What have you done to prep this week?

[bacpacker]

MTR my old Husky has an 18" bar. I hace never needed anything larger. I've took down several 30"+ trees with it.
You will like it. Just remember DO NOT push the tip straight in. It will kick back like crazy. One of the best threads I recall on this site was early on someone posted a chain saw use primer. It is a must read and I think it got stickied.

[mitunnelrat]

That's awesome MTR! That's a great saw, and I'm sure you'll get many years of reliable use out of it. Just remember, don't touch the spinny parts!
lol

Already have! lol But they weren't under power! ;)

[mitunnelrat]

MTR my old Husky has an 18" bar. I hace never needed anything larger. I've took down several 30"+ trees with it.
You will like it. Just remember DO NOT push the tip straight in. It will kick back like crazy. One of the best threads I recall on this site was early on someone posted a chain saw use primer. It is a must read and I think it got stickied.

It did. That was Chicom. I'll be reading that over again. Not to mention I'll have a mentor alongside me for a bit. He got thrown into a big saw as a kid and didn't want to do that to me. I've run them, but this is the first I've owned personally, and having his experience is going to teach me quite a bit I think. I can't wait. Need to get a test done this morning and get home so maybe, just maybe, I can spool it up.

[bacpacker]

Cant wait to hear about the forearm shake and hand cramps after running that thing all day. :) You gotta love it.

[mitunnelrat]

Lol. That's just par for the course at my house!$

[bacpacker]

Last few weeks have been really strange and busy. First off, we would appreceiate anyones prayers. The wife as some of you know was in a car wreck years ago and had a broken neck which by all rights should have killed her. Drs words. She ended up with a fusion of C6/C7 & loss of range of motion and strength in her hands and arms. She has been having a lot pain lately and had a MRI which showed several other vertabre above and below the graft with multiple problems. She is currently trying therapy trying to get the upper verts to decompress and avoid another major surgery which will cost her even more range and severely limit even more what she will be able to do. God I hope therapy works! We both have some other stuff going on but nothing as serious.
I have been planted garden and so far have taters and onions up. Cabbage, cauliflour, & brocholi out. Also have beets carrots and parsnips planted. also have made a small start on redoing my grape arbor with plenty more to do on it.
Went to gander mtn tonight and saw decent prices on 9mm, .45, & .223/5.56. Good stock on it as well. I did pick up a co2 inflatable life vest and cartridges. This will go in the GHB.

[mitunnelrat]

I'll make sure I get a prayer out for you guys right after this, bp. I hope it turns out well for her.

[mitunnelrat]

prayers out

[eagle326]

B.P.

Done son.

[LUNCHBOX]

Same here BP....as a side note l will be sending a pm to MTR in regards to maybe a "Prayer sticky" Not making light of anyones request, l think we could use an easier method.

[ditchmedic]

Took a test. Got a $10,000 a year raise. That should help my preps

[Stormfeather]

Took a test. Got a $10,000 a year raise. That should help my preps

Thats great news! Just remember to not let that 10k go to your head! If you were living comfortably with your current salary, I wouldnt make any changes except to maybe add a little here and there as far as preps go, and make some smart investments in the meantime!

[ak474u]

Just dug up 60 plants, potted them and carried to the garage. It's gonna be 30* here tonight, and I can't find most of the tomato breeds we have locally. We got most of the plants in San Antonio, and we've not seen these breeds in Dallas. All my peppers, and maters are in the garage now, and I've blocked the grapes, raspberries, and blueberries from the north wind as best I can. Just covered my kale, lettuce, hibiscus with burlap. Still need to mulch my beds of flowers, and my pomegranates. It's going to be the coldest April 14th in over 100 years here tonite. Damn global warming. I'm digging out 2 liter bottles to fill with super hot water and laying them on the base of the berry plants late tonight to aid in their survival.

[helomech]

We had snow on easter about 7 years ago, and we are 2 hours south of yall.

[Baker]

Last year on May 24th we had a blizzard. Was pretty crazy.


Anyway this week I found out that my FRS radios are junked. I'm going to see if I can somehow try to fix them but I think it's a lost cause. Got a lot more books in digital format and loaded them onto my ipad for easier reading. I've also been eyeing a new shotgun, which I may count out my pennies for.

[msomnipotent]

It has been quite a while since posting due to several setbacks, but things are looking up finally. We paid off the personal loans and credit cards, set up a savings plan, pre-paid most of our summer vacation, sold a bunch of worthless junk and cleared 2 shelving units for more preps, and we finally have emergency savings. I have even lost a few pounds from lack of stress, which has motivated me to start exercising again. Our next step is to spend this year saving for a down payment and fixing up the house to sell next year.

One thing I can say is that WTSHTF, I am definitely not going to make a living being a trader. The people on bookoo and craigslist have driven me insane.

[ditchmedic]

Well financially, life just got better. Between the raise and the life insurance payout im expecting, all debts will be cleared with the exception of my house and student loans. Made plans to pay my stydent loan off in the next 4 years while still having enough to comfortable live and save.

[ak474u]

Built a 1x4 cedar box out of reclaimed cedar from a 4x8 raised bed I used last year. Sanded, and polyurethaned the box, and it looks awesome. I planted the following in this box. Thai basil, boxwood basil, Greek basil, purple basil, sweet basil, and cinnamon basil. Smells great under my pergola, and we can harvest every time we need fresh basil. I also re-planted the 60 plants I had to dig up and bring in for our freak freeze the other night. My taters got hammered, the top leaves on every one of my 60 or so tater plants turned black, but the leaves underneath were still healthy and green. I also planted 3 sweet peppers (think orange and yellow jalapeños with no heat) my kid eats them like candy, I also planted cayenne, and Thai peppers, as well as some golden cherry tomatoes. I think I have 12-15 breeds of pepper now, and 12-15 breeds of tomatoes. I finished our rear perimeter fence beds that will house beans, cucumbers, squash, etc in a week or so.

[mitunnelrat]

I cleared a swath of land on the south of our property this week, and dropped my first tree! The land clearing itself is largely for aesthetics and clearly delineating the property lines, but I can say its prepping because I'm learning a new skill set with the saw - and getting a start on next winter's firewood.

As for the saw I still haven't run it too much more than that one tree and some limbing. My dad has been so we can maximize our individual strengths (his experience, my legs ;) )

[bacpacker]

Spent a couple evenings this week covering blueberries tryin to protect the blooms from frost and cold temps. Sems to have been successful. The only thing that seems to have been hit is about 25-30% of our potatos. Even at that just mostly the upper leaves. I think they will recover.
We have small peaches and pears on already. Apples cherries and blueberries in full bloom.
Other than that not much. I have spent most of the last three weeks in training at work. More coming up this week. Yippee.

[LUNCHBOX]

Picked up 2 apple and 2 pear trees today. All semi dwarf. I figured 4 will give me plenty if they produce.

[helomech]

Planted a gala apple tree, a figi apple tree, dorsett apple tree, and another one (can't remember the name). Planted two different types of plum trees, and got 2 more blue berry bushes. Also put shade cloth over my raised garden. Will put shade cloth over the aquaponics system tomorrow.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii247/helomech1973/home/1461590_10204061183236683_7554953370372741516_n_zp s40225786.jpg (http://s266.photobucket.com/user/helomech1973/media/home/1461590_10204061183236683_7554953370372741516_n_zp s40225786.jpg.html)

[ak474u]

Built 3 more cedar 6x2 raised bed boxes for my upper garden. Tomorrow, we've got those getting filled up, and finishing my rear perimeter planters and planting those as well. My oldest grape vine has a little cluster of tiny green grapes on it, its not a lot, but we thought this one was toast and moved it to a less sunny location than last year. Strangely, the grape vine we planted in its place seems like it may actually be dead, but we'll see if we can wait it out. Onions are getting BIG, and my taters are starting to push up the ground around the stalks, so I guess they're getting bigger and displacing the soil. My maters seem like something has stunted their growth, they're getting thicker, but no taller than a foot. Only 2 of the 16 or so breeds are patio style, so I don't know what they're lacking as far as nutrients. Even my celebrity tomatoes aren't getting bigger, and most of the legit large scale hobby farmers I know are using them almost exclusively because they're prolific producers. I'm baffled at this point.

[mitunnelrat]

Lemme see... Assuming I don't bomb my final exams I'll meet the pre-req's for the RN program this week. I'm just under a 100% grade in psychology and its "exam" is open book, covering material we just did. Medical dosage math is at 95%, and I'll be able to use my calculator and a conversion chart. I could kick my own ass about anatomy though: 80%. I have the final with me at least. He made it take-home so we can just relax and party on Tuesday. I know it doesn't sound bad, because it isn't, but I was capable of better so I'm not cutting myself much slack.

I found a copy locally of the US Army Special Forces Medical Handbook

My Crossbreed products came in yesterday. I like, but I need a better belt, so I'm thinking either the SOE low profile EDC belt or asking izzy if I can see again what his guy produces.

[ak474u]

Planted eggplant, more maters, strung wire for beans, planted a few more peppers re sowed more radishes, my first crop is in for those. Planted more lettuce, spinach and kale as well. Also planted more okra, squash, and cucumbers.

[ElevenBravo]

Picked up a Mosinka, coudnt find ammo local so I just ordered some Bear non corrosive... Ill get a spam can of milsurp later, I just want to shoot it for now.

EB

[bacpacker]

Planted 5 kinds of tomatos, 4 kinds of peppers, 6 kinds of winter squash, 2 cantaloupes, 5 kinds of watermelons, 2 kinds of beans, & sweet corn. Gonna plant okra cucumbers and summer squash tomorrow. We also have a bunch of herbs going. Probably gonna plant some baby carrots in a container.

[ElevenBravo]

P250 caliber conversion kit for full size 9mm should be here Wed, this allows me to shoot both 40 and 9... Also ordered 500 rnds of reloaded brass in 9mm. Ill let you know how the bullets work out...

EB

[ak474u]

Planted 29 more tomato plants bringing us to 49 total. The nursery had some good sized plants, and some of our plants don't seem to have set blooms. We moved the questionable ones to pots, and planted the new ones in their place. We also had some extra space that we were going to seed, but decided to plant here instead. I'll post a pic one day soon. Nursing a nasty farmer sunburn right now.

