Weekly prep thread
 

any interest in starting this back up? Infantry NCO used to do a weekly prep thread, and I think it kept everyone thinking about what they could do to prep, even small things.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Sure.

Been working on a "3 cord shed" this week......portable ( drag-able ) shed that holds 3 cords of firewood.....6'x 12'x 6' high inside. Rolled the first one out of the shop today, and got started mortising the 6x6 runners for the next one.

THEN on to fill them up.

Pictures to follow later.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Looks like good odds of moving next year, so have stopped doing any preps that would last longer than 1 yr. Will have to donate or throw away a lot of stuff if we move too far.

Garden didn't do so well. Only got 20 lbs of potatoes, a good bean crop and hot pepper crop, and a small tomato crop. Canned 19 pints of black bean and corn salsa and made a big batch of cream of tomato soup. Home made salsa is much better than what you can buy.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

With all the talk of a sept. event, heck I don't know if we will or wont, but just to make sure just had 400 gallons of propane delivered... traded for 840 frn's (ouch)

That should keep us going for 1 year for heat and cooking.

Plan this weekend to refill the diesel tanks. tractor use has them a little low.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

That is one of the real 'oops' with our house. Built it before I really got into this,and wish 1000 times we would have put in a wood burning stove instead of insert fireplace (worthless for heat).

Ike killed so much oak they are piling it and letting it rot, more chords than you could ever use are free for the taking.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

* More 'dry' canning, dehydrated hash browns (from Costco) and red beans.

* Looking around for a 20' cargo container to store more 'stuff'.

* Nother Costco trip this week-end...:driver:

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Grabbed a bulk pack of tuna last week and some various canned foods and soups from the store. Packed away 20 lbs of rice a couple weeks ago. Canned some roasted red peppers.

Did 2 1/2 quarts(in half pint jars) a couple weeks ago too. That should last us a few months, were big PB&J eaters, my daughter and I. Got some additional water storage in place.

Planted a white eggplant plant two weeks ago. Got a jalapeno plant thats got some peppers ready to pick. Green Bell peppers started blooming again. Somethings attacking my eggplant though, not sure what. Some kind of snail or slug I think.

Plans for this weekend and next:
Need to repair the generator. Somethings wrong with it thats beyond my abilities. Hoping to dehydrate some more mixed veggies this weekend another 5lb bag at the very least. Maybe some soup or stews from the Blue Book. Need to refil a propane tank and get some more smaller ones. Have about 15 small ones in the garage.

Part of this was for Hurricane season, but it works for long term just the same.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

how are those packaged at costco?

does costco have a good bit of prep stuff?

sams is ok for dried pinto beans, sugar, and rice, but not much dry selection beyond that.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

37.5 oz / 2.34 lbs in carton ~ 5 bucks

Calories - 80 (1/3 cup)
Serving per container 48

Total Calories = 3,840

http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/g...t/potatoes.jpg

http://goldismoney.info/forums/attac...1&d=1250889807

And don't forget the egg machines...

.http://www.gotpetsonline.com/picture...icken-0004.jpg

Bout the same as Sams, although they occasionally have stuff like the hashbrowns.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

No! we need more Brett Favre and German Girls threads...:aetsch:

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

I went to Costco today to get more preps. Paper products - paper plates, tp, paper towels. I also bought extra food - canned tuna and chicken and peanut butter.

My garden was pathetic. I couldn't get anything to grow...that worries me. Animals got to a lot of it.

I'm getting my CCW in a couple weeks. But then I wonder, if TSHTF will I really need that license?

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

2 case mre, 6 can cheese, freezing some more summer squash, saved two variety bean seed, stocked up on mobil 500 motor oil[11/5 qt.]. solar charger for van working well. retired 600 frn debt. good thread, like to journal progress. ammo slowly coming back to shelves @ local wallyworld and sportsman warehouse.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Local store had Ragu sauce for $1.29 and bogo Kraft mac & cheese that I stocked up on... I know it's not healthy but it will keep me full and kids
happy (and that's always a good thing!).

