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Post by feather on Jun 1, 2021 6:53:34 GMT -6
Everyone is welcome. Share your prep lists and read others to prepare for whatever the future brings.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 1, 2021 14:28:17 GMT -6
June already! It's really true that time seems to move faster the older one gets. I had so many projects planned for the last few months that I just didn't get to. I guess that's going to make June's list a long one. Maybe instead of a monthly list, I should try making just one goal and work only on it until I finish it....but I have half a dozen jobs that need done yesterday!
The garden seeds must go in in the next few days if I'm to have any hope of a crop. At this rate, I'll have a lovely crop of potatoes, maybe enough strawberries to snack on, and more of LAST year's broccoli. Planting is on this evening's list...it's headed for 90° today, and I have no desire to experience heat stroke!
The pool still needs more cleaning and dirt leveling before I can fill it, and after it's filled, it will need a few days of iron removal. Today would have been a great day for a swim.
I still need more storage sheds, especially for the hay that's coming soon and for the lumber that I'll be cutting over the next year. That means building projects. Another outdoor job that needs worked on in the early mornings and late evenings on days like today.
So, I've been forced to work on fascinating jobs like pumice stoning my toilet bowl ring and organizing my pantry. Ok, organizing my pantry is a job that should be on my list anyway, so it feels like an accomplishment, at least. Taking a hunk of pumice to the bowl ring is just one of those jobs that has to be repeated in a month anyway. It does look pretty nice, though. 😊
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Post by Farmerjack41 on Jun 1, 2021 18:23:48 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, if you had your pool on this side of the mountains it would heat up, they are talking about temperatures in the area of 107 tomorrow. Cool down coming by the weekend, Yea.
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Post by mogal on Jun 1, 2021 20:09:48 GMT -6
Manygoatsnomore, just wondering if you'd ever tried pouring straight white vinegar into your toilet to get rid of the ring? I use a plunger to force out as much water as possible then add the vinegar. If there are stains where the water flows into the toilet, I use bath tissue laid on them with the bottom edge in the vinegar that then wicks up onto the rest of the strip. After a couple of hours, our mineral deposits are dissolved without undue scrubbing.
I would be concerned that scrubbing with a pumice stone might damage the porcelain and give the next batch of minerals more to grab, like lightly sanding a layer of paint before applying the second.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 2, 2021 20:26:29 GMT -6
Manygoatsnomore, just wondering if you'd ever tried pouring straight white vinegar into your toilet to get rid of the ring? I use a plunger to force out as much water as possible then add the vinegar. If there are stains where the water flows into the toilet, I use bath tissue laid on them with the bottom edge in the vinegar that then wicks up onto the rest of the strip. After a couple of hours, our mineral deposits are dissolved without undue scrubbing. I would be concerned that scrubbing with a pumice stone might damage the porcelain and give the next batch of minerals more to grab, like lightly sanding a layer of paint before applying the second. Actually, pumice is softer than porcelain, so it doesn't scratch it at all. 😉 We have a high concentration of iron in our water and a ring builds pretty quickly. Pumice is free - we have tons of the stuff in our soil - and it only takes a few minutes to remove the buildup if I do it on a regular basis. Skip it for a while and it takes a lot more elbow grease! |
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 2, 2021 20:32:04 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, if you had your pool on this side of the mountains it would heat up, they are talking about temperatures in the area of 107 tomorrow. Cool down coming by the weekend, Yea. We only hit 90° yesterday, which was plenty hot enough for me, thank you! You can keep those 100°+ temps on YOUR side of the mountains, lol. I think we only hit about 85° today. By the weekend, we'll be suffering from weather whiplash again, with temps back down in the 50-60° range. If it would just stay in the same temp range, I could adapt, but the seesawing back and forth makes it hard. |
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 2, 2021 20:50:10 GMT -6
I planted bush and pole beans this morning and covered them with window sheers to protect against chicken predation. I still have a row of purple bush beans and more pole beans to plant, but it was getting too hot for me out there.
