Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread July-19-2020 to july-25-2020

Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
Organized pantry. Identified some major holes. So much needs updating. So much needs to be checked. Just because a prep was in usable condition a while back doesn't mean it still is.

Added a few pounds of lentils, two bricks of yeast and a jar bullion to the pantry.

Put together a grab and go emergency bin: a stove, fuel for it etc.

Started box for local food pantry.
 
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Terrwyn

Veteran Member
I just wish I had your energy OGM to organize my preps. What little I have has been spent trying to clean the mess from weed wacking so our acre doesn't burn in case of wildfire.
I am following your lead in preparing a box for our local pantry and my neighbor. I decided to tithe several cans out of each case of food I buy.
I have added tea mix, olive oil, 6 cases of various beans, 6 cases of assorted soups, pastas, diced tomatoes, canned peas. Also herbs and supplements and assorted medical supplies.
Like some others on TB I feel time is running out in more ways than one.
 

Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
I just wish I had your energy OGM to organize my preps. What little I have has been spent trying to clean the mess from weed wacking so our acre doesn't burn in case of wildfire.
I am following your lead in preparing a box for our local pantry and my neighbor. I decided to tithe several cans out of each case of food I buy.
I have added tea mix, olive oil, 6 cases of various beans, 6 cases of assorted soups, pastas, diced tomatoes, canned peas. Also herbs and supplements and assorted medical supplies.
Like some others on TB I feel time is running out in more ways than one.
Terrwyn some days I feel like I've all the stamina of a sick kitten. You do what you can when you can do it and pray it's enough.

Good going on the Pantry box. Even a little can help.

If I may make a suggestion? If you're buying specifically for a Food Pantry? Maybe include some baby food? Not all new Moms know how to prepare food for very young children. Babies need to eat to and not all Moms have the milk to take care of them. Just a suggestion.
 
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Dinghy

Veteran Member
Our local grocery store has ground beef on sale for $2.49 lb. I vacuum sealed about 15 lbs for the freezer. I found a plastic basket at a yard sale that fits in my freezer perfectly that they all fit in. No more falling out and landing on my foot when I open the door. Lol
 

Terrwyn

Veteran Member
Terrwyn some days I feel like I've all the stamina of a sick kitten. You do what you can when you can do it and pray it's enough.

Good going on the Pantry box. Even a little can help.

If I may make a suggestion? If you're buying specifically for a Food Pantry? Maybe include some baby food? Not all new Moms know how to prepare food for very young children. Babies need to eat to and not all Moms have the milk to take care of them. Just a suggestion.
That is a good idea. As I have only been Mom to many cats what do you suggest I get? What is the most needed do you think?
 

Terrwyn

Veteran Member
Our local grocery store has ground beef on sale for $2.49 lb. I vacuum sealed about 15 lbs for the freezer. I found a plastic basket at a yard sale that fits in my freezer perfectly that they all fit in. No more falling out and landing on my foot when I open the door. Lol
Thanks for the laugh and the idea. I had the same thing happen this morning when I tried to get the ice cube tray.
 

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
Our local grocery store has ground beef on sale for $2.49 lb. I vacuum sealed about 15 lbs for the freezer. I found a plastic basket at a yard sale that fits in my freezer perfectly that they all fit in. No more falling out and landing on my foot when I open the door. Lol

if you have a bigger chest freezer - the milk crates make a good organizer sometimes ...
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
That’s a good idea! I only have an upright, but I use the milk crates to store potatoes in the basement.
I use milk crates on one shelf in my upright, its the use first shelf. One crate is empty of the use first stuff, now contains misc food.

And I feel all ya'lls no staminia thing going on. I'm always in a sorting and getting organized mode, and I can only do what I can do at any given time.

We did manage to get to church this morning and it was iffy about midnight last night as we were both feeling stuffed up and of course I was hacking away. But praise the Lord, we both woke up feeling better.

God is good, all the time.

