Preparations Update

[Caribou]

I just picked up an oil filter for my truck at the PO. By scheduling one per month I get a better price. This is the third one so far. When I get to 8 or 10 I'll cut it back to one every 6 months until I think I have enough. I have oil for 15+ changes already.

 

[Cascadian]

We purchased enough fence and t posts for 500 ft. We can double our usable pasture area for edibles .

 

[Cascadian]

I don't know if mentioned this already. We bought our son 2 cords of wood for winter.

 

[Peanut]

Anyone else considered a good walking stick/staff? For years I’ve liked a heavy staff, about 80” with a fork in the end. 1)for working cattle. When a 1000lb cow tries to run over you a heavy pointy stick is very handy 2) I spend a lot of time where poisonous reptiles are abundant (and a few alligators). A sharpened fork on the end of a heavy staff makes a very good defensive weapon. They are also excellent when carrying a load over rough terrain, or just walking over rough ground.

I no longer need such a heavy staff but still need one. I wanted one with a forked end. About a year ago @hashbrown posted something about dogwood being used where he lives because they make a great staff. I’ve checked dozens of dogwood saplings this year. I never found anything close to meeting my needs.

The other night when I got the new chainsaw the store had a bunch of walking sticks and canes. All well made, some had little compass in the end. I picked out a nice hickory, more than I wanted to pay but I needed a good stick. Not as long as I like but respectable at 49 inches. It was finished well with a good coat of poly, had a heavy rubber ferrule on the bottom, looked nice. (doesn’t have a fork, grumble grumble)

It’s made by “Brazos Walking Sticks”. Here the web links. (my pic is poor, better ones on the website.)

https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/
https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/twisted-hickory-sapling-walking-stick/

 

[Pearl]

Anyone else considered a good walking stick/staff? For years I’ve liked a heavy staff, about 80” with a fork in the end. 1)for working cattle. When a 1000lb cow tries to run over you a heavy pointy stick is very handy 2) I spend a lot of time where poisonous reptiles are abundant (and a few alligators). A sharpened fork on the end of a heavy staff makes a very good defensive weapon. They are also excellent when carrying a load over rough terrain, or just walking over rough ground.

I no longer need such a heavy staff but still need one. I wanted one with a forked end. About a year ago @hashbrown posted something about dogwood being used where he lives because they make a great staff. I’ve checked dozens of dogwood saplings this year. I never found anything close to meeting my needs.

The other night when I got the new chainsaw the store had a bunch of walking sticks and canes. All well made, some had little compass in the end. I picked out a nice hickory, more than I wanted to pay but I needed a good stick. Not as long as I like but respectable at 49 inches. It was finished well with a good coat of poly, had a heavy rubber ferrule on the bottom, looked nice. (doesn’t have a fork, grumble grumble)

It’s made by “Brazos Walking Sticks”. Here the web links. (my pic is poor, better ones on the website.)

https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/
https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/twisted-hickory-sapling-walking-stick/
View attachment 94546

That's nice!! I have an old cattle cane (will take pics tomorrow)! It's about 6 1/2' tall. It's long enough for support crossing a downed log over a creek. It's light yet strong! It's also nice hiking on steep rocky terrain.

 

[Peanut]

Yep, about 80 inches, a good length, still short enough for the cab of my truck though I usually toss it in the back. Also, a forked stick is great for pinning a rattler, a copperhead or an angry racoon. That's why I like the fork. I'd sharpen them a little with a pocket knife then heat treat them with fire. Not sharp enough to puncture the skin of a cow but sharp enough to be unpleasant to a critter.

 

[Bacpacker]

I have carried a hiking stick for years. Mine is a hickory thats probably 6'. Never measured but something like that. I wouldn't mind a longer one. They are very handy wading creeks or depending Steep terrain. Mine has developed a crack down low and I'm debating attempting a fix, or finding a new one.
I have another, slightly shorter, thats dogwood. That one was a lucky find. It is very straight.
I dont like store bought ones. I've yet to find one I like or would carry.

