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

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hd5574

Veteran Member
Our very first line of defense for virus...is a zinc lozenge...we use
homeopathic..Cold-Eeze...suck slowly don't chew...and Zicam nasal spray..(also helps with allergies)if we feel off at just weird stage...or if we have been out shopping and it seemed like a lot of were coughing or sneezing all over the store...also do a glass or 2 over several hours of water with baking soda....this changes your body pH...virus are extremely pH sensitive.....many people used very small doses of baking soda in water several times per day..to avoid getting the Spanish influenza..back in the day....the people who used this method...either did not get the flu or had very mild cases...needless to say I keep a small box of baking soda in our med supplies...and a zip lock bag of it in my traveling kit....many years ago Arm and Hammer did a small free pamphlet on this (long out of print)..I think you can find a copy of the information on the web if you search..I have the information in one of my books..

We have both the Arnica cream and gel..the large size and the small size for travel..but Boiron..(homeopathic)...also makes Arnica Montana...we use 6c (strength)...5 pellets under tongue..3x per day...works on muscle pain and stiffness, swelling from injuries, discoloration from bruising...these are in the little blue tubes..so treating both inside and out..speeds recovery even faster..

Edit...to add the smaller the number on Boiron the stronger the remedy...
So 6c is stronger than 12c..and so forth
There are no known side effects to the blue tube remedies..
 
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SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
nomifyle said:
I had to turn the furnace back on because it was 67 in the living room where I sleep. Pretty darn cold for me.

It will be back in the 80’s next week.

The warmer weather helped my electric bill go down by almost $200.
Click to expand...

Cary has been threatening to build us a fire in the wood heater, today. It's cold to me at 54 degrees and windy. Temp will be back up to 70, tomorrow, so we're trying not to build one. This little propane wall unit just isn't keeping the house warm enough, today.
 
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WanderLore

Veteran Member
Hfcomms, I saw that weather for you guys on Ryan's channel..UG is all I can think.
I guess if you don't have to get out and go anywhere or do anything outside and you have good heat source it's okay but geez. It's still half the year for us anyway being home most of the time tending everything and animals and all that it can get very depressing after a while
 
West

West

Senior
hd5574 said:
Our very first line of defense for virus...is a zinc lozenge...we use
homeopathic..Cold-Eeze...suck slowly don't chew...and Zicam nasal spray..(also helps with allergies)if we feel off at just weird stage...or if we have been out shopping and it seemed like a lot of were coughing or sneezing all over the store...also do a glass or 2 over several hours of water with baking soda....this changes your body pH...virus are extremely pH sensitive.....many people used very small doses of baking soda in water several times per day..to avoid getting the Spanish influenza..back in the day....the people who used this method...either did not get the flu or had very mild cases...needless to say I keep a small box of baking soda in our med supplies...and a zip lock bag of it in my traveling kit....many years ago Arm and Hammer did a small free pamphlet on this (long out of print)..I think you can find a copy of the information on the web if you search..I have the information in one of my books..

We have both the Arnica cream and gel..the large size and the small size for travel..but Boiron..(homeopathic)...also makes Arnica Montana...we use 6c (strength)...5 pellets under tongue..3x per day...works on muscle pain and stiffness, swelling from injuries, discoloration from bruising...these are in the little blue tubes..so treating both inside and out..speeds recovery even faster..

Edit...to add the smaller the number on Boiron the stronger the remedy...
So 6c is stronger than 12c..and so forth
There are no known side effects to the blue tube remedies..
Click to expand...
Good stuff!
 
A

anna43

Veteran Member
I've been dealing with colitis issues all week, so I haven't accomplished much. I have three goals for today, do four days dishes, physical therapy and take out the garbage. I have the dishes done, half of physical therapy done and the trash from the house emptied and the garbage can ready to go out. Yesterday it was three loads of laundry, including sheets and Bible study. I intended to do pt but forgot. My brain has been fuzzy all week.

We're under high wind warning (25-35 mph sustained 60-mph gusts) until 7 a.m. tomorrow plus a fire advisory until this evening. Rain is forecast to be starting shortly then off and on until midnight. Guess the rain is why the fire advisory will be ending. The neighbor behind me has four standing dead ash trees so every time we get these high winds, I hope if the trees come down, they don't damage my property or hit his house.

Moldy, one of the things I enjoy most about retirement is the ability to avoid drama. No testy boss, no hysterical clients or difficult co-workers. PEACE because if testy, hysterical or difficult appear I can disappear!
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
Since I was here earlier, I got 3/4ths of my starts done...that is a record for me. Well, technically I started on them last night but really just got things organized. 132 solo cups, all tomatoes and 72, 5 oz. cups with cherry and micro tomatoes. I got them started a couple weeks earlier than last year and plan on selling what I don't use. I'll do the peppers and okra sometime this weekend. Everything else I start is for fun. I'll be doing my flowers too and I'm sure a few minor things I'm not thinking about.