Judy
 

Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
That is a good idea. As I have only been Mom to many cats what do you suggest I get? What is the most needed do you think?
Depends on how much you want to spend. A container of baby formula? That gets a little pricey. A container of Baby oatmeal cereal or a few jars of single serving baby food are not that expensive.
 

Marseydoats

Veteran Member
Pretty much everything I've ordered in the past few weeks has been backordered. My eyeglasses took an extra 4 days to get here. I was thrilled to get them, I actually like this pair. Livestock supplies will supposedly ship on the 31st. I'm supposed to have a comforter and a pair of shoes coming tomorrow. I said that I wasn't going to order anything from Amazon again, ever, but I can't find any shoes anywhere. If these fit, I'll have to order some more.
But my best prep, is that my absentee neighbors, who I really like, are going to retire and move back home the first of the year. He's a master gardener and a crack shot. Best thing you can have in a bad situation is good friends.
 

prudentwatcher

Veteran Member
A trip to Dollar Tree and Ollies really didn't yield much of anything really useful, just some fillers, other than 3 cans of toffee peanuts, which I have a particular weakness for, and some more yarn. I bought a round loom set a couple of months ago and am learning how to make a knit hat on it. I am about half way through my first one. I'm thinking Christmas presents for this year. And learning new skills is always good. Thank goodness for youtube. The written directions didn't mean a thing to me, but the video was great. I might try some videos for my crochet. I know like one stitch and have make blankets and things, but would like to know a bit more.
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I am rather bored lately. Everyday we have a good chance of rain and it sprinkles everyday but never really rains. So I do not go on any long hikes (its dangerous in the hills if the ground gets wet).
So I have been spending time in the shop making perimeter alarms and such. Just to keep me busy. I was making a few knives but now I am out of blanks.
 

aviax2

Veteran Member
I’m not sure what I’ll get into this week but tomatoes are ripening fast and I want to can some juice, so hopefully I’ll be up to it. We finished up with the garden corn on Saturday, so we have a fresh new supply of whole kernel and creamed corn in the freezer. I also put up quite a bit of squash last week, alas also in the freezer. Relying on electric makes me nervous.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
We knew we were planting our garden late, but thought it was still early enough to have a nice harvest of fresh veggies to eat on for awhile. With the heat we've been experiencing and the lack of rain, the garden has failed, miserably. I've only got 3 ripe tomatoes, 6 small cukes, and 8 nice sized yellow squash out of it, and everything is either dead or dying. I've watered, used shade cloth, done all I know to do.

Maybe a Fall garden will be more successful.
 

coloradohermit

Veteran Member
The freezer was way too full so I've been doing some canning. The other day I did pints of pork roast, bbq pork ribs and pot roast. Today I did pints of chicken thighs, grilled steak and corned beef. Since DH died this spring, all the meats were just too big of servings for me and the dog, and leftovers kept getting lost in the freezer. Now the meats are serving size with no inconvenience.
This week I plan to start cutting and splitting some firewood to get more ready for winter or tshtf. I love splitting firewood - very empowering for an old broad. ;-)
 

hummer

Veteran Member
The freezer was way too full so I've been doing some canning. The other day I did pints of pork roast, bbq pork ribs and pot roast. Today I did pints of chicken thighs, grilled steak and corned beef. Since DH died this spring, all the meats were just too big of servings for me and the dog, and leftovers kept getting lost in the freezer. Now the meats are serving size with no inconvenience.
This week I plan to start cutting and splitting some firewood to get more ready for winter or tshtf. I love splitting firewood - very empowering for an old broad. ;-)
[/QUOTE You have me laughing. I raised my kids alone and split wood by hand for about 25 years....mostly in the winter, at night, when they were in bed and asleep. I would leave one dog in house with kids, and go into the back yard with other dog and split my wood for the following year. Spring, summer and fall I would find suitable dead or dying trees, cut them down, buck them up and get them to the yard. I absolutely loved doing it, especially splitting it all by hand. It was very empowering. I actually miss doing it. A neighbor about 1/4 mile down the road has stacks to split. I have been thinking of getting myself another axe, and going to ask him if he would mind if I split wood for him....no pay, don't need the wood, just do it for the hell of it! Thanks for the wonderful memories!!!
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Today was the day to pick of commodities (not to be confused with the 40# box later this week). No fresh vegetables or fruit, but meat included fish sticks, fahita seasoned meat, and either pork or beef patties (have to look closer to see) and two bags of tortillas. Also included was two cans each of pears, pork and beans, vegetarian soup and chicken noodle soup. Also a package of honey grahams. Kind of light this month but greatfull for whatever we get.