 

[angie_nrs]

I was fortunate enough to go out of town last week and found some great deals at a meat store, so I stocked up. My freezers are full! I bought in bulk to get the very best prices, so I picked up:

12 rolls of sausage
10 packs bacon
2 large bags shrimp
1 bag mushrooms
1 bag popcorn chicken

We were also given some venison by a neighbor who hit it with her car. Hubby only harvested what he could and buried the rest. Most of it is going to be dog food, but that's still better than nothing. Plus, the dogs will love him for it! He was able to get the tenderloins and backstraps and some burger for us though. I'm glad it didn't completely go to waste.

I wasn't able to find any clearanced seeds this year so I went online and bought what I thought I would need for next year. I had difficulty this year finding green bean seeds, so I stocked up on those. They were cheaper online than what I could find in the stores anyways. If they don't end up being any good, I'm not out much....but I feel better having them now.

 

[Magus]

Anyone else considered a good walking stick/staff? For years I’ve liked a heavy staff, about 80” with a fork in the end. 1)for working cattle. When a 1000lb cow tries to run over you a heavy pointy stick is very handy 2) I spend a lot of time where poisonous reptiles are abundant (and a few alligators). A sharpened fork on the end of a heavy staff makes a very good defensive weapon. They are also excellent when carrying a load over rough terrain, or just walking over rough ground.

I no longer need such a heavy staff but still need one. I wanted one with a forked end. About a year ago @hashbrown posted something about dogwood being used where he lives because they make a great staff. I’ve checked dozens of dogwood saplings this year. I never found anything close to meeting my needs.

The other night when I got the new chainsaw the store had a bunch of walking sticks and canes. All well made, some had little compass in the end. I picked out a nice hickory, more than I wanted to pay but I needed a good stick. Not as long as I like but respectable at 49 inches. It was finished well with a good coat of poly, had a heavy rubber ferrule on the bottom, looked nice. (doesn’t have a fork, grumble grumble)

It’s made by “Brazos Walking Sticks”. Here the web links. (my pic is poor, better ones on the website.)

https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/
https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/twisted-hickory-sapling-walking-stick/
View attachment 94546

I wish you well, I couldn't get 10.00 apiece for mine locally, even with stainless steel knobs and rubber tips. it cost more than that to make the damn things. you can see the tops of two of mine here. I'm sitting here looking right at them.

 

[UrbanHunter]

I am in the middle of making a green space at a sliding door walkout. The roof is about 12' by 7' and I have decided to add another 800 watts of standby solar on it. I ordered the panels today.

I went ahead and ordered some more LiFePo4 batteries, which should be enough to keep the wife's oxygen machine running for 12 hours during a power outage.

I figured that with the combination of my outdoor battery bank, the indoor bank, and the 3 sets of standby solar panels I can keep her equipment running indefinitely without turning to the generator...

It also gives me enough power to run all my indoor grow lights completely off grid on a daily basis.

 

[Magus]

NICE!

 

[Tank-Girl]

Pension day is on Monday and once again my cancer preps are at the head of the list.

2 100 count boxes of FenBen tablets.
2 96 count boxes of 665mg osteo paracetamol.
More ibuprofen, mega dose curcimin, berberine, milk thistle.

I need to get more grain for the chickens and more grain free dog food.
I have decided that after I recover from the shopping trip I am going to wake up early and cull all the duck-ups.
They are extremely LOUD, they don't sleep at night, they eat huge amounts of food and require 4 times the amount of water chickens do.
They use up 4 times the resources that chickens do and I'm getting nothing in return.
I'm getting no eggs from them even though they are an egg breed.
I simply can't afford to keep pouring food down the necks of an animal that isn't pulling its weight.
I have a lot of freezer space so I'll breast them out and take the legs and compost the rest.
There's no plucking or real skinning involved and you don't get much meat from egg ducks.
As for composting the rest of the bird I was thinking of making pumpkin pits like David the Good did on YT to grow his pumpkins. The duck waste would be an awesome source of food for the pumpkin pits.
The duck breasts and legs could be for the Landshark as a frozen treat over the blazing hot summer months.

