Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: March 8 to March 14, 2026

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SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

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All of the stronger storms went around us yesterday evening. We got some good soaking rain, though. We needed the rain. We might have more rounds of rain and thunderstorms throughout the week off and on. It's much cooler, today, after the storms passed. High of 70, today. Yesterday, our high was 82.

We have no set plans for this week other than for Tuesday. I have my yearly mammogram that day. I can't think of anything I need while in Tupelo that day. Cary might have places to go, though.

Nothing planned for today, either. No home fellowship this week.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
WanderLore said:
I know your glad you got the weather radio! Spring is just warming up!
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Yes! Down here in Tornado Alley, we can never have too many ways to get weather alerts when storms are forming. If everything else fails, we go outside and watch. Nature does have its ways of warning when threatening weather is approaching. I would love it if our little rural community could get a weather siren, but we are too small.
 
alpha

alpha

Veteran Member
Shock & awe yesterday as I visited my local dairy farmer to purchase my semi-annual one week old bull calf. I immediately decided to get my Angus cow bred this coming August when he said "That will be $1000!".:sht: Needless to say (after regaining my composure), I passed on the offer. Just two years ago a week old Holstein bull calf was between $100 and $200, prior to that they were half that!!
This year will apparently be the year to stock up on goat meat and turkey... At least they are affordable.
 
ginnie6

ginnie6

Veteran Member
alpha said:
This year will apparently be the year to stock up on goat meat and turkey... At least they are affordable.
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But can you get goat meat that’s not “halal?”

I’m not sure what I’m doing this week other than dispatching two more roosters. IF it doesn’t rain too much I’d like to get out in the garden and start getting it ready. The forecast keeps changing though. I know one night dd and I are going to move the couch and rearrange these area rugs.

When Dh and I put them down we just put it under the edge of the couch and since there are two one is under the other. I can’t vacuum over them where they’re doubled. And honestly I may take them up this summer if I can figure out where to store them. He bought them on macbid for the rental but one was too big so he put it here and it has helped tremendously keeping the floors warmer this winter.
 
ginnie6

ginnie6

Veteran Member
SouthernBreeze said:
Here in my area of Mississippi, there are several goat farmers. They raise goats to sell to the public for meat. Lots of Mexicans keep them in business. Mexicans love goat meat. We pass two big goat farms on our way to small town to shop. 3 more farms going to another small town where Mom lives.
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Good to know! I’ve only seen it in a couple stores and it was halal. I admit I’ve never had goat meat.
 
alpha

alpha

Veteran Member
ginnie6 said:
But can you get goat meat that’s not “halal?”

I’m not sure what I’m doing this week other than dispatching two more roosters. IF it doesn’t rain too much I’d like to get out in the garden and start getting it ready. The forecast keeps changing though. I know one night dd and I are going to move the couch and rearrange these area rugs.

When Dh and I put them down we just put it under the edge of the couch and since there are two one is under the other. I can’t vacuum over them where they’re doubled. And honestly I may take them up this summer if I can figure out where to store them. He bought them on macbid for the rental but one was too big so he put it here and it has helped tremendously keeping the floors warmer this winter.
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Yes Ginnie, We are primarily a Dairy goat farm so we process any buck kids that aren't to become useful breeders. Four, sometimes five freezers to fill with ground meat and roasts, broilers and turkey breasts that we cure and cook as hams. With minimal beef left from our last beef bull, there'll be plenty of room for this years diverse harvest. All our local farmers told us to stock up on pork too as its price is destined to rise rapidly as well. We stopped raising pigs several years ago due to the crazy increase in feed costs so the turkey hams are an excellent alternative but we do enjoy an occasional tenderloin roast and chops.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
WW (from yesterday), if you have a Menard's near you, they typically carry both heirloom hybrid acorn squash. That's where I get the $0.59 (and cheaper) heirlooms. The germination rate is generally higher than the Dollar Stores. Be sure to soak the seeds overnight on a paper towel or your preferred method.