Then I stopped at dollar tree (a different one than the one I went to last). Over all the store was fairly well stocked. They did have the Southgate brand of chili and beef stew that DH likes, pluse the same brand of chicken noodle soup. I added a couple of cans of Hanover baked beans and black beans.

Last was walmart, They had scott tp and although I don't need any I bought a package of 12. They also had the great value water that I like, I got 4-24 bottle cases (I can't pick up the larger size cases). I treated myself to a decent brand of vodka, just to have on hand, I've still not opened my bottle of single malt scotch that I bought about 10 days ago. The vegetable isle was very light to out of some things. I restocked our supply of Jack's pizzas.

I wanted to go to the other two grocery stores in that town, but I was just plain worn out and I knew that I had to get all that stuff in the house. (DH bought all but the cold stuff in, God bless him). I have now filled up the new 5 cuft freezer. The top two shelves of the upright freezer are now frozen up, so that is on my list of things that need doing, which is a long long list. I know I bought more things, but can't remember right now.

God is good all the time.

Judy
 

Digger

Veteran Member
We are still adding to our pantry. Last night I sliced 3 squash and started them dehydrating. I read that they are good fried after rehydrating. We will see if we like it. If we do, I will dry a lot. We also make cheesy squash. I cook squash and onions together in some water until just done. Then drain them and add a little butter and velveeta cheese to make a sauce. We love it and it should work with dried squash too.

Today I have to go buy a new queen for my bee hive that the bear damaged the most. I saw the queen after the bear attack, but I had a small swarm a few days ago. She is gone now. I caught the small swarm but they left again. Today we will do some things in town, then go by the bee store and pick up a queen.

My little dog is in the pen for a couple of weeks. She is in heat. I am not sure if I want to have her fixed or just put her up twice a year. She is an outside dog. I have been thinking of getting another to go with her. We had to put our outside giant breed dog down 2 weeks ago. She was 6 months short of her 10th birthday. We still have one left. He is a litter mate and lives in the house. He is hubbys best buddy.

Well, my coffee cup is empty and it is getting good daylight. I had better get out and get my work done while it is still cooler. It will be miserable before noon.
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Digger, I have taken squash and sweet potatoes, sliced them into 1/4 inch slices, boiled the slices for about 2 min, and then dehydrated them. They make delicious chip-like snacks that you can carry with you, or re-hydrate them into pots for a meal.
What a good idea, thanks for the tip. It never occurred to me to boil first.

God is good, all the time.

Judy
 

WanderLore

Veteran Member
Been bit busy here. New horse is a sweet lady. Had one daughter and 3 of the grandsons here for a few weeks. Hiked, went to creek, woods, beach. Picked garden. Different projects done. Preps and stocked food and supplies weren't even dented.
Today we found one hen has hatched 2 chicks so far!
Other daughter and grand kids coming Thursday to visit horse. We built a good large yard for the dogs to contain them while horses are out in yard. DH is right now drilling under kitchen sink to run drain line.
We picked up a white sink, right size, for bathroom, still have to put that in. Had a great bunch of birthday parties and July 4th, huge party.
Always stocking and checking. All good.
Beach was great at state park. They weren't charging anyone, but we have the passport. No social distance, no masks. Just everyone out playing and having a good time.