Thanks for restarting this thread, it helps to keep us focussed. :clap2:

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

just got my order today from honeyville .... http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/can...ge.aspx?page=5

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Got three bottles of 4000iu D3 and a new S&W 40. Tapped till my next prep allowance Sept 1. Thinking of getting a good chainsaw.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

I started a thread a few days ago asking if anyone has bought any type of traps long spring,jump traps. they would be good in urban and rural situations and they hunt 24 hours a day for you.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

On Monday I recieved 400 gallons of LP gas for this winters heat and should have another 450 gallons on the way for my second tank.

Had my truck fixed up, replaced tie rods; rack and pinion; ball joints; new tires all the way around and 4 wheel drive computer activator whatever the hell it is called.

Dry canned my ass off this week with much more to go.

Will hunt for 1/2 gallon jars, a few cases of split dried peas and other goodies tomorrow.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

For what you guys seem to call "dry canning" I buy the big clear plastic jars of honey roasted nuts at wally world for about $5 ea, and when each jar of nuts is gone, I have another jar for storing dried beans, peas, nuts, cereals, grains or whatever. We like the nuts anyway. The jars are also lighter, square and shorter than 1/2 gal glass ones, which makes them better for putting on the shelves of the pantry.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

This week I dry-canned 50 lbs of steel-cut oats (WOW! They're delicious!) from Honeyville and 20 pounds of mayocoba beans as well as a 10 pound bag of brown basmati rice.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Yes but those don't do well with vacuum and oxy's.

If I wasn't pulling negative pressure those would work great.

That is a great idea for airtight containers though.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Processed chickens and rabbits this week. Ordered two cases of smoked salmon -- that should take care of the protein needs for two meals a week for the next year. Headed to the Amish 'Scratch and Dent' store tomorrow for more inexpensive canned goods. Will likely come home with a trunk full for pennies on the dollar. I love that place!

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Once, about 15 yrs ago, we got some kind of moth bugs in the pantry, and they got into anything that was in plastic bags or cardboard boxes. To end the nightmare I took everything still good that was in bags or boxes and put them in qt canning jars or popcorn tins, but you can't see what's in the tins, and the qt jars are both heavy and too small, so over the years I've replaced them with the big plastic nut jars. I wouldn't suggest them for vacuum packing, but dried stuff would last 5 years in them just fine, maybe 10, because I've used things that have been in them that long. It more of a cheap way to store dried stuff efficiently (because the jars are lightweight, large and square) and not have to worry about them attracting bugs.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Today

Found and purchased 24 cases of 1/2 gallom mason jars.

visited the local Aldi's and grabbed.

15 lbs of sugar (for trade etc)
3 large tins of cocoa powder for baking.
6 cans of black pepper.
6 large containers (15 lbs total) of oats (for dry canning).
12 cans (18 lbs) of grits (for dry canning).
16 packages of instant mashed spuds (for dry canning) they were on sale for .99 cents each could'nt turn them down.
8 bags (40 lbs) of flour (for dry canning).

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

very very nice.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Sunday:

Spent close to 450.00 (have stopped buying PM's and switched to foodstuffs entirely)

Additional 30 lbs of oats (for dry canning).
24 lbs of dry lima beans (for dry canning).
36 lbs of dry pinto beans (for dry canning).
10 boxes cream of wheat (for dry canning) friggen expensive, but very filling b-fast food.
3 monster sized cans of hot cocoa mix.
1 additional case of beef stew.
6 additional large cans of coffee (18 large cans in storage now).
1 case of corned beef hash.
10 packages of prunes (i'm old).
1 case of canned salmon.
20 lbs of wheat spaghetti (for dry canning).
20 additional pounds of rice (for dry canning).
20 lbs of corn flour (for dry canning) (dunno why but I did).
2 additional cases of corn.
2 additional cases of peas.
8 lbs of hard candy (for dry canning)
3 bottles of extra virgin olive oil.
3 boxes of baking soda.
3 boxes of baking powder.
16 additional boxes of instant mashed spuds.
6 additional bottles of honey to go with the case I already have (expensive bee shit).

I think that is all for today, should be dry canning my ass off all week long now.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Ahem, That's "bee puke".

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

We call it BEE VOMIT.. has a nice ring.

Plastic: Impressive.

Went to sams today bought a few more cases of canned veggies, 75 lb's of sugar (price is fixing to go up due to drought) for our jam canning sessions in Sept. And bought 25 lb's white rice.

