Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: June 25-July 1

[moldy]

I"m guessing this is Miss Renee's weekend to work, so I"ll start.

Had a nice weekend off, with the exception of finding a couple parked up by our north pasture. They had thrown out a bunch of trash including beer bottles,and looked like a couple of meth-heads (and I've seen my fair share). I was with the friends taking the pairs up. The husband looked me in the eye and said, "Don't you ever come up here without a gun." We had just been discussing it as I had told him I wasn't armed because I expected him to kill any snakes. I think he was referring to the 2-legged kind. I called the sheriff and asked him to come check out a suspicious vehicle, and when I went back up yesterday, there was no trace of them. Either they picked up their trash, or someone made them pick it up.

Nothing at the auction of interest, so I came home and worked in the garden. Got most of it weeded, and carrots, cabbage, beets, and greens replanted. The pivot sprinkler is getting the corn and most of the broccoli, so I"m thinking of not laying drip tape on the broccoli. Got some cleaning done too.

 

[paxsim2]

I am getting back to prepping finally after a 2 year detour. We bought a small acreage with a 100 year old home on it, we are currently restoring it, the land is flat and there is a small grove of trees. We have decided to plant a small food forest and have been busy doing that. We did not get fruit trees planted yet but have planted 6 thornless blackberry bushes and created a large spiral garden that I have transplanted my herbs into. We still live in our home in the city.

I will be doing a stock up this week because we have the extra money, I've let my pantry go down too much and it needs to be replenished. Next, I'll finish cleaning out the closets and do an inventory of health items that we have so I can get what we need.

I need this thread!

 

[ReneeT]

Thank you, Moldy, for starting the thread this week! Reading about you finding those folks up by your pasture raised the hair on the back of my neck!! Lately, I've been using a 6" belly band for the LCR while working outside - keeping it under my shirt keeps it cleaner when I'm tilling or unloading something dirty or dusty. I'm thinking about looking for a slightly wider one though, and need to figure out something for the edges - they are pokey!

Welcome, Paxsim2! Your herb spiral sounds lovely!

Yup, it was a work weekend; late out the door after work Saturday night, then couldn't fall asleep until 0330 - and the alarm was set for 0500. Lots o' caffeine required on Sunday to wake up; then - of course - we ended up being short staffed.... I'm glad that I did stop for donuts on the way in to work (in spite of having told co-workers no more until after we all have our Wellness checkups next month) - they probably reduced the stress level at least a little bit

A short while back, Hubby and I were working on our budget and I noticed that I've been paying too much for my health insurance at work - only took me 6 months to notice! Between the Wellness folks, HR, and myself, we finally figured out that the problem was Hubby still being a prn employee where I work during the Wellness exams, but resigning between then and October when we filled out our yearly benefit statements - anyway, I will be getting a nice refund on my next paycheck. The Lord must have been watching - I got a call from a family member who just got full custody of a 6 month old child, and had no baby stuff. I'd passed down most of the grandkids stuff already, but put out some calls and then hit the thrift stores/garage sales - 5 hours, 3rd town, and nothing but diapers (CVS had a sale, God bless them; and I had ECBs and coupons!) and a few little outfits to show for it when I suddenly came to the realization that Walmart was just down the street (I think being hot, tired, and hungry may have had something to do with that realization ) Thirty minutes later, I was out the door with stuffed cart, a giant Subway pretzel and lemonade - and 20 minutes after that, I was cuddling a chubby, drooling, happy baby.

I got about half the areas in the garden that I wanted to get mulched done last week before a lovely rain storm drove me inside; we've rain the forecast for this afternoon, so I will try to get the rest of it done this morning after I go pick up the grandkids - granddaughter is at cheer practice and will need picked up at 0900, which is when daughter and SIL have an appointment, so I will snag the boys first, then grab granddaughter on the way out of town, unless she decides to stay in town with friends. I'm sure youngest grandson will be happy to help me put down mulch - I just hope the plants survive it I'm also hoping to get some late season stuff planted.... but am probably just whistling Dixie on that one since things take longer with my short helpers underfoot

Hubby brought a few bags of beans up to a boil, then left them to soak overnight last night so I will be canning more pork and beans this afternoon. Haven't had a chance to look at the sale ads from the weekend papers as yet, so I'm not sure if there are any good deals available this week. I also need to do a sit down and adjust some pantry lists - since the grands will all be in school full time next fall, they won't be underfoot as much; that will change some things in the short and medium term pantries - and likely on the local Chinese restaurant's bottom line as well since youngest grandson won't be able to con me into going out to their buffet for lunch nearly so often Hmmm - maybe that will help change some things on my - ahem - 'bottom line' as well

I have to work Thursday and Friday, so sometime this week, I need to get shopping done for youngest grandson's birthday party on Saturday - my baby will be 5! Seems impossible, but he and his Mama insist that it's true

I also need to get ahold of the teenager across the field to see if she wants to come do some weeding, and call to get some estimates on having a couple of trees taken down - one has the house to the north, power lines to the south, machine shed to the west, and my elderberry thicket to the east, so it will be tricky. The other just has power lines to the south to worry about, but half of it is dead and the heavy half is on the south side so it may be a bit tricky as well.