PS: driving home from dermatologist appt, DH had small skin cancer off neck removed, we saw a beautiful free large grill even with the side burner, free on the road. Brought that home. New temp gauge and 10 bucks to fill tank. We use it every day! God is so good and has a sense of humor too.
 

WanderLore

Veteran Member
Garden coming on. Just picked a bunch of large cukes, cabbage. Beans if I can get out there with a bucket to sit on.
Red potatoes too. Green tomatoes for the bowl on the table.
 
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nomifyle

TB Fanatic
We knew we were planting our garden late, but thought it was still early enough to have a nice harvest of fresh veggies to eat on for awhile. With the heat we've been experiencing and the lack of rain, the garden has failed, miserably. I've only got 3 ripe tomatoes, 6 small cukes, and 8 nice sized yellow squash out of it, and everything is either dead or dying. I've watered, used shade cloth, done all I know to do.

Maybe a Fall garden will be more successful.

Well mine is not doing so well either and we planted early. One okra plant made it and it has gone to seed, the corn all looks really nice but has produced little fruit and it was awful, neither the zucchini nor the yellow squash did anything, of all the onions I planted none did anything, however the garlic that I planted last fall did well, I'm letting it dry to replant. The potatoes don't seem to be doing well either, there are plenty of sweet potato vines so we'll see how they do. The tomatoes are doing okay, but we planted them way too close together, too many vines and I did not pluck the suckers. We did get several nice size cucumbers. The first batch DH canned cucumbers and onions in apple cider vinegar and he said that came out well. The remainder of the cucumbers I've dehydrated and they came out great, for a snack.

For the fall I do want to plant a few things including butternut squash. We'll see how that works out.

Its a good thing I'm not depending on the garden to survive because we'd be in a world of hurt. I've just never had a green thumb.

Now off to find places to put what I bought yesterday and what we got in commodities.

God is good, all the time.

Judy
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I've seen a lot of first time gardens around in my area this year, which is great. Although, everyone has given it their best shot, most everyone's gardens have just burned up from the heat. A lot of gardeners, like us, had to wait longer about getting gardens planted this year. Even the experienced gardeners we know personally.

This very thing is what worries me about having to depend solely on what we can grow for ourselves in order not to starve. If the weather doesn't cooperate, what more can be done? Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford large enough green houses to do much good.
 

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
Been bit busy here. New horse is a sweet lady. Had one daughter and 3 of the grandsons here for a few weeks. Hiked, went to creek, woods, beach. Picked garden. Different projects done. Preps and stocked food and supplies weren't even dented.
Today we found one hen has hatched 2 chicks so far!
Other daughter and grand kids coming Thursday to visit horse. We built a good large yard for the dogs to contain them while horses are out in yard. DH is right now drilling under kitchen sink to run drain line.
We picked up a white sink, right size, for bathroom, still have to put that in. Had a great bunch of birthday parties and July 4th, huge party.
Always stocking and checking. All good.
Beach was great at state park. They weren't charging anyone, but we have the passport. No social distance, no masks. Just everyone out playing and having a good time.

PS: driving home from dermatologist appt, DH had small skin cancer off neck removed, we saw a beautiful free large grill even with the side burner, free on the road. Brought that home. New temp gauge and 10 bucks to fill tank. We use it every day! God is so good and has a sense of humor too.


in regard to garbaged gas grills >> always worthwhile to stop and salvage the cast iron grill plates and the gas hose & tank nozzle fitting ...

if you get lucky and find a grill with a gas hose & quik couple tank fitting - bonus time - you want to be able to tap into those specialty LP tanks if you happen to salvage one that's filled ....

the grills that have a side burner are usually a "Y" split hose set up >>> you can use it to make a dual LP tank feed into a portable heater or some other device that is long running and could use two tanks ...
 