[helomech]

Wow, what are you going to do with that many tomatoes. I only got 3 plants and have a bunch of tomatoes.

[ak474u]

I'm always getting roped into making salsa for people, so I'm gonna do a lot of that, we're gonna give lots away, and my son ate EVERY tomato we grew last year before they made it indoors from the garden, so dammit, I want some too! Lol. We use tomatoes every day, and my wife takes them for her lunches. She likes the purple Cherokees, and black Krim cut up, salted, with thinly sliced stinky cheese on crackers, which she never offered me, and now regrets allowing me to try because I love it too.

[ElevenBravo]

Daughter and I shot 500 rnds through the new Sig P250 9mm Full Size, and 80 rounds though the new Mosin Nagant.

Wow, super impressed with both weapons!

EB

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Packed two BOBs for the "kids" to ship off this week due this upcoming weekend's events possible outcome. Call me the paranoid one? Just want those two prepped with something cause I know they're not.

[Stormfeather]

A few fellow preppers planned a 18 mile ruck Sunday. Brought the wife and a few fellow preppers brought their significant others. While we made it, and there was some grumbling along the way, it wasnt as bad as I remember them being. Of course I wasnt carrying a Dragon Field Training Round and a M60 either! My pack I used was my BOB and it settled in pretty easily. I look to doing this again next week as well!

[bacpacker]

Been working the garden. Found a few small tomatos on tonight. Beans and corn are up. Picked up so.e more tomato and. Hard plastic tsunami at my parents yesterday. They will get planted this week.

Went to a 18th century deal saturday. Fun time and met a blacksmith that I pi ked up some tips on my corge. He also teaches and I will be taking a. Lass this winter.

[LUNCHBOX]

Got my garden tilled and planted. I did mostly tomatoes and peppers limited due to not being sure how the soil here is. When l made my first till l found it loaded with grubs...l treated the yard twice, once with Scotts and once with Ortho. Gave it a week and then planted. Plenty of rain lately also. So far so good. Worked on my fire pit (you know, throw in some wood, open a beer and watch it burn....work)

[mitunnelrat]

3.52 GPA for last semester. I made the honors list for the 1st time in my life. More importantly I exceeded the minimum requirements for the nursing program prereq's. I've also got enough credits now to qualify for their "fresh start", so I can have a really high GPA now rather than a mediocre one. This is all awesome, imo.

[ak474u]

Had a minor setback yesterday, a rogue wind gust took out 6 panels of my fence and snapped the posts off at the ground. Damn thing almost got me. I had just walked past it with a potted plant that I was moving to shelter when snap crack BAM! It went down. The posts sheering off sounded like gun shots. Now I get to spend fun money on fence! Yay! Homeowners insurance adjuster is coming this week to look at our hail damage, so I called and added the fence to the growing list. I'm probably at about 12k in damage so far.

[ElevenBravo]

Put the 1911 up for sale to get a SP2022... Glock mag loader came in the mail today, loads the Sig P250 mags like a champ, some free space in there but... works Foxtrot Golf none the less!

Near future: More 9mm, 763X39 and 762X54r
Next month: Start stocking more (tin) canned goods
Far future: chamber vacuum ($700) unit, more IPX7 Wouxun radios so we can comm in the rain, 20 more mags, more ammo cans

Starting now and continuing: Physical fitness

That is all for now
EB

[Stormfeather]

11B- If I had known the Sig 2022 was so popular, I would have kept mine, I wasnt really impressed with it, so I pawned it off on the wife, she shot it a few times and pawned it back to me for a Kimber 1911 Ultra RSP. I ended up selling it because it just didnt feel like my other sigs. Now it seems that they are really popular guns, go figure.

[izzyscout21]

The Sig Pro guns are drastically under rated for what they are. They are absolutely fantastic pistols. All the Sig quality at half the cost of the Classic Sig series.

[bacpacker]

Picked up a. Outlet of books from Amazon.
Medicinal herbs by Rosemary Glad star
Seed to seed by Suzanne Ashworth
Both are used and have been around a while but are good detailed books

[Stormfeather]

Just roto-tilled another two steps in the back terrace for adding in more to the garden plots, spent all day doing that, raking, planting, and watering two more rows of corn, a row of tomatoes, half row of lettuce, half row of carrots. Planning on a later harvest for these.

[Sniper-T]

got about half of my garden boxes turned over, and picked up some mulch and potting soil to mix in. Will be planting this weekend if the weather cooperates.

[helomech]

got about half of my garden boxes turned over, and picked up some mulch and potting soil to mix in. Will be planting this weekend if the weather cooperates.

How cold is it up there Sniper? Yall must have one very short growing season.

[Sniper-T]

Typically our May Long weekend marks the end of the cold season. It rarely goes below freezing after that, although it does happen. This past weekend away fishing, it hit -6C two seperate nights.

Typically, it'll start going down below freezing again around the third week of October.

[helomech]

Typically our May Long weekend marks the end of the cold season. It rarely goes below freezing after that, although it does happen. This past weekend away fishing, it hit -6C two seperate nights.

Typically, it'll start going down below freezing again around the third week of October.

Wow, that is crazy. Our low last week was 66F.

[mitunnelrat]

We're not much better off at my place than T this year, its been so wet. We got some onions in yesterday, and I filled a few rain gutters we added to some of the boxes, plus topped off our 4'x4' boxes since they settled quite a bit.

It looks like our strawberry mountain may have been a better theory and application though. Everything at ground level is growing, but those in higher tiers all died. Annuals only in them now.

I went on my first morel hunt on Mother's Day. I didn't find any, but did enjoy the time in the woods.

Not much else going on, really. I've been slamming a lot of time and resources into property improvement of late.

[capcarl]

The first rule of anything is OPSEC. So if you post (or boast) about "prepping" (or anything else anyway similar) you violate the First Rule! So don't!

[2die4]

The first rule of anything is OPSEC. So if you post (or boast) about "prepping" (or anything else anyway similar) you violate the First Rule! So don't!

That logic would make this thread quite pointless. People share what they feel comfortable with here. That's how the members of the Colony learn. I've learned a great deal from members here.

Doesn't have to be " I bought 200 boxes of hollow points for my 200 pistols that I keep at 4949 prepperlane anytown USA" Instead state you found a good deal on a couple of boxes of ammo or a case of TP and stocked up. Seeing a few member's shopping list had spurred me to go pick up a few of the same item. Bottom line is you can still share without violating "opsec"

To keep this thread from derailing I'll share what I'm doing. I'm making soap. and will be getting lost in the woods to practice survival skills with a few friends. Practicing a skill is prepping. Welcome to the Colony.

[Stormfeather]

The first rule of anything is OPSEC. So if you post (or boast) about "prepping" (or anything else anyway similar) you violate the First Rule! So don't!

Um, you do know this is a prepper forum right? And as mentioned above, we all share information here, its how we learn and expand out capabilities. As for OpSec,we've got that covered here, we all pretty much know what opsec is, and we practice it accordingly.
Welcome to the forum, and we look forward to your continued participation and input.

As for out house, we spent the week getting our oldest son ready for graduation, which he graduated Friday, we had the grad party Saturday night which was a pretty big blowout, Next week hes off to MEPS to start his enlistment process, cant wait. Hes going active Army, he just needs to decide what MOS hes going to go for.

[Sniper-T]

Got most of my garden planted this weekend. few stragglers for this week.

[ak474u]

Added 2 more blueberry bushes, they were on clearance, and were covered upon berries, so I decided to get them so we'll have more than enough for 1 bowl of cereal for each of us next year. This time I used a lot of peat in the holes for them, as I'm reading that they have soil issues (wish I'd known that last year).

[Socalman]

My first post on this forum. I got a link from the Survival Preps thread at www.Calguns.net My wife and I are both born and raised in southern California, near Pasadena.

We have been doing what I call baby steps in prepping. It all started about 4 years ago when I decided we should have the "three days" of food and water if a major earthquake hit. As they say, one thing leads to another and I learned about preps, Bug out Bags, Get Home Bags, SHTF, TEOTWAKI, etc. Over the years we have just been adding a few items per week to our store. Other than water, we are at a place where we can survive now for about 3 to 4 months and can defend the home. On the waterfront (pun intended) we have enough drinking water in storage for about 30 days. We have a hot tub that can supply water for washing or flushing toilets if necessary, the chemicals in it eliminate it from potable use.

My preps this week was simply to empty all my water storage and refill and date my containers.

[bacpacker]

Welcome Socalman.

[mitunnelrat]

Welcome. Baby steps are usually where its at I think. Glad to see you here, and we'll be happy to bounce ideas back and forth with you as we go along

[mitunnelrat]

Well, I haven't done much in the beans, bullets, or bandaids department, but by Wednesday I'll have worked 11 of 12 days for a total of 51 hours overtime. This is on top of helping re-side our garage, planting trees, clearing land the undeveloped land along our property lines, and somehow finding time for a new woman. Lol. That poor girl has been losing sleep just trying to catch up with me.

[ditchmedic]

Bought a glock 29 and an LCP. Loaded a lot of 10mm and tended to the garden. Learned to make mulberry jam.

[ElevenBravo]

Sold my 1911 and put a G17 on lay a way, seamed to be way more practical to me, plus Im settling on 9mm as my primary caliber for most handguns (like I did with X39 for rifles). Once the daughter gets some trigger time with it (with proper instruction from no other than range master super instructor (myself)), Ill get her one a little later.

Bookmarked some Fioc. ammo at Lucky Gunner.

Getting ready to start getting back into shape, my new jobs starts next Monday!

Getting ready to start building the second pantry, in 5 gal buckets.

Thats my current and short term goals in one post.

[Stormfeather]

Got the kid sent off to MEPS, hes there currently, will be there overnight as is usual for MEPS. Did 4 pounds of Beef Jerky. Talked more tonight with a local prepper who should be joining up here pretty quickly. He came over tonight and we talked preps, which is cool since it looks like he will be a great addition to our local group. (plus he owns his own military gear and gun store!!!) I see some empty wallets in the future!!!

[izzyscout21]

All the old medical bills got paid off, so we can finally start getting ahead again.
New household Budget is ready to roll out.

PT regimen is about to begin for everyone here.

