This weeks preps check-in

[Brent S]

I finally dug out the dehydrator last night and I have a load of Leeks in there now.

I didn't get many chives this year. Just too hot I guess. Luckily I found a Baggie full of some I dehydrated last year. Stuff has a way of hiding in my freezer.

 

[SheilaT.]

I didn't get many chives this year. Just too hot I guess. Luckily I found a Baggie full of some I dehydrated last year. Stuff has a way of hiding in my freezer.

That's something else I miss since the move, I used to dehydrate huge amounts of chives and parsley from the garden. I have none left. However a plan is afoot.

 

[Silent Earth]

Your probably right there. It really was encouraging to see it on a store shelf again though. As I discovered, people are still hoarding it, but at least the supply is rolling again. Damned having to live within a budget. That's what made me hesitate to begin with....

Expensive mistake, hopefully not a fatal one, punish yourself go and buy three more bricks when it comes in.

 

[Silent Earth]

Chives and Mint grow wild in my garden.

 

[Silent Earth]

Just put a nice black 5.11 Rush 12 pack into EDC/GHB duty I normally have different bags for EDC and GHB but with the Rush 12 it will happily do both jobs, The Admin pouch and the lined pouch plus the top extra pouch accommodate all my EDC needs, and I have set up a GHB container that just slips into the main section of the Rush 12 if venturing far from home.

 

[Brent S]

Got 24 1 gallon glass jugs from a friend today! They are for wine storage, but could be used for any liquids. I like these for aging wine as they are the equivalent of five regular wine bottles which makes it a lot quicker and easier. Ok since this guy obviously drinks a lot, I recriporcated with four liters of a good, strong muscadine wine for him. I love the barter system, everybody leaves happy!

 

[SheilaT.]

Now the dehydrator is to hand, I got some bags of frozen veg to dehydrate. If you don't have any growing space, buying bags of frozen veg is an economical and easy way to fill your store cupboard. I simply put the veg on the dehydratoe trays, leave them to defrost and then dehydrate. No preparing, no blanching ready to go.

 

[Silent Earth]

Now the dehydrator is to hand, I got some bags of frozen veg to dehydrate. If you don't have any growing space, buying bags of frozen veg is an economical and easy way to fill your store cupboard. I simply put the veg on the dehydratoe trays, leave them to defrost and then dehydrate. No preparing, no blanching ready to go.

Fiendishly clever

 

[Brent S]

Now the dehydrator is to hand, I got some bags of frozen veg to dehydrate. If you don't have any growing space, buying bags of frozen veg is an economical and easy way to fill your store cupboard. I simply put the veg on the dehydratoe trays, leave them to defrost and then dehydrate. No preparing, no blanching ready to go.

That's interesting. How do you store them once dried? And how do you use them when ready? I know for a fact that I can buy them cheaper than growing. I really haven't had any luck with stuff like broccoli or cauliflower recently. It's gotten too hot too quick for any real success. Might be a good backup plan.

 

[SheilaT.]

Fiendishly clever

Yip

That's interesting. How do you store them once dried? And how do you use them when ready? I know for a fact that I can buy them cheaper than growing. I really haven't had any luck with stuff like broccoli or cauliflower recently. It's gotten too hot too quick for any real success. Might be a good backup plan.

I store them in Kilner (canning) jars with an oxygen absorber.
Because I have a very basic dehydrator I only dry smaller or chopped veg such as peas, beans, sweetcorn chopped carrot, things like that. But I think you could probably do more irregular shapes with a more sophisticated machine. I know a friend has done broccoli florets and cauliflower but she did break them up quite small.

 

[Brent S]

Yip



I store them in Kilner (canning) jars with an oxygen absorber.
Because I have a very basic dehydrator I only dry smaller or chopped veg such as peas, beans, sweetcorn chopped carrot, things like that. But I think you could probably do more irregular shapes with a more sophisticated machine. I know a friend has done broccoli florets and cauliflower but she did break them up quite small.

I may try that soon, thanks.