I fill my solo cups a little over half full and when my tomatoes are tall enough, I top the dirt off again, almost to the top. It gives them a great root system. The seed starting soil I put together this year is a dream to work with. For the first time ever we sifted it...may have already mentioned that. Anyway, I'm happy!
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
@hd5574 you always have the best tips!

@anna43 that is a really good strategy. i'll usually have an overwhelming list of goals, just setting myself up for failure. Picking a couple of main ones to prioritize is an excellent plan.

@moldy it hurts me that you have to deal with that after all you've been through the last few years.

@nomifyle I got so cold all at once earlier that I had to crank up the pellet stove. Then it got too warm and I had to turn it off.

AM's sister has been on my heart all day long...praying she makes it against the odds.

I finally stopped long enough to take some Tylenol a few minutes ago...this darn cold! When I gather the energy to get back up, I'm making us a chicken sandwich...it's about all I've got in me. I baked a chicken a few days ago and it has the best taste....if I can taste it now lol.

We are suppose to get my garden fence tomorrow. It's about an hour away and I'm hoping I'm better. It may have to wait til Saturday or Sunday. The last thing I want to do is give this mess to somebody else.
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
Meemur said:
That sounds great! I may have around 25 - 30 cups / little pots when I'm finished, and I'll be giving some of those away. My largest crop is potatoes, which will go directly into the raised beds when it's time, which won't be much longer!
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My talent does not lie in potatoes and I hate that. I've tried and tried. You couldn't plant a more needful thing in hard times. Thankfully, I can grow sweet potatoes and I've got them in jars in the window, waiting for slips. I always enjoy them sprouting and making vines in that window.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Wildwood said:
My talent does not lie in potatoes and I hate that. I've tried and tried.
Click to expand...
It took constructing raised beds and adjusting the amount of sand each year until I finally started to have
some success. It's also important to plant them as soon as the soil reaches 45 degrees. They need well-established roots by the time our summer heat hits, and then it's potato beetle time . . .

But, yeah, it's worth the trouble. Potatoes are one of my staple foods. But others have given up. I don't blame them.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
anna43 said:
I've been dealing with colitis issues all week, so I haven't accomplished much. I have three goals for today, do four days dishes, physical therapy and take out the garbage. I have the dishes done, half of physical therapy done and the trash from the house emptied and the garbage can ready to go out. Yesterday it was three loads of laundry, including sheets and Bible study. I intended to do pt but forgot. My brain has been fuzzy all week.

We're under high wind warning (25-35 mph sustained 60-mph gusts) until 7 a.m. tomorrow plus a fire advisory until this evening. Rain is forecast to be starting shortly then off and on until midnight. Guess the rain is why the fire advisory will be ending. The neighbor behind me has four standing dead ash trees so every time we get these high winds, I hope if the trees come down, they don't damage my property or hit his house.

Moldy, one of the things I enjoy most about retirement is the ability to avoid drama. No testy boss, no hysterical clients or difficult co-workers. PEACE because if testy, hysterical or difficult appear I can disappear!
Click to expand...

I'm sorry you've been struggling! You may have some of the crap that's been going around, so don't be hard on yourself. Here's some good news: after this next snow storm passes, it's going to get warm. We just have to get through Sunday and Monday, which could bring another blizzard, but I'm trying not to dwell on that.
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
summerthyme said:
How do you use all thoee tomatoes?!

Summerthyme
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I'm growing extra this year in hopes of selling plants and tomatoes.

Normally my regular garden holds 45 full sized plants and three cherry tomatoe plants My front raised bed has three sweetheart cherry tomatoe plants in it every year on one end.

DH's litte garden holds seventeen tomatoe plants and then I have several hanging baskets with the tumbling tomatoes....probably a couple dozen plants in them...they are the cherry variety.

I don't know how we do it but between all that we can, freeze and then give away a lot, especially to our grown kids in addition to what we eat fresh which is a lot we get through those. Plus I grow extra for replacements. Last year, my germination rates were down so there is that. Our chickens take care of whatever is left.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
If your area is like mine, they'll sell quickly. I've found that few people want to start anything indoors in March/April. I used to just go grab whatever I wanted from Lowe's and let them deal with the the first few weeks, but as you mentioned, the prices are through the roof. It's not that difficult to start many seeds, especially tomatoes, inside and then add a grow light, if necessary. Most of the time, I can start stuff in my south kitchen window without added light.