I've made the decision to go back to school/ Took a long time coming, but we feel that we are in a position now that I can do this.

[Socalman]

A) Began my search for a food dehydrator.
B) Picked up a book on home canning. All we have ever done is jellies & jams.
C) Made a second planting of blue lake pole beans. The first has been up about 3 weeks.
D) Added a few large bandages to the first aid kit.
E) Rotated 5 gallons of stored gasoline into the car. Will replace that with fresh gas & preserver tomorrow.

[Stormfeather]

So my local prepper buddy whom I recently met came over yesterday and we went thru his GHB/BOB and did some fine tuning on his gear. Hes fully onboard and we did some serious brainstorming on bug out routes, and Bug Out Vehicles! Once we tuned that stuff, we got his Fiancee's BOB out and we started on that one! Good to know that Im not alone in this AO!

[bacpacker]

Spent quite a bit of time in the garden. Put up our brocholi. Harvested some onions and planted more onion slips sweet potatos and ruhbarb. Starting back into a more regular routine of pistol shooting. That has been neglected.

[ak474u]

Harvested red potatoes, didn't get as many as I had hoped, this was a new bed in the ground, and the soil wasn't amended anywhere near as well as I should have. I did get about 10 pounds of lemon sized red taters. There were tons of tiny taters about the size of a quarter that aren't going to go to waste. We'll just drop them in the crock pot for a roast. I pulled up all of my white grano onions, and most of my red onions as well. Some of my 10-15 (vidalia) onions are ready, and several of them came up as today as well. We let our remaining radishes go to seed, we'll have the pods ready in the next few days to start drying for next season. I bought a tiller cultivator attachment for my weed eater, and I'm pretty happy with it. I tilled the open onion bed, and the red potato bed I weeded, and weeded, and weeded it, added lots of compost and manure along with organic fertilizer, and will be planting melons tomorrow after I get my cedar bed border installed in the morning before work. The next order of business is to till the remaining red onion bed, and get it ready for sweet potatoes.
My beans, and peas are all up and doing well. My first few plums seem like they'll be ready in the next few days as well.

[AlphaTea]

Rotated some stuff in the BOBs (replaced light sticks, millennium bars, water etc)

[ditchmedic]

Found out I have a mulberry tree in the yard. Learned how to can mulberry jam.

They really are a pain to collect. May have to learn to make wine.

[Stormfeather]

Traded my underfolder AK, 6 mags and some x39 ammo to a buddy of mine for a brand new in the box S&W M&P AR15, decided that I wanted to slim down calibers even farther now, so as it stands, all of my main battle rifles are now 5.56/223. Not sure if this is a good idea, but it helps when having to order ammo!

[ditchmedic]

Started working on our BOB. I really have every intention of going down in flames with my house, but it has the girlfriend excited and interested so im up for it.

[LUNCHBOX]

Put a good mess of Bluegill and a fee Catfish in the freezer. Should be picking up chickens in the near future.

[ak474u]

Harvested more onions, and planted melons. Found some huge nu-mex big Jim pepper plants, and a pequin pepper plant at the nursery for cheap, so I got those and threw them in the ground. I've got some bed space in a semi-shady spot where I think in gonna plant another round of Parris Island Cos lettuce. It's done really well, and no bugs seem to like it. Bugs have gotten at my kale in the same bed where the current crop is, but nothing has touched the cos lettuce. We've found a place to send our spare produce, the neighbor across the street has been taking the stuff I give him to the firehouse with him and sharing, so I think I'm gonna send a good amount of stuff with him next time.

[mitunnelrat]

I spent the better part of this week amending soil for our new garden boxes and filling them.

I also placed an order with SOE on Friday. They were running a 20% off promo prior to Blade Show that included a free cock with any order over $50. I've been wanting to whip one out in public, so this was my chance! The sale prices on a low profile EDC belt and wallet were just bonuses.

I'm gonna need a "Rock out with your cock out" morale patch now ;)

[bacpacker]

Garden, garden, garden! I picked more brocholi, onions, a handful of my first blueberries. I also got a real nice beet, bout the size of a baseball. First one I've got and wasn't sure if they were close to ready or not. Guess they are. I planted some carrots and parsnips last fall and they are starting to go to seed. They are still not as filled out to what I think they should be. But length wise they are doing great. Parsnip was 14" long, carrot nearly 11". I think the problem may be I didnt keep them worked out good enough and didn't get them thinned out soon enough. I will be trying that again a little earlier this fall

Picked up s little target ammo for my pistoland a box of bird shot forvthe damn crows around here. Pulled my first corn planting. I replanted last week and am now on the hunt.

[helomech]

Picked up 1750 rounds of 22 lr this week. Walmart had 1000 round boxes of the winchester M-22 50 bucks and 325 round boxes of the federal match 18 bucks. They allow you to buy 3 boxes so I picked up one 1000 round and two 325 round boxes. They only had one of the 1000 round or I would have bought 3 of them. Then I found two 50 round boxes at academy for about 3 bucks a box.

[Sniper-T]

Gotta echo BP. Garden, Garden, Garden!
Added two vane tubes and another 4 boxes.

[ditchmedic]

Bit the bullet and bought an All American 21 qaurt pressure canner. Got it for $250 shipped. I seem to remember seening them for much more a few months back.

[ak474u]

I've got a rabbit problem. I've lost 5 or 6 tomatoes, all low hanging. Eaten all the way to the top from the bottom up. I thought we had an armadillo, but I saw the little rodent scurry under my son's playhouse yesterday afternoon. I'm not able to fence the garden in, so I'm gonna have to shoot or trap this little monster and work n denying access in the future. Anybody have experience with rabbit scram?

[izzyscout21]

Water collection system installed. I now have 600 gallons of emergency water reserve

[izzyscout21]

Picked up 1750 rounds of 22 lr this week. Walmart had 1000 round boxes of the winchester M-22 50 bucks and 325 round boxes of the federal match 18 bucks. They allow you to buy 3 boxes so I picked up one 1000 round and two 325 round boxes. They only had one of the 1000 round or I would have bought 3 of them. Then I found two 50 round boxes at academy for about 3 bucks a box.

You sir, suck. :) 22 is still unobtainium here

[Sniper-T]

I've got a rabbit problem. I've lost 5 or 6 tomatoes, all low hanging. Eaten all the way to the top from the bottom up. I thought we had an armadillo, but I saw the little rodent scurry under my son's playhouse yesterday afternoon. I'm not able to fence the garden in, so I'm gonna have to shoot or trap this little monster and work n denying access in the future. Anybody have experience with rabbit scram?

Shoot, peel, eat.

repeat as necessary

[Stormfeather]

I've got a rabbit problem. I've lost 5 or 6 tomatoes, all low hanging. Eaten all the way to the top from the bottom up. I thought we had an armadillo, but I saw the little rodent scurry under my son's playhouse yesterday afternoon. I'm not able to fence the garden in, so I'm gonna have to shoot or trap this little monster and work n denying access in the future. Anybody have experience with rabbit scram?

You dont have a rabbit problem, you have an alternate food source problem! Set a chicken wire fence up around your plot, and then set a channelizing chickenwire fence around it, this way the rabbit enters, and ends up mouse-mazing himself into a corner. From there, shoot the rabbit, clean it, freeze it, cook it, can it. . .enjoy it!

- - - Updated - - -


You sir, suck. :) 22 is still unobtainium here

Let me check my AO here bro, I know I saw .22, maybe I can pick some up for ya & send it your way if its cheap enough!

[izzyscout21]

That's be awesome Stormy. Like I said, extremely hard to find here. I have not personally seen any since Sandy Hook. When it does pop up, I am told that the price is absolutely asinine.

[ak474u]

You dont have a rabbit problem, you have an alternate food source problem! Set a chicken wire fence up around your plot, and then set a channelizing chickenwire fence around it, this way the rabbit enters, and ends up mouse-mazing himself into a corner. From there, shoot the rabbit, clean it, freeze it, cook it, can it. . .enjoy it!

- - - Updated - - -



Let me check my AO here bro, I know I saw .22, maybe I can pick some up for ya & send it your way if its cheap enough!

What's your opinion on claymores around the garden? Seriously considering it

[helomech]

You sir, suck. :) 22 is still unobtainium here

This is the first I found in the last 2 years. It is starting to get a little better here. You can't find it every time, but if you look enough you will run across some.

[bacpacker]

Wife canned our first bunch of beets today. Only got about half of what was picked finished. Still have about that much more to go. We also picked our first blueberries of the season. And to top it off, we also got our first two apples since we planted the orchard 3 years ago.

Been researching drip irrigation systems trying to figure out what I need. Gonna start with the blueberries, fruit trees, and grape vines.

[helomech]

My garden is doing good. Been getting lots of zucchini, squash, peppers, and onions. Here is our onion harvest, and a pic of the garden.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii247/helomech1973/garden/10432477_4296024175063_406340260679617117_n_zpsa32 de1da.jpg (http://s266.photobucket.com/user/helomech1973/media/garden/10432477_4296024175063_406340260679617117_n_zpsa32 de1da.jpg.html)

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii247/helomech1973/garden/IMG_3225_zps68bdc87d.jpg (http://s266.photobucket.com/user/helomech1973/media/garden/IMG_3225_zps68bdc87d.jpg.html)

[bacpacker]

Very nice Helo.

[mitunnelrat]

Added dirt to my potato and asparagus boxes today. I need to mix more soon.

I also just devoted the last two days entirely to my girlfriend and her daughter. It was a nice break, and an EDC win helped establish converts to the way. ;) Her daughter got her first knife from me this week: A SwissCard Executive. She had seen my SwissCard Lite and wanted her own. Ground rules were laid and the deal brokered... My gf told me she feels safe and secure knowing I think and act as I do. This is a breath of fresh air compared to the last few women I've dated.

I reorganized my prep storage. Well, 90% of it anyway. I'm apparently just a big kid because I still get distracted by and play with my toys when I should be cleaning. On a related note, I have no ND's to report.

Tonight is being devoted to re-working my budget and getting that workout schedule I mentioned in the physical fitness thread together. Tomorrow night will be a Paleo meal plan so I can get through July without falling off the wagon. I hope it is everything I am expecting.

