Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: June 16 ~ 22, 2019

[ReneeT]

Good Morning, All! Wishing all our great Fathers, Step-Dads, Grandpas - and anyone who has stepped up to the plate to be 'Dad' - a great Father's Day.

I was blessed with a father who didn't mind that I was always right there in his hip pocket - he was patient and kind; and taught me a great deal - not just practical things; but also by his actions how to treat others. And to not tolerate a lot of BS

So, here we are in mid-June - and I still don't have a thing planted in my garden. The rain started as I was taking the boys home last Wednesday, and hasn't stopped long enough for any of the areas where I plan to plant to dry up enough to do so - got another 2.75" last night. I may be doing a few containers on the porch...

Daughter is supposed to bring the grandsons out soon - older one will do a machine shed scavenger hunt with Papaw for items for his 'Inventor' class that starts tomorrow; then we will head to town later in the morning to pick up a few more items for the class, and to let him pick out what he wants to carry in his lunch to school this week.

I glanced at the drug store ads on line; didn't see much that interested me unless there are some good scanner coupons to go along with the sales, so I may just save my stock-up $$ for better deals later on.

Dang - can't believe those boys got their Mama up and moving this early, but here they are; reckon I'd better go make sure there's plenty of coffee in the pot Take care all; have a blessed week!

 

[20Gauge]

This is what I did for father's day.

Actually, I just finished the 2nd one. We are working on a 3 planter expansion of the garden. The near planter is wider than normal so that we can grow lettuce and other leafy items. The far planter is for additional peppers. We are now at the point where we have a good idea of what works and what really sucks. The new planter will have only two types of peppers so that we can expand our harvest of those better growing peppers.

It should expand our "home" supplied food ratio to about 5%. Not much, but better than we were before.

If you look at the planter in the back ground, you will see the tabasco pepper plant. It is nearly 6 ft tall.

I also, put two new handles on my sledge hammers and fixed my hoe that I have had for 37 years. It only lasted 37 years, things just don't last. On a serious note, I after checking the stores, I found my old handle was of better wood than the new ones. So I spent the time sanding, drilled a new hole and snapped it back together.

All in all a good day.

 

[Illini Warrior]

This is what I did for father's day.

Actually, I just finished the 2nd one. We are working on a 3 planter expansion of the garden. The near planter is wider than normal so that we can grow lettuce and other leafy items. The far planter is for additional peppers. We are now at the point where we have a good idea of what works and what really sucks. The new planter will have only two types of peppers so that we can expand our harvest of those better growing peppers.

It should expand our "home" supplied food ratio to about 5%. Not much, but better than we were before.

If you look at the planter in the back ground, you will see the tabasco pepper plant. It is nearly 6 ft tall.

I also, put two new handles on my sledge hammers and fixed my hoe that I have had for 37 years. It only lasted 37 years, things just don't last. On a serious note, I after checking the stores, I found my old handle was of better wood than the new ones. So I spent the time sanding, drilled a new hole and snapped it back together.

All in all a good day.

what's the white PVC piping on the finished planters - irrigation or support system?

 

[20Gauge]

what's the white PVC piping on the finished planters - irrigation or support system?

Support system. If is covered on 3 sides and the top with chicken wire and the 4th side is flexible mesh. ( for the Deer )

It allows us to turn the planter into a greenhouse with about 5 minutes of prep, 6 clamps and one sheet of plastic 25ft by 10 ft. All of it is off the shelf to keep costs down.

I do use 3/4inch pvc for the water system. I drill holes every 6 inches and it goes the length of the planter. Also cost effective with our hard water, anything else goes to cr** in about 18 months. This method has lasted 3 years without modifications so far. If it plugs up due to build up, then I can drill new holes. The one thing I did learn was to use ball valves for the shut off instead of the turn version. They last longer. I have had to replace 2 of them so far.

 

[prudentwatcher]

So some major shopping took place over the weekend and today. Basically the short term pantry has been rebuilt after old stuff got tossed. This is filling in the gaps, so at least 6 months worth of short term food, not counting home canned and purchased LTS food. As well as first aid and home supplies. I am now past broke, but that is why I had some emergency money put aside. I feel a lot better knowing that everything on the shelves is edible and fresh and I have bulked up some supplies like pasta. Time for a breather unless some really great deals happen to show up. I do have a Sam's run that needs to be done, but that will have to wait until July.