Our sams is no longer carrying the excel instant potato pearls (they are great) and several other items we usually buy.

Did some comparison shopping with Costco. Costco hands down, will be switching memberships soon.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

BTW Plastic, how long does that cream of wheat last? I thought it has a relatively short shelf life due to having the germ and oils in it.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Contains partially defatted wheat germ, says best by feb 24 2011 and that is in the cardboard box. I figure it should last a long assed time vaccuum packed with oxy absorbers.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Hmm doesnt sound too bad. may have to add that to rotation.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

I did because a hot b-fast in the dead of winter during SHTF is better than a handfull of dry cereal. All you need is a small campfire, a bit of water (snow) and a pot to cook it in. According to this a serving size (dry) is only 3 tbsp added to 1 1/4 cup of boiling water, 1 box will go a very long way, so I grabbed 10 of them. :)

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Awesome Plastic & ImaCannin! Could someone please give me some pointer or links on "dry canning"?
TIA

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Of course we have to put this one in there:

http://goldismoney.info/forums/showthread.php?t=260256

:tongue_ma:

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

I have 15 or 20 yr old cream of wheat in a jar that I eat every once in a while and its still fine. I doubt it would still be good if it had been in the box or packets. Too bad I'm the only one around here that likes it. Bought it for the baby, and he's turning 18 now.

The one I really liked was Ralston, which was a steel cut toasted wheat, I think. I've been eating the 7 grain cereal and adding coarse hand ground wheat, sugar, salt and chopped dried fruit to it. Not as good as the Ralston I remember, but good enough. I'm not going to go paying a fortune for anything.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

We canned 100 lbs of corn today, and 30 lbs of pickles yesterday. (yes Im tired) squash was awesome this year, everything else sucked, except Krim tomatoes and Purple Viking potatoes, bought lots at farmers markets downstate last few weeks (better weather) Partridge are plentiful this year (blueberries were awesome this year!) and the lake trout and whitefish will be in the area in the next few weeks in large numbers. along with the fall yellow perch runs

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

You got me thinking about smoked whitefish- food of the gods!

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

WHITEFISH :adore::adore::adore::adore::adore::adore::adore:: adore::adore::adore::adore::adore::adore::adore::a dore::adore::adore::adore::adore::adore::adore::ad ore::23_30_104::beer:

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

There's a restaurant at the Best Western motel in Silver City (!) UP, that has a lake trout and whitefish platter. Some of the best eats this side of Paradise! Silver City is just a wide spot in the road, right on the shore of Superior, as humble as it is, should be on ones bucket list. Hard to explain, it's one of my favorite places on Earth. The view of sunset is a killer and the sound of the waves lapping on to the shore is hypnotic. The bar there ain't too bad too! :biggrin:

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

I would like to take this opportunity to warn everyone here about the hazzards of buying oatmeal for storage.... As posted above, and on page one; I purchased a total of 24 2lb 10oz containers of oatmeal for dry canning.... Well.... I finally finished it earlier today..... and it only required 31 half gallon jars to accomplish.... That is correct, thirty one half gallon jars.... Guess what the zombies will be GIVEN FREELY... Any guesses??? Plastic will have oatmeal coming out of his ears for a decade or more.

Anyway, I am off to have friggen oatmeal nightmares.... :MIA:

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

About finished up my two new "3 cord" firewood sheds. Dragging one down in the woods, and putting the other at the sawmill.

Cutting the tenons for the corner posts that go in the 6x6 runners.

http://www.digistash.com/data/026a39...7_p125403.jpeg

Assembled shed #1. 12'x6'x6'height inside.

http://www.digistash.com/data/026a39...7_p125402.jpeg

Both sheds sprayed with barn red.....#1 ready to go, metal to be installed on #2.

http://www.digistash.com/data/026a39...7_p125401.jpeg

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Hey Andy , always liked the joinery of mortise/tenon construction.
Those wood sleds should last.
The great thing about M/T joinery is that green wood will shrink down for a very solid connection/joint like barn framers did with green wood.

Now.. have "fun" filling those boxes....I've only got 1/2 of a 4x4x8 to fill ready for 2011 season.
Keep that chainsaw sharp and be careful...brewer

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

I'm sure we'd all like to borrow TN for a while!