 

[jazzy]

picked the last of the pole beans after the frost amd got them snapped and on a drying rrack. a neighbor helps me with the carrots, onions and leftover tomatoes. its kinda of a good feeling topick the l;ast and put the garden to bed for the winter. i tend to just dry more than can fruits and vegs.

anyone lives in a dryish climate a hanging ffood dryer works great and no electric. this is like the one i got.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WK7VWH8/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_6?smid=A1IK8ZXM6EPZ4X&psc=1

 

[LadyLocust]

Anyone else considered a good walking stick/staff? For years I’ve liked a heavy staff, about 80” with a fork in the end. 1)for working cattle. When a 1000lb cow tries to run over you a heavy pointy stick is very handy 2) I spend a lot of time where poisonous reptiles are abundant (and a few alligators). A sharpened fork on the end of a heavy staff makes a very good defensive weapon. They are also excellent when carrying a load over rough terrain, or just walking over rough ground.

I no longer need such a heavy staff but still need one. I wanted one with a forked end. About a year ago @hashbrown posted something about dogwood being used where he lives because they make a great staff. I’ve checked dozens of dogwood saplings this year. I never found anything close to meeting my needs.

The other night when I got the new chainsaw the store had a bunch of walking sticks and canes. All well made, some had little compass in the end. I picked out a nice hickory, more than I wanted to pay but I needed a good stick. Not as long as I like but respectable at 49 inches. It was finished well with a good coat of poly, had a heavy rubber ferrule on the bottom, looked nice. (doesn’t have a fork, grumble grumble)

It’s made by “Brazos Walking Sticks”. Here the web links. (my pic is poor, better ones on the website.)

https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/
https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/twisted-hickory-sapling-walking-stick/
View attachment 94546

I almost always end up with a stick when I'm hiking. My Gpa taught me how to let one help when walking when I was little. Of course, it became a sword, a brother poker, and a rock flipper, but now I actually like having one in my hand.

 

[LadyLocust]

picked the last of the pole beans after the frost amd got them snapped and on a drying rrack. a neighbor helps me with the carrots, onions and leftover tomatoes. its kinda of a good feeling topick the l;ast and put the garden to bed for the winter. i tend to just dry more than can fruits and vegs.

anyone lives in a dryish climate a hanging ffood dryer works great and no electric. this is like the one i got.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WK7VWH8/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_6?smid=A1IK8ZXM6EPZ4X&psc=1

That's pretty nifty! I just hang bundles from a string the really old fashioned way.

 

[LadyLocust]

I found a box of 30-30 precious metal today (and a few others)
Also preparing for the financial collapse as best we can.
I made another phone call to our financial adviser. I used to work for him so when he starts with the corporate advice and I say "Well, what about XYZ?" he knows I get it. He said today that we have an "unconventional portfolio."

 

[Caribou]

Local store is having a case lot sale so I picked up 12+ cases of veggies and 5 cases of tuna. A few other odds and ends and the kart was heaping.

 

[UrbanHunter]

This week our preps have been down graded, they decided to clean out all the water mains and that means that they flush the lines with chemicals and knock loose all the rust and crap inside the lines. As a result we have shifted to drinking our water storage and we plan to continue to do this for another week. I figure a week will be enough time to let my neighbors drink all the crap in the lines..... Today, I plan to pickup another 6 flats of bottled drinking water so when this is all over we will still have at least 6 flats on hand....

 

[Bacpacker]

Gives you a chance to rotate your water stock. Well thats the best I could make out of that.

 

[Sourdough]

I plan to pickup another 6 flats of bottled drinking water so when this is all over we will still have at least 6 flats on hand

I have never purchased bottled water. Curious what it costs.....??

 

[UrbanHunter]

I have never purchased bottled water. Curious what it costs.....??