[bacpacker]

More time in the garden. I've dug up 8 hills of taters and got 4 gallons out of them. Taste good to. Picked over a gallon of blueberries and a pint of blackberries. We harvested all our red onions and the rest of our yellow onions from slips. We still have 2 rows of yellow onions from sets to go. Cabbage is ready to pick. Sqaush and melons are blooming. We are just starting to get a few peppers and tomatoes, and will get our first cukes this week coming up. Also will get our first and only peach to.

[Stormfeather]

Finally seeing some results from my gardening efforts, Ive got some strawberries poking their heads out, a couple of tomatos on the vine, cucumbers are finally sprouting flowers, so hopefully soon there. Potatoes growing big, not sure when to harvest them, as I have never done potatoes before. Japanese beetles got to my lettuce while I was gone, but only to a couple of plants, other than that, just happy to be back home with the family.

[ak474u]

Built a firewood rack out of the wooden fence posts that snapped off at the ground in the wind storm. I just put the posts in the ground 2 feet apart on one end, a single post in the center 2 feet from the end, and another 2 on the other end. The rack is 6' high, and 4-1/2' wide by 3 feet deep. There are 2 bays for wood. Right now, its totally full on one side with fence board scraps for fire pit kindling, and I've got it half stacked with pecan and mesquite for smoking. When summer is over, I'll get some oak firewood and stock it up for the fireplace. Finally had to bird net my maters, I've got 4 beds done, but several more to do. My tabasco, pequin, snacking, big jim nu mex, and banana peppers are doing well. My kale is almost played out, my cantaloupe and watermelons are blooming, my eggplant is almost ready for the first batch and is blooming again, just harvested and re-planted cilantro, about to harvest the last round of Parris island cos lettuce (very impressed with this breed, its been bug free, while the spinach got hammered next to it) carrots are coming along, final batch of taters is almost ready, snap peas and beans are making, squash, and zucchini is doing ok, and my Okra is going NUTS.

[bacpacker]

Stormy, I know you're a totally different climate than I am. But down here we will dig a few to eat on, but for the most part I leave them some until the plants die back before I dig mine. Alsip I wait till after dog days, which typically is in mid August. They keep better after that. I will find out the date from my stepdad. But regardless don't dig them all till after the plants die.
Having said all that, I never thought to ask, how much do you have planted? I have 4 100 ft rows, so my circumstances are maybe different from yours.
I'm also gonna pick up some more chickens tomorrow night. After the Hawks, I gotta build the flock back up.

[Stormfeather]

I only have about 15 plants in, and like I said, this is the first time planting potatoes. I do thank you for the advice, and now that is what I will do with them!

[bacpacker]

We got 5 new chickens, 4 hens and a roo. They are about 3-4 months old, so should start laying by fall. All are Buff Orpington except one. Shes a buff/english orpington cross.
Ive been picking a quart or two of blueberries every other day. A gallon of bell peppers and a pint of Serrano peppers, cukes, and tomatos are starting to produce good as well. Made our first batch of bread and butter pickles today.
I have been working on a couple of raised beds for my wifes boss. I got a drip irrigation system for her installed this week. It was super easy to put together and works really well. I picked it up from here.www.dripdepot.com
I'll post a review after a while, once i get some experience with it.

[Stormfeather]

Currently out on training ops in Fla, so no prepping for me this month.

[ak474u]

About to pickle some okra and banana peppers, didn't have quite enough in this round to bust out the fryer for the okra, so pickling it is. We've got THE BEST cherry tomatoes I've ever had right now, the plant is 4x4x5' high and we've gotten about 75 maters so far with about 60 more on the way. My watermelons and cantaloupes are blowing up, they're about the size of a baseball right now, but I've got about 20. I'm finally getting Roma maters in decent quantities, and our sugar snap peas are almost 6' tall and producing well. Stuttgarter onions are almost ready, the few we've eaten so far were fantastic. I'm starting to plan next year's tater and onion beds, I'm gonna do rows of black plastic with a drip system , so the dirt prep starts now.

[bacpacker]

Ak, sounds like your food is kickin butt! I am most likely gonna instsll a drip system myself. First one will be for the grapes, blueberries, & fruit & nut trees. Taters, onions, and maters will be next. The cost of predone systems aren't bad. If you pick and choose what you need, it would probably cost even less.

[Socalman]

Changed out some of the water supply for fresher water. Added a little bleach to help it keep. Added a few cans of hash for storage. Worked on the garden. Something (perhaps squirrels, I have never seen rabbits in our area) has basically ruined my green beans by eating almost all the plants down.

[ak474u]

Changed out some of the water supply for fresher water. Added a little bleach to help it keep. Added a few cans of hash for storage. Worked on the garden. Something (perhaps squirrels, I have never seen rabbits in our area) has basically ruined my green beans by eating almost all the plants down.

Could also be rats, they did that to every tomato I had ripe until I put out poison. I've policed up 6 big dead rats so far.

[Sniper-T]

Could also be rats, they did that to every tomato I had ripe until I put out poison. I've policed up 6 big dead rats so far.

Mmmm that's some good eats right there!! Oh wait... you did say Cats, right?
;)

[Mrscott68]

I added a load of equipment to my bug out bag and I bought a jigsaw and made things that pop tires when cars run over them (but I'm only going to use them in a shtf situation)

[Caveman Survival]

This past weekend I grabbed my bug out bag, loaded my canoe on my car and had a survival weekend.

I used only what was in my bag, so I had to create my own shelter, forage for food, create fishing gear. The only non bob item I brought was my .177 airrifle.

Over all I was pretty good for a 4 day bug out. I kept myself fed, watered and sheltered in relative comfort. I feel it was a success.

Gear included 3 knives, folding shovel, mosquito head net, minimal clothing, pellets, slingshot, snare wire, life straw, water tabs, compass, Firesteel, cotton balls, hand ax and folding saw, tarp and paracord.

[Sniper-T]

Where did you go Caveman?

[Stormfeather]

His backyard? :cool:

[Sniper-T]

No... that sounds more like my backyard!

lol

[ak474u]

Been picking lots of peas, tomatoes, found a zucchini nestled deep in the bottom of the planter box that is 2-1/2lbs, and 16" long. Biggest one I've ever grown. Melons are doing well, I'll have cantaloupe in a few days, and I have a honeydew that volunteered in one of our compost piles that is going crazy, just planted more okra, picked okra that was ready, but not enough to make a few servings of fried okra. I'll be pickling those and some peppers using the boiled pickling mix in a jar. Ive got the last of my stuttgarter onions out of the ground there are enough to last quite a while. Lost my job today, so that's great, I'll be focusing on finding a new job, but getting lots done on the garden.

[Caveman Survival]

@sniper-t and @stormfeather I went north east of Winnipeg to whiteshell provincial park. I canoed out to a nice big island called carter island. Great experience and a real eye opener. I've gone camping and hiking more times than I can remember, but never in a bug out / survival type of scenario. Recreationally there is always time for swimming, relaxing, etc. there's always time to stop and enjoy the scenery, admire what Mother Earth has given us. That lasted all but 10 minutes last weekend. The rest of the 4 days was spent surviving. No time for wonderment. From gathering the proper plants for bug control and sliver duty, to cutting logs for shelter and constructing washroom facilities. From filtering lake water for consumption to foraging and hunting. 4 days was intense.... I know I'm not mentally prepared for 4 weeks (or heaven forbid longer.) so my goals for this upcoming 365 is to get myself further prepared for longer increments of time... Including our savage winters.

[bacpacker]

Sorry to hear about your job. That sucks badly.

We have been putting up tomatos as they ripen. Dug 1/3 of our onions, froze the ones with any damage after trimming and slicing for cooking. The rest are drying up for storage. Ill dig the rest next week. Ive dug a half bushel of taters from a half row out of four to eat on. As soon as the "dog days" end the rest will be ready to dig. Dog days end August 11th.
Cucumbers are just about done. Okra is coming in a little but not nearly as good as last year. Ive harvested one of my bean rows and have one other types to pull and shell. Peppers are still putting out well both sweet bells and serranos. Winter squashes are making and starting to ripen. We picked one spaghetti squash this week.
This year has been rough on watermelons. I usually have a boat load of them, but this year the deer are stomping holes in a bunch of them before they even ripen. Not sure if I'll even get any or not. On top of that, we picked up 5 new chickens a little bit ago. Some got 3 of them a couple weeks ago. I put out some traps to try and catch whatever it is. Last night it got in the coop and got #4. I put out more traps tonight. But at this point I am about ready to put the rest in the freezer to stop the losses.

[bacpacker]

Just a quick follow up. We went to a couple antique stores we hadn't been to in years today. I found a old leg trap for three bucks at one. Then digging thru some old tools I found 2 pair of blacksmith tongs and a fully functional in good shape post leg vice for blacksmithing also. I picked those up for 100 bucks. I've followed several vices on ebay and have yet to see one go for less than 200. And most of them are beat to shit. Feel like I've had a good day.

[Sniper-T]

@sniper-t and @stormfeather I went north east of Winnipeg to whiteshell provincial park. I canoed out to a nice big island called carter island. Great experience and a real eye opener. I've gone camping and hiking more times than I can remember, but never in a bug out / survival type of scenario. Recreationally there is always time for swimming, relaxing, etc. there's always time to stop and enjoy the scenery, admire what Mother Earth has given us. That lasted all but 10 minutes last weekend. The rest of the 4 days was spent surviving. No time for wonderment. From gathering the proper plants for bug control and sliver duty, to cutting logs for shelter and constructing washroom facilities. From filtering lake water for consumption to foraging and hunting. 4 days was intense.... I know I'm not mentally prepared for 4 weeks (or heaven forbid longer.) so my goals for this upcoming 365 is to get myself further prepared for longer increments of time... Including our savage winters.

Correct me if I am wrong, but that sounds like the Pinawa area...
I use a plant called rag weed or stink weed for bug control, what did you use?

Got any pics of your adventure?
How was fishing?

[Caveman Survival]

Correct me if I am wrong, but that sounds like the Pinawa area...
I use a plant called rag weed or stink weed for bug control, what did you use?

Got any pics of your adventure?
How was fishing?