My marigolds are doing just fine and as long as I don't have to add a grow light, I'm saving quite a bit. The loofas aren't nearly as happy. I suspect they got cold. If they don't make it, no great loss. Those might've been free seeds from a garage sale. I've still got a lot of those left.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
WanderLore said:
Meemur do you really think we're going to get warm again?
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It's supposed to be back to 50 in Central Iowa on Wednesday with 67 on Thursday. I don't know about Michigan.

7day.jpg


Added: these wild swings in temperatures over and over *aren't* normal! In over times, there would
be one or two over six or so weeks, not *every* week.
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
Meemur said:
If your area is like mine, they'll sell quickly. I've found that few people want to start anything indoors in March/April. I used to just go grab whatever I wanted from Lowe's and let them deal with the the first few weeks, but as you mentioned, the prices are through the roof. It's not that difficult to start many seeds, especially tomatoes, inside and then add a grow light, if necessary. Most of the time, I can start stuff in my south kitchen window without added light.

My marigolds are doing just fine and as long as I don't have to add a grow light, I'm saving quite a bit. The loofas aren't nearly as happy. I suspect they got cold. If they don't make it, no great loss. Those might've been free seeds from a garage sale. I've still got a lot of those left.
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I can't get the varieties I want locally so I have to start them myself. I really need a green house and someday we may build one...DH is always trying to talk me into it but he needs to get his own business back in production before he can take enough time to build a greenhouse.

I have fourteen flats in my dining room right now. That's too much for lights and I'm not done yet so I take them out on the days that are warm enough and line them up across the front edge of my forty foot wide front porch...it works. I bring them in at night til it warms up. When it really warms up, I put folding tables out in front of the porch, in the yard, and put them there. With the new fence up, I'll probably just lay them out in one of the raised beds once it's past the danger of frost.

If I ever retire from my business, I'll take my main work room and put up grow lights. I already have the tables in place. I just start so much stuff, it takes a lot of room but it feeds us all year long on the items I grow. My goal has always been to turn it into a source of income. With farm stands popping up everywhere and already having items I make professionally, it would be a good match. We are getting more eggs than we can eat too so those can be sold also.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Wow! Fourteen flats is some serious growing. I can see how they might do well on the front porch. I just put my little collection on a small cart and wheel it in and out once it gets warmer.

Yeah, if you added eggs to that, I could see that making money, for sure!

My cat's opinion on all this:

651418377_1466970808129614_7175303369845830343_n.jpg
 
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ginnie6

ginnie6

Veteran Member
Well I'm up and moving this chilly morning. Ten new baby chicks did well overnight in my laundry room under the new heat plate. Four Americauna pullets and 6 straight run olive eggers. Hopefully I get at least two hens out of those. They're inside till these cold nights pass. My dgd will be thrilled with green/blue eggs when they start to lay! I will be too lol.
Made chicken stew for supper last night with one of our roo's I processed. Could not believe how dark the broth was. Just so much richer even though I had skinned this one.

Getting ready to go walk even though its 33 here and then meeting my sisters halfway between all of us for lunch today. We try to do this every so often. Trying to repair bridges that were damaged with one.

Dh made it home last night and we had time to walk the garden area and start planning it out. We disagreed on a few things but made some compromises so we're both happy with the plans. I've got another long bed to tear down this coming week and move that dirt and then we're ready to get started if the weather agrees with us!
 
briches

briches

Veteran Member
Hello there all. I am still here chugging along although I haven’t been active on this thread in awhile. I haven’t really been “building preps” more than usual …just in a maintain framework.

I will go back and try to catch up for the week but wanted to wish everyone a won day.
 
ginnie6

ginnie6

Veteran Member
we're going down to the upper 20's next week. I was thinking about putting winter clothes away but I guess I better wait a bit. I'm so ready for spring! The peach trees are in full bloom here and I imagine they're planning on keeping those trees from loosing their blooms. We know the man over the biggest farm here and he's a good farmer.
 
patriotgal

patriotgal

Veteran Member
34 this am. 21 deg nights for next 2 nights then supposed to be 78 in a few days.

Hauling scrap today then I have to spend a couple days at my desk getting ready to hit the ground running again.

Inlaws place could keep us hauling scrap for a long time. Found 2 more big piles of it in the woods.

COVID in nursing home for 3 weeks now. Will visit as soon as it is clear.