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Digger

Veteran Member
We were given a bushel of tomatoes yesterday. I have 10 pints of salsa canned, one pint in the fridge to can today when I do tomatoes, and some tomatoes pealed and cut up for today's canning.

Canning supplies are hard to find here. I am going to look a couple of places and look for more lids when I run in to the dentist to get my permanent crown. I should have enough, but if I am getting lower than I feel comfortable.

I got my new queen bee installed. Tomorrow or Saturday i have to open things up and make sure she has made it out of the cage. Hopefully that will get this hive going good again.
 

moldy

Veteran Member
Canning up chicken and turnips today. DH wants at least one of the freezers cleaned out, so I'm working on it.

I've started saving my plastic spray bottles. If I have to start mixing my own cleaners like ammonia, it will be nice to have. And they're hard to find right now (empty spray bottles). Also we've had 2 really sketchy characters show up at our house....obviously scoping things out. We called the sheriff and are contemplating what else to do.
 

aviax2

Veteran Member
Put in an order at Sam’s, received part of It this morning. Sugar, jasmine rice and minced onion. Still to come cocoa, whole wheat flour and mustard.

DH and I went to the basement pantry last night to check on home canned items. Found another 9 pints of chicken that I canned in 2012, along with a couple of cases of tomato juice canned around the same time. They all seem to be fine and we’ve eaten some of the (what I thought was the last) chicken in the past few months so I know it’s still good. The tomato juice looks as good as what I canned last year, so I think I’m gonna use it and try my hand at making tomato soup and maybe more salsa. DH and I are going to have to figure out a better way to store the jars and remove the empty canning jar boxes so we won’t be thinking they’re all empty LOL! The blueberry syrup from 2008 is being chucked though.

I really want to get done with the garden canning so I can concentrate on canning some meats out of the freezers.
 

coloradohermit

Veteran Member
About a year ago(long story) I started filling my 1/2 gallon milk jugs with water to keep near the plants that need watering and the dog's water dish, for convenience. Over time I've gotten a little less disciplined about keeping them filled. Today's chore is to fill all the empties so that all 33 will be full, just in case. If things do go tits up at some future point, like a major power outage, water is my only real concern. I've got things under the gutter downspouts to collect rain and snow melt, but those evaporate or the deer drink them. There's a lake a few miles down the road from me, but that assumes there's gas for the car or an EMP hasn't killed the car. I do have a couple cases of 1/2 liter water for drinking/cooking. Now I have to get out into the storage shed and try to find the 5 gallon collapsible water carrier. Sure doesn't feel like enough will ever really be enough.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
About a year ago(long story) I started filling my 1/2 gallon milk jugs with water to keep near the plants that need watering and the dog's water dish, for convenience. Over time I've gotten a little less disciplined about keeping them filled. Today's chore is to fill all the empties so that all 33 will be full, just in case. If things do go tits up at some future point, like a major power outage, water is my only real concern. I've got things under the gutter downspouts to collect rain and snow melt, but those evaporate or the deer drink them. There's a lake a few miles down the road from me, but that assumes there's gas for the car or an EMP hasn't killed the car. I do have a couple cases of 1/2 liter water for drinking/cooking. Now I have to get out into the storage shed and try to find the 5 gallon collapsible water carrier. Sure doesn't feel like enough will ever really be enough.

Yeah, like you, water is our greatest concern. We have two 55 gal rain barrels and a 650 gal water tank that is rain fed. In a drought, we're sunk, unless we tread down a steep hillside to a nearby small pond on our neighbor's property hidden deep in the woods, and bring it back uphill in buckets. Without their permission. Our only other water source is about 1/4 mile to a creek at the bottom of the ridge that we live on.

