What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
Went to local supermarket and bought one of each can of food with a best before date of 2019 or later. Noted down the cans' cost, cost per kg, and kcal value per can. Listed them in calorific order. Just trying to get my head around can rotation. Really excited that my wife has become enthusiastic about having a couple of shelves for can storage rotation aiming for a month's supply of 2k calories per day for 6 people. Sampling the cans is fun too - rice + vegetable curry + bombay potatoes + dhal was surprisingly just as tasty as ready-meal curries and much cheaper (but I cheated and added a whole packet of spinach leaves), but needs a chunk of meat to increase the calories. Guess I'll be buying some rat traps then....
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Area 8
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=======Plymton wrote:Klingon ass scratcher
Area 8
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Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
Summer's drawing to a close, and I am looking at winter in just a few short months
Given that I've now been in the house I'm in for a couple of years now, and am done with things like child support payments that were a financial drain on my income, I have some available cash to deal with things I've been noticing about the house over the time I've been here.
Looking at tightening up the house foundation a bit, getting more insulation in, vapor barriers to address issues that might affect the structure over the long haul, etc. The house is small but the downstairs has always been a bit of a heat sink, with cold air seeping up from the basement. I want to nip that in the bud as best I can.
Pricing solar since I got a chunk of back pay this year, and we're still getting tax credits that defer about half of the cost of panels.
I can't afford the whole set-up that'll allow me to go completely off grid, but I can add that on in a later year
Still replacing some of the gear I lost to the ex in the divorce. Stuff like camping gear, for instance.
Last year I was focused on basics like tent, sleeping bag, etc.
This summer I've been focusing on gear like stoves.
She was always more into the car camping concept; I was more into the "lets hike ten miles in and set up a campsite"
That meant she was into huge wall tents, gas fueled multi burner Coleman stoves and the like.
I'm more into the smaller stuff that's fueled by the stuff laying around on the ground. You never run out of a fuel source that way, and you don't have to haul fuel with you....
Other than that, laying in a wood supply for the winter, since that's my primary heat source
More hand tools, investing in a quality chain saw, the list is endless of stuff that needs to be replaced, acquired, etc.
Given that I've now been in the house I'm in for a couple of years now, and am done with things like child support payments that were a financial drain on my income, I have some available cash to deal with things I've been noticing about the house over the time I've been here.
Looking at tightening up the house foundation a bit, getting more insulation in, vapor barriers to address issues that might affect the structure over the long haul, etc. The house is small but the downstairs has always been a bit of a heat sink, with cold air seeping up from the basement. I want to nip that in the bud as best I can.
Pricing solar since I got a chunk of back pay this year, and we're still getting tax credits that defer about half of the cost of panels.
I can't afford the whole set-up that'll allow me to go completely off grid, but I can add that on in a later year
Still replacing some of the gear I lost to the ex in the divorce. Stuff like camping gear, for instance.
Last year I was focused on basics like tent, sleeping bag, etc.
This summer I've been focusing on gear like stoves.
She was always more into the car camping concept; I was more into the "lets hike ten miles in and set up a campsite"
That meant she was into huge wall tents, gas fueled multi burner Coleman stoves and the like.
I'm more into the smaller stuff that's fueled by the stuff laying around on the ground. You never run out of a fuel source that way, and you don't have to haul fuel with you....
Other than that, laying in a wood supply for the winter, since that's my primary heat source
More hand tools, investing in a quality chain saw, the list is endless of stuff that needs to be replaced, acquired, etc.
*My views discussed on this forum are personal opinion and do not constitute information released in an official capacity*
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
Been busy all summer so far, fighting a losing battle against slugs in the garden so very little veg has grown this year as they even went for the courgettes.
I tried planting less of everything as I had too much last year even with losses, but next year I'm going back to planting way too much of everything in the hopes I have stuff left. So frustrating to see the stuff disappear overnight.
