What have you done this week to prep?

[churchmouse]

We got after it last week and did some deep cleaning and re-arranging. Made a crap load of room for more water and such.
Preps are in solid order as well.

 

[teddy12b]

My last comment got eaten by a computer gremlin, but I was going to share a picture of the packraft and rifle.

This is my inflatable pack raft. I looked at it like spending money on a treadmill, but something that'd actually be an adventure to use.

Here it is all wrapped up rolled up tightly from the manufacturer:

Along those lines, here's a picture of the finest rifle I've ever owned. Here's one at the range getting the barrel broken in:

Here's another after I started adding some goodies to it:

 

[Thor]

Nice looking kit there teddy12b. Your raft would be a lot easier to transport! Though on the plus side mine will hold a squad with gear...or my family with camp gear.

 

[churchmouse]

Nice looking kit there teddy12b. Your raft would be a lot easier to transport! Though on the plus side mine will hold a squad with gear...or my family with camp gear.

Thats the issue with a raft. Having enough room.

 

[teddy12b]

The raft I have has a 500# max capacity, and is built for the longer, taller, "girthier" guys. I called and gave them my description and they instantly pointed that direction. I was really hoping to get it in the water by now, but the other night we had a visit to the veterinarian for our dog and it ended up being his final trip. I'm always skeptical of any rated capacity especially until I test it. I Part of the appeal of a raft for me is that I'd like to go back to the Isle Royale and do some island hopping that'll include a lot of portages. I can see this thing being a really time tool to have on outdoor outings and it's a lot easier to take that on a vacation than a hard shell kayak. I'm looking forward to getting some time in on this thing.

 

[sngehl01]

We started our dry reserves. We are starting to try to put back 2-5 pounds of dry goods each week and 1 pack of water. We have rainwater collection set up for the garden, so I'm not overly concerned with that aspect. A bag of rice, a bag of beans, corn meal, flour, etc.

It's stuff we use anyway, so in 2-3 years we'll just buy it as we do now, but cycle out the oldest stuff from storage and put what was just bought down there.

We have also started a big garden so we can get cracking on some canning this fall. Our goal is 2 years worth of canning products the first year, then 1 years worth every year thereafter.

The one thing I am really considering stocking up on is starsan. Being able to insure sanitized jars should things get rough would be huge, and allow us to continue to pressure can without fear of contamination.

 

[rhino]

Since I've been unemployed, I've essentially been de-prepping. I'm very glad I was a disciplined saver for so long when it was possible. I'm getting close to the end (until I start going into debt beyond mortgage), but my prepping for the future got me this far. I'm trying to worry more about finding a proper job than about how I'm ever going to rebuild my savings after I do get fully employed, but it's tough to not worry about both.

 

[dudley0]

Smaller scale, but I was sent home from my job and had a month off to consider things. We lived off the preps so the sting wasn't there.

Happy that you had the forethought to have preps, sorry that you are having to use them.

 

[churchmouse]

Smaller scale, but I was sent home from my job and had a month off to consider things. We lived off the preps so the sting wasn't there.

Happy that you had the forethought to have preps, sorry that you are having to use them.

Not every need is an end of times SHTF situation.
There have been more than a few times we lived off our stores. Upside, we had them. They were rotated out and used. Downside, we had to use them.....but they were available.

 

[Phase2]

Not every need is an end of times SHTF situation.

^This. Any preps that can carry you for a month will also help you through a major ice storm or other smaller problem. They will also help you with coping with larger/longer events and give you time to come up with solutions for those larger events.

 

[churchmouse]

^This. Any preps that can carry you for a month will also help you through a major ice storm or other smaller problem. They will also help you with coping with larger/longer events and give you time to come up with solutions for those larger events.

With space being a serious limitation for us having a solid months worth of preps with the head count we prep for is an achievement. With rationing we could stretch this time out but water is an issue. Everything revolves around water.

 

[Phase2]

A month is just a period that I picked out of the air. The point is that *any* level of preps is better than not having it. They can make getting through smaller events much easier and help you get through larger events.

As for size of your preps, there is always a possible disaster that can extend longer than are prepped for. For water: storage is where you start, but also have filtration option(s) and ways to collect water. For food: storage is great, but gardening, food animals, hunting and foraging will help you with longer-term food needs. Etc, etc...

 

[dudley0]

With space being a serious limitation for us having a solid months worth of preps with the head count we prep for is an achievement. With rationing we could stretch this time out but water is an issue. Everything revolves around water.

I still have that tote waiting for a spot at your place.

 

[churchmouse]

I still have that tote waiting for a spot at your place.

To have the space would great but alas I do not.
Much appreciated.

I have made some places for milk crate stacked gallons and flats of bottled water. Enough to possibly push us out the limits of the food.

 

[churchmouse]

A month is just a period that I picked out of the air. The point is that *any* level of preps is better than not having it. They can make getting through smaller events much easier and help you get through larger events.

As for size of your preps, there is always a possible disaster that can extend longer than are prepped for. For water: storage is where you start, but also have filtration option(s) and ways to collect water. For food: storage is great, but gardening, food animals, hunting and foraging will help you with longer-term food needs. Etc, etc...

That time frame is about what we could sustain with normal consumption's. This is why I remarked to it.
We live in the city. Not much to hunt or forage around here.

 

[Phase2]

That time frame is about what we could sustain with normal consumption's. This is why I remarked to it.
We live in the city. Not much to hunt or forage around here.

You might be surprised. I live in the city. On my property, I have a mulberry, redbud and white pine (trees); mock strawberry, dandelions, violets and plantains (weeds); and daylilly (flower). Within 100', I know there is Japanese honeysuckle (invasive shrub/tree), roses (shrub), stinging nettle, ground ivy and lambs quarters (weeds). I'm sure there are others that I don't know about. All of these have food and/or medicinal benefits. And I only have moderate foraging knowledge.

 

[churchmouse]

You might be surprised. I live in the city. On my property, I have a mulberry, redbud and white pine (trees); mock strawberry, dandelions, violets and plantains (weeds); and daylilly (flower). Within 100', I know there is Japanese honeysuckle (invasive shrub/tree), roses (shrub), stinging nettle, ground ivy and lambs quarters (weeds). I'm sure there are others that I don't know about. All of these have food and/or medicinal benefits. And I only have moderate foraging knowledge.

Your knowledge trumps mine....

In season we have a decent garden. A neighbor has chickens. Not sure they would last long.

 

[rhino]

To have the space would great but alas I do not.
Much appreciated.

I have made some places for milk crate stacked gallons and flats of bottled water. Enough to possibly push us out the limits of the food.

e

Have you considered a different water storage method that might help maximize your room? Five+ gallon, stacking blocks might take less space than cases of 0.5L bottles, as would barrels.

 

[churchmouse]

e

Have you considered a different water storage method that might help maximize your room? Five+ gallon, stacking blocks might take less space than cases of 0.5L bottles, as would barrels.

I have considered this. We cycle the bottles out. They are our main source of drinking water. I have the taps filtered but the water still sucks.
We get 4 1 gallon jugs in the crates and it stacks nicely. These are for cooking/hygiene etc.

 

[Thor]

Bought an Excalibur 9 tray dehydrator. We end up wasting/freezing too much of the garden consumables. Just made about 10# of jerky...beef, turkey and goose (left over from Easter). It's already paid for itself and the garden is not even producing yet. A lb of store bought starts at around $15...which is about what I paid to make 10lb.

I have the model with the temp setting and timer, it's almost too easy. Set it at 155 deg. F and 4 hours. The Jamaican Jerk Turkey Jerky took an extra hour.