I ran into town to deliver eggs and pick up prescriptions during the heat of the day...I do love having working AC in the truck. 😊 I had to wait for some of the prescriptions, so I ran across to Winco for groceries. Prices are sure up for a lot of the groceries, especially produce, and, of all things, DOG BISCUITS. They have been out for over a month, and now the price per pound (bulk bin) has nearly doubled. Muttley is going on a rationing plan, lol.
After I got home, I cleared the sump pump clog and pumped quite a bit of the water out of the pool. I'm nearly to the point where I can bucket out most of the crud in the bottom. I plan to go back out in a bit and work on that, but I got overheated and had to come in, shower off and rest in my little climate controled corner of the house. I only have a tiny window unit in the master bath, which, combined with a box fan, keeps my bedroom nice and cool.
We have more chicks and more broody hens wanting to set, so egg production is way down. I still have enough for my customers, and I so enjoy the new babies. Today, I had to clean out the nests where eggs have hatched and bed them with fresh hay. I also rescued a chick trying to hatch out, but stuck in the shell. It's still weak, but there's a chance it will make it. If it does, I'll pop it under a hen tomorrow night.
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Post by Farmerjack41 on Jun 2, 2021 23:57:29 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, went to the top of Chinook Pass today. There is about eight feet of snow in the parking lot for the lake. Temperature was 62 degrees and when I got back home it was 103. Attempted to go to the Sunrise lodge at Mt. Rainier, but it was not open yet.
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Post by midtnmama on Jun 3, 2021 6:57:06 GMT -6
We had a drenching rain last night and this morning, so I plan to attack the weeds, then go grocery shopping. None of the 4 eggs in the incubator hatched. All had developed to some degree, though. The next two months are so busy, I'm not sure if I'll start the new incubator or not. Wish someone would go broody. At least I could put the hatched chicks under them. It's the taking care of chicks that requires time at home. Don't want to drive anywhere with stinky chicks. Last trip, I took my baby seedlings with me. manygoatsnomore, Pumice in your soil! I just can't wrap my head around it. I'm afraid of your volcano! Remember Pompeii! |
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Jun 3, 2021 7:46:15 GMT -6
Garden is in, so the wait begins. I'll spend June weeding and fretting over the lack of rain (although it's going to rain today....so they say). Should take the "downtime" to re-stock our dry goods, well....at least inventory them to see if we need to re-stock anything. Likely in need of popcorn (my family (minus me) eats 50-70# a year!!) The basement needs cleaned up, gets messy over winter with the wood burner and the grow tower. May save that for July when it's even hotter outside, though. Any excuse to procrastinate that chore  Still cyber-stocking local stores looking for canning lids. I have enough for this year, I think, but I always buy 2 yrs ahead. I have Tattlers, too, in a pinch. So nothing will truly slow down my canning, lol. |
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Post by feather on Jun 3, 2021 7:53:31 GMT -6
Ohio Dreamer, wow, 50-70 lbs a year. I should pay more attention to what we go through. We buy it in 4 lb bags a couple at a time, a couple times during the year. Thanks for reminding me. I also need to go through my metal lid stash and get them organized. My tattlers are organized in square tubs, about half are on product and half in tubs. The metal lids vary from very old but never used, to new but never used, but they are mixed and need to be sorted.
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Post by nbc3mom on Jun 3, 2021 14:31:51 GMT -6
We were blessed with 1” of rain yesterday. Cooler temperatures end today with hot, humid days to come. We have been eating spinach, lettuce, asparagus and the sweetest strawberries we ever had. I planted more zucchini and cucumbers in empty spots in the garden. A friend brought me some tomato plants that he had leftover. He said there were about a half dozen plants— it was more like 2 1/2 dozen, each about a foot tall! He must start the seeds in December! I found room for all but about 6 which I passed on to a neighbor. I also planted some wood poppies that I got at the park where I volunteer.