On the money sniper. I harvested sage and pineapple weed for bug control. Worked for everything but the spiders.... Not sure how to prevent those bites, but after bite treatment was simple using steeped green tea leaves and plantain weed. Also used plantain for slivers, minor cuts and scrapes.

I have a few pictures on my instagram @cavemansurvival. About midway through my trip I stopped taking pics to just focus on what needed to be done.

I had two friends come with me and one brought his dog... A well trained black lab named raider. What a help. He retrieved all the blackbirds I shot, pulled out all the ridge poles and smallish wood I chopped down. He'd bring them to the pile, run back in to where I was cutting and do it all over again.

Fishing was ok. Got better once I started using frogs as bait. I have to admit though, I'm not the greatest fisherman, but I got some food in my belly so I guess that's good enough.

I'm planning a couple of days hike on the mantario trail in late September / early October. I'm preparing for that now... Getting work on my stamina and cardio

[Sniper-T]

It isn't the greatest for catch and release, but if you're eating what you catch then try using small snelled hooks. about a #2 with about a foot of line. attach the line to a snap clip with your weight, or something of the ilk, and toss it in while your busy working. the fish bites, and with the small hook will often swallow the hook and all.
pull the fish in and just unclip the snell from the snapclip, and put on a new one. minimal time wasted and you're back to fishing. when you fillet your fish, you can recover the snelled hooks.

I have some pineapple weed growing around my place. will have to try throwing a few handfuls into a fire see what the smudge does to the skeeters.

I have had some success using lovage as a spider repellent. place a bunch of leaves around the perimeter of your shelter.

[Stormfeather]

Was planning on a overnight bug-out with the MAG this past Saturday, ended up having some unexpected visitors (had to babysit a friends son who is an infant) so the overnight in the woods got cancelled. Decided to go ahead and do the bug-out, only to have everyone basically do their setup in the front yard and work on skills since we know all skills are perishable!
So, they came over, we set up a time hack, and once we hit that time hack, we had a certain amount of time to affect a bugout and be set up with a basic camp site. All in all, it went pretty great as we had vehicles positioned, tents pitched, and set up in 34 minutes!
Lesson one was firestarting out of our packs, and I didnt allow the use of lighters or matches! A few of the guys had magnesium blocks and used them, and found out the easier ways of using them, which was kind of pretty cool.
All in all, it was a good evening, lots of exchanging of ideas, thoughts, SOP's and finding out where we actually sat as far as som eof the gear we choose to use.
Hopefully a few of the others will chime in and weigh in on their experiences.

Stopped by the local gunshow and picked up another 38 snub nose, couldnt pass up on a cheap deal that was a cash-n-carry deal!

Picked up another 1500 rounds of 223/556, Copes Distributing has it on sale with free shipping on orders over $50, it was steel case, but as I had mentioned in another post, I dont mind using steel case ammo.

Also took KuhlDude over to one of my favorite hidden shopping spots, its a surplus store that has all sorts of off the wall stuff, we managed to pick up some good door-bashing-clawing equipment for 50% off and a metric-butt-ton of seeds for sale, so of course we stocked up on them! Other than that, been working on some military stuff and working on spending quality time with the family before I have to leave again.

[Sniper-T]

So what's the new magnesium trick?

Sounds like a good day!

[ladyhk13]

Still helping BWRR to build our beautiful chicken coop so I never have to buy another store bought chicken product again! One step closer to being self sufficient. Yahoo!

[eagle326]

Sniper T is wondering if you have a kitty coop also I bet. :rolleyes:

[ladyhk13]

Hmmmm...great idea. I could go up to his place and catknap all of of his kitties and bring them here ;)

[Sniper-T]

You're always welcome for a visit LH... but once you get a kitty coop built I'll ship you all the kitties I can find! Where did I put that pitchfork again...

[ladyhk13]

Is that what y'all consider catch and release up there?

[mitunnelrat]

Ok. I'm on a train for the next 4 hours, at a minimum, so I'm gonna use the time to catch up with ya'll.

I've discussed the Kershaw I got for my birthday already, and referenced my property improvements. Those are relevant simply because I've progressed nicely in using my chainsaw. No wood large enough I've needed to notch it yet, but I've managed to clear 280' x 20' -ish of property line without cutting or dropping a tree on myself. Progress.

I've learned of an underground greenhouse called a walipini. I'll get a thread up discussing that soon. I've bought a Sawyer mini-filter rated to .1 micron, which means it should even block e. coli, which damn near took my ass out once. I also picked up some wetfire tinder for the first time. I have yet to use either. I grabbed a 2 ounce can of Sabre Red Pepper Gel for a family dispute. I was disappointed it remained undeployed on Wednesday because I wanted to be able to post a review of its effectiveness here. My favorite scores, though, have been the Crossbreed appendix holster and mag carrier , or maybe the SOE Low Profile EDC belt, and a combat cock. So far I've only slapped one person with that last so its hard to decide ;)

The garden is growing very well this year. A couple neighbors have stopped and asked us if we planned on selling the excess or feeding the whole county! Lol. For the first time since we started our onions have grown. We've already harvested some zuchinni, a pile of strawberries, and well over a gallon of pickling cucumbers that we've brined and refrigerated. All 10 of our asparagus plants are up.

I'm down 30 pounds from where I started this summer, despite no recent gym activity. The shift to a day schedule tore me up for a bit, and now my lower back is screaming again and I suspect I may also have an inguinal hernia. The dr. appointment is already set for next week.

Despite that, I also managed to stack about 6 weeks of firewood in my shed yesterday, with another two months worth sitting outside ready to be split. No frozen, wet wood to fight with this winter! That sucked last year.

This summer really has been insane, really. One big push to get all of the projects done that we have in the works. I haven't even gotten my AR out to zero it yet! I have a 100 yard range in my yard and its been ready to go since this winter. Pistol is different though, I've at least had those out because I've been playing range safety officer and instructor for a couple of my dad's friends. I'm finding the interest in teaching somebody how to do things safely and properly has really upped my awareness of my own shortcomings. I still have a long way to go with the one, but we got her familiar enough with different guns that I was comfortable taking her to help select her first one. She's in her 70's, so this took some time, and we settled on a Ruger LC 380 because it felt good and she could work the action/ controls without issue.

With that I'll say I also got to handle a Tavor at that shop. I want one now.

[Sniper-T]

Is that what y'all consider catch and release up there?

Catch, sauté, and release...

[Stormfeather]

Magnesium trick was simply showing them that if they put all the shavings in one pile versus spread out amongst the tinder, that it caught fire extremely fast versus a catch-flare-die which is what they were experiencing when they tried to build a fire with it.

[ak474u]

Built a compost bin for grass clippings, and garden clippings out of pallets. I have one area of my yard that I bag because there's a kiddie pool and my son can't seem to wipe his feet, so I can better contain those clippings now. More compost is never a bad thing.

[ladyhk13]

Built a compost bin for grass clippings, and garden clippings out of pallets. I have one area of my yard that I bag because there's a kiddie pool and my son can't seem to wipe his feet, so I can better contain those clippings now. More compost is never a bad thing.

How far away from your house is your bin? I've been wanting to do one for kitchen scraps but don't want it to be an eye sore. Now that we are getting chickens do I even need one? Do chickens eat pretty much all scraps? I was thinking that whatever grass clipping I get (which honestly isn't much if BWRR keeps up with the mowing) I could just dump into the chicken area. When I clean the straw from the coop should that be put into a compost pile or just spread out for then to scratch through? Thoughts?

- - - Updated - - -


Catch, sauté, and release...

You're killing me.....

[helomech]

Ladyk13 I put all the mulch from the bottom of the chicken coop in my compost.

[ak474u]

How far away from your house is your bin? I've been wanting to do one for kitchen scraps but don't want it to be an eye sore. Now that we are getting chickens do I even need one? Do chickens eat pretty much all scraps? I was thinking that whatever grass clipping I get (which honestly isn't much if BWRR keeps up with the mowing) I could just dump into the chicken area. When I clean the straw from the coop should that be put into a compost pile or just spread out for then to scratch through? Thoughts?

- - - Updated - - -



You're killing me.....

My back yard is 134ft deep from the back door. It's all the way to the back. I also have a compost tumbler that is closer to the house so we'll not be lazy and actually take the scraps out there. I'll probably be moving the tumbler once its empty in the fall. We seem to have a fly issue this year, but I can't blame it on the tumbler, it never seems to have flies in it when its opened, but ve sprayed it with permethrin several times to be sure.

[Caveman Survival]

Put up 8 half pints of chokecherry jam today and another 8 pints of Saskatoon berry jam and saskatoon syrup. I finished making my blueberry infused vodka and whiskey.

I Sweet pickled some beets, harvested my dill seeds, asian long beans seeds and snow pea seeds. Planted some more spinach (taking advantage of the cooler temps).

A few other preps as well were completed... But those are hush hush. It was a busy week for me the past 7 days. I figured I had to get it all in before I leave on an extended business trip

http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a467/cavemansurvival/6999AE53-80B1-4A31-9269-D51E47FD9ED4_zpsnfsw7cnm.jpg

http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a467/cavemansurvival/40473B2D-CD45-4EB2-9DA1-75455B612F80_zpszxx2cevs.jpg

[Sniper-T]

let's see some recipes!! sound awesome!

[robsdak]

i am guessing 3 gal. of honey counts. : )

edit: HONEY! i had some pics of the jars. lost in the computer world. : )

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0183_zpsf06cf1fb.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0183_zpsf06cf1fb.jpg.html)

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0149_zpsac788b0c.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0149_zpsac788b0c.jpg.html)

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0154_zps797b7930.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0154_zps797b7930.jpg.html)

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/garden%20and%20bees%202014/4-19-2014bees022_zpsf6eef66b.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/garden%20and%20bees%202014/4-19-2014bees022_zpsf6eef66b.jpg.html)

[eagle326]

Got 9 thermo replacement windows we ordered put in. 3 more should be in this week. Then just the 2 bigger windows and done.
Filling up 550 gallon fuel oil tanks.
Paying down debt

[ak474u]

Re-planted beans for fall, planted 2 kinds of lettuce, fall onions are doing ok, pulled the rest of my carrots, harvesting a cantaloupe or 2 every few days, 4 watermelons are almost ready, lots and lots of maters harvested, and more coming. My new okra is up and growing. My existing okra is going nuts, lots of pequin peppers from one plant, and they are HOT, harvesting banana peppers, and more big Jim peppers tonight.