Off to find some clothes decent enough to wear to town... take care all; have a fabulous week!

 

[coloradohermit]

Hopefully getting a medical issue wrapped up this week and next.

 

[ReneeT]

Wishing you the best of luck with your medical issue, Colorado Hermit...

It has been an absolutely lovely week weather-wise so far - it's 52*F now as I'm typing, but the temperature is supposed to rise into the mid 80's this afternoon. I have just a bit of garden work left to do, but it will have to be left for this afternoon as I have to pick granddaughter up from cheer practice at 9:30, then take the grandsons to a library program at 10:30. I'm going to contact the local sale barn at 8am to see if they would be able to load some composted manure for me this afternoon (they are busy the morning after a sale) - I noted some very nice looking, well composted stuff from the road on Monday. If so, I will hitch my trailer to the van and take it to town with me, dropping it off at daughter's while the kids and I run here and there - I'm thinking a picnic lunch at the park or a trip to the nature center - then pick up the compost on the way home. Either way, I need to contact the neighbor girl to see if she is available to work this afternoon as I didn't get around to weeding the flower beds in front of the house as yet.

I managed to can 14 quarts of pork 'n beans Monday afternoon - one case went to the mid term pantry and 2 quarts to the current use pantry. I need to pick up more dry beans the next time I go to Aldi so that I can run a few more batches. Ketchup is on sale this week for $1/24 oz bottle so I will stock up on a couple of cases. I could use tomato sauce/paste/spices instead in my pork 'n beans, but for a buck a bottle, the ketchup is likely more economical (and efficient!)

Well, my coffee cup is empty - and so is my belly! I'd better snag some breakfast so I don't eat more than my share of the peanut butter 'n jelly sandwiches from the picnic lunch. Think I'll whip up a quick batch of peanut butter cookies while I'm building the sandwiches - they bake fast and won't heat the house up too much!

Take care all; have a blessed day!

 

[moldy]

Got up early EARLY this morning, and sprayed thistle at the pasture. Got to watch the dog make friends with a lone antelope - they raced each other the length of the fence (1/4 mile or so), then turned around and raced back. I did get pics to show DH. Funniest thing. Got home, took a shower and a nap, and am now working on chores around here, little things like putting new plates on the car we bought back from DD, and reseeding beans and cukes. When it cools off, more weeding is on the agenda.

 

[paxsim2]

Most of the week has been sorting laundry into keep or donate and getting rid of the extra stuff we don't really need. I've done some pantry buying and am gearing up for pickling and jam season. I did a small but expensive amazon order and an add on popped up for Quaker Oats oatmeal packets, 52 for 9.XX, so I added it on. Dh likes to keep it at his office for a quick, cheap breakfast or lunch when he's too busy to get out of the office. He also keeps peanut butter and apples for the same reason.

We have family staying out at the farmhouse, it's the first time for heavy use on the septic system since we've had everything repaired and replaced. It uncovered a problem so we had to call the plumbers who fixed it all the first time. At least they know the system. So that's another bill, but once it's done we think that will get all the kinks out, so to speak. We still have work to do to the place and having them there will give dh some help that I'm not able to do so it all works out.

Next on the agenda is getting the dog and cat up to date on their vaccines. Since they are over ten they will get rabies shots but the dog will get distemper and parvo only while the cat will get his feline leukemia, he stays in all the time. We've always stopped the number of vaccinations for our animals after they've reached a certain age. The only reason I do the cat is because the vet require it for any type of overnight stay.

We've been changing our eating habits and it's showing up in the way we look and feel. I think this will be the biggest prep we do! We are building at least two more raised beds so that will contribute to our fitness.

 

[moldy]

Just got done reading the bomb shelter.... absolutely nothing I can do but pray and keep on keeping on. Got a haircut today, then to town for errands. Safeway had some good items on sale, so I stocked up. We had a nice shower last night, so now I'm out to replant melons (and hope they get ripe before our first freeze!)