As a knitter I decided on a whim I wanted to learn to knit socks a while back but have now realised after a bit of squishing in the wool shops that my stash includes enough materials to make about 10 jumpers & 20 pairs of socks - I'm calling that preps. Nothiing beats a pair of hand knit socks
Also stocked up on easy threading needles as my eyesight is not really up to the challenge of threading a normal needle unless I have an hour spare.
Have cheeses maturing, a ham & some bacon curing, have stored my potatoes (in the mud the way my grandfather used to as the garden beasties seem to ignore them so I got a good crop) & am only now just starting to be inundated with tomatoes.
Had great harvests of raspberries, strawberries & blueberries this year, so now have some jam, some canned & some frozen of each.
Baby Kiwi plant actually produced a few baby kiwis this year & is now about 5 foot high, but the birds beat me to them so no idea what they tasted like.
This Autumn I'm going to work on bird proofing my fruit as they've finally noticed I'm growing it.
I tried planting less of everything as I had too much last year even with losses, but next year I'm going back to planting way too much of everything in the hopes I have stuff left. So frustrating to see the stuff disappear overnight.
As a knitter I decided on a whim I wanted to learn to knit socks a while back but have now realised after a bit of squishing in the wool shops that my stash includes enough materials to make about 10 jumpers & 20 pairs of socks - I'm calling that preps. Nothiing beats a pair of hand knit socks
Also stocked up on easy threading needles as my eyesight is not really up to the challenge of threading a normal needle unless I have an hour spare.
Have cheeses maturing, a ham & some bacon curing, have stored my potatoes (in the mud the way my grandfather used to as the garden beasties seem to ignore them so I got a good crop) & am only now just starting to be inundated with tomatoes.
Had great harvests of raspberries, strawberries & blueberries this year, so now have some jam, some canned & some frozen of each.
Baby Kiwi plant actually produced a few baby kiwis this year & is now about 5 foot high, but the birds beat me to them so no idea what they tasted like.
This Autumn I'm going to work on bird proofing my fruit as they've finally noticed I'm growing it.
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
I've been processing plums into jam and conserve (lighter, less set version of jam - good for sauces over sponge puddings) this week. I've been handed a bucket of wild plums and I'm going to use them like damsons as they are smaller and will need to be boiled first to remove the stones.
Our apples are looking good but need to ripen a bit longer. Wild blackberries are just starting to ripen so they will be next.
Our apples are looking good but need to ripen a bit longer. Wild blackberries are just starting to ripen so they will be next.
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
Future proofing my house for old age.
Having bath removed and shower put in its place.
It's the knees you know.....
Having bath removed and shower put in its place.
It's the knees you know.....
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
Upon inspiration from this thread and elsewhere on the forum, I have made my first ever batch of jam! I collected a bunch of blackberries out in the fields behind our house on Monday, and so thought I would give it a go. It has come out looking like jam and not burnt, so I'm happy - remains to be seen how solid it is now it's set though...
It's a beautiful destination
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
This weekend will be blackberry picking time! Hopefully we can get another 18kg to make many jars of the jelly, I can't stand the seeds so my fruit press will be handy this year! Still on my last jar made in 2014 so it really does last! I hasten to add that many jars were gifted to good friends and family, we haven't eaten it all ourselves
Behind every great man is an even greater woman. She carried you, raised you and made you who you are.
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
Sound yummy Juno and Decaff.
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
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poppypiesdad
- Posts: 1379
- Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:48 pm
- Location: Area 11
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
Ooh yes for the knees but couldn't you have kept the bathpseudonym wrote:Future proofing my house for old age.
Having bath removed and shower put in its place.
It's the knees you know.....
Good for water storage ?
J
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Re: What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.
No; the walk in shower needed the space.poppypiesdad wrote:Ooh yes for the knees but couldn't you have kept the bathpseudonym wrote:Future proofing my house for old age.
Having bath removed and shower put in its place.
It's the knees you know.....
Good for water storage ?
J
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.