Lookin' good TN (as always)!

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Yeah, I like it too.....I don't take the time to do as much as I'd like, but it's nice....

Got enough cut and split to fill about 1/2 of one now.....another 3 cord shed is about 1/3 full, and have a cord stacked with tin on top to shed water in another location.....my goal is to get 2 years ahead on wood cutting....that is about 12 cords. And I touch up the saw each gas tank filling......

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

This past 2 weeks:
40 Lbs of fresh cherries (farmers market). This will join the 50 lbs of peaches we did 2 weeks ago.
50 lbs sugar
500 lbs salt (pool salt = cheap, coarser version of table salt)
3000 rounds of 9mm at $225 / 1k
2000 rounds of .22

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Re: Mortise and tenon.

If you really want to build mortise and tenon for the ages,

You can use wedges, fox wedges or offset treenail holes.

For a wedge for an open mortise, simply saw a doublewide kerf into

The center of the tenon. Then, having assembled mortise

And tenon, drive a wedge of something pretty hard,

Like ash or oak, into the kerf, until it locks up hard.

If you you also use a good aliphatic glue, both on the exterior

Mortise and tenon joint, and the wedge/kerf joint,

Just makes it even better.

The original reason for the fox wedge is that you could use

It in blind mortises. Simply start the wedge in the kerf,

Then drive the whole assembly home into the blind mortise.

There is a little bit of an art to this.

Offset treenail holes are just that.

Assemble mortise and tenon joint and then drill through

One side of the mortise until you just mark one side of the tenon.

Remove tenon, and drill the mortise joint through and through.

Then take your tenon and drill it about a sixteenth high

Over your mark.

Reassemble, and drive your treenail.

In the old days, treenails were packed in hogsheads

Full of linseed oil.

Locust was a favored wood.


scyth

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Nice - plus they can be quickly converted to chicken coops, granaries, brooding huts etc.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

TnAndy, those look great man.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Question for Plastic (and others who buy bulk): Are these bulk supplies part of your regular eating rotation, or are they packed away separately for the end of the world? Do you keep some kind of written inventory that includes approximate expiration dates?

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Do any of you alter your prep rate seasonally? I tend to pull back a bit during the humid summer months, and then ramp back up in the fall. Living in the northeast, I think our food availability risk peaks in the winter time when distribution can be hampered by weather, back-up options (e.g. food from local farms and gardens) are at a minimum, and scrounging for food in the woods or lake are most difficult due to snow and cold.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

We rotate approx 30-40% of our supplies. Canned goods and meats especially.

Stuff like sugar, rice, wheat, beans we use occasionally, but they have such a long shelf life that I would prefer to use loose stuff.

Stuff that is cheaper to use in bulk like oats, dehydrated onions, etc we use storage.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

I actually enjoy eating everything purchased, but for the most part they are an emergency reserve; will make a turd; end of the galaxy kind of thingymaboober.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

That is the MOST important piece of info.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

I have not posted on this thread yet so I will go back 3 or 4 weeks. Built 24 x 16 woodshed and moved all the firewood into it. Bulit a root celler and shelves for it, we dug and put our potatos and onions in it. Ran over flow line from chicken house water catch system into the cow water. Poured the footer for a fuel storage building and should have the block laid this week if it ever stops raining.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Only 49 more projects to go, huh ?


I got 5 cords of wood split in the last few days....got 7-8 total now, with goal of 12-14 by middle of next week. Got to stop splitting now and take down a bunch.


Hey....AP.....caught what I think was getting after my chickens.....feral ( gone wild ) cat. Made a couple box traps and baited them with some tuna......

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Box trap, for those of you unfamiliar with them.....haven't built one since I was a kid trapping rabbits....


4pcs of 1x8 lumber 36" long...build a box....cover one end with hardware cloth ( mesh wire ) so when the critter ( rabbit, possum, raccoon, etc looks in the door, it looks like a hollow log..

Drill hole about 8-10" from back for trigger, drill another hole in the center for the pivot point stick, make a door for the front with something to hold it in place when it drops so the animal is trapped.

Trigger stick is simply notched, when the critter bumps it and releases, the weight of the door drops and has it trapped.

