What Preps are you doing this week? Part 8.

[GillyBee]

There's nothing like an outage to really test your preps is there!

I use fragrance free baby wipes for emergency washing and camping. They tend to be very well priced compared with products aimed at adults and are also kept in the car for quick clean ups which rotates the stock.
IFor washing up I keep Dettol wipes - we use this as washing up for the festival we visit yearly along with the aforesaid paper plates. The routine is throw the paper plate. then scrape everything else out, (mugs, pans etc), wipe well with kitchen roll and finish with Dettol wipes to remove the last of the mess and sanitise. I have not tried other brands as they dont hit the food safe, non-taint, quick dwell time and minimal smell requirements.

Washing clothes is harder. Spots and marks can be brushed or sponged out but undies do need a wash. I keep panty liners to extend the life of knickers which helps if stuck.

[rik_uk3]

Your going to rinse after using dettol wipes so why not wash in water? Paper plates? Wipes? just creating more rubbish IMHO. In 55 years of camping I've never needed to use a paper plate and that includes below zero camping just rethink your routine and methods. If it hit the fan for real what will you do when you run out of plates and wipes?

[jansman]

Currently blagging firewood at a rate of knots. Keeping it cut and stacked as I go. It will cut our coal consumption by 25% I estimate,especially as we now have to burn smokeless ( which is £8 to £9 per 20 kg,as opposed to £6.50 for bituminous coal.) As our primary heating is solid fuel,it is a big deal.

As I am writing this ,my daughter just rang. Her can opener has broken. Got her one from the storeroom,and I will order two more from the Bay of Evil.

I ordered another 50 w submersible aquarium heater too. I use these for my home brew in the Winter. I drop one into a 5 gallon brew bin ,set to 25 degrees,and wrap the bin in a blanket. I have a space in the corner of the workshop,and even in Winter,I can ferment a batch in two weeks. If I am using turbo yeast for my Vod** - sorry,’exotic’ brew ,it will brew out in 3 days,even in January with no external heat.

We are also ramping up tinned and dry foods each week,and that stock is looking healthy. The garden is yielding it’s bounty by the day,so I am busy processing tomatoes,sweet corn,gherkins,plums etc etc etc.

Got to stock up on batteries too. And so it goes on…

[diamond lil]

Jansman how hard or easy is it to grow plums? Our apple tree is fantastic and I wouldn't mind trying plums now.

[jansman]

Jansman how hard or easy is it to grow plums? Our apple tree is fantastic and I wouldn't mind trying plums now.

Easy. You will need two trees,OR a plum or greengage in a nearby garden . However, I guess there are self fertile trees these days. Someone will tell me I am sure. We have a fan trained Victoria, that I put in 25 years ago. Every year it does well. We have a greengage next door.

[Le Mouse]

Another batch of green tomato chutney is bubbling away on the cooker right now and I am awaiting delivery tomorrow of one of those 'speed gun' type thermometers. I discovered yesterday that my Mum can't cope with the standard thermometer in the gob for some reason. So speed gun it is!

[Yorkshire Andy]

Another batch of green tomato chutney is bubbling away on the cooker right now and I am awaiting delivery tomorrow of one of those 'speed gun' type thermometers. I discovered yesterday that my Mum can't cope with the standard thermometer in the gob for some reason. So speed gun it is!

From been given the task at work the forehead zappers are pants different reading every time I had 2 types at work and even the branded one was naff ..

If for home / personal use the in ear ones seem more stable / reliable

Eg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BRAUN-IRT3030- ... th=1&psc=1

[diamond lil]

Jansman I could put one along the fence beside the apple tree, its fan trained there. Will ask the local nursery about that.
Andy I skim read that post and thought you and Mouse were tagging cattle, then thought oh my god it's Mouse's mother

[Le Mouse]

From been given the task at work the forehead zappers are pants different reading every time I had 2 types at work and even the branded one was naff ..

If for home / personal use the in ear ones seem more stable / reliable

Eg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BRAUN-IRT3030- ... th=1&psc=1

Ta - added that to my wish list just in case. But frankly anything has to be better than my Mum being so weird about holding a thermometer in her mouth that she got a reading that means she's clinically dead!

Andy I skim read that post and thought you and Mouse were tagging cattle, then thought oh my god it's Mouse's mother

This made me laugh a lot, thank you Lil - much needed!

[Yorkshire Andy]

[

Andy I skim read that post and thought you and Mouse were tagging cattle, then thought oh my god it's Mouse's mother

This made me laugh a lot, thank you Lil - much needed!

There's always this :