WanderLore, Congrats! I'm so happy for you.

I slept in far too long and am really groggy! I've been dragging, anyway. My body might be fighting off something. I'm skipping breakfast and going right into lunch, beef noodle soup and ham sandwiches. Then I'm going to start laundry. That might be all that gets done today. That's fine. I ran the dishwasher yesterday, and the house is in reasonable shape. I just need clean clothing for the week.
 
M

moldy

Has No Life - Lives on TB
@alpha - I would love to know your process on how to make turkey ham. I am trying to avoid pork for health reasons, but I do enjoy ham and bacon occasionally.

Working thru Ebay stuff, powerpoint stuff (I know learning a new skill is not a bad thing, but I get frustrated at it taking so long to get good at it!!), prepping for the week, and juggling a few things around home. But it's a good day. it's beautiful out, DH is helping a friend get ready for a plowing day, and I am procrastinating over bathing the dogs!
 
alpha

alpha

Veteran Member
moldy said:
@alpha - I would love to know your process on how to make turkey ham. I am trying to avoid pork for health reasons, but I do enjoy ham and bacon occasionally.

Working thru Ebay stuff, powerpoint stuff (I know learning a new skill is not a bad thing, but I get frustrated at it taking so long to get good at it!!), prepping for the week, and juggling a few things around home. But it's a good day. it's beautiful out, DH is helping a friend get ready for a plowing day, and I am procrastinating over bathing the dogs!
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moldy,
I usually raise 6 to 12 Male Broad Breasted Whites from Myers Poultry myerspoultry.com until they have consumed 50 pounds of Turkey grower feed each, at which point they usually weigh about 18 pounds each, naturally you can keep them longer. I keep one to fatten up for Thanksgiving but the remaining birds get processed by skinning them rather than plucking. I remove the breasts whole and cure them in Butcher and Packer Hickory Poultry Mix (I believe it makes two liquid gallons per package... enough for 24 pounds of meat) all the remaining meat Legs, wings, etc. gets removed from each carcass and is ground up for either (Farmstyle Breakfast Sausage Seasoning) sausage or just plain ground turkey.
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Vacuum seal and freeze.
As an alternative to using the hickory smoke cure from Butcher & Packer, you can use Morton Tender quick and add some liquid smoke to taste. I prefer the former over the latter.
 
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feralferret

feralferret

Veteran Member
Power Pole 2.jpg
It's leaning on the fence, not the house.

Had trouble getting to sleep last night. Just as I was about to lay down this morning the power went off. Off from 5:55 AM until 11:37 AM. The power pole behind the house next door that has the transformer failed. The repair crew said it had rotted out with age. It broke just a little below ground level.

The ground was so soft from all of the recent rains that they had to use a bunch of sheets of plywood to get the bucket truck into the neighbor’s back yard in order to perform the repair. They replaced the pole once the 811 crew got here and marked the buried utilities in that easement.

Finally got a nap this afternoon. I tried this morning but couldn’t get to sleep due to my pain level. Then my wife wanted to go get something to eat. The power came on just as we were headed for the car. At least I didn’t have to raise the garage door manually.
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Time change has me a bit stressed, looks like my digital watch is biting the dust, can’t get the time to change, oh well.

I can get another watch, but I don’t like change, go figure

The severe weather went around us too, feels a bit cooler, I think we could use the rain though.
 
M

moldy

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Been struggling with ear pain and pressure today. It's probably just from the weather (we recently had snow - yay!) or hyperbaric therapy. But every time there is pain in my head, there's always the thought 'is the cancer back?' Don't know why - I'm just tired and cranky I guess.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
High of 73 for us, today, with more storms in our forecast for this afternoon. We are in a 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather. Hopefully, we'll get more rain. I think another round of storms are possible for Wednesday. Tomorrow should be good, though. High of 81 for tomorrow with no rain. I have to have my yearly mammogram done, tomorrow, so it will be a good day to be out and about.