Once Cary is finished repairing our deck, we plan to add another 55 gal rain barrel.
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
About a year ago(long story) I started filling my 1/2 gallon milk jugs with water to keep near the plants that need watering and the dog's water dish, for convenience. Over time I've gotten a little less disciplined about keeping them filled. Today's chore is to fill all the empties so that all 33 will be full, just in case. If things do go tits up at some future point, like a major power outage, water is my only real concern. I've got things under the gutter downspouts to collect rain and snow melt, but those evaporate or the deer drink them. There's a lake a few miles down the road from me, but that assumes there's gas for the car or an EMP hasn't killed the car. I do have a couple cases of 1/2 liter water for drinking/cooking. Now I have to get out into the storage shed and try to find the 5 gallon collapsible water carrier. Sure doesn't feel like enough will ever really be enough.
While I applaud your efforts that is not much water if your faucet stops running. For two people I keep at least 8 cases of drinking water and we have 275 gallon tanks for garden and live stock. One of the tanks is for potable water and I have a Berkey filter and other water purifying things.

There is a spring in the woods across the road from us on family land, getting to it would be a PITA, but it is doable. I bought a wagon a couple of years ago with fat tires to use for hauling water if need be. My great grandmother use to keep butter over there to keep it from spoiling.

God is good all the time,

Judy
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
While I applaud your efforts that is not much water if your faucet stops running. For two people I keep at least 8 cases of drinking water and we have 275 gallon tanks for garden and live stock. One of the tanks is for potable water and I have a Berkey filter and other water purifying things.

God is good all the time,

Judy

Oh, I forgot to mention that I have 4 cases of 40 bottles each of bottled water on hand, too. I guess I need to add more, but since I'm stocking it in my pantry room, I'm concerned about the weight on the floor. We don't have a concrete foundation. With all the weight in there now, I don't want the floor in there to start sagging. Would it hurt to store it in an outdoor shed?
 

Jmurman

Veteran Member
I’m sitting in the Drs office waiting and thinking. I think I need to rip apart my preps and reorganize. I am especially concerned about the age of my dried beans. Been reading about old hard beans that won’t soften up. Problem is I cannot find red beans in anything larger than one lb size.
Do you all favor vacuum sealing or dry canning?
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Oh, I forgot to mention that I have 4 cases of 40 bottles each of bottled water on hand, too. I guess I need to add more, but since I'm stocking it in my pantry room, I'm concerned about the weight on the floor. We don't have a concrete foundation. With all the weight in there now, I don't want the floor in there to start sagging. Would it hurt to store it in an outdoor shed?
I do store some in my she shed that has an a/c, it you go in it from 95 degrees out side it feels great, but its not really cold in there just a drop in temperature from outside. I also have some canned foods in there too. I need to check on them.

God is good all the time,

Judy
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I do store some in my she shed that has an a/c, it you go in it from 95 degrees out side it feels great, but its not really cold in there just a drop in temperature from outside. I also have some canned foods in there too. I need to check on them.

God is good all the time,

Judy

My outdoor mini barn isn't heat/cool controlled at all. It's like a furnace in there in summer. It's only used for empty canning jars and our survival equipment/camping gear, plus some of Cary's odds and ends.
 

prudentwatcher

Veteran Member
This month will be an extra paycheck month for me and I have been busy putting it toward preps. Pretty good on the food, so just pick up a thing or two here and there. Keep getting rice (5 lbs bags from WM) and am now bagging up 1 cup portions and putting those in gallon plastic bags and double bagging those. Those are the ones to be used in the next year so I don't have to break in to the LTS buckets.

Got some more potting soil and buckets today for what would be a survival container garden if needed. Also got a small camp axe. My butane arrived from Amazon. I ordered some more knitting looms from Amazon as well and bought some more yarn at WM. I finished my first hat (child size) and am half done with an adult hat. I picked up some more OTC meds at WM as well, and I think we are pretty well stocked on all of that. They were out of Zest again, so glad I bought 2 8-packs when I was there last time. I have a ton of soap, but it is cheap and I want another 4 packs.

Got my teeth cleaned this week and picked up a bunch of free toothpaste samples at the dentist office. They told me to help myself as they had tons from the three months they had been closed, so I did :)
 
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