Bait depends on what you're after....dry dog food, tuna, sardines will attract most possums, raccoons, feral cats, etc....carrots/lettuce/etc for rabbits.

Pic 1: trap is in sprung position
Pic 2: trap is in ready position
Pic 3: back end showing screen

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Very cool TN Andy! So what do you do after you trap the animal? Do you take it somewhere else and let it loose?

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

We used to trap rabbits with that exact same trap. Worked really well, plus it was cheap enough that if someone in the woods decided to mess whith it, it was no major loss. (still made you mad).

Better to lose a trap made of scrap than a 30 purchased one.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Sometimes........

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

It must be attack the chickens time in East TN, I have killed 3 raccoons in the last 4 nights in the area of the chickens. No chickens were harmed during the shooting of the raccoons!

As far as weekly preps go, we are getting about 30 to 35 eggs a week now.

TN Andy : Nice looking traps and wood sheds. I am glad you caught your predator.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Dry canned

15 lbs of dry cat food.
30 lbs of spaghetti noodles.
20 lb bag of rice.

Which one of you bastids raided the amish store I have been going to? Went back today to scrounge another dozen cases only to find all the previously remaining half gallon jars had disappeared. Those buggers had been there unmollested for years from the looks of the heavy dust deposit on them. Anyway they will have more next week, I am just griping at you. :)






:565:



EDIT:

Also recieved an additional 350 gallons of LP gas which topped off both of my 500 gallon tanks, the cash discount rocks your socks and heat is guaranteed this year. Next year may require the construction of a methane digester, won't be too hard to build one though. Hell, if worse comes to worse I will make it out of one of the tanks.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Winter is right around the corner here in lovely MI...

Last week I got:

- (3) cast iron skillets from a garage sale for $5. I'll toss the small one in my BOB and the others in my 'camping gear'
- Coleman Powerhouse Dual Fuel 2 mantle lantern with hard case - $25 on craigslist
- Kaito KA500 Emergency Radio - Stay tuned for a review I plan to write after I play with it a while

This week I'm scouring craigslist for a backup heating source...aka, kerosene heaters!

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Drycanned 2 cases of mac and cheese today, YUMMY!! 2 boxes per quart jar is a perfect fit leaving about 1/4" of space at the top. Just open 2 boxes of mac, fold the tops of the cheese pouches over about 1 inch and place both in the jar, pour in the elbow macaroni and tap the jar a little, toss in an oxy absorber and vacuum seal. I did 48 boxes of mac using 2 cases of quart jars in about 30 minutes flat.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Thanks! You gave me something to do today after my costco run.

I always pick up an extra case of something every Costco trip. Could be TP, water, canned goods or dried goods. I've been prepping for many years, but just started into the dry canning arena.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Plastic are you not worried that the 'cheeze mix' will go rancid?

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

Oxidation of fats and oils is what causes rancidity. So, if packaged with O2 absorbers, I don't see how that could happen.

But I had wondered many times why dehydrated fat-free milk might have a more limited shelf life than, say, wheat berries. I asked my brother-inlaw about that (chemistry background) and he said there are enzymes in foods that deteriorate over time. That's why we blanch veggies before we dehydrate them -- to deactivate the enzymes. So maybe that is the answer. I would still expect the cheese mix to last 5 years or so in the absence of oxygen, and even longer stored cool in the basement.

Re: Weekly prep thread
 

My basement shelves are groaning under the weight of my preps. Having said that, I'm constantly replenishing what I've used and rotating. So when I see something like Spam on sale for $2 a can at Walgreens, I usually grab a couple.

This morning, the young man at the register said to me, "Must be time for breakfast?"

"The Spam?" I answered. "No, it's for my food reserve."

The guy got a really quizzical look on his face, saying "Food reserve?"

"Yes," I answered. "For my food storage. Don't you think that everyone should be able to eat out of their pantries for at least a couple of months?"

"Oh," he said. "I don't think we're ever going to have a shortage of food."

"Why not?" I asked him. "Food shortages and famines have happened over and over throughout history. Besides, if I stock up when things are on sale, I'm always eating at the lower price. Whether TSHTF or not, I win either way."

The young cashier had a most puzzled look on his face as I left. It gives me great pleasure to jiggle peoples' brains and watch them confront a new idea that rattles their paradigm.