Wanderlore mentioned tapping maple trees for syrup, IIRC. I meant to tell you all that while in Gatlinburg, there is a mountain called Sugarland Mountain that we visited. It's known for all the maple syrup it produces, thus the name, "Sugarland". I bought a pint bottle of their maple syrup. It's the first real, from the tree, maple syrup I've ever had. It doesn't even compare with the stuff we have down here. Pancakes are so much better with the real thing! We haven't tried it with hot biscuits and butter, yet.

I'm doing a bit of house cleaning, today. I want to also cook out 3 lbs. of bacon to go back in the freezer, too. We ate the last of what I had in there last night. Nothing quite like having already cooked bacon that you can thaw, heat, and eat when you want it.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Oh, yes, I love bacon in any state, SB!

WanderLore, I can remember a storm in April -- maybe in the mid-1970s in Ann Arbor -- where the day started in low 70s with sunshine and then the cold front came in. There was a tornado warning (I think it may have hit in Milan, MI) and then the temperature kept dropping, so the rain changed to freezing rain, hail, and then snow. I think it ended around 25 degrees by 3 pm.

I was in high school at the time, maybe 11th grade, and I only had a sweater with me! I stuffed it with newspaper and then put a garbage bag over the top of that and walked/jogged home. Ugh! What a memory.
 
W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
Meemur said:
WW (from yesterday), if you have a Menard's near you, they typically carry both heirloom hybrid acorn squash. That's where I get the $0.59 (and cheaper) heirlooms. The germination rate is generally higher than the Dollar Stores. Be sure to soak the seeds overnight on a paper towel or your preferred method.

WanderLore, Congrats! I'm so happy for you.

I slept in far too long and am really groggy! I've been dragging, anyway. My body might be fighting off something. I'm skipping breakfast and going right into lunch, beef noodle soup and ham sandwiches. Then I'm going to start laundry. That might be all that gets done today. That's fine. I ran the dishwasher yesterday, and the house is in reasonable shape. I just need clean clothing for the week.
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Thanks...no Menards here in Arkansas. Squash seeds are one of the few I will buy locally. I have a few trusted online sources and I'll just add them to one of those orders. I just thought it was odd that Tractor Supply, DT and WM were all missing such a common seed. I noticed WM's seed selection was about half what it was last year but they change things up constantly. One of the big displays was missing this year. I think more and more folks are buying online when it comes to seeds. My garden is mostly heirloom with a few exceptions and I save most of my seeds except for tomatoes. I enjoy growing too many different varieties to try and keep seeds true. If tshtf, that would change.

I'm late getting my seeds started but that doesn't bother me. Yesterday afternoon, I got the pete moss and extra perlite added to my seed starting soil since my original blend seemed to pack too much for my taste and let me tell you,it was a job. I had it spread out on a pretty good sized tarp and used a hoe to turn it. My pile was about eight feet around and a foot high. There were so many big sticks and pieces of mulch size bark that, for the first time ever, I sifted my soil.

I had several old sieves but none the right size and DH remembered an outdoor side table with a mesh screen kind of top. It fit perfectly over the large tub I was sifting into and he helped me sift it...that man can work fast and in no time we had the big plastic tote filled to the brim with the prettiest seed starting mix I've ever seen. The proof will be in how it grows starts. The pete moss made it the perfect texture for starting seeds so I'm tickled with that part of it. There's still plenty left but not sure I will use all of that starting my seeds...we'll see.

I may incorporate the rest of the pete into my raised sweet potatoe bed along with some lime and whatever else strikes my fancy at the time. That big compressed bale had a ton of pete in it. With my huge pile of soil, 1/3 of the bag was all it took to get it where it needed to be.
 
