What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

How are you preparing
ClericalError
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Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2015 8:21 pm

Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by ClericalError »

I'm trying to grow a little bit of food for the first time ever. I assumed 90% of everything would never germinate or would promptly die, and was wrong, so this week I sent off a few trays of extra plants to a charity plant sale. I'm chuffed about this [Clueless Urban Newbie ;-) ]

Recently I've been stocking up on medications and first aid items, so eavesdropping on the conversation above was very handy, thanks.

I've also put up shelves to store food, water, meds, household supplies and stuff upstairs as I've been adding to the lists every couple of weeks so now have crates full.

After Easter I went to stay with an older relative for a couple of days. In her earlier years she could be relied upon to arrive late for everything having run out of petrol, constantly ran out of cash or food, had massive piles of clutter at home in which nothing could ever be found, etc. But this time she proudly showed me her stash of matches, candles, loo rolls, etc. "because last winter I got to thinking, what with all the news, it would be good to have some stores here to rely on..." So not only does she have them, she knows where they are and why she's got them.
Stasher
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Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by Stasher »

ClericalError wrote:I'm trying to grow a little bit of food for the first time ever. I assumed 90% of everything would never germinate or would promptly die, and was wrong, so this week I sent off a few trays of extra plants to a charity plant sale. I'm chuffed about this [Clueless Urban Newbie ;-) ]

Oh fab, that's brilliant, well done! Ours are still a bit slow in coming

Recently I've been stocking up on medications and first aid items, so eavesdropping on the conversation above was very handy, thanks.

I've also put up shelves to store food, water, meds, household supplies and stuff upstairs as I've been adding to the lists every couple of weeks so now have crates full.

After Easter I went to stay with an older relative for a couple of days. In her earlier years she could be relied upon to arrive late for everything having run out of petrol, constantly ran out of cash or food, had massive piles of clutter at home in which nothing could ever be found, etc. But this time she proudly showed me her stash of matches, candles, loo rolls, etc. "because last winter I got to thinking, what with all the news, it would be good to have some stores here to rely on..." So not only does she have them, she knows where they are and why she's got them.
That's exactly what I like to hear, another stealthy stasher joins the ranks. Brilliant.


I have now finished the annual winter food to summer food stock level adjustments and been very pleased with some of our 'over winter' results. I think this is the best changeover position we've been in. We still have a large amount of beans in the freezer and at this rate they'll be fed to the chickens......

Our hatching continues apace and altho some of the prices we've achieved at auction on the goslings and chicks are not quite as good as the record prices we've had in previous years, they're still fully satisfactory. We had to sell some of the birds rather than keeping them on for a bit as we have a crow infestation and nothing smaller than a football is safe regrettably.
Knowledge is power
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PreppingPingu
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Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by PreppingPingu »

Stock rotating is my thing this week. Combined with a spring cleaning! Discovered a jar of last year's allotment strawberry jam, tucked away at the back, much to my delight. As the new strawberries with be starting to grow soon ish, I feel I can eat my last jar! Just need to eek it out for 2 months :)
"Today is the tomorrow that you worrried about yesterday" - unknown
"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast" - Red Dwarf
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Arzosah
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Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by Arzosah »

PreppingPingu wrote:Stock rotating is my thing this week. Combined with a spring cleaning! Discovered a jar of last year's allotment strawberry jam, tucked away at the back, much to my delight. As the new strawberries with be starting to grow soon ish, I feel I can eat my last jar! Just need to eek it out for 2 months :)
Honestly, this year I'm really discovering how underrated a good cleanout and regular maintenance can be. Because I don't have much energy, I'm *still* on it, but the house is starting to feel really different, and over the weekend I might even have space enough to get the dehydrator out, and for the first time ever I'll be cropping from my garden, plus a few foraged blackberry leaves and nettles.
Yorkshire Andy
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Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Had to put the wiring right on my towbar that was fitted last week 2 potential fire risks the "professional tow bar fitter" the swine left me to deal with :/

on the plus side my preps of car wiring / crimps / cable ties and stuff ment i had all but a fuse holder "in stock" so i could get cracking without needing to go out shopping...

and managed to help a mate out who had been quoted £850! for a new power steering pump as his car was leaking hydraulic PAS fluid i cleaned it up then filled the bottle (mounted on the pump unit) and you could see it coming out where a hose went onto a spigot..... one £3 jublie type hose clip later and no more leak...

i see been handy with cars as a bit prep as garage bills are frankly :o
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
featherstick
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Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by featherstick »

Yorkshire Andy wrote: i see been handy with cars as a bit prep as garage bills are frankly :o
Completely agree. Realised years ago that driving around while not know what was going on under the bonnet was pathetic, so I started doing up cars (Citroen BXs mostly) for fun. Best one I drove I bought for £30! Did a load of work on that one - pinion valve rebuild, cambelt, front-to-rear overhaul of hoses and cooling...

Made some good friends around that, good relations with the garage, have some tools, loads of transferrable skills and a certain confidence in fault diagnosis. Mind you, only relevant to electro-mechanical turbo diesels, anything with a bit of electronics I'm scunnered : )
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sniper 55
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Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by sniper 55 »

We had a power cut today, so I made a brew, some grub, and sat down, my son charged his phone from the battery back-up. All good. Some of my neighbours were out in the street panicking, seriously! It's just a power cut. All back on now anyway.
Nice to know we can cope if it all goes off.
Catweazle
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Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 10:56 pm

Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by Catweazle »

As part of my long running scheme to "make do and mend" both for myself and others, I have for several years been assembling a well equipped workshop. This weekend I added the best piece of kit so far, a Harrison M300 lathe to replace my ageing Boxford. It's a big step up from the Boxford, and makes some heavy tractor repairs possible.

I'm like a kid with a new toy right now.
poppypiesdad
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Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by poppypiesdad »

Very jealous, always wanted a lathe, currently would settle for a metal bender,
Welding welding and more welding today I
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Catweazle
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Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 10:56 pm

Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

Post by Catweazle »

poppypiesdad wrote:Very jealous, always wanted a lathe, currently would settle for a metal bender,
Welding welding and more welding today I
If you have the room decent medium / large lathes are available quite cheaply. The smaller lathes cost more, because hobbyists can fit them in their garages. Don't think that larger lathes can't do fine work like the little Myford / Boxford types, the M300 is capable of everything a small lathe can do and a whole lot more. The downside is the size and weight, loading it into my van was difficult. Unloading at home much easier - lifted it straight out with the tractor :D