Dehydrating is a very useful method of preservation; I do it myself. I rotate the food when it's 3 years old. It's not as easy as deep - freezing, but I prefer not to use a freezer because of energy demand. I've used a pressure cooker in the past. Using them is not difficult, it's just a different technique, but needs care. They're very good for cooking dried pulses and beans and other foods that take a long time to cook.Arzosah wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 10:27 amWow! Seriously impressive, that's really something. I do like dehydrating, I think it's really underrated. I've never used a pressure cookerAdjee wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 7:26 pmWe split all we grow between water bathing, dehydrating, pressure canning and freezing (we also have been experimenting with some of the old fashion food storage techniques). Some products we preserve individually, others are combined also we pressure can full meals which are great to use (as you point out) when time is short and yes, we make and enjoy fruit leathers. Normally we preserve as we produce but we spent last year working building our new combined goat pens and rabbitry (alongside keeping up with the animals, fruit and veg growing etc.) so the preserving side has backed up. But we have two canners and two dehydrators working away tonight as we prepare the next jars ready to go in tomorrow morning.and it's possibly a skill too far for me, though everyone I know who has one absolutely swears by it.
How many goats do you have? Fascinating creatures!
What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
For preserving food we use a Pressure Canner not a Pressure Cooker.Arzosah wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 10:27 amWow! Seriously impressive, that's really something. I do like dehydrating, I think it's really underrated. I've never used a pressure cookerAdjee wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 7:26 pmWe split all we grow between water bathing, dehydrating, pressure canning and freezing (we also have been experimenting with some of the old fashion food storage techniques). Some products we preserve individually, others are combined also we pressure can full meals which are great to use (as you point out) when time is short and yes, we make and enjoy fruit leathers. Normally we preserve as we produce but we spent last year working building our new combined goat pens and rabbitry (alongside keeping up with the animals, fruit and veg growing etc.) so the preserving side has backed up. But we have two canners and two dehydrators working away tonight as we prepare the next jars ready to go in tomorrow morning.and it's possibly a skill too far for me, though everyone I know who has one absolutely swears by it.
How many goats do you have? Fascinating creatures!
We never knew what a pressure canner was until we started living this lifestyle and like many, confused it with the pressure cooker.
Pressure Cookers are designed for cooking food quickly under high pressure where as Pressure Canners are made for canning/preserving foods.
I will post about our goats in the animal section.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Sorry, I can see now that you did actually say "pressure can". Oops.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Belated heavy pruning of my fruit trees at the moment which should help with fruit production and has given me a load of firewood to boot. Lots of rubbish though with all the twiggy bits although I'm burning it steadily. The one plum tree had become a climbing frame for the grape vine and it now is floating in mid air so to speak so I'll probably have to put up some sort of support. Also taken a number of cuttings with a view to propergation .
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Not exactly prep as such. Had to go and talk to people demolishing a building behind my garden. My house was shaking! Spoke to the bloke operating the digger. He said he would 'slow it down a bit'. He did mention getting a vibration monitor, and told me to come back if it carries on. Have noticed a few small vibrations since then, but definitely a lot milder.
From research, people can feel 0.011 in/sec, and rate 0.3 as 'severe', but it takes 0.5 to damage an old house and more to damage a newer house.
I did used to get minor vibrations quite regularly, years ago, which I assumed was from heavy vehicles.
From research, people can feel 0.011 in/sec, and rate 0.3 as 'severe', but it takes 0.5 to damage an old house and more to damage a newer house.
I did used to get minor vibrations quite regularly, years ago, which I assumed was from heavy vehicles.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
A 10 foot Food Grade Hosepipe similar to this: https://www.aandlleisure.co.uk/75m-24ft ... 2063-p.asp
and a Hozelock Round Mixer Tap Connector. https://www.screwfix.com/p/hozelock-14- ... lsrc=aw.ds
Easier to carry than a full sized set up gives me the ability to use indoors also.
and a Hozelock Round Mixer Tap Connector. https://www.screwfix.com/p/hozelock-14- ... lsrc=aw.ds
Easier to carry than a full sized set up gives me the ability to use indoors also.
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
pseudonym wrote: ↑Sat Feb 01, 2025 1:43 am A 10 foot Food Grade Hosepipe similar to this: https://www.aandlleisure.co.uk/75m-24ft ... 2063-p.asp
and a Hozelock Round Mixer Tap Connector. https://www.screwfix.com/p/hozelock-14- ... lsrc=aw.ds
Easier to carry than a full sized set up gives me the ability to use indoors also.
Will it reach the toilet ? That set up would save getting up at 3am for a wee

Be handy for filling water containers im a heathen and just use a length of hose I leave running for 5 mins first

If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong 
Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Speaking of which, checked the dates on my Imodium Instants, and related stuff. Found a box dated Oct 2026, and replaced some in BOB that were out of date. Checked the other stuff in that little drybag. Put the Imodium in two small plastic bags, on inside the other, in the drybag, so triple protected. They are in an external pocket, along with a plastic trowel. Got coin towels in there, which are great, as they never expire. They are cotton wetwipes, only not wet, and compressed into 'coins'. I also have cream in there, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer wipes. Wipes have a fairly short life of about 18 months. They are individually wrapped, very unecological, but it means I can put a few in the BOB, some in my bike bag, take a few travelling, to festivals etc. I buy Clinell. You can get packs of 30 or 100. Some sellers tell you the expiry date, some don't.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Next door popped round last night looking for a delivery. He's felt loads of shaking in his house for days. Surprised he's not been round about that, or been to see the site manager or something. Anyway, it was pretty mild after I went round. I took some photos of the corners of the inside of the external walls, just in case. Also a crack above upstairs lodger's door.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
So glad I found this forum - I don’t need TV anymore - this thread in particular jumps around all over the place and the banter is great
Seriously though, I genuinely enjoy reading all the contributions and am constantly amazed by the diversity in the preps/lifestyle choices in this community- learning a LOT.


Seriously though, I genuinely enjoy reading all the contributions and am constantly amazed by the diversity in the preps/lifestyle choices in this community- learning a LOT.
“Rotation, rotation, rotation”
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
You never get a disappointed pessimist.