 

[Marseydoats]

Got all the leaky soft drinks tossed and the pantry floor scrubbed, and everything put back where it belonged. Made a major run to the recycle center, this time I remembered the broken appliances and the rusty stove pipe. Had an entire feed bag full of shredded stuff, nice to see it gone! Replaced my sun rotted kitchen curtains. Still working on the berries.
I've already got a big list for next weeks shopping trip.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

There is a huge sale at our local Sam's Club starting today thru July 14. I'm going to take advantage of the sale today, and again on the 1st when DH gets paid again. I always get a sale book from them, so I've made out a list of everything on sale that I use on a regular basis. I stock my pantry with things we use and eat on a regular basis, so everything stays in rotation, as I'm sure you all do.


DH needs to get another 5 gal. gas can for our lamp oil, today. Turns out, I have 10 gals stored, but am afraid the plastic bottles will start breaking down soon. I feel better transferring it all to the gas cans.

Will, also, do grocery shopping today, too. Trying to stock my meat freezer with more pork.

 

[prudentwatcher]

We have some old gas in storage. It has stabilizer added, but we can't remember how old it is. I say no more than one year, SO disagrees and says at least a couple of years. A brand new generator has been delivered so no "old" gas is going to be put in it. We found out where we could safely dispose of old gas (no fee), so will do that then clean and refill and restabilize the new gas and work out a WRITTEN rotation system so we can keep track. Every two months or so a 5 gal jug will get dumped in a car and refilled, stabilized, etc. We keep 25 gal on hand.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

DH keeps 20 gal of gas on hand at all times in several cans. When he empties one, he runs to the store, and fills it back up. We have a generator, chain saws, weed eaters, and a lawn mower that uses gas, and I feel like we don't store enough. DH keeps good rotation on it, though. We've never had any to go bad.

Shopping day went well, yesterday. I hit Sam's to take advantage of their sale. Got another case of Lipton Green Tea, another case of Hormel Chili, paper plates, coffee, tubs of mixed nuts, dish wash, mayo, dill pickles, and TP. DH bought another gas can for our last 5 gals. of lamp oil.


Grocery list for storage pantry included...cans of Cream of Chicken Soup, hair conditioner, pork of all kinds, several boxes each of scalloped, 3 cheese, and au gratin potatoes, several more boxes of Hamburger Helper, lots of different canned veggies, bags of frozen boneless chicken breasts, jelly, flour, and cornmeal.


All in all, I came out a little ahead of the amount of money I wanted to spend. All the empty spaces in the pantry and meat freezer are filled. I can finally relax for awhile, before getting too panicky again.

 

[ReneeT]

Picked up 10 - 10# bags of cane sugar (vs beet sugar) at Rural King this morning; they were $3.89/bag, so on par with Aldi prices. I could have gotten 25 & 50# bags a few cents cheaper at Wal Mart, but #1 - the bags did not say if they were cane or beet sugar, & #2 - I would just as soon carry the 10# ones in the house. I will put 6 bags in buckets; and keep the rest in the pantry to use in making hummingbird feed.

I had noticed that my hummingbird feeders had an odd odor when I would rinse them prior to refilling - My sugar is all stored in buckets, and kept in an interior dry closet. I had recently opened a new bucket of sugar; it was dated 2015, and, given sugar prices back then, it was likely beet sugar. I had picked up a bag of the cane sugar at RK last week, so started using it instead, and have not noted any feeders having the odor now, even if the feed is in them for over a day (rare; they sometimes get filled twice daily.) I will hit RK again to pick up another 100# as soon as it stops raining. If the grocery and drug store sales remain boring, I may pick up a third 100#. I'm going through about 3 cups of sugar a day in the feeders right now.

 

[Illini Warrior]

Picked up 10 - 10# bags of cane sugar (vs beet sugar) at Rural King this morning; they were $3.89/bag, so on par with Aldi prices. I could have gotten 25 & 50# bags a few cents cheaper at Wal Mart, but #1 - the bags did not say if they were cane or beet sugar, & #2 - I would just as soon carry the 10# ones in the house. I will put 6 bags in buckets; and keep the rest in the pantry to use in making hummingbird feed.

I had noticed that my hummingbird feeders had an odd odor when I would rinse them prior to refilling - My sugar is all stored in buckets, and kept in an interior dry closet. I had recently opened a new bucket of sugar; it was dated 2015, and, given sugar prices back then, it was likely beet sugar. I had picked up a bag of the cane sugar at RK last week, so started using it instead, and have not noted any feeders having the odor now, even if the feed is in them for over a day (rare; they sometimes get filled twice daily.) I will hit RK again to pick up another 100# as soon as it stops raining. If the grocery and drug store sales remain boring, I may pick up a third 100#. I'm going through about 3 cups of sugar a day in the feeders right now.

watch the bucket bottoms for cracking with that kind of weight - salt and sugar tend to be the heavier foods that get bucket stored ...