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A

anna43

Veteran Member
It is a beautiful sunny day here today 69º for a high. Why does 69º outside in the sun feel so much warmer than 69º inside??? I picked up some of the sticks from the front yard and made a pile by the front steps. It's too muddy to take them around to the backyard burn pile. There are quite a few left to be picked up so maybe tomorrow I'll do them.

I vacuumed the carpets and then dumped vacuums and cleaned filters. I hate dumping/cleaning filters as it totally negates the whole Hepa filter thing.

I'm still keeping up with my reading the Bible through in a year and am in Joshua now. I figure if I made it through Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy I've got a good chance of making it through the rest! I'm in Mark in the New Testament. I have no difficulty with the NT but the OT feels like a slog especially Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. It's good to practice self-discipline! I'm also doing okay with physical therapy although I've missed more days than I'd like. I literally forget about it although I've got a note reminding me right below my computer screen.

I try to shop locally when possible. I purchased a package of bush acorn squash seed last week for $2.99 at local hardware store. There are very few seeds in the packet. Menards is at the far eastern edge of the town where I shop so I seldom drive there. Also, it takes so much walking to shop at Menards and when I already have to go to Walmart, Aldi and usually either HyVee or Fareway, its more steps than my old feet want to take. I do need to make the trip soon to replace the plastic discharge system running from the downspout that the snowplow driver took out. One section is completely gone and the other two he drove over with his plow, so they are cracked. Without these extensions I get water in that corner of the basement. I haven't done my seed inventory yet so I'm not sure what I need, but local prices are too high. Walmart was a dollar less, but their selection is limited.
 
W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
anna43 said:
It is a beautiful sunny day here today 69º for a high. Why does 69º outside in the sun feel so much warmer than 69º inside??? I picked up some of the sticks from the front yard and made a pile by the front steps. It's too muddy to take them around to the backyard burn pile. There are quite a few left to be picked up so maybe tomorrow I'll do them.

I vacuumed the carpets and then dumped vacuums and cleaned filters. I hate dumping/cleaning filters as it totally negates the whole Hepa filter thing.

I'm still keeping up with my reading the Bible through in a year and am in Joshua now. I figure if I made it through Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy I've got a good chance of making it through the rest! I'm in Mark in the New Testament. I have no difficulty with the NT but the OT feels like a slog especially Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. It's good to practice self-discipline! I'm also doing okay with physical therapy although I've missed more days than I'd like. I literally forget about it although I've got a note reminding me right below my computer screen.

I try to shop locally when possible. I purchased a package of bush acorn squash seed last week for $2.99 at local hardware store. There are very few seeds in the packet. Menards is at the far eastern edge of the town where I shop so I seldom drive there. Also, it takes so much walking to shop at Menards and when I already have to go to Walmart, Aldi and usually either HyVee or Fareway, its more steps than my old feet want to take. I do need to make the trip soon to replace the plastic discharge system running from the downspout that the snowplow driver took out. One section is completely gone and the other two he drove over with his plow, so they are cracked. Without these extensions I get water in that corner of the basement. I haven't done my seed inventory yet so I'm not sure what I need, but local prices are too high. Walmart was a dollar less, but their selection is limited.
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I've never seen bush acorn squash but I'm no expert on winter squash...obviously. Last year was the first year I had much luck with it but I always keep trying. My winter squash usually fell to the bugs but since they are scarce lately, I might stand a chance.

I didn't see a single borer all last year. Battling squash bugs and borers use to occupy a big part of my summer. I got to where I could inject and dig out the borers like a prol lol. What a blessing that that those nasty things have been MIA lately but unfortunately so have most of the pollinators. We rarely see dirt daubers at all anymore and few wasps. If it weren't for the few wasps we see, my purple hulls wouldn't be pollinated...never thought I'd appreciate a wasp. They absolutely love the blooms on those peas.

I'm glad you mentioned that...I need to grow mine on a vine and I would be in a pickle if I got the wrong kind and didn't know til it was too late.
 
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