It’s too muddy to weed the garden today so we went to Costco and stocked up on staples. We usually get so busy in the summer it’s hard to take the extra hour to get there and back. I plan to spend tomorrow weeding after yoga class. I also want to clean up the irises and peonies. They are beautiful flowers but a mess after they die back
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lilith
Full Member
Posts: 79
Talent: herbs
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Post by lilith on Jun 6, 2021 17:14:34 GMT -6
Hey guys! Been a busy busy summer for sure! I somehow managed to finish my May list by the skin of my teeth ... We were literally putting in that watering system at 11p on the 31st lol!
The last two weeks haven't been a while lot of prepping, but I've managed to not kill off anything more than a few daisies and petunias. The raised garden beds are AMAZING!!! I had fresh baby radishes and peas for breakfast this morning lol. First things I've gotten to eat out of my own garden (aside from the Perma-cultured berries, herbs, and stuff that basically grows wild) in two years. My garden crashed so hard last year it was discouraging to say the least!
We got my oldest all graduated from High School and after this summer he is headed to Wyoming for tech school. We also got my best friend's daughter all graduated last week, and next weekend her and I are headed for a much deserved getaway to a cabin in the cool mountains! We plan to do some berry hunting while we are out and that should be really cool!
It's been exciting and stressful and feels like we have accomplished so much!
This month, I plan to
Make sure nothing dies. Ok - as little as possible dies in the garden.
Get back to those foot soaks I neglected in May. They really help my foot which can't take the abuse after last falls break and walking boot fiasco.
Enjoy my gardens! I didn't get my sunflower fort planted, but we did put up a hammock chair under the maple tree that is a fantastic place to read.
Reduce the pace I have been keeping and just relax. By relax, I mean work on the things I want and enjoy! This should keep me on the good path I am enjoying with my mental health ... Last year was hard!
I hope you all are in as good of a happy place as I have found again and are doing well!
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Post by feather on Jun 6, 2021 17:59:03 GMT -6
lilith, So good to hear how you are doing!
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Jun 8, 2021 11:39:36 GMT -6
Strawberries have begun here  Daily picking for the next week or two or three. Our patches are a few years old now, and this is the first year they are producing well. Not sure what I'll do with them all....but I'll find something We aren't jam eaters, so the BIG batch of jams I made 5 yrs ago has only been tapped lightly. So no jam needed. I still have berries in the freezer from last year, so I'm not sure I want to freeze more... I grew up on strawberry shortcake for dinner this time of year. Hubby does not think that is dinner  In fact, he and my daughter don't even like strawberry shortcake....they only like the strawberry part. Such party poopers!! Maybe a spinach-bacon-strawberry salad for dinner... |
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Post by feather on Jun 8, 2021 11:53:25 GMT -6
Ohio Dreamer, we just put in june bearing strawberries, our first year, so not many. We still have ever bearing, little tiny flavorful ones all summer. We mostly wash and freeze them. I use them half thawed with banana half thawed, in the food processor, to make nice-cream. If I have so many they take up space, I'll cook them down, with other red berries, into a puree that is thick enough to spread on toast, or put on nice-cream. No sugar added, so we can eat them pretty much whenever we want them. I love strawberries in salads too, what a good idea.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 8, 2021 13:31:26 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, went to the top of Chinook Pass today. There is about eight feet of snow in the parking lot for the lake. Temperature was 62 degrees and when I got back home it was 103. Attempted to go to the Sunrise lodge at Mt. Rainier, but it was not open yet. Wow, still 8 feet of snow up there in June. And to think we were worried about the snow pack earlier this year! I haven't been to Sunrise Lodge in ages...I should put that on my list for August. By then, the road should be open, lol. My dad used to take us all up to the park when I was a kid - he'd show us all the trails and buildings he worked on during his CCC days. I was always in awe that he had actually had a part in making our national park so beautiful. Still am, really. I just wish I'd been able to write down all that he told us...my memories have faded over the years, and I'm not sure if I could still point to anything specific that he helped build. I wish I could, because I'd love to be able to show my own kids and grands what he was a part of. |