 

[ReneeT]

Thanks for the tip, Illini Warrior! I try to keep an eye on them - some of them are getting a bit older; so we try to treat them gently. Most of them are repurposed deli/bakery buckets - the two I just filled with 32# of sugar originally held 35# of potato salad and 40# of donut glaze. I also have some smaller, square buckets that I first pour the sugar into zipper style freezer bags before I put them in the bucket - they held metal roofing screws - I don't try to pick those ones up by the handle though.

 

[nomifyle]

I've been buying sugar every time I go to the store, it may only be a 4 pound bag, but its something. I've started storing it in 1 gallon mylar bags. One bag holds about 9 pounds. Then putting the bags in buckets. I've also purchased some boxed and bagged foods. I saw a youtube video that took two of Knorr sides, cut the top off, put them in a vacuum seal bag (back to back) and seal it. Guess that keeps it longer than just in the bags they come in. I've just been putting the bags in buckets.

Judy

 

[Barb]

Love those Knorr sides. I can often find them on sale for a dollar each and one is a complete meal for me and sometimes more than one depending on what I might add to it.

 

[Illini Warrior]

I've been buying sugar every time I go to the store, it may only be a 4 pound bag, but its something. I've started storing it in 1 gallon mylar bags. One bag holds about 9 pounds. Then putting the bags in buckets. I've also purchased some boxed and bagged foods. I saw a youtube video that took two of Knorr sides, cut the top off, put them in a vacuum seal bag (back to back) and seal it. Guess that keeps it longer than just in the bags they come in. I've just been putting the bags in buckets.

Judy

kind of wasting the mylar bags putting sugar in them - same same with salt - both just need to be protected from the elements and the sugar from invading pests & rodents ...

a plain old food grade bucket does the job - no 02 absorber or desiccant necessary - both are forever storage foods - store & forget ....

 

[SouthernBreeze]

kind of wasting the mylar bags putting sugar in them - same same with salt - both just need to be protected from the elements and the sugar from invading pests & rodents ...

a plain old food grade bucket does the job - no 02 absorber or desiccant necessary - both are forever storage foods - store & forget ....

Nope. No mylar bags necessary. I went to Wal-Mart, and bought one of their plastic storage tubs. I bought several 4lb bags of sugar to start with. Emptied the sacks into 1 gal. ziplock storage bags ( 1 gal bags will hold a 4lb bag of sugar), and placed them in the tub. I've about 80 lbs. of sugar stored this way. It's several years old, but still good as new. Salt works the same way.

 

[Dinghy]

I save the waxed paper inner bags from cereal for storing sugar. I heat seal the top closed with an old Food Saver, and then put them in a bucket.

 

[nomifyle]

I'm taking ya'lls advice about storing sugar, I'm putting it in ziplocs instead. Thanks for the tip.

Judy

 

[Nancy in OK]

I put my sugar in 1/2 gallon and gallon jars.

 

[Illini Warrior]

I put my sugar in 1/2 gallon and gallon jars.

only problem with glass is when either sugar or salt goes "brick" on you - banging the container around and ice picking is eazier in something that takes abuse ....

 

[nomifyle]

I'm taking ya'lls advice about storing sugar, I'm putting it in ziplocs instead. Thanks for the tip.

Judy

And putting the bags in buckets.

I also have sugar in jars, if it gets a little hard I can scrape it out with a long handled spoon.

Judy

 

[summerthyme]

only problem with glass is when either sugar or salt goes "brick" on you - banging the container around and ice picking is eazier in something that takes abuse ....

Yep. If you want to use glass containers for either sugar or salt, it's wise to add a dessicant packet. Also, *do not* package it up in extremely humid weather... it WILL turn into a brick.

Summerthyme

 

[Illini Warrior]

Yep. If you want to use glass containers for either sugar or salt, it's wise to add a dessicant packet. Also, *do not* package it up in extremely humid weather... it WILL turn into a brick.

Summerthyme

adding a desiccant to either salt or sugar just compounds the problem - you'll never see a commercial packer do it ....

and you shouldn't be packing anything without climate control or doing it in the dead of winter - desiccants are insurance but not worth the chance of not getting it correct ...