 

[Brent S]

I did some grape vine cuttings today. I actually have enough vines now with close to 100, but I am replacing some of the ones I don't like as much. All the cuttings I did today were a large white sccuponon grape that's really sweet. I also just got a new set up for cuttings. It's a black bucket with 12 holes in the lid, and foam inserts in them. It has a mister/bubbler in it to keep the hanging stems moist. I was doing cuttings in potting soil, but only had a 10% success rate at best. This should increase my odds. I'll let you know how it goes.
I also got the new roof fabric fastened down on the greenhouse today. I had draped it up on it earlier, but finally made time to finish it. I have way too many loose ends around here! It feels good to work on some of them.

 

[Brent S]

Oh, I'm finally getting back to my sun room project. It started as a open covered porch, but I wanted a way to heat the house during winter, and possibly grow some more veggies year round. Anyways, the project kind of sat for a while, but I finally got the floor sanded and two coats of polyurethane applied. I'll do one more coat to give a little extra protection, and then make the base boards, caulk and paint. Luckily it's close to done! I'm tired just from talking about it...

 

[Billy Roper]

The day before yesterday we got three eggs, yesterday, none. I guess we have to be real quick and catch them before they eat them. In other news, the wife and I did an advanced level 4.5 mile mountain hike yesterday in 3.5 hours, without water. We were pleased to see we weren't completely decrepit, after all, lol.

 

[Rob Painless]

The day before yesterday we got three eggs, yesterday, none. I guess we have to be real quick and catch them before they eat them.

Yep! We're not getting ANY eggs lately. Changing of the seasons, I guess. Happens about this time every year (not getting eggs, that is. I know the seasons change about this time every year! Because they always ... never mind) Anyway, we've got some friends who keep their chickens penned-up and feed them layer rations, and they are still getting plenty of eggs. But ours run loose and I only feed them some corn, milo & a little layer rations. Actually bought some eggs from the store last week. Yuck. They just look....sick. We're spoiled.

 

[Arcticdude]

On Friday I bought a 100# propane tank for the well house heater and got the rest of the lumber for the barn floor. Also ordered a set of skidder chains for the tractor. Sunday morning (2am) I drove up to see the kids and grandbabies. It was a stormy trip, trees down and rocks in the road. As I was leaving town I came around a corner and almost hit some cows standing in the road. It turned out to be a 10 hour trip due to the weather, normally only takes 8 hours. Got a 500 gallon propane tank being delivered this Thursday. They'll be hauling more gravel for the road starting today. Only need about 20-30 more loads.

 

[jimLE]

View attachment 6228 View attachment 6227 Oh, I'm finally getting back to my sun room project. It started as a open covered porch, but I wanted a way to heat the house during winter, and possibly grow some more veggies year round. Anyways, the project kind of sat for a while, but I finally got the floor sanded and two coats of polyurethane applied. I'll do one more coat to give a little extra protection, and then make the base boards, caulk and paint. Luckily it's close to done! I'm tired just from talking about it...View attachment 6225

It"s looking great..

 

[Brent S]

On Friday I bought a 100# propane tank for the well house heater and got the rest of the lumber for the barn floor. Also ordered a set of skidder chains for the tractor. Sunday morning (2am) I drove up to see the kids and grandbabies. It was a stormy trip, trees down and rocks in the road. As I was leaving town I came around a corner and almost hit some cows standing in the road. It turned out to be a 10 hour trip due to the weather, normally only takes 8 hours. Got a 500 gallon propane tank being delivered this Thursday. They'll be hauling more gravel for the road starting today. Only need about 20-30 more loads.

And I thought my driveway was expensive to maintain. I am slowly gearing up to pour concrete on it all, just a section at a time.

 

[Arcticdude]

And I thought my driveway was expensive to maintain. I am slowly gearing up to pour concrete on it all, just a section at a time.

The road going in to our place hasn't been maintained for probably 20 years. We'll get the majority of it rocked this year but I'm guessing that it will need 10-20 loads of rock every year for filling holes and washouts. This is in addition to the rock I'm hauling out of my own gravel pit.

 

[Silent Earth]

Cant you chaps use Geotex or geogrid for your driveways ?

http://www.geogridfabric.com/