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 8, 2021 14:03:21 GMT -6
midtnmama, don't worry, our little volcano is no where near as violent as the one that took out Pompeii. We did lose 57 lives in the eruption of 1980, but they were folks that were much closer to the mountain than where my little place sits. We also tend to get much more warning of an eruption being imminent. I don't think Pompeii had the USGS working to keep them safe(r). We sit high above the river where the mudflows came through and far enough back not to be in the washout zone, although on every trip to town, I do drive past rotting houses that are half buried in mudflow from 1980. The road was rebuilt on a higher level afterwards. Should there be another big eruption in my lifetime, we still stand a chance of being "stranded" if THAT road goes under, but there are back ways out that are lesser known, a little rougher, but they'll do the job. Although no place is free of risk entirely, I'll take a volcano in my back yard over hurricanes, tornadoes and tsunamis any day. Our main hazards here are windstorms, the occasional snow or ice event, earthquakes or a chemical spill on the highway across the river, with the volcano being much further down the list. I had to chuckle at your comment about taking seedlings on your trip. I haven't done that, or taken chicks along, either, but I did once haul a milk goat along on a trip to Moses Lake when we helped my sister and her hubby move to the dry side of the mountains! There was no one to milk while we were gone, and we were taking the trailer anyway, loaded with boxes of sewing notions from my sister's home. Kasie had the "dressing room" part of the horse trailer to herself. 😁 If only you were closer, I'd give you one of my broody hens. I have so many now that I'm down to about 6 eggs a day in the known nests. One hen is literally sitting on 3 FAKE eggs...I'll have to give her a clutch as soon as I can get together enough nice big eggs for her to set on. I need to advertise that I have broodies for sale...I could probably sell every one of my surplus hens for $25 each!
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 8, 2021 21:15:21 GMT -6
Ohio Dreamer, lol on procrastinating on the cleaning of the basement. I'm doing the same thing on the pantry and shipping container. Congrats on having your garden in...mine is still a work in progress. feather, your canning lid collection sounds like mine...I really prefer the older metal flats over the newer ones...the sealant is so much thicker that I feel like I get a better seal. I'm using more of my Tattler lids and keeping the metal lids for backup and for anything I might give as gifts, where the jar and lid might not be returned. nbc3mom, wow, that's a good friend that brings you 2 1/2 dozen huge tomato plants for your garden....and you are a good friend for sharing the bounty! I had to BUY 6 tomato plants in 4" pots a few days ago. Those small tomatoes were $1.89 each, although 2 of them were 25% off for some reason. Usually, I'm either giving plants away or being given a few free tomato starts, but this year, I didn't get my seeds started nor did I get together with the friends who usually have extras. lilith, woohoo on finishing your May to-do list! That's quite an accomplishment...one that seems to elude me, lol. 🙄 I like your June list, too...especially the part about not killing too much of your garden, haha. 😁 Like you, I'm in a really good mental headspace and enjoying life. The past year-plus has been a hard one on all of us, and for me, personally, being fully vaccinated has been a huge boost to my spirits. It's so freeing to be able to get together with people again...and to see the lower half of their faces, lol! All of you with producing strawberries are making my mouth water. I have managed to get my strawberry patch weeded and there are blooms and small green berries on the plants, but no ripe ones yet. I need to get the window sheers put up around the bed, as well as adding compost and straw to the bed itself. I had very few runners the last few years...if they don't do better this year, I'm taking them out of the raised bed and planting them back in the ground. I think they did much better in the ground, so I might move half of them out of their raised bed anyway. Our hot-cold-hot-cold weather swings continue. After a few days near 90°, we are back to cool and showery again. Sunday, we had a gully washer along with pretty much steady rain all day, with over an inch in the rain gauge. Yesterday was drizzly, and today we had a sunny morning, but it's cloudy