[bacpacker]

Kick ass AK!

We harvested several butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash, cantaloupes, and a couple of watermelons. Still getting a handful of tomatos a week, bell and serrano peppers. I still gotta dig taters.

[Sniper-T]

that's awesome Ak... I'll have enough for seeds, but very little to put up for next year. Good thing I had a banner year last year. Good on ya bro!

[robsdak]

a continuation of the previous post.

washing the jars
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0228_zpsd445936c.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0228_zpsd445936c.jpg.html)

straining the honey
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0229_zps6e1368df.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0229_zps6e1368df.jpg.html)

my honey bucket
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0233_zps48141ab0.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0233_zps48141ab0.jpg.html)

filling the jars
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0234_zps4dca8ed9.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0234_zps4dca8ed9.jpg.html)

finished product
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0237_zpsf4053b42.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0237_zpsf4053b42.jpg.html)

[bacpacker]

Reminds me of my grandmas kitchen table when Papaw robbed the bees!
:)

[robsdak]

Reminds me of my grandmas kitchen table when Papaw robbed the bees!
:)

didn't rob them. i just ask nicely and they let me have it. my ladies aren't like most, they are nice. most of the time i don't even wear protection. (ohh, sounds dirty and sorted) i spend time with them and they know me as the 'bringer of the smoke' LOL

[helomech]

I got a big oak tree with a huge bee hive in the bottom of it. I had to cut the grass near it yesterday and the bees kept running into me, never stung me, but I got the message.

[ElevenBravo]

Bought an old Poulan chain saw, OLD... dont have any plastic or a chain brake! Used it to help a friend clear a firing line on his home range (which I now have privy to), had trouble and then had the carb rebuilt for $40 by a guy down the street that does small engine repair. It runs like a scalded ape. I put a new chain on it until I can master sharpening.. anywho, it cuts really good for a small (14") saw.

Might be the gateway to a shelter & firewood if I need it. Need to store (1) extra chains (2) bar oil (3) oil mix (4) stablized gas

Not an actual picture, but mine looks identical
http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/8310/9808298_1.jpg

[Sniper-T]

I used to have the exact same saw... scalded ape is a good description! lol.

My stihl is now like a shrewdness of same apes... but its of a different caliber.

Congrats on a great saw!!

- - - Updated - - -

Just added about 30 pounds of goose to the freezer! Cooking up the tenderloins tonight, making a couple pounds of Jerky tomorrow, got 8 pounds in different marinades/dryrubs in the freezer, and the rest naked.

yum yum yum

[bacpacker]

Harvested the last of my squash (butternut, acorn, buttercup, spaghetti), probably 50 total. 20 watermelons, a few cantaloupes, a bunch of peppers, the last of our tomatos.
Also went to my parents house to get the tater plow so we can dig our taters. While up there I sharpened a bunch of my knives and two axes. Mom also gave me an old model 333 meat grinder that my grandparents used for years. I had forgot all about the grinder, I recall crankin it when papaw killed hogs to make sausage.

[Stormfeather]

Pulled in the last of the tomatos, cabbage, corn, watermelons squash and cucumbers, have to dig up my potatoes next.
I found one of the local resale stores my wife frequented has a ton of oil lamps and cast irons that I want to go ahead and snap up.

[Sniper-T]

How do you store the squash BP?

[bacpacker]

Let it the shell dry up well. Then just keep it in my basement. I wish I had a root cellar. Mine end up drying out too much by spring time. I'm gonna eat more this fall and winter so there won't be many left over.
I've never tried canning any, or dehydrating either. If I get time may have to try one or both of those.

[Caveman Survival]

@bacpacker I turn mine into apple and squash soup and can half of it. The rest goes in the basement in the pantry. Keeps pretty well. By spring I'm tossing some if I don't can it into soup

[bacpacker]

I hadn't thought about soups. May have to try that. Do you make a blend with the apples and squash? What ratios?

[Sniper-T]

picked a couple gallons of wild mushrooms last night, not sure what they're called but we always called them papanke. Similar to popinke but not. Had a nice meal with them and dehydrated the rest. If the weather holds I should get another couple pickings.

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/garden/0909141702a_zps70915ca1.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/garden/0909141702a_zps70915ca1.jpg.html)

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/garden/0909141702b_zps9bbb477d.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/garden/0909141702b_zps9bbb477d.jpg.html)

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/garden/0909141702c_zps68bce971.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/garden/0909141702c_zps68bce971.jpg.html)

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/garden/0909141702d_zpsa8df1ca6.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/garden/0909141702d_zpsa8df1ca6.jpg.html)

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/garden/0909141724a_zpsc2ef6250.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/garden/0909141724a_zpsc2ef6250.jpg.html)

[Caveman Survival]

I hadn't thought about soups. May have to try that. Do you make a blend with the apples and squash? What ratios?

When I get back into town in a few weeks I'll dig up the recipe and post it. From what I recall off the top off my head two winter squash (usually butternut) a half dozen apples. Season and roast. Blend it all up after, add your choice of stock and cook and simmer to distribute the flavours. Process for canning, add some roasted cut up red peppers.

[Sniper-T]

might have to try that myself...

[AlphaTea]

Wifey bought me a new TAST. Training starts at 3 months old

[bacpacker]

CS, that sounds good. Will give it try for sure.

[momabear]

I have set up my sun room for a winter garden ,am drying vegs and wild plants for meds , made jelly , fried apples , and dried apples , made med s from wild plants, and will pack rice and beans for stock today.

[momabear]

making vinegar from apple scraps , planted greens in my sunroom , making wash soap , dish soap ... drying herbs and peppers for cooking and meds ...

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Welcome back Momabear. Glad to see you could make it!

[momabear]

thank you

[momabear]

cutting wood today , and looking for wild herbs . also teaching my kids to id and pick .

[bacpacker]

Welcome back M B!

Dug the rest of our taters today. Got 2.5(5 5gallon buckets) Bushels. We had aleady dug close to another bushel over the
Summer. Also got half a gallon on red serrano peppers and put them in the oven to dry.
After that I plowed part of the garden so I can get a cover crop started.

[Caveman Survival]

I can't really call this 'what I did to prep' but I'm in the center of the universe for a few weeks. Now, I'm pretty well rounded and understand the Jenga effect that a mass scenario provides... One building block goes awry and the whole system collapses... But I tend to look at it from a local, or even regional, perspective.

Visiting toronto and seeing the vast network that is needed to keep it, and by extension much of the country, running is awe inspiring. The sheer logistics of the city alone: communication, transportation, logistics, distribution. If toronto falls so does canada. The time and expense to put the building blocks back together here would undoubtably strain and delay putting them together everywhere else.

Again, this isn't really all that new to me, and I have always placed contingencies in place that would help should a national tragedy happen... But even with identifying those scenarios, understanding the scale that those scenarios present is mind boggling.

After this trip I realized that I may be prepared, but I will never be prepared enough.

And so my journey continues...

[robsdak]

caught a swarm of bees. story in Town Hall titled good day

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/robsdak/bees/100_0294_zps5de625ad.jpg (http://s366.photobucket.com/user/robsdak/media/bees/100_0294_zps5de625ad.jpg.html)

[Sniper-T]

put meat and veggies into the freezer and into cold storage.

[Stormfeather]

Doing fall cleaning and seeing about either re-purposing things, or selling or bartering them off via craigslist or FB trade forums.

[ElevenBravo]

Doing some firearms research, thinking *thinking* of ditching all the handguns I have and getting two Sig SP2022's (one for me, one for daughter) and settle in with that.

I like having variety, but doesnt make sense to keep multiple calibers IMHO. I seriously will be sad to tears to get rid of my .357, of all calibers, that one is tried and true solid hard hitter.




Also working on clearing 100 yard firing line on my friend's property to earn unlimited access rights... Being private property, we can run & gun all we want and dont have to worry about the idiots on the firing line with zero trigger discipline.


EB

[Sniper-T]

EB, consolidating guns/mags/calibers, etc makes sense, but getting rid of a trusted friend is like throwing your best buddy in front of a bus. Unless cash flow is a major issue, I would keep whatever I could and sell off the 'meh' after an event I dare say .38/.357 would be common to scavenge, and having an 'extra' gun (or six) ain't a bad thing.

[Stormfeather]

EB. . .Keep the 357, as mentioned earlier, no reason to get rid of a trusted solid shooter. Another point I would like to make, if you reload, and you get SP2022 in 9mm... you can pretty much use the same bullet right?

[ladyhk13]

Canned 22 jars of blackberry jam.

[Sniper-T]

post a recipe LH... hopefully next year I'll have enough to jam!

sadly, my blackberries are done for the year...
:(

[moonwillow]

canned 53 pints of apples.

[Sniper-T]

as in apple sauce? jelly?

And welcome back!!

[moonwillow]

I just canned the apples for now. Later I can open and make pies, jelly, applesauce or what ever I take a notion I want. I really like fried pies.

[Sniper-T]

fried pies eh? as in deep fried? you talking like those things they have/had at McDonalds?

[moonwillow]

McDonalds is a no no for me. So is most fast food places. I'm talking about good old home made fried pies. Done in an iron skillet. Don't tell me you have never had one. You don't know what your missing.

[Sniper-T]

I haven't had McD in any for in over 25 years, and am not sure they even still have them, but they sucked.

And no, I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever had a cast iron skillet pie. I have a pile of crab apples right now, so if you post up a recipe, I will try to make one tonight for Mrs. Sniper for our anniversary dinner.

[robsdak]

as you know, from the Good Day thread, i caught a swarm of bees. i am sure this counts. :) i got them in their permanent home and looks like they are happy.

[ladyhk13]

I haven't had McD in any for in over 25 years, and am not sure they even still have them, but they sucked.

And no, I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever had a cast iron skillet pie. I have a pile of crab apples right now, so if you post up a recipe, I will try to make one tonight for Mrs. Sniper for our anniversary dinner.

Happy anniversary to you and Mrs. Sniper! Who would have though you had a sweet side to make a pie for her? I bet she loves kitties!

[Sniper-T]

Thanks LH!