Kids in Tulsa tonight. Praying there's no bad weather during their stay
 
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hd5574

Veteran Member
briches said:
Yesterday was definitely crazy weather wise. I thought of you as we were going through it. Lol
Click to expand...
I know that transmission line will go through your county also...will it go any where near your place...we did find out that since it is a private company...not a public utility...that they have to survey every inch of the proposed route...and it is possible for each landowner to send a letter to both they company and your county sheriff..informing them they don't have permission to trespass on your property to survey...since we are married and co-owners...they will get two letters from us..it will not go through us but they will try to move it if they get too much opposition...to putting it where they propose..(this mess is to mostly benefit Northern VA ..and their AI centers...who gave us the stinky new governor)

Another site is asking that we all call the governor's office and complain about something they are planning...to do...so many things to pick from..just more calls than they can handle..

Yet another group is busy trying to get the word out to Vote No by April 21...

I'm not sure which is crazier...the weather or all the things going on in this state...

Good to hear from you..
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
Our cold snap is over for the time being. High of 70, today, with sunny skies. Sunday, will be our next round of bad weather, then turning cold again for a couple of days. Too early and cold for us to even think of doing anything in the gardens. We buy all of our plants from the local nursery/greenhouse, so we don't start seeds, unless I use seeds for squash. For the past 3 years, I haven't been able to get more than a handful of squash from my plants, so I'm not going to try this year. I can get them fairly cheap at the farmer's market. I don't need a lot. Just enough for us to eat along all summer. Buy them as we want them.

Doing laundry, today, but not much else. My BP was high when I checked it this morning, and I have a bad headache.
 
D

Digger

Veteran Member
I finished my antibiotics. My tonsil doesn't feel swollen anymore. But my ear isn't much better, and my cough is worse. I just don't get why I can't get over this crud. I bought some medicine yesterday that I had to show my ID to get. It was over the counter. It does seem to help better than the others I have bought. I don't think I have had a fever with this at all.

The sun is shinning and it's going to be warm today. I plan to work outside some. That always makes me feel better.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Yes, the wind has been howling since 5 am or so. I flipped on the white noise machine and managed to fall back asleep until my kitty woke me up. Her kibble bowl was empty. That was my error because I usually put a little in before I go to bed.

On the plus side, there's no rain or snow. On the minus side, my yard is full of litter and sticks that have blown in, so clean-up is on the list for later.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
Cary picked up all the limbs and twigs in the yard from the storms we got a few days ago, Wednesday, then mowed the whole yard for the first time. He picked up all the debris in the yard, yesterday, from the storms that came through night before last. It's an ongoing job here all spring and summer. He loves doing yardwork, though.

I would love to get our afternoon walks started again. I'm afraid it will do more damage to my knee, though. I hobble around in the house doing what I have to do, but I have to elevate it at night while watching tv.
 
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hd5574

Veteran Member
@Wildwood...many years ago I had the Hongkong flu..it was horrible many people died..but in the winter of 1981-1982...I got sick with another no name influenza...I have never been that sick..in my life...my Dad had passed some months earlier....my fever was very high and DH was beside the bed feeding me ice chips...he got me dressed and carried me to the doctor's ..I mean carried me in the office in his arms..
After I was well..I told him how Dad had given me ice...he looked at me tenderly..and said honey that was me feeding you ice ...at that moment I realized how sick I had been..and I decided I never wanted to be that sick again..or even catch any virus...if I could find a way not to

I began studying all things that were said to killed virus ..I have tried them...all ...they all helped some but I still got sick to one level or another..my goal was not to get sick at all...I have been studying this 45 years now...I gave up on most all the over the counter stuff..and most of the herbs..that mitigate virus...I was out to kill them..years ago and threw them in the trash..

Zinc is your friend..

Bread also can be your friend and help keep you well or make you ill...years ago we had lots of iodine in our bread...It helped us stay well ..it was removed..( by who ??? )
We are nowgiven tons of bromine in most bread now, flouride in our toothpaste and chlorine in our water(except well water )...all of these..force the iodine out of your thyroid...your blood circulates through your thyroid..every 17 minutes..and if you have enough iodine it treats your blood to remove or KILL...virus and bacteria...it is a huge part of your immune system...who knew..the only companies I know of that make bromine free bread and pastries are Pepperidge Farm and Entenmann's...more expensive but worth the price...I have actually called those companies about bromine ..
Our breast cancer rates jumped like crazy once the iodine was removed..from our bread...breast cancer is very low in Japan...they eat a lot of seaweed...it is very high in iodine...I grew up in VA...near the bay and have eaten a ton of shell fish all my life..but not as much now ..it has gotten crazy expensive...so i take kelp pills to make sure I get enough iodine ..also not enough iodine and you gain weight...

Back during the civil war ...the southern soldiers carried 2 canteens...one with water and one with iodine....they covered wounds of any type with iodine...lots of iodine..it saved many a life...since iodine is absorbed through the skin..their thyroid was getting plenty also..which was helping them fight infection at the site of the wound and also in their blood stream..
 
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