just not much more we can do, specifically. I'm all up for any new ideas, though.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
SB may not know it, but our last minute list is stuck to the front of the gun cabinet. Cuz like you will never forget your guns. LOL
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thanks for that, Summerthyme. I had nightmares really bad while reading One Second After. I would have to put it down for a few days, before picking it back up. I'll order Alas Babylon, and give it a try, but no guarantees that I'll get through it, LOL! Those type of books really mess with me and my anxiety levels.
hiwall
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Just a note on lists:
Walmart allows you to keep multiple lists on their web site. You can order everything on a list or just pick and choose what you want. We keep two lists. A regular list of items we commonly order and a shtf list of things we would want if that was our last chance to get an order delivered (like additional LTS food, pressure canner, etc).
The shtf list can just make it easier not to forget possibly vital things when you are under stress.
Walmart allows you to keep multiple lists on their web site. You can order everything on a list or just pick and choose what you want. We keep two lists. A regular list of items we commonly order and a shtf list of things we would want if that was our last chance to get an order delivered (like additional LTS food, pressure canner, etc).
The shtf list can just make it easier not to forget possibly vital things when you are under stress.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Like I said earlier, there's not really much one can do to prepare for a nuclear event, unless you have plans to evacuate your area. So, we have a list of things to do if we have to make an emergency evacuation. Other than a plan for that, I have a plan to make a fast run to Sam's, and stock up on as much food as we can afford to go with what I already have here. Food, water, meds, and ammo will be a matter of survival if a SHTF event takes place.
Do ya'll have any contingency plans that are similar? Not just for a nuclear event.
Do ya'll have any contingency plans that are similar? Not just for a nuclear event.
I've carried a "SHTF shopping list" in my wallet for years. When things get squirrely in the news, I make sure I have enough cash with me to fill it if necessary.
But the recent shortages (and the "limit 2 or 4 cans" common during the early COVID days) has me rethinking some of it... I suspect we're basically going to have what we have...
Summerthyme
But the recent shortages (and the "limit 2 or 4 cans" common during the early COVID days) has me rethinking some of it... I suspect we're basically going to have what we have...
Summerthyme
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yeah. I keep emergency cash in my wallet at all times. Enough to get whatever we might need at a moment's notice. We may not have time to go to the bank to withdraw cash on hand. We pay cash for everything. Debit cards would be used if we had to as long as you can still use them.
There might be limits on some items, but I would buy whatever is available, even making substitutes if there are shortages. At the same time, I know there is always a possibility that what we already have is what we will have.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
SB, Alas Babylon is a small book, it's really very good. If you liked Jericho, you will like it.
Too bad they never made a movie of it.
Here is my thought on last minute list. I see the possibility of lots of people hitting the road and shops not being open due to lack of personnel to run the stores. Then there is the whole thing of not being able to get money due to banks being closed. I know really negative, right? Our plan is to bunker down here. It will be uncomfortable but seems to be our best solution. Lots of family here that just have NO clue and I think we would have to help. Would help if I knew where the bad stuff would land!!
Thanks Cary. Ordered last night! Hope we chose well!
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Like you mentioned earlier SB and I aren't physically able to do much bugging out. So buggin in, in most cases.
However a nuke down stream, with fall out coming our way, looks to be the motivating factor now. While not likely, it's still not totally out of the picture.
As we age, we'll probably just glow in the dark, and be done with it.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
I have alas babalyon and also one second after. I couldn't even finish one second after nor the two more in that series.
Frankly, I don't think Russia is going to invade Ukraine although Bidet is trying to push them into it. Life is short, I'm not going to live in fear.
God is good all the time
Judy
Frankly, I don't think Russia is going to invade Ukraine although Bidet is trying to push them into it. Life is short, I'm not going to live in fear.
God is good all the time
Judy
hiwall
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We are staying here but the trigger for our kids is if comms go down. No long-distance phones and no internet. Other things could trigger but that for sure.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We're not living in fear, either. There is a reason we prep, though, as much as we can for all situations.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
I'm prepped up and if we are missing something we will do without.
God is good all the time
Judy
WanderLore
Veteran Member
Bugging in for us. One son probably join us. Everyone else set up except son and his wife in big city. Not sure what they would do.
Getting certain items in amounts to last a long time is challenging. There are things we just can't stock that deep. But we'll do what we can.
Have to wait and see what happens, or leading up to it.
Getting certain items in amounts to last a long time is challenging. There are things we just can't stock that deep. But we'll do what we can.
Have to wait and see what happens, or leading up to it.
John Deere Girl
Veteran Member
I have a list too. If things with Russia kick off, I will most likely fulfill that list. I don't live in fear, but I can top everything off quickly if needed.