Of course I have a sweet side... I would never have landed such a great lady as her if I didn't!

And yes... she does love kitties!

tonight, we're having them grilled!

lol

[helomech]

Well the wife, son, and I joined a martial arts gym this week. They teach Shorin-ryu karate, and haganah self defense together. The wife is loving it, she thought she would not care for it much, but she is excited to go now.

[Sniper-T]

that's awesome Helo! Kudo's!

My wife found a live frog caught in the circulatory pump in our pond and ran shrieking into the house :mad:

*sigh*

[ak474u]

Well the wife, son, and I joined a martial arts gym this week. They teach Shorin-ryu karate, and Hahanah self defense together. The wife is loving it, she thought she would not care for it much, but she is excited to go now.

You should learn gungopow too.

[robsdak]

You should learn gungopow too.

isn't that mandatory to be on the forum? :)

[ladyhk13]

Thanks LH!

Of course I have a sweet side... I would never have landed such a great lady as her if I didn't!

And yes... she does love kitties!


tonight, we're having them grilled!

lol

She must have some sense of humor to deal with you buddy! So, how do ya feel about chickens?

[helomech]

Damn auto correct changed haganah to hahana. I fixed it now.

[Caveman Survival]

mcdonalds is a no no for me. So is most fast food places. I'm talking about good old home made fried pies. Done in an iron skillet. Don't tell me you have never had one. You don't know what your missing.

recipe?

[robsdak]

i started feeding my bees a 2:1 sugar mix too help the get ready for winter. the new colony went through a qt. in a matter of 2 days the other colony is milking theirs. ( preps in the sense that i an looking to the future health of the bees)

[ak474u]

Getting the tater patch ready for next year. We had a real problem with weeds this year because we reclaimed the spot they were in from a grassy area, so I'm putting down black plastic to choke out the weeds over the winter, then I'm gonna till it and amend the soil in spring and putting down new plastic with a soaker hose underneath to water when the taters go in. I've gotta figure out what kind of border I'm gonna do on this bed to prevent future weeds. I've decided to do a dedicated onion bed for spring that will be swapped out to melons after the onions are pulled up. We've done well with cantaloupes and watermelon in the existing onion bed, but they've run out across the yard, and mowing is an issue. I had a rat issue that I've gotten control of, but being semi rural in a subdivision across from a corn field, its a constant issue. I MUST be able to mow weekly to keep the rat habitat controlled. We have a yard cat, but he'd probably try to make friends with a rat, and my neighbors can see my garden from their front door, and I feel responsible to keep an attractive garden, so I need to control weeds.

Almost forgot, I'm building the forms to start making hypertufa concrete planters. Large pots don't seem to support plant life long enough without exhausting the soil, so I've decided to make large planters and stain the concrete so they'll be aesthetically pleasing and durable as well. It looks like a can build a 24x24x24 planter for about $8 each. They're a little larger than most hypertufa pots I've seen, so I'm gonna use chicken wire reinforcement to make sure they'll hold up over time. If I wasn't using wire, they'd be $5 each.

[mitunnelrat]

Like many others, we're wrapping up the yard projects here. I finished raking out the last of the undergrowth from the property I cleared, I'm mixing soil to top off my garden boxes that need it, amending the finished boxes with compost, and covering them with black plastic for weed control.

I finally shot the AR I bought last year and equipped as I wanted over the winter. That was too long in coming. Sorry BWRR, no target pics. There's a story behind why, but it isn't for public consumption, and is only partially linked to my accuracy and capabilities.

My 30' x 660' property clearing adventure finally ended with the last of the undergrowth getting raked up and burned yesterday. It gave me firewood, chainsaw experience/ skills, and an area to plant a wind break for more efficient home energy usage.

I bought another 8 round mag for my Shield, and I was given a 4-12 power scope and decided to mount that on my muzzle loader. Zeroing that for deer season will occur soon.

Oh, and I finally re-certified for basic first aid and CPR.

[ElevenBravo]

Finishing up some work on the yard, now that its cooled off.


Getting ready to sell a home built trailer that is not going to develop into what I wanted it to be... In favor of getting a 6'X8' cargo trailer after tax time to make a BOT (Bug Out Trailer) and also a camping trailer... I want to do an spring over swap and add shackles to give it about a 4" or more lift for "off roading", and build it so its a dual purpose trailer. (More on that later, will be detailed with LOTS of video, of course)

I got my dipole up, changed out some coax and got back on the air.... Working FB right now!

Thats all for now..
EB

[Sniper-T]

^
looking forward to the trailer build!

[ElevenBravo]

^
looking forward to the trailer build!
Its been a dream of mine for several years, hope to make it a reality next year!

[moonwillow]

recipe?

I'm not real good with recipes. One good thing about home cooking is you can cook what you like the way you like it. You can use any fruit you like. Cook it down a bit. If it is juicy stir in a little corn starch or what you like for thickening. then add sugar, honey or spices you like to suit the fruit. While it is cooling You make your dough. (For example biscuit dough) I don't use a biscuit cutter, I just pinch off each one by hand and smooth out. Roll each piece into a circle, put some fruit in center, fold in half. Seal edge with a fork. Put in skillet. Brown on both sides. Skillet and oil need to be hot enough the pies don't set there and soak up all the oil. Sometimes I use coconut oil or olive oil or just plain old lard. Sometimes I make deer meet pies and use bacon grease.

[ladyhk13]

I'm not real good with recipes. One good thing about home cooking is you can cook what you like the way you like it. You can use any fruit you like. Cook it down a bit. If it is juicy stir in a little corn starch or what you like for thickening. then add sugar, honey or spices you like to suit the fruit. While it is cooling You make your dough. (For example biscuit dough) I don't use a biscuit cutter, I just pinch off each one by hand and smooth out. Roll each piece into a circle, put some fruit in center, fold in half. Seal edge with a fork. Put in skillet. Brown on both sides. Skillet and oil need to be hot enough the pies don't set there and soak up all the oil. Sometimes I use coconut oil or olive oil or just plain old lard. Sometimes I make deer meet pies and use bacon grease.

Can pre-canned fruit be used like Comstock? If using it, does it still need to be cooked down or just put in the dough? I've never made fruit pies but have lots of Comstock and it would be a good use for it as it gets close to expiration date.

[ak474u]

Since Ebola is in the DFW area now, I'm gonna stock up on masks before they disappear.

[bacpacker]

Latex gloves are on my list to.

[ladyhk13]

Latex gloves are on my list to.

Just bought Nitril gloves today. My sister is highly allergic to latex so no telling how many others we come across could have the same allergy and won't be able to use them without causing a major reaction. Want to be on the safe side.

[ElevenBravo]

Praying for the lottery... Not any lottery, but the mega lottery. A lot of problems can be solved with money.

They say money cant buy happiness, but Ill have none of that lie!

Since I now have a really good camcorder, I am hoping to put some instructional DVDs together and maybe sell on Ebay, the price point should be good enough to attract buyers of most economic classes. It would be nice to have a "business" like that, bringing in extra cash this way.. Beans and bullets dont come cheap!

I am honing my ham skills again, spending more time with my TenTec on HF and looking at ways to better prepare us for whatever might come.

Reading the story "One Second After" and after a tear jerking chapter, I just had to put it down for a mental rest. There is but so much emotional roller coaster a person can ride before needing a rest! If you have not read the story (PM me) then I suggest you do... This is my second reading and its as powerful now as the first.

Thats all for now,
EB

[ladyhk13]

I know what chapter you are talking about! Only one really made me cry. Love love love that book.

[ElevenBravo]

Well HK, I already cried though the dog chapter, now Im on the post battle triage chapter... I hate crying. Maybe my friend Evan has had an influence on me but it does touch deep to the human core.

Id also like so say, if you were not pissed off about a dozen times though the book, your not a true American! If you dont cry at least twice, your not human!

My Kindle says about 70 percent completion so Ill be done with it soon.

Next up, Lights Out for a third read. Yeah guys, these stories are THAT GOOD!

Ive read all three of the James Rawles books, and they are great reads... but dont hold a candle to Lights Out and One Second After!!

The JDY, TOM and other recognized authors do pen a good story but they are usually pretty short, and the main subject has always fallen into a windfall that yields them extensive preps... Kind of unreal, where as One Second After strikes the heart of the typical American... Working one day, struggling to survive the next... with what they have and some courage.

EB

[izzyscout21]

I actually took the kids on their first camping trip last weekend. Had a great time, and learned some very important lessons.

[Sniper-T]

^
next time to take one of these?

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f239/Princesscandypants/DonnaSophia001.jpg (http://media.photobucket.com/user/Princesscandypants/media/DonnaSophia001.jpg.html)

;)

[robsdak]

I actually took the kids on their first camping trip last weekend. Had a great time, and learned some very important lessons.

good deal. everybody had fun, i take it? now, on to the lessons. like, we need to bring_____, or we need a better bug spray or daddy's had enough of camping? :p

[Willie51]

Hi all,

I know I have been silent for awhile, but I have been checking in and trying to keep up and continuing the preps. Life has been crazy busy the past year, plus I spend so much time on the computer all day, that I needed a break for awhile and been trying to fish more.

About this time last year, we bought a house down the street for my 84 year old Mom, and then took 6 months off to completely remodel it for her and I'm talking about completely. This was a big relief to get her moved from GA and close so we can look after her, especially in these crazy times we live in. Now we have much of the family close but one son.

I took off a couple of days this week and completely rebuilt and repacked our GHBs for each vehicle, plus started to re-inventory long term foods. Also ordered more N95 masks, gloves, and other essentials and got them today. Glad I did because I just read that N95 mask orders were up 1800% on Amazon in the last week.

- - - Updated - - -


Well HK, I already cried though the dog chapter, now Im on the post battle triage chapter... I hate crying. Maybe my friend Evan has had an influence on me but it does touch deep to the human core.

Id also like so say, if you were not pissed off about a dozen times though the book, your not a true American! If you dont cry at least twice, your not human!

My Kindle says about 70 percent completion so Ill be done with it soon.

Next up, Lights Out for a third read. Yeah guys, these stories are THAT GOOD!

Ive read all three of the James Rawles books, and they are great reads... but dont hold a candle to Lights Out and One Second After!!

