What preps are you doing this week? part 2.

[junmist]

I've also been cracking on with my dehydrating, trying peppers (capsicums) for the first time, results to be confirmed tomorrow so fingers crossed.

I'm becoming resigned to the necessity of an electric dehydrator ... otherwise, there's so much sugar and vinegar involved, it gets ridiculous - diabetes, as featherstick says or in my case worsening arthritis from all the vinegar. Grrr. I'll look forward to the dehydrating feedback

I've also just bought the Anker 14W solar power jobby that I've had my eye on for usb powered devices,

Details please

I too am thinking about getting an dehydrator but also want to get a pantry dehydrator that does not use any electric might take a bit longer and could only be used in summer hence getting an electric one as well.

[westlothianlass]

I bought a solar charger for my kindle and phone, it has a torch on one side and solar panel on the other, very impressed so far. Its sitting on my window sill and had a full charge after a few hours. Also bought a small battery bank for the car/ handbag which is about the size of a small torch.

[Arzosah]

I've also been cracking on with my dehydrating, trying peppers (capsicums) for the first time, results to be confirmed tomorrow so fingers crossed.

I'm becoming resigned to the necessity of an electric dehydrator ... otherwise, there's so much sugar and vinegar involved, it gets ridiculous - diabetes, as featherstick says or in my case worsening arthritis from all the vinegar. Grrr. I'll look forward to the dehydrating feedback

I too am thinking about getting an dehydrator but also want to get a pantry dehydrator that does not use any electric might take a bit longer and could only be used in summer hence getting an electric one as well.

Not heard of that, junmist. I was making my own solar dehydrator, and after my experience this year with a sunkettle, I've given up the idea of drying most veg by solar. I wanted it to be multi-functional, so it can still be a haybox and a cold smoker, and maybe it can still dry herbs etc in there too, saving the leccy.

A dehydrator seems to be good for storing things compactly, storing without power, once its all dried, and storing without the additives of sugar and vinegar.

[jansman]

I have been lazy. So in the morning the Duchess is out and I am sweeping the big chimney. Not my favourite job but it has to be done. I would have done it Monday when she is at work, but I want to go fishing!

[PreparedKent]

My favourite pastime, pest control! Shot a couple of rats and put out 35 blocks of difenacoum in the feeding shed and a bait box or two around the outside.

[cumbrianish]

Got some winter veg seeds and topped up my supplies of cold and flu and painkiller tablets.
Not much but budget is tight this month.

[bungee]

Stopped at a Tesco store in Rugeley today. Packs of Hello Kitty hand warmers in reduced section going for 75p at the moment. Use by date mid 2017.

[Arzosah]

Packs of Hello Kitty hand warmers in reduced section going for 75p at the moment. Use by date mid 2017.

Well done you for not letting the branding put you off!

I'm decluttering *again* - found some old videotapes stored at the back of the DVDs so they're in the bin now.

And for a £30 dehydrator, I'm not prepared to buy a book that costs £11 on ebay (one of the Mary Bell books), so I've got a list of websites, and I'm collating information from them all. They're either US government official sources that take excerpts from a book or link to advice from university websites, or long distance walkers who make their own trail mix and sauces, which is a great idea in any case.

[Deeps]

Packs of Hello Kitty hand warmers in reduced section going for 75p at the moment. Use by date mid 2017.

Well done you for not letting the branding put you off!

I'm decluttering *again* - found some old videotapes stored at the back of the DVDs so they're in the bin now.

And for a £30 dehydrator, I'm not prepared to buy a book that costs £11 on ebay (one of the Mary Bell books), so I've got a list of websites, and I'm collating information from them all. They're either US government official sources that take excerpts from a book or link to advice from university websites, or long distance walkers who make their own trail mix and sauces, which is a great idea in any case.

There's loads on youtube about dehydrating too Arzosah, have a nose around on there. One thing I've done is cut out some cooking parchment bases for smaller stuff, otherwise it drops through the trays, I've cut narrow lines in it to help let the air flow, they seem to work quite well. Some kind of mesh would probably do the trick too.

[Wales1]

Now that the younger ones are back at school..time to get back into a more normal routine and increase my fitness levels...I had a nice walk this morning 1.6miles in 30 min to the shops and back-so coming back laden with a backpack full of shopping. I've renewed my membership of the local Yoga club and this afternoon its what the wife refers to as 'Shed time'
Plus after much urging the daughter has cleared 7 bin bags of clothing out of her wardrobe, so it will be off to Cardiff to weight them in at the end of the week. (extra money from this goes into the prepping fund)