It runs about a penny an once at W-mart, between $4 and $8 a flat of 30+ 16oz bottles depending on the brand.... I like to keep about 6 flats sitting around just in case... I have larger bulk storage and filters for longer term situations. For us just drinking it cold, a flat will last us 3 days...

 

[Pearl]

We buy it occasionally for the bottles. Our well water is outstanding, a lot of minerals and electrolytes. We make coffee with the store bought water, helps to not kill the coffee pots than refill with our healthy water.

 

[Amish Heart]

Husband uses two bottles at night, I put them on his nighttable before he goes to bed. Otherwise we have an RO faucet at our kitchen sink and a Big Berkey in our kitchen for use with our water cooler. I think the only other time we'd use bottled water is if we're traveling, or out for a picnic.

 

[Bacpacker]

I keep several cases on hand. Used mainly for travel, throw a case in if I'm out working away from the house. Good to have something quick for emergencies to grab and go

 

[Sourdough]

It runs about a penny an once at W-mart, between $4 and $8 a flat of 30+ 16oz bottles depending on the brand.... I like to keep about 6 flats sitting around just in case... I have larger bulk storage and filters for longer term situations. For us just drinking it cold, a flat will last us 3 days...

That is cheaper than I figured.

 

[backlash]

Costco is 23 cents per 16.9 oz. bottle.
We buy a couple every few months just to have when we travel.
I take 6 bottles when I go fishing.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Costco is 23 cents per 16.9 oz. bottle.
We buy a couple every few months just to have when we travel.
I take 6 bottles when I go fishing.

I like having it just in case. The wife has to measure her intake so I can issue her 5 bottles a day and we are good. Normally, we have some of the older bottles that were thicker bottles and I refill them with filtered water, but with the mains being cleaned the water just tasted nasty. It's okay to do dishes with and wash clothes, as long as you don't wash whites (they would come out orange). 6 flats is less than $40 and they last a long time, so it's just part of our food storage.
I also like to have a few that I can freeze and put in a cooler when going to the range or some other outdoorsy thing.... We generally use a dozen each month.

 

[Tank-Girl]

I'm beyond annoyed.
Today is Monday and it's a public holiday.
Normally when a pension day lands on a public holiday the gov gives me my pension a working day early.
In this case the Friday before pension day.
This public holiday not so.
I got it today and while all the supermarkets are open the feed stores are shut and I need bulk chicken and dog
food which I can only get at the feed store.
I have no idea how much the feed bill will be because they keep raising their prices so I have no idea how much
to set aside.
I normally buy the feed first and then do a quick reckoning and work out my grocery budget based on what's left after the animals are taken care of.
If I'm short I'll rework the grocery list and drop the "wants and the luxury" items.

The animal feed bill ALWAYS comes before my own.

 

[Tank-Girl]

Well looks like I'm going to the grocery store.
The Spirit is insisting I go so I done my animal feed reckoning by adding 25% to the last bill and put it in a different account and withdraw the cash but now I'm buying shelf stable food.
NOT fridge or freezer food.
It was that specific.
I'll put the flour, lentils, beans and rice in the chest freezer to kill the bugs but in regards to frozen veggies and such..they will not be on the list.
I'll buy my animal food tomorrow with the cash I withdraw today.

 

[Tank-Girl]

Change of plans on the fly.
I drove past a tiny little feed store and their roller doors were open.
Yes they were open for business even though officially they were doing the books for the previous week.
I managed to get my chicken feed and grain free dog food for a significant bit cheaper than the feed store I
normally go to.
Thank you GOD.
Prices are stupid high for toilet paper and the supplies are extremely low.
It's looking like covid TP stupidity 2.0
I brought 1 flat of pasta sauce, and 2 flats of soup.
I grit my teeth and winced when I put a pack of 24 toilet rolls in the cart.
I added a bulk bag of baby wipes as well for the "in case".
I stocked up on cleaning essentials like bleach, gloves, trash bags, liquid dish soap, bar soap.