The JDY, TOM and other recognized authors do pen a good story but they are usually pretty short, and the main subject has always fallen into a windfall that yields them extensive preps... Kind of unreal, where as One Second After strikes the heart of the typical American... Working one day, struggling to survive the next... with what they have and some courage.

EB

AGREED! One Second After is one of my favorites and the first book ever to make me cry! And yes, got pissed off too!! Also loved Lights Out as well.

[Sniper-T]

Welcome back Willie... been wondering what you've been up to. Busy in a good way... sounds awesome. Let's hear more about the fishing down there!

[robsdak]

Welcome back Willie.

[ladyhk13]

^
next time to take one of these?

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f239/Princesscandypants/DonnaSophia001.jpg (http://media.photobucket.com/user/Princesscandypants/media/DonnaSophia001.jpg.html)

;)

I've actually been in one of those asleep with my dog. Guess it was comfy since I fell asleep......:D

[Sniper-T]

Just bought 95 pounds of Hutterite chickens (20) for $1.35/pound
8 in the freezer whole.
8 to be butchered up and frozen as thighs/breasts/wings, etc.
4 into brine to be smoked on Saturday. These will be deboned and frozen or canned for lunch meat.

The bones from the eight will be boiled down for broth, which will be canned or frozen.

I am going to look into raising chickens next summer. SERIOUSLY!
Would sure be nice to add fresh eggs to the mix for the summer.

:cool:

[helomech]

You could probably get eggs all year. Egg production has more to do with light, than cold. I run a light on a timer in my chicken coop, and make sure they get at least 14 hours of light a day.

[Sniper-T]

I wouldn't want to try to over winter them, buy chicks in the spring, final slaughter in the fall. Remember where I am... -35F for months...

[helomech]

I wouldn't want to try to over winter them, buy chicks in the spring, final slaughter in the fall. Remember where I am... -35F for months...

I think you could still over winter some breeds. Of course they would need to be able to get out the weather when they need to. Look into the Chanteclers and buckeyes breeds.

[Sniper-T]

Interesting thought Helo... but remember with 4-5+ feet of snow... they would require a crap load of feed.

[helomech]

They would require 100% feed for sure.

[Sniper-T]

and being several hundred feet from the house.... I would assume some kind of heat source

[ladyhk13]

and being several hundred feet from the house.... I would assume some kind of heat source

Not if you built a coop like ours! Cold tolerant chickens will do just fine!

[ak474u]

I wouldn't want to try to over winter them, buy chicks in the spring, final slaughter in the fall. Remember where I am... -35F for months...

Just start raising penguins.

[ladyhk13]

Yeah, I bet they taste just like........chicken (bet you thought I was going to say cat huh?)

[Sniper-T]

Yeah, I bet they taste just like........chicken (bet you thought I was going to say cat huh?)

bwahahahhaha
come on Lady... everyone knows that Penguins taste like Eagles

[eagle326]

bwahahahhaha
come on Lady... everyone knows that Penguins taste like Eagles

Yep ; We're the best tasting meat on the planet. :p

[helomech]

and being several hundred feet from the house.... I would assume some kind of heat source

Maybe, but a bunch of chickens crammed into well insulated enclosure produce a lot of heat.

[ladyhk13]

Canned 3 cases of butter today. Tired.

[bacpacker]

The last several weeks, not much. With my eye problem, I haven't been very active. Just trying to tie up some loose dnds and started on inventory some of our catagories.
We did pick up 100 lbs of dog food, more TP, a bunch of pasta, some ammo and reloading supplies. I also got a new Condor hunters ax. I like it pretty good and will try and put it to use as soon as i can. We also have harvested just about everything out of the garden. We also put up 2 gallons of Muscadines that will become jelly once we finish our harvest.

[Sniper-T]

for those as lost as I was: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscadine

wow LH! they sound awesome!!!

eyeÉ

[helomech]

We got muscadine and mustang all over our property.

[Sniper-T]

added a few more geeseto the meat pile, and with my neighbour... made 60 pounds of sausage. pics to follow in appropriate threads,

[ladyhk13]

wow LH! they sound awesome!!!

eyeÉ

Hope it tastes good. Gave my sister a jar today, let her be the first to try it haha!

[Sniper-T]

My hunting buddy is my guinie pig for a lot of stuff... although I did just about kill him with a bottle of this:
http://www.peppersofkeywest.com/Mad_Dog_44_Magnum_4_million_Scoville_units_p/5010.htm

[ladyhk13]

Sounds yummy. I really want to grow ghost peppers. I have the seeds, just need to plant them.

[Sniper-T]

that sauce.. actually an extract, has no taste, it is designed to add heat to other sauces.

Most ghosties run around a million shu (scoville heat units)... this stuff is 5 million. dip the very tip of a toothpick in it and touch your tongue and you will fight to the death for a knife to cut out your tongue.

I typically use a single drip to 5 gallons of chili, and most people cry. For a chili cookoff, I added 4 drops to about a gallon of chili, and sent a guy to the hospital.

[moonwillow]

Can pre-canned fruit be used like Comstock? If using it, does it still need to be cooked down or just put in the dough? I've never made fruit pies but have lots of Comstock and it would be a good use for it as it gets close to expiration date.

I'm thinking Comstock is canned pie filling(?) I would just dip it out of the can onto the dough. Home canned fruit can be used as is with whatever flavorings or sweetener you want to use. Make sure you drink the juice if any so it don't go to waste. I don't waste anything.

[ladyhk13]

I'm thinking Comstock is canned pie filling(?) I would just dip it out of the can onto the dough. Home canned fruit can be used as is with whatever flavorings or sweetener you want to use. Make sure you drink the juice if any so it don't go to waste. I don't waste anything.

Yes, Comstock is canned pie filling. I love the cherry and use it on my cheesecake during the holidays. I have some other flavors as well and thought they may be good in the pie if they can be used. Thanks for the info!

[ElevenBravo]

Farm Jack

My other one shook to pieces in the back of the war wagon, got a new one... and using it, Ill re-assemble the old one and put some new hardware in it... with Lock Tite.

EB

[Stormfeather]

Added some more ammo via a donation from s friend who is moving out of state and she had a bunch of 9mm that she didnt need/want! She asked me if I wanted it. . . .lol. . silly girl!

[Vodin]

Started a new hobby grinding meats. Fun and challenging.

[bacpacker]

Vodin, following the other thread has got me thinking along those lines. I like sausages, but hate all the crap thats added in. Sounds like a great way to control what is used.

We picked up a bushel of sweet taters, 2 bushels of winesap apples to make apple butter, dehydrate, and can. Also picked the rest of our peppers both sweet and hot and bought 2 lbs of cayennes to dehydrate and grind into powder. Got some pumpkins and onion to.

Picked up a dutch oven, 4qt. And boxes of nitrile gloves, and n100 masks.

[Vodin]

bacpacker, thank you for that compliment. My wife and I are doing more and more self sustaining projects. Most of them are related to food and I am happy to share them if there is an interest :)

[bacpacker]

Not to speak for others, but I think it's safe to say feel free to share any projects you want. IMO, whether pass or fail. Plenty of lessons to learn from both.

[ak474u]

Garden got beat up pretty bad here last night, they said 50 mph winds, more like 80+. 7 broken fence posts snapped at the ground, but we did better than most next door neighbor lost the whole fence at the ground in a single section, so lots of cleanup here today. The wind picked up potted plants and set them down at the bottom of a 4 foot retaining wall which was interesting.

[Willie51]

Picked up a Sawyer water filter that was on sale at Walmart ($18.00) to go in BOB and now I have two, one for each bag. That little filter is awesome and will filter lots of water before having to be replaced. Also, ordered fresh food bars and MREs for BOB. Using up older stuff in freezer and canned food stock to make room for new.

[realist]

Drying the apples we just harvested. Time to start rehabbing the garden. Everything is going to be raised to keep out the gophers. We will be planting a bunch of asparagus this year.

Completed ammo inventory.

I have a bunch of med supplies that I finely got off my butt and separated into to four large portable boxes. Two will go to the cabin and two will stay here.

[izzyscout21]

So.....in an effort to keep my vehicle running, I took it over to my uncle's place to change the timing belt. I'm not sure how, but somehow he caught the car on fire. Seriously.

The damage isn't too bad, I don't think, but we now have to completely rip the engine out and see the extent.

That's going to be my project for the next week or so.

[helomech]

That sucks. Sorry to hear.

[Willie51]

So.....in an effort to keep my vehicle running, I took it over to my uncle's place to change the timing belt. I'm not sure how, but somehow he caught the car on fire. Seriously.

The damage isn't too bad, I don't think, but we now have to completely rip the engine out and see the extent.

That's going to be my project for the next week or so.

Wow, Izzy, that does suck! Hope it doesn't set you back much. :(

[bacpacker]

Hate to hear that Izzy. Hopefully you got it put out before it trashed the wiring harness.

[realist]

That really is an aw shit.....similar thing happened to us a few yearns ago. We had do a complete make over. Although it cost us, at least everything that should have been attended to before was fixed. The problem is these usually come at a time you can least afford it.

[AlphaTea]

Finally bought a 1911.
and a paintball gun

[ElevenBravo]

From timing belt to fire... That progressed fast.

[bacpacker]

Had to do some repairs on our rolling BOL (rv). Got everything running normal. Also bought some hay to use building a cold frame, which will go in within the next two weeks. Also gonna use some to plant in next spring.
on a side note, the chickens had a funny look when i was unloading the hay into their coop. :)

[Sniper-T]

built a cat house...

[realist]

Cathouse or cat house???

Purchased a bunch of medical supplies I have needed for a long time, Infection control products

[ElevenBravo]

I did nothing...

[bacpacker]

LAZY ASS!

It's good to have some down time. Recharge the batteries don't you know.

[robsdak]

only prepping i have been doing is taking care of me. the 1st week wasn't too bad, now it's getting tender. just waiting on the itching to start. :)

[Sniper-T]

where is that dirty girl you know... she'll expedite the itch!

[ElevenBravo]

I would do more, if I had money... Most of what I need is stocks. Need to practice shooting (dont we all...), but that too cost money, and Ive got a certain limit Ill shoot before I stop to keep reserves.

And Im a little lazy.

:-)

EB