and looking like rain any minute - okay, make that it IS raining. I hope it blows through quickly (although it is raining harder at the moment). Not only do I need to get into my garden and pool, but one of my egg customers is coming out later today to get 6 dozen eggs, and it would be nice if it wasn't pouring again this time! I need to dig up a couple plants for her, too. Friday, we had a last minute Honor Guard and we were able to stop afterwards at Wilco where I bought the tomato plants and a package of half-price daylilies. I bought 2 Sungolds, a Lemon Boy, Better Boy, Siletz and Patio tomato. All but the Patio tomato were planted Saturday and the rebar mesh and crossbars put up on their raised bed. They've been well watered in ever since. 🙄 I need to research how large a pot is recommended for the Patio tomato, get that pot spray painted to coordinate with my other planters, and get the last tomato potted up. Sunday, I had Abby help me move my dorm-sized fridge to the bathtub for defrosting. While it was thawing, I took the opportunity to do more of a deep clean on my bedroom. I also went through all of my seeds and picked out the rest of the ones I want to plant this week. ADDED: I thought I had posted this, but evidently I got sidetracked (big surprise there 😉). So, I might as well add what I did this afternoon after the rain stopped. I weeded out another half a raised bed and planted a whole bunch of glads from last year. It looks like quite a few corms are still good. I hilled potatoes and did some scuffle hoe weeding. I dug up a bunch of plants for K, including Lady's Mantle, Sweet Cicely, chamomile, catnip, chives, and 2 kinds of oregano. We had a nice visit when she got here this evening...caught up on all the news, showed her the chicks running all over around here, let her feed apples to the horses, and paid her for a gallon of milk for Abby that she was kind enough to bring out from town. She was tickled with the plants and paid me $30 for 6 dozen eggs. 😊 By the time she left, I was ready for dinner and a rest...made myself a grilled cheese sammy and ended up visiting with my next door neighbor, Mrs TL, exchanging jigsaw puzzles with her instead of resting. The rain that was threatening again seems to have passed us by, but I'm done for the day. I'm tired and ready to tuck into bed with another puzzle and a few more episodes of Midsomer Murders until I'm sleepy enough to drop off. Eta: I forgot to add that I did give clutches of eggs to 2 more hens this afternoon. Both were initially pretty mad at me for pulling them off their nests, but within 15 minutes, they had discovered the eggs and were cozily settled down to brood them. 😊🐔🐔
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Post by Farmerjack41 on Jun 8, 2021 22:35:53 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, That new road is quite nice. The high bridge is quite a design. Have not been up there for a couple of years. Next time I stay at Lake Mayfield have to make that trip. Beautiful country, but sure not into all the rain. Would like a happy medium, between this desert and your country. Have a good evening. Jack
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Jun 9, 2021 7:28:47 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, $30 for 6 doz eggs  I'd be giddy with that kind of money, I only get $2 a dozen with egg cartons returned. I need to propagate more strawberries today. I already potted about 30 runners that were growing where I don't want them. I noticed I have about 20 more to "move". Need to find pots. Some I'll give to a friend that has a market. She wants a big strawberry patch. I gave her some last year. So 20 or so more plants and she should be in good shape in a few years. She's working on all this slow and low cost. And if I don't give them to her, they will just go in the trash. Should try to sell a few out at the road....2 for $1 might go as they are small. If I propagate into cups it would be cheaper for me to sell... My friend gave me the 30 pots I already used, so I'll just give them back to her full, lol. Need to decide where to start my 4th strawberry patch Trimmed my hair this morning. Took about 3" off the back. I'm sure if any hairdressers are on this site they would faint at how I do it, lol. But it works for me. I might be able to get it in a bun now as I cut out most of the layers. I could only make a messy bun....all those edges popping out. I'm too "old school" for a messy bun I put the layers in a few years ago. Sure makes the hair lighter, but haven't been able to bun my hair out of my way since. Ponytails are ok....but they still leave a "carpet of hair" on my spine which is hot. It's good and hot and humid today, I should go work on the basement. If I think long enough maybe I can come up with a reason not to....
