What preps are you doing this week? part 2.

[featherstick]

I The boy is nearly 8 and showing an interest so now is the time to build on it.

Remember opsec as kids can't keep quiet... Our stuff gets branded as camping stuff... Tins of food get used when camping same for bottles of water. Its not questioned by them

No one declines a very warm sleeping bag on the cooler nights


Camping stove also doubles as back up cooker if electric meter is `low on credit' for example

And if there's a power cut we use the camping lights

No point in scaring or confusing them but building useable skills through fun such as camping and playing in the garden / woods IMO

If he babbles about Zombies I'll tell everyone he plays Minecraft!

[Deeps]

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

The dehydrator is really handy and I think a fairly cheap one (xmas pressy) and does the trick. I've got more confident using it, trying out stuff, youtube is full of inspiration too. The dried stuff gets used, if I'm having a packet of noodles or packet pasta I throw some stuff in and put a bit of extra water in to compensate for the extra 'stuff'. I've made jerky in the past too, take the plunge Arzosah. As for the solar charger, its one of these bad boys,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I ... ge_o00_s00

They've got different ones but I know and trust Anker so went with this one.

[fapplan]

I was buying a birthday present on Amazon and I fell short of the £20 total required for the free delivery so I bought this camping stove as it's something that I've wanted for a while.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Campingaz-Camp- ... ping+stove

This is my first alternative means of cooking should there ever be any problems with the mains gas supply at home. I will pick up cartridges for it when I'm out and about as they seem quite expensive online without buying them in bulk.

[Arzosah]

The dehydrator is really handy and I think a fairly cheap one (xmas pressy) and does the trick. I've got more confident using it, trying out stuff, youtube is full of inspiration too. The dried stuff gets used, if I'm having a packet of noodles or packet pasta I throw some stuff in and put a bit of extra water in to compensate for the extra 'stuff'. I've made jerky in the past too, take the plunge Arzosah.

Thanks for this - I'm going to sit on my hands for a few days, because I'm *really* bad at not thinking through my purchases. But I've just found out I have £18 in my paypal account, so that goes a long way to the cheaper Westfalia model

As for the solar charger, its one of these bad boys,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I ... ge_o00_s00

They've got different ones but I know and trust Anker so went with this one.

Thats great. And actually, thats decided me about what I'm going to do - I have an impulse purchase 13W solar generator, the briefcase variety, that I bought 2nd hand, unused, and I've never put it together - I'm going to take photos of all the terminals, take the wires, and go to a proper electricals shop and beg for help - even a Maplins if I have to, its crazy not to get it set up and working ...

One day, my preps will be prepped

[Brambles]

I have one of the Westfalia jobbies and if all you want to do is basic stuff, I can't recommend it highly enough. I got really lucky and managed to get hold of some extra trays for it. I've had it about 8 years now and it's still plodding along.

You do need to follow a few basic rules.

1) make sure the food is uniform in shape and size.
2) spread evenly on trays and try not to overload.
3) best results achieved from rotating trays every hour or so,I know a lot of folk don't but I've found mine is a bit fierce.

[Arzosah]

Thanks Brambles, that sounds very good. Sorting this is all part of my prepping.

[ForgeCorvus]

I was buying a birthday present on Amazon and I fell short of the £20 total required for the free delivery so I bought this camping stove as it's something that I've wanted for a while.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Campingaz-Camp- ... ping+stove

This is my first alternative means of cooking should there ever be any problems with the mains gas supply at home. I will pick up cartridges for it when I'm out and about as they seem quite expensive online without buying them in bulk.

These are the type of stove I'd recommend to anyone for power-cuts etc
We use ours when car-camping as well

[Deeps]

The dehydrator is really handy and I think a fairly cheap one (xmas pressy) and does the trick. I've got more confident using it, trying out stuff, youtube is full of inspiration too. The dried stuff gets used, if I'm having a packet of noodles or packet pasta I throw some stuff in and put a bit of extra water in to compensate for the extra 'stuff'. I've made jerky in the past too, take the plunge Arzosah.

Thanks for this - I'm going to sit on my hands for a few days, because I'm *really* bad at not thinking through my purchases. But I've just found out I have £18 in my paypal account, so that goes a long way to the cheaper Westfalia model

As for the solar charger, its one of these bad boys,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I ... ge_o00_s00

They've got different ones but I know and trust Anker so went with this one.

Thats great. And actually, thats decided me about what I'm going to do - I have an impulse purchase 13W solar generator, the briefcase variety, that I bought 2nd hand, unused, and I've never put it together - I'm going to take photos of all the terminals, take the wires, and go to a proper electricals shop and beg for help - even a Maplins if I have to, its crazy not to get it set up and working ...

One day, my preps will be prepped

Never gonna happen. Just as you hit a level on one set of stores, you'll think you need to increase another, or come on here and someone has posted something that you never thought of. Well that's the way I roll anyway, this site is bad (good) for that, lots of new perspectives and idea's. If I let myself I'd be spending a lot more on my 'zombie stores', I'm reasonably happy but there's always more stuff that catches your eye and of course you can never have too much food, tools and basics.

Good luck with the dehydrator, they're really handy, let us know how you go with it.

[nickdutch]

Increased the number of tins of green veggies i the pantry corner of my bedroom as man cannot live on beans and potatoes alone

[fapplan]

I was buying a birthday present on Amazon and I fell short of the £20 total required for the free delivery so I bought this camping stove as it's something that I've wanted for a while.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Campingaz-Camp- ... ping+stove

This is my first alternative means of cooking should there ever be any problems with the mains gas supply at home. I will pick up cartridges for it when I'm out and about as they seem quite expensive online without buying them in bulk.

These are the type of stove I'd recommend to anyone for power-cuts etc
We use ours when car-camping as well

As it happens I was thinking about keeping it in the car so it's always nearby