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 14, 2021 12:18:41 GMT -6
Ohio Dreamer, I'm shocked at the number of folks willing to pay a premium for the eggs, too. Very happy, but shocked, lol! I don't sell quite as many as I used to, but the income is still the same. Any unsold eggs don't go to waste, either. Muttley gets some on his kibble, I give some eggs away, and I cook some up, shells and all, to feed back to the hens. My beans are up and growing (hopefully still okay and not subject to chicken predation), and I have the strawberry patch topdressed with compost and sheers put up around the bed, and sheers put up around most of the raised beds. I pulled the rebar mesh off the 2nd bed that I normally grow my tomatoes in and pulled a ton of weeds out with the mesh! Hand pulled most of the big weeds, but I need to go through and till up the rest. I think cucumbers, carrots and peas will go in that bed, after I till in enough compost to add 3" to the depth of the bed again. Then I need to get the corn planted and covered, and the raspberry patch weeded. I still want to plant more green beans, too, and more cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. The seeds are starting to ripen on the overwintered sprouting broccoli, so I should have a late planting that will carry us through until next year's broccoli is producing. I'm still slowly filling my pool, helped along by all the rain we've been getting. Cleaning the leaf gunk proved to be a much easier job than I thought it would be, so the pool is clean, the ground is leveled and I'm working on the filling part of the program now. I run the hose for an hour or so at a time to avoid overloading the well filter, and so far, I don't see much iron in the water. Next spell of warm, dry weather, I need to put permanent patches on the tears I found in the pool (at the top, fortunately). I have Gorilla tape patches on it in the meantime. During the rainy weather, I've been tackling those spots in my house where the clutter tends to accumulate and going through the gardening supplies. Those are a few of the areas where things get out of hand fairly quickly and need more attention than they usually get. Sure feels good to put them right, even if it won't last, lol.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 22, 2021 17:10:50 GMT -6
Where is everybody? Must be outside working in their gardens....
I spent a few hours working up another patch of ground in the garden this morning before the sun popped through the clouds and started things heating up again. It didn't do my ribs much good, but I powered through anyway. I found a huge rock right where I wanted another row of taters to go...it will take some pick and shovel work, or maybe a tractor, to get it out. It's about 18" long by a foot wide, and who knows how deep it goes.
I think I mentioned elsewhere that I took a tumble in my bathroom and either bruised or cracked a rib. Since there's nothing you can do but wait for it to heal, I haven't gone in to see my doctor, but I'm in a lot more pain than my usual and am going through a lot more pain pills than normal, so I might have to call her. I'm still doing what needs done around here, but with a lot more than my normal aches and pains.
I AM SWIMMING! Well, okay, between the rib and the fact that my pool isn't all that big, it's more like paddling, but I have a pool I can climb in and cool off. 😁😎 It hit 94° here yesterday and the forecast is for warm weather all week and 102° on Saturday and Sunday, so I'm really appreciating the ability to cool off. I can officially check that job off my June list. 😃✔
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Post by feather on Jun 22, 2021 18:43:14 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, sorry to hear you bruised or cracked a rib, ouchy ouch. You do have the hot weather going. Glad you are making use of the pool to cool off. Take care of your ribs! Hugs{{Manygoatsnomore}} (not too tight)
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 23, 2021 12:10:21 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, sorry to hear you bruised or cracked a rib, ouchy ouch. You do have the hot weather going. Glad you are making use of the pool to cool off. Take care of your ribs! Hugs{{Manygoatsnomore}} (not too tight) Lol, I appreciate the gentle cyberhugs! After our Honor Guard ceremony Saturday, I got several hugs from other Guard members, and those weren't so gentle, haha. Still, it was nice to hug and be hugged. After 15 months without them, hugs are wonderful. 😁🤗 |
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Post by nbc3mom on Jun 25, 2021 11:31:10 GMT -6
Like most of you, I’m not preparing for Armageddon but instead for any unforeseen circumstances that may come up. DH had an appointment this afternoon with a new eye doctor. After working in the yard, his plan was to eat lunch, shower, then leave. Five minutes before he stepped into the shower, the power went off. He went into the garage and got one of the jugs of water that we store for hygiene purposes. He was able to wash and get ready to go with no concerns.
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Post by feather on Jun 25, 2021 11:46:03 GMT -6
nbc3mom, You sound glad he is home. Yay.
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Post by midtnmama on Jun 25, 2021 13:23:19 GMT -6
Like most of you, I’m not preparing for Armageddon but instead for any unforeseen circumstances that may come up. DH had an appointment this afternoon with a new eye doctor. After working in the yard, his plan was to eat lunch, shower, then leave. Five minutes before he stepped into the shower, the power went off. He went into the garage and got one of the jugs of water that we store for hygiene purposes. He was able to wash and get ready to go with no concerns. Yes, I am like you and prep for unforseen circumstances, not SHTF scenario. Water is best, but I learned recently that campers (and homeless people) often use wetwipes to wash up. Since I'm very frugal and don't like to throw stuff away, I'd use wash rags and saved water. BTW how long do you keep your saved water? |
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Post by nbc3mom on Jun 26, 2021 7:08:08 GMT -6
midtnmama. I try to replace the water every 12-18 months. I use the non- drinking water to water the garden and indoor plants and, even though I don’t like using bottled drinking water, we take it on trips and drink it when working in the garden, then recycle the empty bottles.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jun 27, 2021 0:40:59 GMT -6
I prep for everyday problems and SHTF events, both. Most of the things I have on hand to use for short term blips in my normal life will also be very useful in, for example, a long term grid down situation. With the recent hacks to businesses from gas pipelines to hospitals, awareness is growing that our power grid could also be hacked and leave us in the dark.
Over time, I've managed to acquire enough free propane tanks, mostly traded in for full tanks with upgraded fittings, to run our camp kitchen for a very long time, should we lose power to our electric kitchen stove. With the loss of the grid in mind, I've also stockpiled enough canning jars, lids, and pressure canners to can up the contents of all our freezers, as well as having a generator and fuel to keep the fridges and freezers going for long enough to save all that food.
I lived without running water for 7 months, learning how to shower with a clean garden sprayer and a gallon of water heated on the stove, launder our clothes in a wringer washer (uses a lot less water), and filter rain water with a homemade Berkey filter system - just to make sure that I could and can do it. I had a flush toilet, flushed with a bucket of rainwater, but also made a sawdust bucket toilet. I truly appreciate running water so much more after that long without it, but I'm also more secure with the knowledge that hauling and filtering water isn't the end of the world.
As awful as the last 15-16 months of the Covid pandemic have been, in many ways, it has been much less of a crisis than I'd expected. Although there were and are some shortages, most stores stayed open, shipments arrived (eventually), and we learned and adapted over time. We learned to shop on line to avoid contact with possibly infected folks, and learned how great our UPS driver is, lol!
Since we always keep a deep pantry, full freezer(s) and plenty of extra TP, the effects of temporary shortages on our household has been minimal. Our prepping paid off. It continues to pay off, literally, as prices go up. We have enough on hand to ride out inflation and wait for loss leaders to restock.
Right now, it's ongoing health and injury issues that are on my daily oopsies to deal with. The verdict is that I have bruised ribs, which can take just as long to heal as cracked or broken bones. I'm back to having some limits on my activities. I have to work smarter and find work arounds for things I cannot physically do right now. If I don't, it will take longer to heal and hurt a lot more. Believe me, I'm using a lot of the tips and tricks I've learned over time, some of them from all of you wonderful people!
I think prepping for potentially difficult long term SHTF situations has made it possible to take the little things that are bound to come up in my stride. In my book, that's the best reason for preparing for the big, bad stuff.
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Daily picking for the next week or two or three. Our patches are a few years old now, and this is the first year they are producing well. Not sure what I'll do with them all....but I'll find something 
In fact, he and my daughter don't even like strawberry shortcake....they only like the strawberry part. Such party poopers!! Maybe a spinach-bacon-strawberry salad for dinner...
I'd be giddy with that kind of money, I only get $2 a dozen with egg cartons returned.